A dress fit for a Queen

This month has been quite a busy social one for me with weddings and birthdays to be celebrated.  I am one of those people who can't wear the same dress twice, more so when it is an event to be celebrated with a similar group of friends.  Thankfully House of Fraser were on hand to help me out with my little predicament and with these two fabulous dresses from the plus size dresses range.

The Dorothy Perkins Leaf Print Sateen Fit And Flare Dress is shown on the left is currently on sale here for just £20 and it is an absolute bargain.  When wearing it, there is a zip which runs the length of the back, it has a rounded collar, short sleeves and is Fit and Flare designed meaning that it pulls the waist with a ribbon is and is really flattering.  I really love the leaf design which also uses the colours blue and yellow and can, therefore, be accessorised really easily.

The Black and white floral Samya Pleated Botanical Print Dress is again a dress I absolutely adore.  As with the first dress, it is again a fit-and-flare style dress featuring a belted waist and box pleated skirt making it really flattering. It uses a back zip fastener, has a rounded collar and is also sleeveless.  

As a black and white dress, it can be as dressed up as casually worn as you find comfortable.

With both dresses what I found is the sizing was almost spot on.  Having the belted waist meant I could pull them in at the sides where they were both slightly too big and it then lifted the dresses so they didn't just hang.  When I am buying a dress, for me it is all about fitting around the chest area because if it doesn't fit there, then it can really make an outfit look horrendous.

I am not usually a fan of zips on the back of dresses because of the coldness against the skin, but with these two, I didn't notice them throughout either day of wearing them, nor did I feel overly hot and bothered.

My favourite of the two dresses is the first one.  It fits much more snugly, it is fairly bright and cheerful and I loved the detail on the hem, which I feel complimented the dress.

Have you seen any dresses you have really liked of late?

The Amazing New L'Occitane Aromachologie Re-Balancing Range

Surprise packages are always amazing, especially when they smell as good as the new L'Occitane Aromachologie Re-Balancing Range**. As soon as I opened the black jiffy envelope I was blown away by this amazing scent and I dived straight in.

A 100% natural re-balancing scent in a new line of products to awaken the senses, help restore balance and bring well-being to body and mind. The range itself has a total of five products and today I have four of them to share with you.

Rebalancing Exfoliating Shower Gel (£14) contains five purifying essential oils (Cypress, Juniper, Lemon, Thyme, Eucalyptus which as you can imagine is just amazing first thing in a morning when you need a dig in the ribs to wake up, or to invigorate & rebalance as L'Occitane describe it so eloquently. Using olive and lemon particles within the shower gel to delicately eliminates impurities not only leaves the skin soft and smooth but smelling absolutely delightful.

Most people know how much I enjoy a long hot soak in the bath, so when Rebalancing Infusions For Bath (£15), the water was running before I had finished reading the packaging.  Inside the box are five infused sachets which you place in your bath water, or as I do over the tap so the running water soaks the sachet through and then 5 minutes before I get into the water, I leave the sachet to float about in the bath.  Made with citrus fruit peel and revitalizing salts, each sachet provides a rebalancing effect, beneficial for the senses and body and again, the scent is just amazing, it really helps you to relax, de-stress and leaves you feeling so much better.

One item which did intrigue me was the Rebalancing Black Soap (£16) which comes packaged inside this tub and was not at all what I was expecting to find.  It is designed to be used once or twice a week as treatment all over the body and it is described as being an 'olive oil based soappaste' which is enriched with eucalyptus essential oil to clean the skin and removes impurities. The formula refines skin texture and leaves it soft, nourished and silky. Again it smells absolutely incredible and on the skin it literally melts away and is not at all sticky or goey as you might expect it to be.

When I used this for the first time, I had quite a heavy cold and my nose was a nightmare, being packed with Eucalyptus Oil this soap is perfect for helping your breathing and relieving those cold symptoms. 

The final item in this quartet is the Face Mask (£20) and again it is enriched with absorbing vegetal and mineral powders to remove impurities and tighten pores. With the inclusion of Shea Butter, Sunflower Oil, Thyme Oil, Lemon Peel Oil, Eucalyptus Oil and Juniper Fruit Oil, not only does this mask leave your skin feeling as though you have just spent the whole day cleansing your face, it has such a light fragrance that you forget it is on your face, until it is time to wash off after just five minutes. So this mask is perfect for one of those quick, on the go, masks which is easy to apply, it washes off with no effort and it leaves your skin feeling clean, soft and smooth.

This is another fantastic range from L'Occitane and if the smell isn't enough to tempt you in, the black soap and curiosity should do!

Are you a L'Occitane fan?

