Patisserie de Bain lip balms - sneak preview!

A few weeks ago I was introduced to Patisserie de Bain by Rose & Co.** products which you can see HERE. Rose & Co. to give a very brief introduction was created by Patricia and Caroline Rose when they bought an old druggists shop in Yorkshire. With a love of all things vintage, beautiful and romantic, they restored the shop to its former Victorian splendour and a quirky but charming beauty apothecary was born.  All products are made in the UK with professionally blended handpicked ingredients. Products are made in small batches in the UK and soaps are still traditionally milled and pressed in one of the oldest soap factories in England.

When I arrived back from Amsterdam there was this lovely little package waiting for me, which was such a lovely surprise and inside I found this:

In a previous post, I introduced these very lip balms but in tin form and they are every bit as lovely as they look, now they have been packaged together in handy little tubes which are perfect for dropping into your handbag.

Described as follows:

"Soften and nourish lips with our travel friendly Patisserie de Bain lip balms. Sweetly scented flavours make the balms irresistible and almost good enough to eat. Beeswax and sweet almond oil gently replenish dry lips keeping them kissable condition for a perfectly pretty pout.

New for Spring, this cute little collection of Lemon Bon-Bon, Strawberry Cupcake and Sugared Violet is packaged in an adorable gift little box".

The first thing about these lip balms is that they smell amazing, exactly as their description gives - Lemon Bon-Bon smells exactly like those sweets you can purchase, Surgared Violet reminds me of Parma Violets which I also found in my box and Strawberry Cupcake smells like the strawberry and cream sweets you can also find in a good old fashioned sweet shop and again I found both of those sweets in my beautifully packaged box.

On the lips they are really moisturising and not at all sticky or tacky and they are really moisturising.

These products are available to purchase in March 2014 and RRP is £8.50 and would make a perfect gift or addition to your lip balm collection.

Lush The Kiss Lipgloss

As part of my goody bag at the Lush Event which I attended a few weeks ago was this brilliant solid lipgloss called The Kiss**.

Nestled inside a little tin, similar to the sample pots of Charity you can buy, this lipgloss has become an item that has found its way into my handbag and something I use a lot.  Designed and produced as part of the Valentines Day Range, The Kiss costs £5.75.

Described as 

" A delightful, whipped up gloss made from luxurious and protective butters including Fair Trade shea and cupuaçu. This preservative free tinted lip gloss gives a touch of colour to the lips. It’s so easy to apply you won’t even need a mirror!.  

We’ve created a light balm using the same aerating technique we use for our massage bars. It will moisturise and protect the lips, whilst giving them a subtle pink glossy sheen. It contains delicious organic agave syrup to leave your lips deliciously sweet".

Firstly it is pink, anything pink is going to get me excited and the scent is absolutely divine, Lush use organic mandarin and almond essential oils to give it this amazing scent, not to mention that it tastes pretty good too.  Once applied to the lips there is a very slight pink colouring and a natural gloss look.  It can either be worn on its own or over the top of your lipstick or lip crayon if you prefer.

Lush being Lush don't just put things together for the sake of it, there is usually some hidden meaning behind each product, usually within the ingredients and this one is no different.  As expected there is a long list of what ingredients it has such as - guarana seed powder which is a natural skin plumper to make your lips irresistible.  You will also find Shea Butter which has amazing moisturising properties, Organic Caster Oil which helps to lock in moisture, protect the skin and prevent damage by the elements and environmental toxins. You can find the full list of ingredients on the Lush website.

Which Lush products have you been loving lately?

You Beauty Discovery Box

I am a subscriber to Glossybox and for the last 3 months it has been pretty awful, with that in mind, before I decided whether or not to cancel it, I thought I would try You Beauty. I've heard a lot of people talk about this box and having read one or two reviews, I decided to bite the bullet and see what all the fuss was about.  

Here is the box in comparison to Glossybox in size.  It fits through my letterbox with no problems.

The You Beauty Discovery Box is another subscription service, but it is just £6.95 per month and here is where it differs slightly, when promoted to go and look at the website http://www.youbeautydiscovery.co.uk/ each month, you will be asked to select two product samples from a list of between 6-10 and then those products will be in your box along, depending on stock levels, along with 2-3 other samples.  If you cannot decide which products you want, then You beauty will decide for you.  For more information on how to join and to read more about it, you can find everything easily described HERE.

So my first box arrived a few days ago and whilst one product was out of stock that I liked the look of, the other two were in stock so they got selected.  Here are the contents of this box:

Like other boxes you get a little menu with information about the products within your box, this one comes in the form of a magazine.

You might not be surprised to find that I opted for GlamGlow Youthmud Tinglexfoliate as one of my options, this is because ever since I read about it, I have been itching to try it. Described as follows "the ultimate at-home  mud treatment for immediate camera-ready super radiant skin. FOr when you need great skin and a glowing complexion in just 10 minutes. It delivers both instant and cumulative results and leaves your complexion revived and glowing, whatever your skin type".

The product in my box is a 15g tube which means I will get at least more than one use out of it.

