Isle of Light Candles Wax Melts

Isle of Light candles is a brand I have featured on my blog before (here) and when the lovely Keeleigh told me she had a new product for my to try, I was more than excited because the quality is always so good.

Wax melts seem to be all the rage right now with many companies and I love them as much as the next person and I am always looking for next amazing scent to tantalise my scent buds. Isle of Lights offer 12 different scents of wax melts:

• The Coast - Escape to the Coast! This stunning seaside fragrance combines fresh bergamot, bright orange and rich amber with warming notes of exotic coconut, vanilla and almond.
• Strawberry and Rhubarb - A perfectly fruity fragrance. Not too sweet and not too sour, this fragrance combines freshly picked strawberries and pink rhubarb on a surprisingly complex base. 
• Fresh Linen - Imagine freshly washed laundry out to dry on a breezy day. Sensual wafts of light white musk cascade through refreshing notes of sun-ripened oranges and breezy eucalyptus. Heart notes include sea kelp, jasmine petals and delicate mimosa herb.
• Lime Sherbet- A clean, fresh and super strong Lime Fragrance created by one of our customers, sweet and zesty all in one!
• Lily Spring – A great burst of floral scent with top notes of Bergamot, coriander and Peonies. Heart Notes of Lily, Jasmine, Rose and a full bodied base of Musk, patchouli, vanilla.
• Oriental Spice - A Striking blend of sandalwood, ginger, patchouli and green tea. This fragrance has base notes of vanilla, musk and sandalwood, heart notes of jasmine, patchouli and ginger, and top notes of citrus, mint and green tea.
• Botanical Garden- A self assured floral bouquet. Top notes of English rose, field hawthorn and bergamot lead into a prominent heart of violet, geranium and ylang ylang. Base notes include a sultry combination of oak moss, powdery amber, sandal and cedar wood.
• Lemongrass and Ginger - a stimulating and sensual fragrance with top notes of tangy lemongrass, Sicilian lemons and juicy limes lead into a heart of spicy ginger root and grated nutmeg, and a hint of refreshing eucalyptus. Base notes include sensual patchouli, white woods and creamy vanilla.
• The Needles- The clean, fresh and invigorating smell of a crisp winter’s day! This fragrance begins with top notes of Fresh Lime and Menthol, heart notes of Fir and Lavender, and full-bodied base notes of Eucalyptus and Pine.
• Spiced Chocolate - Spices smothered in a warm chocolate sauce make this scent almost good enough to eat! This fragrance gives you a rich chocolate base and decadently collides with sensational notes of fresh cream, smooth butter, velvety milk chocolate and a hint of spicy aromas.

The final scent, which is the one I was very kindly sent - English Pear & Vanilla which is described as being a sophisticated blend of French vanilla and juicy sun ripened English pears.  Now I am not a fan of vanilla scents, I find them too strong for my tastes and I end up with a headache, thankfully, the vanilla in this wax melt is just enough that you can detect it is there but the English Pear is just out of the world, it is as though someone has just diced a fresh pear and it is so fresh smelling, the scent quickly moves from room to room and is just delightful, perfect for a summery day.

The wax melts themselves are exquisitely small but don't let that sway your judgement because it is just perfect.

To use wax melts, all you need to do is to place one in the top part of your burner and light a tea-light below, the heat from the candle works to melt the wax of the wax melt and as it does so, the fragrances are released, similar to burning a candle, just with no wick involved.

These melts would make a perfect gift for yourself as a treat or for someone you adore, they come beautifully packaged and I cannot wait to work my way through the entire listing and at £4.95 for 6 melts, they are just great value for money. 

What scent would you like to see made into a Candle/Wax melt?

Thai Square Spa, Covent Garden

On my birthday (Tuesday) I was lucky enough to go into London's Covent Garden for a massage, not just any massage, but one at the award winning Thai Square Spa, which is one of those hidden gems you feel lucky to find and will never forget. Once through the door, you leave behind the hustle and bustle of a busy London tourist area and instead you find yourself transported to an oasis of calm and beauty.

