Neom Inspiration Candle

When a thank you gift of a Neom Candle landed on my desk a good few months ago, I was delighted and incredibly grateful, it is a brand I have been wanting to try for some time and have just never got around to it.  This is a 75g travel candle which comes enclosed inside a very pretty looking box.

I am a huge fan of candles and have them burning every day at home. There is something relaxing about having a candle burning as you settle down after a busy day at the office.

This particular Neom Candle is the Inspiration Candle which uses Violet, Chamomile & Cedar wood. The three scents combined are said to make you feel motivated, boost your energy and get you up and moving. Made from natural vegetable wax and pure essential oils meaning that when it is burning there is no harmful pollutants, toxins or soot being released.

Once lit, this candle springs into life almost immediately, it is quite uplifting. The scent of Violet is not a scent I would usually opt for, so the chance to try something new was interesting.  Violet as a scent is described as being a woody-floral and it is nothing like the Parma Violet sweets you might have had as a child.   I found the Violet scent to be quite powerful and really floral, more so when pair with both the Chamomile and Cedarwood which pack a powerful punch.  One alight it really does hit the senses and it is one of those scents which quickly spreads throughout the house, leaving behind it a floral trail.

As a candle, this is one that is perfect for the daytime, especially when the weather is slightly warmer than average.  I am also told that the candle works as a powerful holistic treatment as you breathe in the scented air so it is best to burn them for between 2-4 hours at a time.  As the candle does burn, an oily residue forms on the top of the candle, which you can see the remains of in the photo above, as soon as this happens, the fragrance becomes so much more pronounced and noticeable.

There is a huge selection of other candles from Neom to try and my wishlist has just trebled from using this one!

Lush Oxford Street Store Grand Opening

In just a few weeks time Lush will be celebrating their 20th birthday and now with over 900 stores in 49 countries, I was honoured to be invited to see the brand new store here in London on the well known Oxford Street last week. This store is the new flagship store and it is spread over 3 floors which I am told equates to 9500 sq ft but essentially what it is behind all of that is an adults playground.

The moment I stepped inside my eyes didn't know where to look first, there was colour and products jumping out from me in every angle and the urge not to grab and basket and run the gauntlet was a tough one and I did manage to contain myself.  I was one of the lucky people who got to have a personal tour of the store with Mark Constantine, Co-founder and Managing Director at Lush and this is one seriously amazing man whose eyes sparkle every time he got to show us a particular product.  I loved how down to earth and approachable and you could just tell how much the Lush brand meant to him.

As I have said, the new Lush store is spread over three floors.  In the basement you will find Gorilla Perfume & the Gorilla Perfume Gallery alongside Skincare, Massage, the amazing Lush Spa and down here you will also find information about Music and I saw some Lush candles too!  The Spa experience in itself sounds heavenly and whilst I have done a tour of the one on The Kings Road, ive not experienced any of the treatments.  The one treatment I do love the sound of and it is one Mark loves is a new treatment called 'The Planets' - definitely one to look up!

The Ground floor where you enter from the high street has everything you can think of - Hair, Make-up, Skincare, Soaps, Shower products and Mouth care products all of which you can break down into smaller sections to include Bath Ballistics, Bubble Bars, Bath Oils, Shower Gels, Shampoo, Facemasks and so on... all of those products you love from Lush are right here.

The final floor is known as the first floor and it is where the gift sets can be found.  This is where my eyes were drawn to the brightest, boldest and shout out loud packaging I have ever seen.  I just wanted to run up to the shelves and open all the boxes, literally there is something for everyone, every occasion and in all shapes and sizes and if I had to pick one, I would struggle.

I spent a good two hours looking around the store going up and down the stairs and it is just amazing. When I said it was like a playground for adults I meant it.  One of the things that really stands out in this store is that you can try as many products out as you want to before buying them.  The staff are on hand to demonstrate anything you would like to see, but they are not pushy or persuasive in anyway which is really nice and I love the laid back feel as you wonder around in awe of everything whilst being able to touch, sniff and test to your hearts content.

One fact did I found out whilst on my visit was that there are over 200 new products, yes 200... to try and whilst most of them are exclusive to this store, there is plans afoot to roll them out to every other Lush store over the next 18 months and some are shown below.  

Throughout the whole of my time at the Lush store there was a few products that I just couldn't wait to get my hands on and those of you who follow me on Instagram will have no doubt seen my excitement about these two:

Yes the Comforter which you might recognise as a Bubble Bar and my favourite bath product from Lush is now in liquid form and I gasped when I saw it because it smells exactly like the Bubble Bar and it is just stunning and secondly The Flamingo, those of you familiar with the Star Wand from Christmas will understand how these work.  There is a further post coming later this week about my Lush haul, well it would have been rude not too.