The second product is Stila lipglaze in Kaleidoscope.  Not a product I have tried before and I opted for it because the Pixi Flawless and Poreless primer was out of stock. Described as follows: "The formula in Stila lip glazes has been created to provide strong lasting power, without drying out your lips. The easy to use click and brush applicator means you get an even deposit of colour with minimum fuss – perfect for applying on the go!"  This is definitely an evening wearing lipglaze, it is very sparkly and would be a great finish to a great outfit.

The next two items are surprise items or extra treats as the booklet refers to them as and they are Charles Worthington Instant amplifying volume treatment and Beyond Dark Moments of Pleasure Hint of orange.  

Charles Worthington treatment is described as follows "A true red carpet star and the official product of the EE BAFTAs in 2013, this rinse-out weightless jelly has been desgined to lift the hair from the root to tip leaving it fully conditioned with high impact body and bounce for an A-list glamorous finish".  An interesting concept that I am still debating whether I will or will not use, would be interested in other peoples views if they have used this or want to use it.

Beyond Dark is described as follows "Beyond Dark is the ultimate chocolate treat - these delicious drops of pure pleasure are packed with more than three times the antioxidents found in other dark chocolate.  Contains the antioxident equivalent of 25 oranges, 8 bananas or 5 apples in every 35g pack".  They are also wheat, gluten and dairy free as well as being suitable for vegetarians.  Hmm well nothing makes chocolate sound more appealing than being told it is actually good for you right!

Now I am really impressed with this little box of treats, infact I would have paid the £6.95 for the GlamGlow mud alone because I really want to try it out.  I am going to continue with this box for a few months so I can get a real feel as to whether or not the value for money continues.

What do you think?  Do you get this box?

February Glossybox - Be Mine!

So my Glossybox has arrived and I did feel quite apprehensive about opening it because lets me honest, January's box was awful!  To be fair, I have had one or two emails from Glossybox with a survey attached to ask questions about my views on the box because it had been noted that most of us had been unhappy with the box contents.  So issues aside, what did February have in store?

Well it is a themed box and Valentines Day the natural choice, the box is totally brilliant, I loved it and here it is:

The kisses all over the box, which in itself had a make-over for the start of 2014 - it now has more depth to it and has a glossy finish, but this box is my favourite to date.

As for the contents, well here they are:

So this is quite a full box this month with 7 things in it!  My only grumble with the box is the Eldora Eyelashes.  One thing I don't use are false eyelashes because I cannot apply them for love nor money and end up getting quite stressed out about it, so instead I settle for a good mascara.  Anyway they retail for £3.90 and are described as follows "Every cosmetic connoisseur adore these simple and beautiful, high quality lashes by Eldora.  Their extensive range means there's a style to suit everyone".  Anyway, I am sure I can find them a good home!

Next up is Nougat London with their Sparkling Body Shimmer.  This bottle is 100ml and comes with the following description "Add radiance to your skincare regime with Sparkling Body Shimmer.  This body lotion with mallow extract, vitamin E and wheatgerm enriched oil will leave your skin luxuriously perfumed with a hint of sparkle"  Its actual scent is called Cherry Blossom and it smells divine, quite a thin texture, so it easily absorbs into the skin but it does leave behind a bit of a glitter effect on the skin.  A full sized 250ml product retails for £14 making this worth around £5.60

H2K Skincare comes next and not a brand I am familar with, but with two products in my box this might change.  I have a conditioning shampoo and a hydrating hair conditioner both of which are said to revitalise and nourish my hair.  Hmm well not too much of an introduction to a brand I have never heard of in all honesty, but they will go into my jar for weekend away products which is the intention.  Both of these sizes retail at £2.48 each

Ciate London Nail Polish - Now you can never have too many nail polishes right?  I am a huge fan of Ciate and have quite a lot of different shades and I already have this one which I won in a twitter competition as you can see HERE.  That said it is a fabulous shade and is desvribed as follows "Even without the gin, this yummy berry magenta is as toxically delicious as its namesake". This is a full sized product and retails for £9.

The final product is Maybelline New York Big Eyes Mascara.  Again, I am a mascara lover and it is the one product I will never leave the house without, so whenever I get a new one, I am quite chuffed.  This is a new product and is described as follows "Double the drama with Maybelline's first eye-opening double brush mascara.  Built with specific upper and lower lash brushes, Big Eyes Mascara produces an all-around eye-opening effect". Now this product excites me and I want to rip it open and try it out, but I must use up and finish two other mascaras that are almost empty first, but doesn't it just sound like the perfect mascara?.  Anyway it is available for £8.99

In this months box was a little treat, a Lindor Treat Bar which is just fabulous and now all gone.  Retails for 79p per bar and is delicious.

So a box that has contents worth around £33 and for me a great box this month and I just hope Glossybox manage to keep this up!  What do you think to this box?

Dress 2 Party

Proms, graduation balls, end of year party all require one thing - a dress or I should say ‘the dress‘, probably the second most important dress that you will ever buy, besides your wedding dress.  I remember shopping for my Prom and Graduation Ball dresses and the choice was so limited that my friends and I all used to choose between one or two shops and each dress would be similar, rather than unique.