Bringing traditional Thai treatments to London, everything within the reception area is one that exudes luxury, mystical and authenticity. The Thai Square Spa is the only traditional Thai Spa experience within the UK, something the staff are quite rightly proud to share and explain with their clients. The friendly manner and kindness shown to me upon arrival was nothing short of perfect. There are rules you must follow such as turning off your mobile phone and as I was taken to the changing area, again I was asked to remove my shoes and replace them with flip flops before being shown to the locker room where I was to change into my spa gown. 

Then within my treatment room, I was refreshed with a cool glass of water and then the treatment began with a traditional floral foot soak, my feet were plunged into a terracotta bowl of soothing warm soapy water with rose petals and herbs, by which point I was feeling incredibly relaxed within my surroundings.

My treatment was a Ritual Massage, one of the signature treatments and it is the first treatment to use the Royal Rachawadee massage oil from the spa's brand new lifestyle range iMantara, which is available to purchase at the spa or from the website.  The Ritual Massage encompasses various massage techniques from the East to soften, soothe and balance the senses. Once on the massage table, with my head looking directly down into a bowl of water with floating flower petals, I found my self slowly drifting away. My therapist, who was clearly an expert managed to work out how much pressure to apply to different spots on my body without me wincing or being in any pain, though at sometimes, when a knot was found it was slightly uncomfortable until it was worked out - then it was a feeling of bliss.  Having my back, legs, arms and neck massaged was out of this world and then my feet, something I thought I would have huge issues with, but instead found it absolutely amazing (I hate feet) and incredibly soothing before my head was then massaged.  The entire hour flew by and I could have quite happily stayed there all afternoon, it was so amazing.

Once my treatment was over, I was taken to the relaxation area, handed another glass of cool water and was left to take in my surroundings.  Little things like this made the experience all the more fantastic.  There was no pressure to hurry up and leave, I simply laid back on one of the relaxation chairs until I felt ready to move.

The spa itself has been voted Best Spa in the UK by national newspapers and magazines and you can see why, the experience is the best I have ever had and I left feeling as though I had been there the whole afternoon instead of one hour because I felt so refreshed and relaxed as I left. 

The following morning when my alarm rudely woke me, it was an incredible feeling to not have aching shoulders or lower back pain, I was instead wide awake, alert and ready to tackle rush hour.

I had the Ritual Massage, £75, but the spa offers a range of treatments including couples packages, treatments for men and maternity ones too. All of these packages are detailed here - www.thaisquarespa.com 

Pomelo by Jo Loves

Having spent an evening with the fabulous Jo Malone MBE and having a candle made is a truly amazing experience which I was very lucky and very fortunate to have done. Alongside the Shot Candle (which you can read about here) we were also gifted a Jo Loves fragrance - Pomelo**.

I am perfume obsessed and quite picky about what I will and won't wear. If I like a perfume then it tends to be from the very first spritz, rather than through prolonged use because I am incredibly fussy and perfumes usually mean something to me, Bvlgari Pour Femme for example is the perfume I wore on my wedding day and is very special to me. Jo Malone said that when she created Pomelo:

‘Inspired by memories of summer holidays, fresh linen sheets and sparkling iced water, I surround myself with Pomelo wherever I go. To my joy, it’s the fragrance that makes people stop me in the street to ask what I’m wearing.’

So it is a huge honour to have something that is clearly loved by the person who made it. The Pomelo is a large citrus fruit that looks and tastes similar to a grapefruit and when combined with Vetiver, which is quite earthy it creates an amazing scent.  Put them together and you have this absolutely stunning fragrance which is citrussy sharp as well as being fresh and clean from the moment it leaves the bottle to a good 6-7 hours later when on the skin which is pretty impressive, I only feel the need to re-apply if I am going out in the evening and even then, it is more for my own self-consciousness. Add to that the most amazing packaging with the chunky glass squared bottle, it is everything a luxurious perfume should be.

