Nuxe Reve de Miel Lip Balm | The ULTIMATE Winter Saviour

Nuxe Reve de Miel Lip Balm. £9.50

I don't know about anyone else, but I know for a fact I would fold like a cheap napkin if I didn't have lip balm in my life. It's the one thing I would take to a desert island and the one thing I am lost without! I keep an emergency lip balm in all the usual places; my dressing gown pocket, on my bedside table, in my handbag, in the car , on my desk - you name it and I'll have one there. All year round I need a lip balm as my lips get unbelievably dry, but in the winter I have to kick it up a notch. When the cold weather and harsh wind attacks my lips, there's only one thing I've found that will really help my lips return to their soft and supple state and to be honest since I've started using this, none of the other 'emergency' lip balms can even come close.

"NUXE Reve de Miel Baume Levres Ultra-Nourrissant Ultra-Nourishing Lip Balm is a repairing, nourishing lip balm with a rich, delicious texture to restore suppleness and comfort to dry and chapped lips".

Nuxe Reve de Miel Lip Balm has become a cult favourite among beauty lovers and bloggers alike ever since Lisa Eldridge talked about how amazing it was. Can't even begin to tell you how much I love this lip balm. Firstly, the packaging feels so luxurious. It comes in a frosted glass jar and is quite heavy which I really like. The scent is citrus but not too strong where it would put you off. The formula itself is thicker than any other lip balm I've tried, which is maybe what my chapped lips have needed. It almost has a grainy feeling when first applied but that soon goes away when worked into the lips and it leaves a matte finish as opposed to the shiny vaseline style finish we're all used to. The amazing thing about this lip balm is that when applied before bed, I can still feel it the next morning - UNHEARD OF!! It's not the cheapest lip balm at £9.50, but it's honestly worth it and to be honest it can often be found on some sort of sale on sites such as Feel Unique and Escentual.

NOTE: Nuxe have recently brought out Special 20th Anniversary Packaging in 3 different colours and they're currently on sale at Escentual.com for £6.33. Grab them while they last! Think I'll definitely be snapping up another one as a backup! 

Do you have a favourite lip balm? Have you tried this offering from Nuxe?

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The Fragrance Shop Discovery Club Autumn/Winter '14 Box

The Fragrance Shop Discovery Club Box*. £5

If you didn't know already, The Fragrance Shop run a sample box scheme called The Discovery Club, and I was very kindly sent their new Autumn/Winter box to try out. The Discovery Club produces a new box of samples every quarter of the year for the small price of £5 per box. In the box you receive a selection of samples to try, as well as vouchers for money off the full sizes if you like them. You could say it's kind of like a 'try before you buy' type of thing, except the £5 price tag which isn't much considering you get proper sample vials as opposed to a flimsy sample on a stick or on the back of a piece of card like you do in magazines. That way you can get a good trial to see whether you'd actually wear the fragrance on a regular basis before splashing out full price on a new one.

The Autumn/Winter '14 box contains 5 sample vials of;

Loewe Aura Loewe

Jean Paul Gaultier Classique Intense

Kenzo Jeu D'Amour

Jimmy Choo MAN

Loewe Quizas Seduccion

Also included in the box is a VIP booklet which gives £5 off each of the fragrances in The Fragrance Shop and £10 off the Loewe Quizas Seduccion fragrance. I like the fact there's both male and female fragrances in the box, as my hubby was chuffed to be able to try the new Jimmy Choo MAN, and it gives me an idea of the kind of fragrances he likes, especially with Christmas coming up. 

Worth the money? I'd say yes, it's definitely worth £5 to be able to try 5 different (hopefully new) fragrances before deciding whether or not to go for the full size - and the vouchers help with that. I wouldn't say I'd subscribe to do it every quarter, but that's the beauty of this scheme, as you can just pay for a box as and when you feel like it, as opposed to being tied into paying for something you're not really bothered about.

Would you consider getting a Discovery Club box?

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Beverly Hills Formula Perfect White BLACK Toothpaste | Review

Well here's something I don't post about everyday - toothpaste! Think this is actually a first for me! I was very kindly sent this 'spooktacular' toothpaste to try out and review on this here blog, so I thought I'd give it a go and let you all know my thoughts, as I know black toothpastes are becoming the 'in thing', aren't they? 