My Super affordable AW15 Shoe and Boot Wishlist

It's that time of year when Summer has come to an end and all the Autumn/Winter clothes are being put out in store and the sales have started. You only have to look out of your window today to see how utterly horrid the weather is right now.

Now I love Autumn, it is one of my favourite seasons, leaving work to go home just as dusk begins, earlier closing of the curtains and more of an excuse to light candles and be snug.  One thing I do love is looking for chunky knits, leggings and boots with the latter being one of my favourite items to buy. Autumn footwear is so much better than Summer, no manky toes on show for one, and I have so many pairs of shoes and boots that I want to buy.

I like two things about shoes or boots - they need to be wide fit and they must be fairly flat.  I am not a fan of heels and having flat feet find heels a nightmare to spend the day in.  So if my boots or shoes have any sort of heel at all, I keep a pair of flats with me at work or in my bag just in case.

There are quite a few places I like to buy shoes from online - ASOS, Shoetique, New Look and sometimes TK Maxx who are great when it comes to brands and decent sizing.  So Biker Boots, Knee High Boots, Cowboy Boots and Emu Boots usually all in black are what I need and here are the ones I currently have my eye on!

AW15 ShoeBoot Wishlist by beautyqueenuk 

Naturally, I am a tad obsessed with my Emu Boots which I never thought I would like as I hated Ugg Boots, but I do love mine and ideally need to replace them.   When it comes to Knee High Boots, I like rider style boots and one which are of a more military style, so for this Rieker Boots are perfect and they go with all outfits I am likely to wear.

When it comes to shorter boots, I really like laced boots or ankle boots which are a little bit different and both ASOS and New Look have some amazing boots in right now.

I am also a fan of Ballerina style pumps, especially when I am at work as they are much more comfortable and I have some similar to the Adesso shoes which are Leopard print and the Lotus Black ones which are from TK Maxx, both exceptionally comfy and both work well with trousers, jeans, skirts of dresses.

Do you have a Autumn/Winter Shoe Boot wishlist?

*PR Collaboration

Benefit The POREfessional Agent Zero Shine

I am a huge fan of POREfessional License to Blot, so when I was given the chance to try The POREfessional Agent Zero Shine I couldn't wait to try it out. Benefit describe this as being a shine vanishing pro powder, with an invisible finish which helps to shrink the look of pores and minimise shine both which I need on a daily basis, especially the latter.

Now you can't help but love Benefit packaging, no matter what the product is, it is always the box it comes in that draws my attention and yes I know I shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but when it is this pretty how can you not?  The POREfessional Agent Zero Shine is packaged within what I can best describe as a cone shaped tube which houses the powder at one end and a really handy retractable brush at the other end, basically everything you need to use this product is right here, no need to pack extra brushes or tools when putting it in your makeup bag making it perfect for on the go.

The powder can be found held securely so that it doesn't leak and spill everywhere which I really like and to release some all you need to do is simply twist the top to open the vents and you can then tip some of the powder of into the lid. Then you need the brush which is found with another twist. Then simply dip the brush into the powder and apply straight to your face. You can use this product on moisturised skin or over makeup to instantly mattify your complexion as well as being able to touch up over makeup during the day as and when you feel the need. 

I love that the powder is invisible so you don't really need a mirror to apply because it doesn't look streaky or caked on.  One sweep of the powder onto the skin and it does a great job at mattifying that pesky shine. I do find I have to re-apply during the day, especially if I am going somewhere after work, but in doing so, again it is so lightweight no one would ever know, it simply mattifies the shine as it is meant to. I don't have large pores, so I can't really comment on whether or not it does anything for those with this issue. What I am happy with is its mattifying properties.

Have you tried The POREfessional Agent Zero Shine?

Erborian Pink Perfect Creme

Erborian is a brand which is new to me, one I haven't read too much about but one I know I am going to love. A fusion of traditional South Korean beauty remedies and French luxury, Erborian uses natural science and proven ingredients to create unique formulas that rejuvenate and restore skin's luminosity so the description goes and having had their PP Cream in my possession for some time, I think it is just amazing.

So yes, a cream that is a PP Cream, the Erborian Pink Perfect Creme to give it the full title is enriched with Korean ingredients.  The cream has a soft pink colour to it and it is designed to be applied to the face every morning to give that radiant finish and it has a 4-in-1 set of benefits which include - providing an instant “blur” by giving a soft-focus looking effect to the skin, visibly minimise the appearance of pores, helping to enhance the appearance of your skin tone with a pearly glow and finally prepare your skin for make-up, acting as a primer, thus leaving your skin feeling smoothed, and more radiant.