What I also love about Pomelo is that there is no hint of alcohol when you spray it, whereas some perfumes once settled have an odd after scent to them, this one is as fresh once settled as it is from its first spray and it is absolutely stunning, no wonder Jo Malone is so obsessed with it.

Pomelo is £115 for 100ml and £70 for 50ml and is available from Jo Loves.

Today is my Birthday

There isn't a post from me today because:

image source

I am spending the morning having time with my boys and then this afternoon I will be going for a massage in Covent Garden, so watch out for that review soon!  Then tonight, I will be spending time with my mister going for a meal, whenever I decide what it is I want to eat.

Jurlique Rose Silk Finishing Powder

Jurlique are one of my go to brands when my skins needs some TLC and I am obsessed with their Rosewater Balancing Mist which I keep on my desk at work to give my face some extra moisture mid way through the day when I have been sat looking at a computer screen.

In amongst all of their lovely products, this Rose Silk Finishing Powder is one of my all time favourite products from them and it is one I wanted to share on my blog today. 

I have a 'thing' with finishing powders.  I really like them to a mist but getting the hang of using them can become tiresome and annoying, you either add too much or not enough, so trial and error is a huge factor with products like this for me.  Like most Jurlique products, this one comes packed inside a beautifully decorated cardboard box which depicts some beautiful floral decoration along with everyting you need to know about what is inside.  Inside the box is a sleek looking tub which is really luxurious looking.  Lifting the lid on the tub there is a mirror which is a great size and really handy plus a powder puff for application.

The Jurlique Rose Silk Finishing Powder is described as being a "translucent facial powder with precious botanicals designed to minimise oiliness and shine, to help skin feel smooth and look radiant". The finishing powder itself is incredibly finely milled and has a lovely silky feel to it. It also doesn't feel as though you are just covering your face in talcum powder either which is a massive bonus and nor does it leave any hint of it being there on the skin, other than the incredible scent. If you have use any of the Rose products from Jurlique you will be familiar with the scent already, but if not, it smells just incredible of fresh roses.

Application of this finishing powder is quite easily, I use the powder puff to intitially apply the powder and then taking my Real Techniques Bold Metal Arched Powder Brush to ensure I have even coverage and have my t-zone well and truly covered. As I have said the powder is really lightweight so you don't know it is there and what it does do is ensure my skin stays oil and shine free for most of the day with only the need to re-apply if I have an event in the evening.

This is for me an incredible finishing powder and having had this little pot of joy for almost a year, I am sad to find it is coming to an end though it is definitely something I would re-purchase. Costing £26 for 10g it isn't cheap but it is definitely a worthwhile investment.

What is your favourite finishing powder or do you prefer finishing mists?

You Beauty Discovery Box - July Edition

It's that time of the month for another You Beauty Discovery Box and if you read my blog regularly, you will know that I am a huge fan of this box and think it is one of the best out there. For July, the box is centered about Travel and giving some new products a chance.

This month we have three extra treats which I always look forward to, even though I always know what they will be. July's treats are extra amazing with a 50ml St Tropez Gradual Tan In Shower which has been everywhere at the moment and having tried it for the last week (you can read my review HERE), it is brilliant and I am chuffed to have another tube. You also receive a £2 off voucher for this tan from Boots. 

I also got a sample of the Emma Hardie Protect & Prime SPF 30 which is a skin protecting cream with added primer for a soft focus luminous complexion. I am quite looking forward to giving this a try as I am yet to try any products from the Emma Hardie range and so many people rave about them.

The final treat in the box was a packet of Muesli Breaks Oatcakes by Nairns which ive eaten and quite liked, they are great for on the go when you have forgotten to have breakfast or prefer ten more minutes in bed.

