Valentines, Mother's Day + Exclusives Lush Haul

Lush is one of my favourite brands, not just because their products look and smell amazing or their ethics but also because of their new seasonal collections! Spring is my favourite time for Lush releases as we have Valentines, Mother's Day and Easter releases all around the same time *yay* so I had to treat myself as I've wanted to make a Lush order for so long!

The products I ordered were either from the Valentines, Mother's Day ranges or the kitchen exclusives which are only available online (or maybe in the massive store on Oxford Street which I definitely need to visit this summer!). I bought nine lovely items although two of them are for my blogs upcoming 5th birthday giveaway in May.

Metamorphosis Bath Bomb (£4.25)

I think this bath bomb is one of my most unusual looking bath bombs I've seen from Lush! It has a glittery grey exterior and it looks as though it will be pink inside; I love the design and to me it smells almost exactly like the Yankee Candle Witches Brew candle which is heady with patchouli, black pepper oil, cinnamon and myrrh.

Get Closer Dusting Powder (£6.95, 45g)

I have almost used up the Silky Underwear Dusting Powder so I needed to pick up another as I use mine so much as a talcum powder, to sprinkle over linen and surprisingly as a dry shampoo! This dusting powder contains neroli oil, jasmine absolute, lemon oil, calamine and clay so it smells very floral, sweet and musky which reminds me of something that annoyingly I can't put my finger on but it's lovely!

Kiss Me Quick Wash Card (£2)

This is a new Lush product to me, I haven't seen them before but it's an interesting idea as this little card is a wash card so it would be perfect for travelling and it smells so lovely - to me it's floral, sweet and very 'lush' scented! This valentines exclusive wash card will be part of the massive prize bundle for my blogs 5th birthday giveaway in May so stay tuned!

Flowers Barrow Bath Oil (£2, 20g)

Another product that I haven't really seen before as it's a solid bath oil and it's also one of the most beautiful products that I have bought from Lush - I love anything with flower petals included! This bath oil is indulgently floral and I cannot wait to use it as I haven't used a bath oil like this before.

T'eo Bar Solid Deodorant (£5.50, 90g)

There are certain products that I have wanted to try for so long from Lush and their natural, solid deodorants are one of them. I have been putting off buying this deodorant for *literally* years as let's be honest, it's not that exciting but I'm interested to see how well it works. It contains apricot kernel oil, lemon oil, juniper berry oil and tea tree oil and it's apparently powerful and super absorbent so if I get on well with it, you'll see it in my monthly favourites!

Ups-A-Daisy Bath Bomb (£3.50)

This adorably cute flower bath bomb is part of the new Mother's Day range and it is so fun and colourful; it's also quite a large bath bomb! To me it smells musky and floral (I've said that about everything, oops) with rosewood and rose absolute. I think it would make a fantastic Mother's Day gift or as I've done...buy it for yourself.

Pink Custard Shower Jelly (£4.25, 100g)

Another Mother's Day item and again it's so cute, colourful and it has a heavenly but subtle scent. It contains ingredients that you would find in desserts much as tonic bean, brown sugar, golden syrup and coconut milk as well as some more typical pampering scents of lavender and neroli. I can't wait to use this shower jelly as it's such a unique product although I think it will be a bit of a juggling act to use!

Flowering Tea Re-Useable Bubble Bar (£5.95, 100g)

I have wanted to buy this bubble bar for months but it keeps going out of stock online. I haven't used one of their apparently re-useable bubbles bars before and I'll probably end up using it all by mistake while taking photos and then I'll drown in a sea of floral bubbles. It looks like a giant teabag filled with petals...is their anything more British?

Ladybird Bubble Bar (£3.95)

I thought that this adorable ladybird was part of the Mother's Day range but now I'm not sure; either way, it is so cute and it's also going to be part of my upcoming giveaway! It contains sweet geranium and peppermint, it's such a unique scent and I think everyone will love it!

Phew, that's a long post and I could have made it a lot longer as I took over 70 photographs of these products #BloggerProblems. Lush products as so incredibly photogenic and I cannot wait to use these products as part of my pamper evenings. Remember to follow my blog and social media to find out when my massive blog birthday giveaway will be live! 

Have you bought anything from Lush recently? What do you think of the Valentines and Mother's Day ranges? If you've tried any of these, let me know what you thought!

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2017 Beauty Favourites

It's finally time to publish my 2017 beauty favourites post which was so difficult to narrow down but here it is! I have some brand new favourites and some from 2016 as well which have been consistently my favourite products so I couldn't leave them out even if they have appeared in other favourites posts. Let's start with the best category, makeup:

Makeup

I'm not going to rank any of the products but one of my very top favourites has to be the fantastic Temple Spa Concealer which was sent as a surprise blogger mail package and I've loved it since I received it. If you have dry skin as I do then you'll know how difficult it can be to use a foundation or concealer that doesn't emphasis dryness which this one doesn't so it's been perfect for the colder months!