Beverly Hills Formula Perfect White BLACK Toothpaste*, is a whitening toothpaste with activated charcoal (if you hadn't guessed, that's why it's black), which aims to dissolve stains and brighten , lighten and whiten teeth. Apparently charcoal has been used for centuries for stain removal, so I'm surprised it's taken until now for the toothpaste companies to get involved. I've been using this for over a week now and I have to say I can definitely see a small difference in my teeth. I wouldn't say I've suddenly got the teeth of Simon Cowell, but they sure look that little bit brighter, which is nice, as I haven't been using anything harsher on my teeth since being pregnant as I don't like the thought of bleachy chemicals on whitening strips when I'm with child, lol. I did find it a little strange brushing my teeth with black toothpaste for the first time, as it looks like I've just scoffed a big bag of liquorice, and it turns the foam a grey colour which is just so odd when you're used to years of white toothpaste. It tastes like regular minty fresh toothpaste though, so I soon got used to it, and I'm thinking I will definitely repurchase it. Beverly Hills Formula Perfect White BLACK Toothpaste* retails at £4.99 but is currently priced at £2.45 in Superdrug.

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Sunkissed Medium Bronze Instant Self-Tanning Mousse

Sunkissed Medium Bronze Instant Self-Tanning Mouse* - £3.99

Ahhhh the pasty skin days have arrived! As such, this is the time of year I like to crack out a bit of fake tan to make myself look a little bit more alive and healthy, as my skin tans pretty well on it's own in the summer time so I don't bother with it much, unless I'm going on a wild night out (gone are the days). The brand Sunkissed were kind enough to send me one of their self-tan products and a mitt to try, so I gave it a go and I'm pretty pleased with the results.

Sunkissed Medium Bronze Instant Self-Tanning Mousse* reminds me very much of the oh so raved about budget tan 'St Moriz', but with a better initial scent. It's a paraben & alcohol free formula which has added moisturising properties and smells like coconut when first applied. The tan itself is a mousse which I like as it means limited mess, and it's instant which I also really like, as I always mess up the tans that develop over time as they are clear in colour and I can't see where I've applied until the next day - where I wake up a patchy piece of ridiculousness. I used 2-3 pumps for my arms and legs and 1 or 2 pumps for my chest and stomach and had to call in the help of the hubby to do my back and shoulders. I must say I was really impressed with this tan. I instantly felt a lot better in myself (never underestimate the power of the healthy glow). After I showered the next day it didn't leave any nasty patches but just left a nice golden colour on the skin. One thing I will say is that although it did initially smell quite pleasant, it didn't last and eventually turned into that usual husband-repelling fake tan stench! It's not a deal breaker for me though, as it's just the price you pay for looking fabulous (can I get a bit fat LOL)?  It just means I have to change the bed sheets and put on clean pyjamas the next night to get rid of the smell. All in all, I am really pleased with this tan and would definitely re-purchase as it's an absolute bargain at £3.99. 

Have you tried anything from Sunkissed?

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Lush *Halloween & Christmas 2014* Wishlist

Sooo if you read my last post, you'd know I'm a pretty big fan of Lush, and have now ran out of my last Lush bath product 'haul' so I'm now lusting after Lush's newest offerings! I'm not a massive fan of Halloween itself, but how can I resist the Lush Halloween goodies? I literally want everything new in Lush at the moment, but I've whittled it down to 9 of the ones I'm wanting most.. (hint hint hubby).

1. Sparkly Pumpkin Bubble Bar - £3.50

2. Cinders Bath Bomb - £2.50

3. Northern Lights Bath Bomb - £3.50

4. The Christmas Penguin Bubble Bar - £3.25

5. Yog Nog Soap - £3.40 / 100g

6. Snow Fairy Shower Gel - £3.75 / 100g

7. Snow Angel Bath Melt - £3.95

8. Luxury Lush Pud Bath Bomb - £3.50

9. Candy Mountain Bubble Bar - £2.75

Can you believe I've never tried Snow Fairy? Ridiculous I know, I need to get there asap!

Lush, I'm coming to you! 

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A Birthday Lush Haul

As some of you may know, it was my Birthday at the end of August (yes I know it's now October, but it's taken me a while to get through them all and write the post as most nights I don't get chance to enjoy a child-free bath time so I've been giving myself a Saturday or Sunday to pop a bath bomb in and relax). I wanted to group them together into the one post and include mini reviews which is why I've left them until now. Anyway, I was lucky enough to receive a fair few bath products from Lush from the Hubby & Kids, and out of the 6 products I got, I had only tried 1 of them before (good work hubby), so I was excited to give them all a good testing! Here's what I got...

Dragon's Egg Bath Bomb - £3.35

Dragon’s Egg makes bathtime exciting as it fizzes and crackles and changes the colour of your water to a gorgeous citrusy gold. Its scent is reminiscent of lemon sherbet, with a hint of jasmine, leaving you feeling great and ready for a good day. Its citrus scents leave you feeling transformed and invigorated.

One of the more citrussy of the Lush scents, and I have to admit I don't usually go for the citrus ones, but I did really like the freshness of this one, however, it did turn the bath water a very odd colour, lol.

Honey Bee Bath Bomb - £3.35

A good soak in a Honey Bee bath will soothe and cleanse the skin thanks to its wonder trio of honey, aloe vera, and rhassoul mud, a clay mined near Morocco’s Atlas Mountains. Honey is a wonder ingredient that soothes, retains moisture and is antiseptic, and we add plenty of cooling aloe vera, too. Rhassoul mud has natural cleansing properties, and also helps condition and soften the skin.

I absolutely loved this bath bomb. The smell was absolutely beautiful and I felt so relaxed both during and after this bath. My skin felt soft & smooth and smelt amazing.

Sakura Bath Bomb - £3.35 

This is a celebration of spring in a bath bomb, bursting into a floral fragrance. Inspired by the cherry blossom in Japan, this pretty bomb is designed to evoke the burst of optimism the first sign of spring brings. We've used calming mimosa and jasmine oils complemented by lemon oil and orange flower to bring to mind the smell of this colourful season.

How pretty is this!! Another winner for me! I loved the floral scents and the magical way it transformed my bath water. The scent really lingered until the next day with this one, which is fab!!

Tisty Tosty Bath Bomb - £3.35

Tisty Tosty is based on a medieval love potion - he loves me, he loves me not. Studded with seven real rosebuds, it is scented with a captivating combination of floral orris root powder, rose, and lemon. As this dissolves in the bath, you may fall in love with it as the scent of geranium, jasmine and rose create a spellbinding fragrance. Rose oil also gets to work soothing broken hearts - it’s used by aromatherapists to lift the spirits.

Now this is my least favourite from the bunch. Mainly because I'm really not a fan of rose scented products. I didn't hate it, but I just wasn't blown away by it, and I'd also rather not have rosebuds floating around my bath. Fished them straight out haha!!

Twilight Bath Bomb - £3.35

If sleep is evading you, this combination of essential oils will help get you ready for a good night's rest. As Twilight dissolves, it turns from the colour of the setting sun and gets darker, turning your water a shimmering deep purple. The fragrance has been designed to help you sleep: lavender is a soothing, mind-clearing and calming fragrance, used in aromatherapy to treat insomnia and aid restful sleep, while benzoin and tonka call to mind a milky caramel malt drink.

Now we're talking!! This bad boy is everything I want in a bath bomb! It's pretty, turns the bath beautiful colours, has an amazing relaxing fragrance and is a lot bigger than some of the others. Definitely has to be my favourite of the haul!

Creamy Candy Bubble Bar - £2.75

If you’d normally reach for a sweet treat to lift your mood, this bubble bar does just the job. Its sweet candy floss smell raises your energy levels and perks you up. It also offers extra moisturisation than the average bubble bar as it has a blend of almond and cocoa butter. Creamy Candy contains almond oil and butter chunks that melt onto the surface of the water, giving skin a velvety texture.

This is the one I'd already tried numerous times before and I love it! I'm a massive fan of bubbles in my bath, and would much prefer to choose a bubble bar over a bath bomb (although a mixture of both is a winning combo, lol). I get 3 baths out of this bubble bar, which is great compared to just one bath from bath bombs which are more expensive. This is Lush's signature candy scent and it leaves my skin smelling and feeling great! One I will always turn to!