The hardest part of this box is choosing two items to try and I always attempt to try something I have either never tried, want to try or have tried and loved. So the two duo's that I have chosen are the Vichy Purete Thermale 3 in 1 & Idealia Life Serum Duo. I have previously tried some Vichy Skincare and really liked them, so I decided to give these ones a try. had to pick these items. 

The Vichy Thermale 3 in 1 cleanses, tones & removes eye makeup all in one! You then, once cleansed, apply the Idealia Life Serum to help improve dull looking skin and give an instantly glowing and fresh looking complexion.

The final items in my box are a duo from Philip Kinglsey, whom most will recognise from the Elasticizer. Well this time, I have the Moisture Balancing Shampoo and Conditioner. They are said to gently cleanse and balance the different needs of the hair, providing more moisture at drier ends, without weighing down the roots. Together they transform dry and damaged hair into super smooth, shiny locks, leaving hair healthy and beautiful.

So there you have it, my £6.95 box of goodies for July from You Beauty Discovery. What do you think to my contents?

St Tropez In Shower Gradual Tan

So fake tan has been one of those products that I want to love and use but... it terrifies the life out of me. I am terrified of turning into this streaky orange Oompa Loompa v's Dale Winton and for that reason have always shied away from trying anything, no matter how much it has promised to not streak, give an even tan and have a light coverage. I am pale skinned, tan but I am never that beautiful bronze shade you see on those adverts. So when I read a few reviews about the new St Tropez In Shower Gradual Tan, I wanted to try it.

The St.Tropez In Shower Tanning Lotion comes in a squeezy tube which has a ombre blue colour pattern, the tube itself is easy to keep hold, especially with wet hands. The lotion inside is a cream colour and as it is enriched with Sweet Almond Oil, not only does it leave your skin feels hydrated and moisturised after you use the product, it smells delightful too.

St.Tropez claim that this new product is perfect for the first time tanners out there, people like me essentially. It is described as being a product which takes just 3 minutes of your time as part of your daily shower regime and is a convenient way to build a sunkissed, gradual glow, that provides up to 24 hour moisturisation. So to use, you shower as normal to ensure your skin is fully cleansed and then with the shower off, generously apply in circular motions to wet skin (so don't dry off) to create an even coverage. When I use this, rather than use my hands, I have used a tanning mitt as I find them much easier to use and I don't want stained hands. Once applied, you wait for three minutes and in that time you could apply a hair mask or clean your teeth and then once those three minutes have passed, you get back into the shower and wash off the lotion. Then dry your skin using a patting motion rather than rubbing before getting dressed and continuing your routine as usual

So whilst you are not technically tanning in the shower, well unless you stand in there for those three minutes the water is off, it is a really easy product to use and really easy to apply, more so than I was expecting it to be I have to say. As you do apply it, it does lather slightly and this I found helpful when ensuring I had covered everywhere without leaving anything out.

So what about the results? Well, I have to admit I am a total novice when it comes to fake tan but so far I have enjoyed every minute of using this product. It is easy to use, it hasn't stained my hands, towel or clothes, it doesn't smell like soggy biscuits which is a phrase ive noticed used with a lot of fake tans. Infact it has a really lovely scent to it due to one of the main ingredients being Sweet Almond Oil. I have had no streaks on any part of my body, the only the place I haven't used this is on my face. So, below is a series of pictures taken over the seven days of using it and...

Well as you can see, there is a lot of change in the shade of my skin from day 1 which is the first photo, day 3 which is in the middle and then day 7! Needless to say I am quite chuffed with the shade and if all fake tan could promise me this shade it would become my new obsession.

The St.Tropez In Shower Tanning Lotion comes in a 200ml bottle and retails for around £14.50, so it's not the cheapest tanning product on the market but I do love the concept and how easy it is to use, so for the time being it is a product I will continue to use until I run out, then who knows, I might feel brave enough to try something new.