Valentines Day Gift Ideas

I am apparently hopeless at deciding what I want for gifts, be it birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas or just because.  With that in mind I have cobbled together a gift idea post for Valentines Day, for that special lady in your life, be it your Wife, Girlfriend, Fiancée, Mum, Nan or a secret crush you want to surprise.

House of Fraser has an incredible selection of gifts to choose from, the list is literally endless and whilst I would ideally love them all, these are some of my favourites.

You can never go wrong with a perfume and as a brand, Issey Miyake has always impressed with both male and female fragrances.  City Blossom which you can see below sounds absolutely wonderful and the kind of fragrance I would choose. With top notes include citrus accords, pink pepper and calone. Its floral heart comprises of white petals such as osmanthus, freesia and magnolia, while the base hosts natural white Virginian cedar, white musk and ambrox.  It is limited edition and has an RRP £51

The second item I absolutely love because A) The tin is just brilliantly designed and B) Kiehls is an amazing brand and C) I am a lip balm obsessive, so put them together and before you, there is this beautiful lip balm set which is exclusive to House of Fraser and has an RRP £28

The third item on my list is this Laura Mercier Ambre Vanille Honey Bath. What sold it to be was the explanation behind the product and the fact I love spending a good hour in the bath with my book/Kindle.  

Twirl the Ambre Vanille emulsion into your bath and watch it transform into a decadent foaming experience. The thick, rich bubbles leave your skin supple and your senses calm and relaxed, while Shea Butter and Vanilla Extracts leave skin velvety soft. Sweet Almond Proteins, Hydrolyzed Rice, and Oat Proteins along with Pro-Vitamin B-5 offer skin moisture balance and protection. For skin that loves to be pampered, indulge in this luscious Honey Bath.  This has an RRP £32

The final three items on my list are jewellery related. Most people think jewellery when it comes to Valentines Day and quite a few people are proposed too or do the proposing.  Now I personally think Diamonds are a girl's best friend to coin a phrase, but for Valentines perhaps a little something different for that woman in your life.

This Radley watch I love firstly because it is pink and secondly because it is just so pretty, retailing at just under £100 it is an absolute bargain.  It hosts a leather strap, is water resistant up to 30 metres and comes with a 2 year guarantee!

Diamond earrings are very useful accessories to complete and outfit and I love the simplicity of this pair from JamesAllen.com. At a price of £246, it is a great gift for the special someone who loves bling.

Finally, we have these stunning Ted Baker Studs.  For anyone who knows me or reads my posts regularly, you will know that I adore Ted Baker products, be it makeup, bath and body, perfume or jewellery.  These Studs are heart-shaped, so perfect for Valentines Day and retail at just £19! 

So there you have my Valentines Day gift ideas, I hope you find them useful.

Bee Good Honey & Crambe Daily Hand Cream

One of the brands I am glad to have made acquaintance with since I started blogging is Bee Good. Bee Good is an independent British skincare company based in rural Hampshire, who have harnessed the centuries-old healing powers of British honey, propolis and beeswax in an innovative skincare range, designed to make a real difference without the use of parabens, synthetic colour, mineral oil, silicone or SLS/SLES. Each and every one of their products are described as being packed with hard-working intensively soothing ingredients, there is nothing better to care for your lips than this nourishing and protective treatment delivered from the flower, to the bee, to you.

The product I have been using for the last month is this natural Honey & Crambe Hand Cream**. I am a huge fan of hand creams and I use a lot of it because I find working with a lot of paper, ink and spending time at a computer really does dry my hands out and I like to ensure I always have some cream to hand.

This hand cream is very rich but it absorbs itself really quickly with no effort. As you can expect if you are a fan of Bee Good products, it is packed full of ingredients to ensure your hands are extremely well moisturised and hydrated. As with most products from Bee Good you can expect to find British wild flower honey which is very moisturising, British propolis which is renowned for its antibacterial properties, pro-vitamin B5 which is skin softening and then British Crambe Oil which is said to be deeply nourishing for the skin. The final two ingredients British borage oil and camelina oil provide rich sources of essential fatty acids which help strengthen and protect the skin.

I absolutely love this hand cream, it is so luxurious and rich as well as being hydrating and moisturising, a perfect desk/handbag hero.

Boots No7 Instant Radiance Highlighter

A few months ago I went into my local Boots store for foundation matching which you can read about HERE and as part of that service I was also matched with a lipstick and as it was a 3 for 2 offer on at the same time, I was to choose something for free! Well we all know how good a Boots 3 for 2 offer is and it took some time swatching everything I liked the look of and in the end I opted for the No7 Instant Radiance Highlighter. This Highlighter was something I had had my eye on for some time after seeing another blog post on it and it was the last one in stock (fate) so it was mine.

We all love a good highlighter and this is one brilliant. The highlighter comes in a stick or crayon as some people call them and is quite rotund. To use you simply twist the silver part at the bottom it to show the nib which you then use as the highlighter. When I decided this was the product for me, luckily the lady at the counter decided to give me a crash course into how to use it properly. As with any other highlighter you might have, I was told to begin by sweeping the stick gently onto cheek/brow bones, down the centre of your nose and then onto your cupid's bow to create that illusion of younger, dewy skin.

When you look at the highlighter it is not a wet formula as you might expect it to be, instead it is a dry formula and if you have used similar blush or bronzer sticks you will know what I mean.  It glides onto the skin so you need to pretend you are colouring in with your Crayola crayons, one glide along the skin is enough for you to dab and blend with your finger tips, I tend to simply pat my skin where I have applied the highlighter to get the best effect for me.  I was surprised to find it so easy to use and it really does give a nice subtle glow, perfect for when you are going out or for everyday use. 

I have become really impressed with No.7 of late and have a wish-list as long as my arm, starting with the concealer match service which I intend to take advantage of as soon as I have some time to do it. This Highlighters costs just £9.95 and is such great value for money.

Have you tried anything by No7 recently?

Models Own New Releases

I am a big fan of Models Own nail polishes and when it comes to the brand, that is as far as my knowledge with the brand started and ended, until now!  Today I have some new releases to share with you and I am sure you will be as impressed as I am!

The first item is this pocket sized Nude Palette which is just so so cute and the perfect size for my make-up bag which I take with me in my handbag everyday! The Palette itself has six shades, some of which are matte and some of which are shimmery and they can be used alone or mixed and matched giving you the perfect eye make up for daytime and a night out.

Also within the palette is a mirror which I am alwas impressed with, this mirror is the length and width of the palette and also in there is a double ended sponge/brush applicator giving you everything you need to create your look.

 

 

This palette is available right now along with a Smokey Eye version and they are priced at £8 each which is an absolute bargain.

Coming next is a Gel Eyeliner which is available in either dark brown or black.  The eyeliner comes inside a little pot with a cute little lid and an accompanying applicator brush, which is a bright pink colour and very very cute.  The eyeliner is enriched with Beeswax for a soft, conditioning effect.  The eyeliner is a no transfer liner, it dries almost immediately for a smudge free look.

This gel eyeliner retails at just £5 - what an absolute bargain!

The final item I want to share with you is called HyperEyes Mascara and it has the most fantastic brush called the 'Mohican' which volumises top lashes and defines lower lashes because it is designed to capture every lash, coating them expertly to give that defined, volumised look.  Housed inside this slick silver coloured tube, this mascara is a jet black colour with a really smooth formula which is not overly wet and dries really quickly.  The formula is also enhanced with protein to condition and build strong lashes.

There are two types of bristles on the brush, one side is raised and the other much smaller. The raised bristles which are quite long, help with the definition and evenly coating of each lash for precise coverage.  The smaller bristles on the opposite side are designed perfectly for those lower lashes, again helping to capture every lash. 

Costing just £8, it is not only a bargain but a great mascara.

All three of these products are brilliant and I am enjoying getting to know them and see how they work, but my first impressions of them are that not only are these affordable but great value for money and are more than worth looking at.

What do you think to these new releases?