As well as being pink and leaving your skin feeling really smooth, this PP Creme does contain some fabulous ingredients to help keep your skin feeling both toned and supple. Pumpkin seed oil helps to regulate sebum production, Horsetail extract helps to improve the skin's quality, leaves of Diospyros Kaki which helps to keep skin supple and toned with a pore tightening effect and finally Camellia oil helps to regenerate the skin and enhance cellular protection.

What I love about this PP creme is its ability to act like a primer, it really does help keep my makeup in place as well as leaving my skin feeling soft, smooth and toned and in all honesty it works just as well as any other primer I own, it is just this one happens to feel less silicone based and be packed full of skin loving ingredients.  It also does brighten the skin and bring about a youthful glow, though not too much so it looks as though you need to get the blotting papers out, it is a refreshed just walked out the beauty salon look and it isn't heavy on the skin and nor does it feel as though your pores are blocked and they can't breathe.

I honesty love this PP creme and it is something I am using everyday right now, I love how it makes my skin feel and I love how effortlessly my makeup glides on and stays put all day.

The Erborian pink perfect creme is available now, priced at £36 for 45ml.

Antonia Burrell Forest Dew Skin Conditioner

I have had my eye on Antonia Burrell products for some time now, each sounding more divine than the next. Forest Dew Skin Conditioner** is quite simply amazing and I have loved it since the very first try.

At Antonia Burrell they have a strong passion for clean, chemical-free, quality, luxurious 100% natural products and treatments, that simply work and help to improve the quality of your skin, your life and your personal well-being and Forest Dew has three main properties, to clarify, plump and balance the skin.

There are three main ingredients which stand out within this product and they are Swiss Alpine Extracts which work to balance sebum production, reduce redness and refine pores, Lavender Flower Water which calms and soothes the skin whilst reducing redness and Cucumber Extract which helps to refresh and hydrate & soothe.

I really like the packaging too.  The outer box contains all of the information you need about the product which I always find really handy and then inside is this deep black glass bottle, which again contains all of the information you need to use the product, plus it is a pump action spritzer to make using it a breeze.

The product itself is a luxurious silky serum which smells absolutely delightful. To use, you need to ensure your face is freshly cleansed and then, with 6 sprays onto a cotton wool pad or the palm of a clean hand and then apply to the face, either massaging it into the skin or simply wiping on the face, whichever you prefer. My preference is to use a cotton wool pad to massage onto my face, I keep this in the fridge so that it is extra cooling on my skin, especially during this warmer weather that we have had. After using my skin is left feeling really hydrated and soothed. What it also does is help with the redness on my cheeks, whilst it doesn't disappear completely, it does become less prominent over time. What I do love about Forest Dew is how it leaves my skin feeling, that fresh just had a facial clean and it is simply divine, not to mention alcohol-free!

Have you tried any Antonia Burrell products?

PartyLite Candles

If you read this blog regularly you will know that I am a massive fan of candles and now Summer has been and gone and Autumn is drawing ever closer, I will burn a lot of candles.  I usually get home from work, close the curtains to close out the outside world, park myself on the sofa after lighting some candles to relax.  For me this is what candles are all about.  So when I was given the chance to try some from PartyLite, a brand I knew nothing about, I jumped at the chance.

PartyLite are an online store which specialises in home fragrance and decor and they have a really large selection of home fragrance options for you to choose from such as candles, diffusers and wax melts. So I have spent the last few weeks burning these candles to see if they can compare to those well known brands when it comes to burn time and fragrance.

The first candle I tried was the Vanilla Citron Escential Jar by PartyLite which I expected to hate because I am not a Vanilla scent enthusiast, infact it usually gives me a headache.  To look at the candle isn't overly decorative and as soon as the box is open, there is an immediate scent of both vanilla and citrus, neither overpowering the other but both very much present and as soon as it is alight, that scent intensifies quite quickly and fills every room.

Then came the Discovery Trio, which again as soon as the box is opened, not only are you greeted with three lovely bright coloured candles, but the scent is really noticeable.

• Japanese Yuzu is bright orange and has blue fans nicely decorating the glass jar.  The scent is really citrusy, a cross between being an orange and a mandarin and it is an absolute delight on its own or as part of the trio.
• Costa Rican Fruta Dorada which is bright yellow and decorated with sunshine shapes.  As a scent it is much more fruity than the Japanese Yuzu and more like a fresh peach.
• The final candle is Hawaiian Hibiscus which is probably my favourite of the trio. A bright pink candle with a glass decorated with green leaves and flowers. I had expected the scent to be quite floral there is something quite tropical about the scent.  

Together as a trio they smell absolutely divine as you might expect, there is a lovely fresh floral and fruity fragrance which quickly fills whichever room you happen to have them in and even after you have distinguished them, the scent lingers for a good few hours afterwards.  

Overall, I really like these candles and they're definitely comparable to some of the higher end brands I've tried.