Dress 2 Party is a fantastic site that I have come across, it is the leading UK Stockist for Sherri Hill Dresses and ranging in size 0-18 there are over 500 dresses to choose from, whether you want something that is short, mid-length, full length or even an evening gown, the choice is so wide and varied that there is something for everyone, for every occasion and for every style you might be looking for, plus some that you are not.   Also on hand are expert tailors who can alter your dress should it need to be shortened, taken in, let out and so on, something I have always found difficult to find when shopping for dresses.

Here are just some of the fantastic dresses:

If you are like me and are never sure what style suits you, what shape the dress should be, what colour dress you should wear, how long or short it should be, then the staff at the both the London or Cheshire Boutiques are on hand to help you with those choices. Helpfully both boutiques are open seven days a week and if like me you find it hard to find something during the week and want to do it an evening, then all you need to do is book an appointment to see someone.  If you happen to find the perfect dress online, Dress 2 Party ship both nationally and internationally with further information found online.

So are you still looking for that perfect dress and haven’t yet found it? Dress 2 Party might just have the one dress you have been searching for!




*SP

Treasured Orchid Range - Ted Baker

When Ted Bakers new and indulgent Treasured Orchid** bath and body range dropped through my letterbox to try, I knew I wouldn't be disappointed.  Over the last few months, I have been really surprised at how good the Ted Baker Range is, whether it is a handbag perfume, nail polish or something for the man in your life, these products have been amazing quality.

The Treasured Orchid Range, is said to be inspired by Ted's latest fashion collection.  Described as being Beautifully Feminine, the print packaging which is a lovely shade of pink, is one that stands out.

The products I have been using are a hand cream, body wash and body spray which all feature the scent of rose, so if you are a fan of products with a rose scent, then these might just be for you.

The hand cream is a moisturising hand cream which is made with rose, sandalwood and raspberry, is white in colour and of a medium texture.  As soon as it comes into contact with the skin it absorbs itself instantly, leaving behind a floral yet fruity scent on your skin. It also contains Shea Butter which has natural moisturising properties.

The body wash, which is clear in colour with no tint to it again features rose, sandalwood and raspberry and the scent is similar, though not quite the same as the hand cream, it is much more of a floral scent.

The final product is the aptly described 'vivacious' body spray, in its clear plastic bottle with spritz applicator, the liquid inside looks the colour I would expect the hand cream and the shower gel to look.  once it has been spritzed, again with a combination of rose, sandalwood and raspberry and for me this is the one which has the fruitiest scent to it, the raspberry being more notable than the rose.

These products are available in Boots with prices starting at just £5.50 right up to £10 for a travel set and £15 for a gift box.  All of which make a lovely present and a great addition to your collection.

Pioneer X-SMC11DAB-S

Music is quite a big part of my life, always has been, whether it is going to a gig, listening on my iPhone, listening to the radio or playing old skool CD's at home.  The one issue I currently have is that having upgraded my iPhone, where most of my music is stored, my old music system which was an iPod docking station has become obsolete due to the change in charging mechanism.  So I wanted something other than a mug to use as a speaker (I am sure you are all aware of the mug trick, if not ask!).

So when Pioneer asked if people would be interested in reviewing one of their products, I jumped at the chance, firstly because I miss playing music and secondly because I have never owned anything my Pioneer.  So the X-SMC11DAB was duly dispatched to me on loan to have a play with it and see what my thoughts were.

My first reaction was how small, slim and stylish it was in comparison to my old docking system which looked more like a brick and took up quite a lot of room.  Its main features is that I could connect it to my iPhone 5, it has a DAB radio, the ability to play CD's plus a USB port so I could my iPad into it to play back MP3's.  This device is also wall mountable and has a remote control that you can use to control everything from playing a CD, music from your iPod, setting the sleep timer and turning it all off.

No sooner had I got this item in my possession it was unwrapped and set up, literally within minutes, no need to read the handbook that comes with it, for me, everything I needed to know was on the box in front of me.  It has two speakers and two passive radiators they are called and that simply means they produce more bass than regular ported systems.  All I can say is that it can be very loud, infact I am sure my neighbours loved a bit of Queen blasting out from this, well I couldn't have it and not test the sound right?  No matter how loud you have the sound, there is no distinctive rattling or vibrating and I tested it out using different types of music from Metallica and Queen to Cheesy 80's and 90's music whether on CD or via my iPhone, it sounded brilliant.

If you prefer the radio then tuning it is also an easy task, simply press the 'Tune' button on the top and it searches for you, coming up with a lot of different options in seconds and I came across some radio stations like ABBA FM that I only wish I could get all of the time.

I also liked being able to play one of my de-stressing CD's before going to sleep and being able to set the timer to go off, a function that I never thought I would use, but did during the whole time the device was with me.  You can also use it to come on in a morning and again for this is an absolute dream, no having to get out of a warm bed to switch something on as you listen to the news before you get up

I am not too good with the techy stuff, so for a full list of specs you can find them all HERE. This device retails at around £220 and if money wasn't an object I wouldn't hesitate to buy it.