Now that I've finished this haul, I'm off to get myself some Halloween and Christmas goodies! Sparkly Pumpkin I'M COMING FOR YOU! 

What are your fave Lush bath products?

 
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What I love about Autumn

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely adore the Summer time, and always feel a bit Lana Del Rey when it's over (Summertime Sadness, get it?), but at the same time, I get the warmest of feelings when I see those leaves turn brown as there's so much I love about Autumn. Here's a few of the things I love about this time of year...

Cosy Scarves

Nothing better than wrapping up in a big cosy scarf, especially those of the tartan variety. 

Coats & Boots

Basically I just love Autumn fashion. Layering up with cardigans/oversized jumpers, big coats and a nice pair of boots. YES!

Hot Chocolates

Because who doesn't love them? Complete with cream and marshmallows is a given!

Cosy, Snuggly Time With Loved Ones

I've always been a home bird, and I love nothing more than closing the curtains and getting cosied up with a film on the sofa with hot drinks and loads of goodies.

Candles

We burn Yankee Candles all year round in our house, but I love love love the Autumn scents and there's something a lot more satisfying about burning a candle on a cold evening.

Trips To The Park with Little Feet

George is at a fantastic age at the moment (just turned 2), and he's such an outdoors kid. His favourite place in the world has to be the park - where he can just roam free and explore. We took him on his first conker picking trip a couple of weeks ago and he LOVED it, and there's nothing cuter than hearing his little feet crunching through those leaves. My family and I joke that if George were a season he would definitely be Autumn, just look at that hair! hehe!

Bonfire Night
Awwww now we're talking! I absolutely adore wrapping up and heading out on Bonfire night. Every year our local town (Stockton-on-Tees) hosts an amazing (& free) fireworks show on the Riverside. I don't think the Hubby and I have missed a year since we've been together and it's just so wonderful getting amongst it and watching those fireworks light up the sky. We'll be taking George this year too, as last year he missed it as it was way past his bed time.

Note: I may aswell give a quick mention to Halloween, as it's probably on the top of most people's favourite things list, but I've never been a Halloween fan, even as a child I never really bothered about it, so we just don't get excited in our house, we do buy sweets for any trick or treaters though, and I will be taking George out when he's older if he shows an interest. Each to their own eh! The only thing I will be embracing is LUSH's Halloween range. I've got my eye on that Sparkly Pumpkin Bubble Bar! 

The Build Up to Christmas
Yes, I know it's only October, but if you can't escape it, you may aswell embrace it. I absolutely LOVE Christmas, from planning presents to wrapping them, to creating my own mahoosive list for Santa himself ;-) I think I will love it even more now George's little excited personality is starting to shine through.

What do you love about Autumn?

 
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*NEW* Rimmel Salon Pro by Kate Moss Nail Polish in Saturn

Rimmel Salon Pro by Kate Nail Polish in Saturn. £4.49

Yes, I'm back again with yet another Rimmel product, but for me they just bring it!! In the limelight today is one of the new Salon Pro Kate Moss Nail Polishes for Autumn in the most beautiful and unique shade.

Rimmel and Kate Moss have brought out 5 brand spanking new shades for Autumn, and I must say I wasn't impressed at first, until I seen them on the lovely Imagination in Colour, in which I knew I had to have this little gem. Shade 104 Saturn is like no other polish I own, and looks pretty wonderful on the nail (if I do say so myself). It's kind of a metallic olive green, with a dark base and gold shimmer. Like I said, like no other polish I own (or have seen). In the bottle it doesn't look that special, and to hear it described it sounds awful, but 2 coats of this and I couldn't stop looking at my nails. The formula is absolutely incredible, almost like butter. It glides on with ease, is completely opaque in 2 coats and dries pretty quick to a high shine finish. I'm not usually one for metallic nail polishes as I find them to be streaky and think shimmer is a little child-like sometimes, but I can definitely make an exception for this one. I can't rave about this polish any more and know I'll be getting a lot of wear out of it this Autumn/Winter. It's a beaut!

Have you tried any of Rimmel's newest offerings?

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