Stephanie's Organics

I absolutely adore candles and I am sure if you read my blog regularly enough you will have noticed that.  For me they present an opportunity to kick back, relax and as the scents and aromas come to life, watching the flame of a lit wick flicker is quite mesmerising.

Stephanies Organics is a little independent business who I am glad to be able to bring to the blog. Stephanie kindly sent me 4 of her own hand poured candles to test and try.  When they arrived, well packaged in a brown box, I was taken aback by how strong the scent was, a mixture of all four together creating this heavenly, almost spa-like scent.  Opening the box, that scent intensified and I just wanted to light them there and then.

Stephanie herself describes her range as follows: "Each fragrance has been developed with serenity in mind; escape to an oasis of calm, with the opulent, warmth & richness of Stephanie’s Organics. Stephanie’s Organics incorporates sophistication with indulgence and sustainability: a stylish addition to any home, or present for that special someone".

The collection which contains no paraffin is made from the finest quality essential oils, sustainably sourced soy wax, cotton wicks, and premium and recycled packaging come in four fragrances: Lemon, Bergamot & Lime, Mimosa, White Jasmine & Rose, Rose & Red Berry and Highland Pine. Each scent, as you can see, has a different banding on the box so you can identify which one is which.

I have found it really hard to pick a favourite candle. Each one is totally different and has a scent just as you imagined it to be.

Lemon, Bergamot and Lime is a really sharp fresh scent, naturally citrusy and was iInspired by the wonders of Italy when creating this beautifully clean, citrus-fresh Lemon, Bergamot and Lime fragrance. 

The description as follows "Zesty, vibrant top notes of Lemon, Lime and orange are wrapped with the heart notes of crisp fresh basil and the base notes of cedar, patchouli and Vetivert add a warmth to give an uplifting, contemporary fragrance. 

Highland Pine was a scent I wasn't sure what to expect. Described as being a Clean and invigorating Scottish Pine, Eucalyptus and Galbanum to instantly soothe and calm, evoking the essence of fresh air in the breathtakingly beautiful Scottish countryside. 

So with this candle, Stephanie has utilised upon the essence of unique Scottish ingredients. With top notes of Scottish Pine, Eucalyptus as mentioned, the heart notes of Cypress and Lavandin which add a slightly earthy tone but the deeper woody base notes of Cedarwood, Amyris and Olibanum are just incredible.

Rose and Red Berry is a scent which can only be described as elegant and if you love a fruity floral then this is definitely for you. 

With top notes of fresh, citrus Sicilian lemons and Buchu Leaf, which has a beautiful blackcurrant type scent if you have never come across it before, you get a candle which opens quite fruity with a citrus twist.  The heart notes of Geranium and Galbanum add a light floral twist as the base notes of Cedarwood and Vetiver enhance the intensity of the scent and what you get is an absolutely incredible scent which I just adore

The final candle if Mimosa, White Jasmine and Rose and quite a romantic sounding candle with those three. 

I am a huge fan of anything Jasmine, it is such an amazing scent and for me, this candle is truly stunning.  Starting with top notes of both Rose and Jasmine, the floral notes compliment one another as crushed violet, Lemon and Bergamot, as the middle notes create a clean scent with a bit of twist because in coming next are Cedar and Beeswax as base notes to add depth and a slight sweetness to what has so far been a beautiful fresh scent.

What I love about these candles is that they are not only incredibly scented on their own, but you can mix two, three or even all of them together at once to create this amazingly fresh, vibrant scent and you only need to burn them for a few hours and that scent drifts right around the home filling each room.  Each of these candles has a burn time of approximately 15 hours which is also really impressive.

A 220g Candle with a burn time of 45-hour burn is priced at just £28. If you love candles and likes the sound of these candles, then please go and visit Stephanie right here on her Facebook page to learn more about the brand. 

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

Valentines Gift from Gatineau

The fabulous people over at Gatineau have put together an amazing value for money Valentines gift which is just incredible. It comes packaged inside a beautiful pink and silver Gatineau bag and is the perfect gift for your wife, girlfriend, best girl pal or even for yourself. Designed to cover everything from the eyes, lips, cheeks and more, not only is this one luxurious gift, if you keep on reading you will find a special discount code!

Inside the pink and silver bag, you will receive: 

Radiance Enhancing Gommage 75ml - Worth £35 on its own, this is a gentle gel exfoliator that eliminates dead skin cells to reveal a renewed and naturally radiant complexion. Using three amazing ingredients:

• Vitamin C – energises skin to boost its natural defence
• AHA from apple extract – eliminates impurities
• Enzymes – eliminates dead skin cells

I love this product, it is so gentle on the skin and is free of beads and grains. You apply over the face and neck massaging in circular motions and as you do so, the texture liquefies, after 1-2 minutes rinse with warm water.  

I have used this a few times now and it is so gentle on the skin and it removes so much gunk and leave my skin silky smooth to the touch. 

DefiLIFT Perfect Design Revolumising Lip Care 10ml - Priced at £32 again this is a moisturising lip treatment which instantly adds long-lasting volume whilst soothing and repairing chapped lips. Using Lavender extract which smooths and strengthens the lips and Shea butter which nourishes and softens. 

Described as being Revolumising, this is a cosmetic alternative to filling techniques. A powerful lip balm dramatically plumps and fills for a more defined appearance. After just one application, lips are smoothed, hydrated and plumped with long-lasting volume.

DefiLIFT Perfect Design Cream 30ml - Priced at £52 when bought on its own, this product is described as being a high-performance cream designed to lift, firm and re-sculpt the skin and it is packed full of amazing ingredients such as:

• Soy and corn proteins – lift the skin Wheat and soy proteins – boost skin's collagen and elastin production
• Vitamins E and F- protect the skin
• Sesame, sweet almond oil, mango and shea butter – nourishes and protects

As a volume enhancing moisturiser which is designed to firm and lift sagging skin, boost your skin’s collagen and elastin to dramatically plump and smooth this is something I am really looking forward to trying.

Collagene Expert Collagen Eye Pad - At £39 for a 6 pack these are really intriguing. Described as being an intensive treatment which cools and refreshes tired eyes and smooths wrinkles, again there are three ingredients to note:

• Collagen – smooths lines and wrinkles
• Glycerin – hydrates
• Allantoin – soothes the skin with anti-irritant properties

I love eye products like these and find them incredibly relaxing. With Gatineau, they are a bit of a multi-tasking pad because they not only diminish dark shadows they also reduce puffiness whilst smoothing lines and wrinkles. 

I am lucky enough not to have wrinkles, but I have used these after a night out to soothe my tired eyes and they really are refreshing and I looked more alert having used them and there were no telltale signs that I was winging it at work on less than four hours sleep!

So, if this sounds like something you would love to try and added together you are saving over 60% but I have something a little further to add, simply use the Code BEAUTYQUEENUK to get £5 towards your Valentine’s Collection

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise