Code Beautiful - New Launches

CODE Beautiful is a new brand on my radar and it has made quite the impact with the two latest releases from what I have come to learn through research is a huge collection of products. CODE Beautiful is all about creating must have hero products for women, those handbag essentials we can't live without. The first product, CODE VLM (Volume Lengthening Mascara), launched in 2014. Fast Forward to 2017 and these new products are all about the lips, CODE LIP a lip plumping treatment and CODE SSL a soft smooth lip liner gives us fuller more volumised lips, in a natural way.

CODE SSL Soft Smooth Lip Liner (£18 here) has been created for defined, volumised and hydrated lips. Lip Liners are one product I am hopeless at remembering to purchase and I have 4 in total, including this one. I have been using it since it arrived as it cleverly goes with every lip product I am wearing right now and what I love about it is how soft it is. On the lip it glides on and is as soft as a lipstick, it doesn't drag across the lips and it is pigmented enough to notice it, but not so much so that it takes away from that lipstick. 

It doesn't feather, there are no harsh lines, it is blendable and once applied it does not budge or smudge! It is self-sharpening, so a perfect tip each time and whilst there are no parabens, the ingredient Maxi Lip, a natural peptide which helps to stimulate collagen and provide a corrective and restructuring care for the lips.

CODE LIP Lip Intense Plumper (£20 here) is described as being as Insta Plumper on the go! I have always wished for slightly bigger lips, but am not ready nor feel I need to go down the route of Lip Fillers, so if a product promises me the chance to do that, I am wanting to try it! This product contains a magic ingredient which goes by the name of Hilurlip, and it contains a blend of lip treats such as Hyaluronic acid, Tripeptide-1, and Dimethicone. This exclusive combination is said to help redefine the natural contours of the lips and create a more youthful, sculpted look. Hilurlip also contains compounds that protect the lips from sun damage and helps minimise the appearance of small vertical lines.

This Lip Plumper has a rosy pink tone to it and Code Beautiful say they have chosen this shade because rosy pink nudes make your lips look larger and it also works effortlessly with the Code Soft Smooth Lip Liner and the two compliment one another. 

The ingredients of coconut oil, sweet almond oil and castor oil are also used alongside a quite noticeable minty scent which when applied to your lips makes them tingle whilst feeling quite cool at the same time. The tingly effect lasts for around 15-20 minutes before it subsides and it is not at all uncomfortable, it doesn't burn or sting, it is actually quite soothing. 

Does it plump my lips, well yes it does slightly but only I have noticed but what it does do is really nourish and moisturise and is not at all sticky, usually one of my main complaints with products like this. It also works well on its own or over your lipstick.

By way of an introduction to CODE Beautiful, I am really impressed with what I have seen. Really lovely products which are beautifully presented and as a further treat you can order one of the Limited Edition CODE MEK My Essential Kit makeup bags (£16 here) which is big enough for your make up for travelling with, it is fully lined with a sturdy zip and there is a choice of slogans - mine saying "Be Your Own Kind Of Beautiful" which I love.

If you haven't yet come across CODE Beautiful then you need too, it is such a kooky little brand that is hard not to love!

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

New From Patisserie De Bain

Anyone who reads my blog will know what a fan I am of Patisserie De Bain with their mouth-watering product scents which have appeared on many occasions. The little sister of Rose &Co. whom you might recognise from their iconic Rose Petal Salve, Patisserie De Bain has been around since 2007 and now boasts a catalogue of products which are described as being a 'refreshing splash of sweetness, fun and bright pastels to liven up any bathroom or dressing table'. Now I have got my hands on the brand new hand cream trio and they are just divine.

So the trio of new hand creams feature three new scents which are Rhubarb & Custard, Blackcurrant & Apricot Coullis and finally Raspberry Roulade. All of these scents already take me back to my childhood and again each hand cream has really cute packaging.

So starting with Raspberry Roulade , this hand cream is incredibly fruity and the cream is bright pink in colour and on the skin, it just sinks in really quickly leaving behind the sweet scent of Raspberry which reminds me of Summer Pudding.

Next is Blackcurrant & Apricot Coulis and the scent of this one if a perfect mixture of both the Blackcurrant and the Apricot with the Apricot scent just being sightly more dominant and reminding me of that Apricot Scrub I think everyone I know used back in the day. 

Again the cream is quite thick but sinks onto and then into the skin with minimum effort leaving behind soft smooth hands.

Finally we have the Rhubarb & Custard hand cream and it is my favourite of the three. 

If you are a fan of the Rhubard and Custard boiled sweets then this is that scent in a cream and it is just absolutely stunning, I cannot get enough of it.

These handcreams contain the nourishing and gentle shea butter and glycerine which helps to not only moisturise skin but to also leave hands soft and smooth. Each hand cream comes in a 50ml tube and are all available on roseandcompany.com website priced at £3.99 each.

From now onwards a 50p donation will be given to the Rays of Sunshine organisation from the sale of any Patisserie De Bain product sold through their website. Their target is to raise £10,000 by the end of the year which you can read about here.

Which new scent do you like the sound of?

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

Spending the day at Liverpool ONE #AtLiverpoolOne

Living in London ive got some of the worlds best shops on my doorstep but that doesn't mean I don't want to go elsewhere to see what the UK has to offer. Liverpool ONE is one of Europe’s leading retail and leisure destinations and it can be found right in the centre of Liverpool. It has over 170 shops but sometimes there is more to a place than shops. Liverpool One Restaurants has everything from casual to fine dining and with it comes food from right across the globe including American, Brazilian, Caribbean, French, Italian, Japanese and Thai to name just a few of those options.

Whether you’d prefer to walk, drive, take public transport or if you’re travelling via coach Liverpool One meets the needs of everyone and as it is split across six districts - Hanover Lane, Peter Street, The Tereace, Paradise Street, Chavasse Par and South John Street. Each district has something different to offer, for example Hanover Street has some of the City's most sought after bars and restaurants, if you have children then Chavasse Park is somewhere you should be looking at with activities such as Nature Trails and the chance to learn all about the wildlife and the flora and fauna.

Image Credit - ModusPublicity

If you want to shop until you drop then South John Street Liverpool to find all your favourite high street stores in one place with stores such as Zara, Office, Victoria’s Secret, AllSaints, Skechers, Hollister, The Body Shop, Boux Avenue, GAP, Charlotte Tilbury, Victoria Secrets, John Lewis and Debenhams. If by this point your feet are still not aching, then you can head over to Peter's Lane for some further retail therapy with stores such as Hugo Boss, Hobbs, Ted Baker, Reiss, Tessuti, Radley, Karen Millen, Flannels. The White Company, Valentino,Vivienne Westwood and Dolce & Gabbana. If you still have some energy left then the UK’s only Beauty Bazaar, Harvey Nichols which is described as being 'a one-stop destination and must visit for all things beauty' which features exclusive brands such as Tom Ford, Nails INC, Nars, Mac, Estee Lauder and so much more.

So with everything you need all in one place, Liverpool One is quite the destination for families, beauty lovers, shopaholics and the foodies!

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

Rush Hairdressing Salon - Enfield Branch

It has been 5 months since I had my hair cut, yes 5 whole months and in that time I have debated growing my hair again, it used to come right down to my bottom before I went to Uni.  However, as my hair got longer the more frustrated I became with it, so when the chance came up to visit a new Salon not too far from home, I jumped at the chance. I have never been to a Rush Salon to have my hair done before and it did have me on edge slightly. I am not too good when it comes to new places. I like the comfort of knowing where I am going, who I am seeing and for years I had the same hair stylist until he went backpacking a few years ago and has yet to come back to the UK.  

Inside the salon, it is incredibly swish with shiny floors and decor that matches and I love that the products used on your hair are on view for you to see.  

As I arrived I was greeted by the Salon Manager who was so lovely and friendly that I was immediately at ease.  I was shown to a chair and she set about asking me questions such as what I liked about my hair and what I didn't, how I style it, what products I like to use to wash and condition and whether or not I had ideas as to the style that I wanted.  For the first time in such a long time, I actually felt like someone was willing to take into account my concerns and considerations.  Now I hate having hair on my face, so a fringe of any sort is a definite no-no. I need my hair to be long enough that I can tie it back when I work should I need to, but also on a hot day there is nothing worse than your hair making your neck sweat, but other than that, I was happy for some suggestions and some guidance as to what would work, look amazing and be easy to style, I would much rather spend an extra 10 minutes in bed than have to get up to spend hours on my hair!

So off I went to have my hair washed, conditioned, masked and my head massaged. Something I absolutely love having done and if I could afford it, then I would happily pay for someone to wash my hair for me constantly.  The hair washing room is also incredibly plush with comfy chairs and I was almost asleep as my hair was washed and conditioned, the ambient lighting is incredible.

The shampoo and conditioner that we decided upon was Kérastase Aura Botanica Bain Shampoo which smells just absolutely incredible and is free from silicones, sulphates and parabens and it was partnered with Kérastase Aura Botanica Soin Fondant Conditioner, both of which you can see featured on my Instagram - HERE

Once my hair was washed, it was time for Lucy to work her magic on my hair and having resembled Worzel Gummidge beforehand, I was quite excited to see the finished result. Lucy and I decided that there needed to be some length cut from the ends especially as it had been quite a while and whilst most of my layers had grown out, I decided I didn't want them to be cut in again so short as it makes using straightening irons a nightmare at the best of times.  Once cut and dried, my hair was styled using Redken's Pillow Proof Blowdry Express Treatment Primer Cream which I am now slightly obsessed with, Kérastase Resistance Therapiste Serum and L'oreal Tecniart Volume Architect thickening blow-dry lotion.  So here we have the before and after shots:

All three of the products used on my hair have left it feeling incredible, not sticky, not crunchy but so soft, smooth and with a natural movement which I absolutely love and as you can see, sleek shiny hair rather than just been dragged through a hedge backwards!

I wouldn't hesitate to go back to Rush when my hair is in need of a cut again. I was made to feel so welcome and I loved being able to chat to a non-blogger about lipstick, mascara and foundation, swapping tips and recommending products to one another was a lot of fun!

For more information about Rush, their treatments and pricing, you can find it all right here and if Enfield is not in your vicinity then there are over 30 others across London and more nationwide which you can find using the Salon Finder - here.

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise