Candles Candles Candles

I burn candles nearly every day and there is nothing I love more than coming home from work as the evening draws in, closing the curtains and lightening a few candles to create that much wanted relaxing atmosphere. I don't just have candles in the lounge, I also have a few in the bedroom and whenever I have a nice long relaxing bath, there are a few placed around the bath to again create that atmosphere.

A few weeks ago, I was kindly sent these wonderful products from the Scented Candle Shop* and in my box which you can see below is:

• Yankee Candle Housewarmer Jar - White Christmas
• Yankee Candle Votive Candles - Welcome Christmas x 2
• Wax Lyrical Porcelain Frangipane Roomscenter Holder x 2
• Yankee Candle Jar Shade - Small (Snow Covered Mosaic)
• Yankee Candle Tray - Small (Snow Covered Mosaic)
• Prices Candle Lighter

I have always wanted a plate and shade for one of my candles and it has been one of those items that I have never got around to getting, so I was so chuffed to see something so beautiful inside my box. As soon as I attached it to my lit candle, it really came to life as you can see in the photos below:

The Scented Candle Shop stocks well over 2,500 different types of candles and scented products which include scented and unscented candles, wax tarts, tea lights, votives, pillar candles, candle holders and a vast array of candle accessories. Alongside Yankee Candles you will find brands such as WoodWick, Colony Candles, Bolsius and others aside.

If you are looking for some new candles, any of these would be perfect. The Scented Candle Shop recently started a youtube channel and here is one of the videos below.

Do you love candles as much as I do? Do you have a favourite brand?

My £2 challenge!

Now we are almost a month into 2014, most people will have had their credit card statements, seen their bank account and are thinking about next Christmas as well as other activities and events in between and there is one thing all of these things have in common - Money!

As I have spent hours reading and commenting on other blogs, scrolling up and down sites such as Facebook, Money-saving Expert, and Twitter I have discovered that there is a wide range of different money-saving methods out there. For example, when it comes down to saving money, whereas some people prefer to work with financial services providers like Aspiration, others prefer to do things a little differently. That being said, if you would like to learn more about the different ways that financial services providers like Aspiration can help people to save money, you can take a look at these aspiration online bank reviews. As for me though, over the years I have attempted spending bans. Many of us are currently doing them as well as looking for other ways to save some money and I am sure we can all manage to save just £2 per day from the change we have in our pockets, wallets, or floating around in our handbag.

Once the money to save has been found, for me it needs to be out of sight, so this is my money box, Freddie the Frog and I have had him since my University days when I used to put all kinds of coinage into him and whilst he is looking a little older and a little bit battered, he is the perfect size for this challenge.

We all have loose change in our handbags, pockets and purses and I don't know about you, but I do find it rather annoying and heavy and am always wondering what to do with it.  So what I am going to now do is keep all of that change at the end of each day and try to ensure there is a minimum of £2 and then I put it into the frog.  Naturally I would prefer to have £1 and £2 coins but as long as it adds up to £2 that will do and if I have a little bit more change that will also go into the frog.  Then by the end of the year I should have no less than £730 which I can either use beforehand when buying Christmas Presents or leave it until the New Year and have a good old spend in the sales.

It is now 13th January and I already have £30 in my frog, £30 I would have probably just used on things I didn't need!  Putting that into perspective, it is almost a Naked3 Palette!

Is anyone else doing anything like this or have you tried it in the past? 

Balance Me BB Natural Perfection SPF 25

I am yet to find my Holy Grail BB Cream, I have tried 3 or 4 and they were alright, but would I repurchase them, I am not too sure. When this box from Balance Me dropped through my letterbox I was quite excited when I saw what was inside. Allow me to introduce you to their very own BB Cream*, a product which sold out as soon as it became available and one I have been itching to get my paws on. I am a huge fan of the Balance Me range and I first came across the BB Cream when I got a sneak preview at the Debenhams beauty event that I was lucky to attend and which you can read about HERE.

The Balance Me BB Natural Perfection SPF 25 to give it, its proper title is described as being

"A high-tech formula designed to create a naturally active daily skin perfector that leaves skin radiant and glowing, thanks to our sophisticated mineral-based tint. To support the structure of your skin and to smooth away signs of daily wear and tear, our SPF 25 BB cream contains an innovative natural titanium dioxide-based sun filter to block out both UVA and UVB rays. Our hand-picked ingredients were chosen to both enhance the activity of our sun filter and boost complexions. We’ve blended Abyssinian and rosehip oils with anti-oxidant rich, collagen and elastin-boosting blackberry leaf extract to help firm and smooth the surface of the skin; the purest grade of hyaluronic acid to help plump and bind in moisture; spruce knot, lotus flower and violet seed extracts to help calm any redness to give you a beautifully even skin tone"

Now I am more than impressed that it has an SPF 25, the one thing I want from and in my products these days is an SPF and something around 20-25 is perfect for my face. What's more with this BB Cream is that it has, what is referred to as a five-fold action to nurture and enhance your skin and they are:

1. Prime
2. Moisturise
3. Smooth skin
4. Protect with an SPF of 25
5. Deeply hydrate

Now this cream smells incredible, as soon as you squeeze some onto your hand all of those essential oils rushing to your senses making them coming alive and it smells absolutely wonderful.

When it comes to application, it couldn't be simpler.  It can be applied directly onto your freshly cleansed skin or over a moisturiser and using your fingertips, you simply blend it to give that natural, radiant and dewy glow.  What i love about this product is that the coverage is lovely and light, it doesn't make me look orange and it does make my skin feel lovely and nourished specially given that it contains high grade natural hyaluronic acid which we know is brilliant for our skin, camellia and jojoba oils which help with moisturising your skin, rosehip oil to help calm and then Abyssian oil for smoothing and anti-ageing, add that to the SPF 25 and your skin is getting some serious protection and TLC.

I use this BB cream daily with Benefit Hello Flawless over the top and my make-up lasts all day, so on a normal working day that can be anything from 8-10 hours depending on how busy I am, again I found the staying power quite impressive.

This product hit the shelves in November and a 40ml tube retails for £26 which you can see HERE and since this product came through my letterbox I have worn it almost everyday, it is just brilliant and it leaves my skin feeling soft, smooth and moisturised not to mention looking lovely.

Have you tried this product? Would you like to try it?

Competition | Debenhams Womenwear Winter Challenge Win £500

Debenhams have launched an exciting competition for bloggers who have a natural talent for fashion. All you have to do to enter is to create a mood board which presents two stylish winter outfits. One should showcase a daytime look, which will keep you warm and cosy but looking good through the colder months; and the other outfit should be your ultimate party look. One lucky winner will receive £500 of Debenhams vouchers and two runners up will win a £50 voucher each.

I am a huge fan of Debenhams, it is my favourite department store and one of the places I turn to when I need an outfit for a dinner, wedding and any occasion that requires a little more effort than a trip to the highstreet.

I decided to enter this competition and have created my two outfits which are showing below and I would love to know what you think:

Look One

Meeting up with the girls often requires a little more than jeans and a top and I like to make the effort and go somewhere between casual and comfortable but smart as well.

Coffee with the girls by beautyqueenuk featuring black leggings

Look Two
Party season is still on-going and again the look for me has to be right and I have to be comfortable.  This is my outfit

Party Time... by beautyqueenuk featuring a crystal tennis bracelet

How to Enter

The winter style challenge will be judged by Natasha from girlinthelens.comand Victoria vipxo.co.uk.

To enter, create your blog post and then add the link to your entry in the comments section under either Natasha or Victoria’s posts about the competition.  You will have to be quick though because it closes on Monday 13 January 2014

Requirements

Your entry must include the product name and price for each item you choose.

Together, Victoria and Natasha will choose the overall winner based on how stylish and imaginative the outfits are. They will also each choose a runner up from their own comments section – so if you think you share the same tastes as either Victoria or Natasha, choose wisely when posting your entry! We’ll announce the winners on this page and on Victoria and Natasha’s blogs soon after the closing date.

You can find Victoria’s post here and Natasha’s post here.
If you do enter I would love to see your entries, so please do tweet me and link me to your post or post the link in the comment section below.

Terms and conditions for this competition can also be found HERE

Good Luck

Valentines Ideas for Him

If you have been in any Supermarket, Card Shop or are signed up to any beauty and fragrance websites, you will be more than aware that Valentines Day is just around the corner.

So I have put together a rather creative list of the kind of things I know my beloved would like and want.


Adopting an animal is something I chose because he did it for me a few years back and it was so lovely and unique.  We are both animal lovers anyway and have three cats of our own not to mention an aquarium full of fish and love going to the zoo.

If you have a stressed out and tired hubby/partner a bit of TLC goes a long way and sending them off for a massage and some pampering is something I have always looked at doing.  My beloved has a stressful job and I think it would be nice to send him off for a few hours of me time.

If you don't take Valentines Day too seriously then something jokey like I.O.U vouchers are brilliant inside a card, some are much more naughty than others and require some imagination and others are simply "I.O.U a cup of tea every morning for x amount of time" and so on.

If money was no option, luxury Rolex watches are something I would want to invest in.  I know a few people who are lucky enough to have them and not only are they stunning they actually keep their value, many increasing at time goes on.

The final option is a meal for two.  For me, one of the best things is going out for a meal, just the two of us and there being no shopping, food preparation, cooking, washing up and so on.  A nice relaxing dinner, with wine is for me a perfect ending to a day and something I want to do more of.

What have you got planned for Valentines Day? Does the Man/Lady in your life get special treatment?

Wherefore Art thou?

One question a lot of people ask me is "what is there to do in London"  the answer which offers endless possibilities, even for those on a budget.  Living in London there are no end to things that you can do, visit and see and most of them are free.  One thing I love to do is to visit art galleries, a simple search on Google will tell you that there are over 1000 art galleries in London, some more well known than others and some specialising in certain collections and not as well known.

I am by no means an art expert and I don’t have a particular something that I like, though my favourite painting is Sunflowers by Van Gogh.  My own walls at home are a mish-mash of things I have liked, for example:

I have the bright coloured paint splatter which is actually an original painting done by The Blueman Group when I went to see them at the Theatre and I loved it so much my Husband bought it for me and it sits in my hallway on a white wall.  The next one, is a set of three photos of Manchester, my Husbands home and the final one is in my bedroom and is from Habitat and I simply liked the design.  The big space below represents a bare wall in my lounge, for which I am yet to find something to fill it and wondering around art galleries, always gives me ideas.  If there was one talent I wish I could have, it would be to be able to draw, I struggle when it comes to stickmen and at school art was never my strong point.

One of my favourite places to visit is The Saatchi Gallery on one of my favourite roads in London – The Kings Road and I have visited it many times and best of all admission is free.  Whether you love still life, abstract, surrealism or photography to name but a few different types, for me the Saatchi gallery has it all. I have spent many hours simply wandering around just looking and it is such a great way to escape the reality of life for a few hours and sit and wonder at some of the pieces on display. 

Source - A6 Wandering Line 1 by Tom Hendo

Source - painting by Paola Bazz titled Faces 5

Source - Find Out by Claire Desjardins

Source - Meridians by Lori Dell

Even if you cannot get to the actual gallery, all is not lost because you can also checkout new artists at saatchionline.com, see what events are on, have a preview of some of the artwork on show, and there is also a shop which enables you to buy paintings and prints online.

Do you have a lot of art, photographs and pictures on your walls at home? 

 My aim has always been to fill the big empty space on my wall in the lounge, something I am yet to do.

My Favourite Products 2013 - Part 4

Having brought to you my favourite products for my lips, body and hair and then face, today I am bringing to you my favourite Make-up products of 2013, these are products that I have gone back to time and time again and absolutely love.

Make-Up

Make-up is one of those 'terms' and some of those 'products' that I love to use.  I am by no means an expert and nor I am overly confident in what I am doing which is why you will rarely see a FOTD post from me.  I tend to stick with what I know and like and experimenting isn't something I am good at, but here are my favourite products of 2013.

Seche Vite - Whilst I need to look after my nails a little bit more than I do to ensure they are not as weak and brittle as they are now, Seche Vite is by far one of the best products I have used on my nails.  I always use it as a top coat whenever I polish my nails and it dries so quickly and gives me a few extra days of no chipping with my nail polish.

Rough Dior 649 - I reviewed this lipstick HERE and it is to date my most favourite lipstick.  I was introduced to it at a Debenhams Beauty event that I was lucky to attend and have my make-up done by Dior and I was so impressed with the lip colour, I now own two for myself.

Porefessional - The first product I am to feature from Benefit and one of my favourites.  As a balm that minimises the pores I love that it does exactly that for me and I have gone through quite a few tubes of it to date and I am now using up my mini samples before deciding whether or not to re-purchase or try something else.

Fine One One - Another product from Benefit and one that I won from a Blogger Competition.  I wanted this product as soon as it came out, but I held off for ages reading review after review of it, some great and some not so great.  I love it and use it more as a highlighter on my cheek bones and it gives this really lovely shimmer and sheen once it is applied.

They-re Real - My current favourite mascara, the first time I used it, I knew it would be one of those products that would stay in my make-up bag.  I love how it makes my lashes look and appear longer, how it doesnt clump or flake once it is applied and it lasts a really long time once it is on my lashes.

Dream Weave & Co. Original Lash Extension Magnet Mascara - I was introduced to this product in October when I was kindly sent one to try out and review which you can see HERE.  I am so impressed with it that it is always in my bag.

Hoola - Again from Benefit, Hoola is my all time favourite Bronzer and when I was first given this I thought it would be far too dark for my very light skin-tone, however, I was mildly surprised that it actually looks really good on my skin and as long as I don't apply too much of it, it can look really natural.

Suede by Sleek - This product was my first introduction to the world that is Sleek make-up and it is currently my favourite product from Sleek.  I reviewed it back in October which you can see HERE and I pretty much wear it everyday because it is quite subtle and gives a lovely colour to my cheeks.

Hello Flawless - My all time favourite powder from Benefit and I wear it everyday, usually over a BB Cream as I am yet to find my Holy Grail foundation, they always seem too dark for my skintone, so I stick with a BB cream and this to give me a look I am comfortable with and it has an SPF15 which impresses me.

That Gal - Yep another Benefit product from me and I use That Gal quite a lot because I like it a Primer, it definitely does make my make-up last much longer and I dont get the feeling of clogged pores from using it, which is something I disliked from a similar product from another brand.

Collection Eyeshadow Pencils - I bought two of them on a whim a few months ago and Vintage Blush which is shown above is the shade I use more often than not.  As well as an eyeshadow, which is really easy to apply, I have also used it as a highlighter and it works really well.  I reviewed the two crayons  which you can read HERE

Max Factor Colour Elixir - I was introduced to these products when I took part in my very first beauty box swap and I instantly liked them.  My favourite colour of the two was Subtle Coral which is featured in the photograph above and reviewed HERE and I like the shade they give me when I wear them.

There you have my favourite make-up products.  

Do you think I am missing out on using anything or is there a product you think I should try?

My Favourite Products of 2013 - Part 3

So far I have brought to you my favourite hair and body and lip products for 2013 and today you get to read about my favourite face products.

Face

I found this one of the easiest categories to put together from all of the ones that I am sharing with you in this little series of posts.

DermaCo Revitalising Toner - I was introduced to DermaCo back in August and reviewed the product I am featuring today which you can see HERE.  This is my second bottle of the Toner which shows how much I really like.  It looks really good alonside my other products which sit on my bedside table and when I use it, it leaves me skin feeling soft, smooth and incredibly clean and there is no horrible chemical scent which used to put me off wanting to use Toners.