If you do go to this store, the one thing you must do is use the lift, it is amazing and im saying no more on it!

Summer Handbags

I am sure I am not the only person who changes my handbags with the seasons right? I do, more so because for work, I like to be able to chop and change, I carry more in the winter than I do in the summer oddly.  

With that in mind, i've been looking at handbags for the Summer (hopefully the Mister isn't reading this) and there are a few that I have got my eye on and they range in style, range and colour:

Summer Handbags by beautyqueenuk 

Top Left is BeckSöndergaard pink handbag which retails at £57and is from Asos.com

Top Right is Red Dune Handbag which costs £55 and is from Asos.com

The Middle handbag is by Ted Baker and it retails at £149 from Selfridges

Bottom Left is a Salmon-pink Dune Handbag which retails at £75 from Asos.com

Bottom Right is the Cath Kidston blue handbag which you can find in John Lewis for around £30

The first thing I do before I purchase anything online is look around for money off coupons, discount codes, offers and whether or not I can purchase items through sites such as Quidco.   It really is worth looking around to see if you can find something, or even ask on Twitter because it is amazing how many ways there is to save money or even get cash back on some of your purchases.  Over the last year I have managed to save myself over £500 with shopping around and using sites like Quidco and discount vouchers.

The bags featured above are from ASOS, Selfridges, John Lewis and of course Cath Kidston and because in the summer I am not so brave when it comes to wearing brightly coloured clothes, I instead opt for brightly coloured accessories which may include handbags, purses, cardigans and necklaces and beads.

Do you choose handbags based on each season? Do you have a summer bag already picked out?

Lily & Lotty Jewellery

When a piece of jewellery captures your attention, you can guarantee it will also capture that of its recipient.  If you are looking for that one special item for a loved one, Lily & Lotty will have it covered.

Lily & Lotty is an award-winning family jewellery company which is based in South Devon. Carole and Gordon Stock have over 30 years of experience within the jewellery industry and their inspiration behind the brand stems from their three daughters.  Passionate about jewellery, you will find pieces that are inspired by family, nature and art and is crafted from 925 sterling silver, rhodium coated and hand set with a real diamond accent.  

The jewellery collection really does have something for every occasion, whether it is a romantic gesture, gift, wedding, birthday, for the bridesmaids, Holy Communion or just because, you will find the suitable item right in front of your eyes with a range of necklaces, rings, bracelets and earrings.

I was kindly sent an item from the collection to review on Beautyqueenuk and I have to say, as beautiful as it looked on screen, when it arrived, it was and is even more beautiful to see. The packaging is simply divine, when you get an item that has such beautiful and striking outer packaging, something where upon which you can tell a lot of thought has gone into how something will look from the very first glance.  When it arrives, it comes beautifully presented in Lily and Lotty signature packaging which includes luxury pouch, gift box, jewellery cleaning cloth and gift bag.

So what did I choose?  The Adelaide silver and diamond heart necklace which is simply divine. Featuring a silver and diamond double heart with real diamond accents, it is laid upon a beautiful chain which measures 18/20 inches and doesn't detract from the beautiful hearts.  What I love about this necklace is that the two hearts are two different designs with one sitting slightly angled and this is what gathers the focus and attention.

As the pendant is silver, it can be accessorized so easily with so many outfits and for so many occasions.  I have worn mine on three separate occasions now, one was to the wedding of a close friend, then I had a blogger event and finally just for a catch up with friends on a night out and each time it was born I had questions as to where I got it from.

You can find Lily & Lotty Jewellery on Jewelstreet which is an amazing online marketplace with has over 300 boutiques exhibiting a myriad of styles, materials and designs from all over the world and you will find that perfect gift in no time.

As for this pendant, I think it would make a stunning gift for your mum, sister, niece, god-daughter or close friend and even if this is not the sort of jewellery you would buy or wear, there are so many other beautiful pieces to choose from, that I am sure like me, you will struggle to choose something.

L'Occitane Iris Bleu & Iris Blanc Eau de Toilette

L'Occitane is a brand I am really enjoying the discovery of. It is a brand I have come across and only used (and loved) the hand-creams of, so to try other products has been an absolute dream.

So let me introduce you to Iris Bleu & Iris Blanc Eau de toilette, a perfume which I have worn a lot since it came into my possession and one that I have had many compliments on and people wanting to know what it is that I am wearing that leaves a trail behind me.  Now I don't bathe in this perfume, I spritz my pressure points, as I would do any other perfume and I am done.  