HealGel Face and Eye - Two products that would always feature in my favourites because they are just that.  I reviewed the Eye product which you can find HERE and the Face version is coming up on my blog shortly. From the packaging which is superb to the effects this product claims and lives up to, it is brilliant.

Balance Me Radiance Face Oil - One of my favourite brands to date, Balance Me introduced me to the world that is facial oil, a product that I never thought I would be able to using having combination/oily skin.  This was the first facial oil I used and I reviewed it HERE and I still love how it makes my skin feel.

La-Roche Posay Thermal Spring Water - a product I bought on the recommendation of other bloggers and one that I have enjoyed using, particularly when we had that hot blast of weather in the summer. I reviewed it HERE and love how it refreshed my skin whilst cooling me down during those hot few weeks.

Simple Kind to Skin Illuminating Radiance Cream - I am a huge huge fan of Simple products because you get exactly what you pay for and they do what they claim to do.  I love this Skin Illuminating Radiance Cream which I reviewed HERE and I love how it made my skin feel once I had applied it and it certainly adds a little something.

Origins High Potency Night A Mins Mineral Enriched Renewal Cream - Which is a bit of a mouthful to say but worth saying.  I got this cream in my goody bag after attending my very first blogger event with Company magazine and I had been looking for a good night cream and having been given this decided to try it out.  A review of it is coming soon but what I can say about it is that the cream itself is a really lovely texture which sinks into your skin as soon as it is applied and in the morning when I wake up, my skin feels lovely and moisturised, so it is especially good when my skin is needing a little TLC.

There you have my favourite skin care products of 2013, seven of them in total and each one of them has been a product I have gone back to time and time again.  

Would or have any of these products feature in your favourite products list?

My favourite products of 2013 - Part Two!

So, you have already seen my favourite Lip Products which I posted yesterday and you can find for yourself HERE and today I am going to bring to you my favourite Hair and Body products and there are quite a few to go through within the category as it includes shampoo, conditioners, shower gels and so on.

Hair and Body

Inhibitif - I couldn't really do a favourites product and not feature this one could I?  I have absolutely loved discovering this product and even now 8 months on, I am still using it and the results are just as brilliant i.e less leg shaving.  Inhibitif and the people behind the product at Deciem have also been wonderful and they gave me the opportunity to appear on the product packaging, which in itself is simply amazing and I also appeared in The Sun Newspaper too and you can see both below:

When you are next in Boots buying a new Razor or some hair removing cream, look for Inhibitif and there you will find me and my blog on the packaging.

Bubb & Dimples have managed to combine two of my loves into one - Candles and skincare.  I was first introduced to them back in July and reviewed some of their products HERE.  What I love about these candles is not only do they smell absolutely amazing they are all handmade here in the UK and they literally are a spa in a jar.  As you melt the candles they produce a nourishing body oil which is so moisturising they are wonderful.

label.m - Another company that I love.  I have used a lot of products from label.m and am yet to be disappointed in anything I use.  Shown in the photo above there is Protein Spray, Dry Shampoo and the Honey and Oat Shampoo and Conditioner all of which I have reviewed.  What I love about label.m products is that I have thin, fine hair but a lot of it and my job is quite stressful and I suffer with a dry, flaky scalp not to mention greasy roots and generally my hair can be an utter nightmare.  All of the products I have used to date from this brand have left my hair and scalp feeling wonderful and has given my hair a lovely healthy shine.

Amie - Another brand that I have only come across thanks to being a blogger and another brand I love.  Spring Clean Cooling Mask which I reviewed HERE and Morning Dew Moisturiser which you can find a review about HERE are two products I have found myself going back to time and time again.

Snow Fairy - Well no review of 2013 would be complete without a mention of my all time favourite shower gel and a review of which you can find HERE.  I absolutely love the scent and the fact it is pink gets the big thumbs up from me and as soon as Lush announce it is on sale I am in one of the stores to stock up.

Mint Thé Refreshing Bath & Shower Therapy - I was lucky enough to win this bath and shower gel from Bodhi in a giveaway and I absolutely love it.  A review of it you can find HERE. I love the fact it smells simply wonderful, so fresh and relaxing and as soon as I have got into my bath, I instantly feel more at ease and have no trouble sleeping afterwards.