It uses extracts of blue Iris from Grasse, which is a small town in the South of France, with it comes the blend of white iris from the Mediterranean which is said to bring about an unexpected but intense fragrance. 

Inside this stunning packaging, which comprises of a gold and purple box is an even more stunning bottle which is designed in the same way and being made of recyclable glass, it is everything you would want to see from L'Occitane.

The description of this perfume is:

"La Collection de Grasse celebrates the fragrant know-how of this French Provençal town by bringing together precious raw materials from close and distant lands".

For me, this scent is like nothing else I own, it is quite fruity and floral whilst at the same time managing to be quite what I can best describe as being smokey. It uses the fresh fruity top notes of citruses and blackcurrant alongside a powdery floral heart of iris and ylang-ylang. Then finally we have white musk and dry accents cedar which is where that smokiness comes from and for me, it is a scent that is just pretty.

Available now, Iris Blue & Iris Blanc retails at £52 for a 75ml bottle and again, if you are looking for something a little bit special for that female in your life, L'Occitane does not disappoint.

Shoes Glorious Shoes!

The Fit Flop is quite possibly the comfiest shoe I have ever owned.  I never imagined I would be saying that about what is essentially a flip flop and my hatred of feet, but I absolutely love the pair I have had for the last 6 years, now they have totally worn away and I am in need of something new or a simple replacement. For those of you who have never heard of them, I have done a post about mine HERE.  

So I did a Google search and was not surprised to find that many brands have released what is essentially their own version of the 'Fit Flop', can you tell the difference between them?

The Flip Flops shown above come from Fit Flop, F&F at Tesco and the other from Sketchers and looking at them, they all have similarities in common.

The top option is the Bijou Fit Flop from Fit Flop in Patent Leather and what I love about this shoe is the jewel in the middle which makes them totally different to any other show I own and perfect for every outfit. They retail at £60.

The Second option is from Sketchers and what I love about this shoe is the criss cross strap and cut-out wedge heel which gives it a little different look and they cost just £39 which makes them a real bargain.

So the final option are from Tesco, the F&F Active range. At a cost of £12 they are the cheapest of the bunch. They feature a memory foam insock for better fit, support and comfort.

So now I am left with a quandary, do I buy another pair of Fit Flops because I know what I am getting and love my old ones so much, or, do I try something new?

Titanbet - Could it be Your name Called?

One of my first ever jobs while still studying was calling Bingo every weekend at Gala. It was one of the best jobs ever, I even had my own music, to let regular players at the Bingo hall know that I was coming up to call the numbers. It was almost infectious watching the look of joy on the faces of people who had won, and sometimes won big. Bingo loving runs in my family, my Grandma played right up until the day she died, like me, loving the thrill of the game. She claimed it kept her mentally alert and was always obsessed with numbers and before the invention of electronic bingo, would be able to do 12 tickets at any one time using just a biro.

Years and years passed and then recently my friend and I started to play regularly, however due to her own childcare commitments we can’t go and play as often as we would like to, so when I get bored, every now and again I’ll have a bit of a play online, nothing quite like a Bingo Party. Now there are lots of sites around where you can play bingo online but personally I have registered with Titanbet Bingo, mainly because of the excellent new player offer of depositing £10 and receiving a £40 bonus (£20 bonus to play on bingo and £20 on the huge range of other games they have available) to boost my account balance.

With a great welcome bonus for new players I was really excited about trying out the site - it’s additional appeal was how clean and clear the website is. Looking at competitors it can be confusing what to click, where to play and what is on offer. With the Titanbet website everything is explained in plain English, the terms and conditions of offers could not be clearer and finding a bingo room to play in just could not be easier.  My Favourite room to play in is the Rainbow Riches room, anyone who has a flutter on fruit machines will have no doubt heard the cheery tones of the Leprechaun can hear him calling the numbers and announcing the winners which also makes me chuckle, one day he will hopefully be calling my name!

While I have had lots of luck playing bingo in person at a bingo hall, my experience of playing online is pretty much the same. I still get the shaky hand when getting close to winning, my heart beats that little bit faster and there is certainly a surge in adrenaline. Thankfully playing at home, it means you don’t have to shout ‘House’ and a room full of people turn to look at you, it is much more dignified, though I do still shout.

Would I recommend Titanbet? Of course, if bingo is your thing then you should take a peek at the Titanbet website. I don’t think you will be disappointed.

Gambling can be addictive, and if you think your own gambling is getting out of control or it just isn’t fun for you any longer and you can’t stop then you should visit Gamble Aware, where you can be pointed in the right direction for help.

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