Macademia Hair Masque - It was a toss up between this and label.m intensive mask, but as I have run out of label.m and threw the pot away into my recycling, I have been unable to feature it in the photo but it is fabulous.  This mask from Macademia smells wonderful and it leaves me hair feeling really nourished and shiney.

Moroccanoil Frizz Control - I got this back in September in a Limebox which you can read about HERE and it is a fabulous product.  Perfect for when I have straightened my hair with my GHDs and am in need of a little serum to tame those few unruly hairs which refuse to stay put, one little spritz and my hair looks perfect, or as near to perfect as I can get it to look.

Soap & Glory Sugarcrush Body Scrub - Not a product I have yet reviewed on my blog which I am surprised by because I absolutely love this scrub,  It smells really zesty and is perfect for waking you up in a morning and as it scrub it leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth.

Elemis Fresh Skin - I got this from the July London Meet up in my goody bag and it was my first real introduction to Elemis and one that I have really enjoyed.  I reviewed this product HERE and what I like about it is how kind it is to the skin but effective at removing dead and dry skin cells to leave my skin looking and feeling soft, smooth and moisturised.

Tangle Teezer - I reviewed this product HERE and was lucky enough to be sent it from WIMH back in August and I probably use it everyday without fail.  It is curved to make it easy to hold when you are brushing your hair and it also goes through my hair without pulling any hair out or causing any damage.

So there you have my hair and body favourites of 2013 and you might be wondering about body moisturisers and why one isn't included, well I am yet to find one that I could call a favourite, there are however a few that I like. 

Would any of these products feature in your favourites of 2013?

My favourite products of 2013 - Part one!

It has taken me quite a long time to do this post, sorting products out into groups and categories hasn't been easy, but I have done it and these are my products of 2013, though they have been split into categories to make the posts a little shorter.

Lip care

Lips are an important part of my beauty regime and I am always trying to ensure they are in good condition and don't look dry, flaking and chapped because for me there is nothing worse.  Your lips are such an important feature and you do so much with them whether it is eating food, having a drink, kissing someone or even talking, your lips are one of your main features and should be as cared for as every other part of your body.

I have a bit of an obsession with lip products as you can see HERE and I am never without a lip balm, lip cream or lip something and these are my all time favourite lip products.  Starting with:

Dr Lipp - I got this product in a Glossybox and wrote a post about it which you can read HERE.  Quite a few people have compared it to the Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream and I disagree, I cannot stand the 8 hour cream at all.  Dr Lipp is brilliant and I use when my lips are really dry and put it on before I go to bed and I wear it during the daytime especially if the weather is really cold.

Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub - One of the first items I wrote about on my blog which you can see HERE, this product is an absolute lifesaver and the best lip scrub I have ever used.  For those of you who are fans of Snow Fairy (like me) this scrub smells exactly like the shower gel.  So what is the point of it?  Well like any piece of skin on your body, it gets old and tired, dries out a bit and falls off, so Bubblegum is an exfoliator for your lips which, with a gentle massaging action, helps to remove that dead skin leaving your lips feeling soft and smooth.

Bach Rescue Balm - This is another one of my go to lip products when they are particularly when my lips look like they are dry and chapped and this is another product I usually slather my lips in over night and it works wonders.  It smells of lemons and is both Paraben and lanolin free and can also be used on your temples for relaxation purposes - something I am yet to try.

Korres Lip Butter - I am a huge fan of the Korres range, whether it is a shower gel, a lip balm or a lip butter, I love them and this particular lip butter, Guava is my favourite from the range and I posted about it HERE.  As a lip butter it is really lovely to apply and it smells divine, really moisturising and long lasting once on your lips.

So there you have it.  My first favourites of 2013 post and there are 4 more to come in my little series of posts - Hair and Body, Make-up and Perfume are to follow.

Do you have a favourite lip product? 

Would or do any of my favourites feature in your favourites?