I have two palettes that I've been loving in 2017, one of which is an old favourite and it's the Too Faced Semi Sweet Palette which has pretty much everything I need in one palette! I've also been loving TheBalm Meet Matt(e) Palette which is great too and I cannot recommend them enough. A mascara that has wowed me this year is the DHC Double Protection Mascara as it is so gentle and easy to remove with just warm water.

Lastly for the base products, the first is the Real Techniques Miracle Sponge (from face.co.uk) which is a great alternative to the very expensive Beauty Blender. My favourite foundation of the past couple of years as been the Bourjois 10 Hour Sleep Effect Foundation and I ran out of it while I was half way through my makeup for New Years eve! Now that I'm having to use other foundations, I'm realising how much I loved it and how wonderful it made my skin look. The final makeup is my much loved Essence Fixing Powder which has been a favourite of mine for the past two to three years.

Skincare 

I only have two new skincare favourites this year, the first being the Eucerin AtoControl Cream which I'm using now and I'm loving it for my eczema prone skin and secondly the Merci Handy Facial Mists which were essentials during the ridiculously how summer days we had last year. I've also been loving all of my Antipodes skincare and I cannot recommend their products enough!

Bodycare & Misc 

My final category is body care, haircare and miscellaneous products but I'll start with the most impressive semi-permanent hair colour I've ever used which is the Joico Colour Butters! 2017 was the year that I bleached the ends of my hair and dyed it a range of colours. The Jocio Colour Butters were the most incredibly vibrant, quick (less than ten minutes to develop) and long lasting semi-permanent hair colours ever!

For my other haircare favourites, I've loved all of the Colab dry shampoos I've tried and I've just bought a few more as they're fantastic. I was very kindly sent the GHD Ruby Styler last year and it's been one of the few few hair tools I've used and I cannot recommend GHDs enough.

Finally onto the bodycare products, a couple of essentials that I loved in 2017 include the Organii Lavender Liquid Soap which smells heavenly, the Cetraben Lotion that is a miracle product for the eczema on my hands and the Bomb Cosmetics Hand Treatment which is one of my favourite and creams ever!

Another heavenly product has to be the Crabtree and Evelyn Lavender and Espresso Body Butter which is the most relaxing and unique smelling body butter and one of the most moisturising. I also have to mention the Feather and Down Pillow Spray which I've been using for a while now and I cannot recommend it enough and finally for my favourites, the Lush Get Closer Dusting Powder which is a great multi-use talc.

Honourable Mentions

I obviously have to include a few honourable mentions in this post as there were so many wonderful products from 2017 such as the Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Dolce Vita, the Antipodes Manuka Honey Eye Cream, the Essence All Eyes On Me Waterproof Mascara, Eylure Brow Gel and the Bumble and Bumble Pre-a-Powder.

Have you tried any of these products? What were your favourites from 2017? 

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Lush Christmas Haul

Lush is one of my favourite stores, I could spend all day in there if I could! I have loved Lush products for about 7 years now as I started liking their products in college and I have come across quite a few products that are long time favourites such as the heavenly *literally* Angels On Bare Skin Cleanser, Silky Underwear Dusting Powder (which I'm currently using and loving!), Seanik Shampoo Bar, Olive Branch Shower Gel, Intergalactic Bath Bomb, Celestial Moisturiser, Honey I Washed The Kids Soap and the Eau Roma Water as well as the Let The Good Times Roll Cleanser...I have a lot of favourites.

The Lush Christmas range contains some of my favourite products and instantly gets me in the festive mood and a spending mood. So when this generous and lovely christmas package came from the amazing people at Lush, I have to admit that I did squeal slightly when I opened it especially as I haven't actually tried Snow Fairy before *I know, that's unforgivable!*. I went to Lush last weekend and treated myself to the Lush advent calendar and it's testing my willpower to it's limits not to open it now so these christmassy offerings are definitely helping!

*Lush Snow Fairy Shower Gel (£7.95, 250ml)

I know, I know, the Lush Snow Fairy products are very popular and sought after but I have never tried it before (don't hate me!) and I don't know why I have put off trying it - it's gorgeous! The shower gel is described as 'candy sweet suds that shimmer with magic', if that's not enticing I don't know what is and it definitely smells like candy. The scent is very sweet, candy-like and edible smelling but I probably wouldn't recommend eating it; it looks cute too. The shower gel lathers SO well, you only need a tiny amount so this 250ml bottle will last me ages. The luxurious, creamy bubbles are cotton candy/candy cane scented and make showering in the freezing autumn months so much nicer! Overall rating: ★★★★★, 5/5.

After the gorgeous...ness of the Snow Fairy Shower Gel I didn't think anything could really surpass it but the Snow Fairy Body Conditioner has! I haven't tried any of the Lush Body Conditioners as to be honest they aren't as exciting as fizzy and colourful bath bombs or the gargantuan amount of bubbles from heavenly bubble bars but this body conditioner has turned out to be one of my favourite products I've tried and I'll definitely be looking out for more body conditioners to try!

*Lush Snow Fairy Body Conditioner (£13.95, 225g)

The Lush Snow Fairy Body Conditioner contains avocado and mango butter to soften the skin, together with organic jojoba and almond oils that easily absorb leaving the skin incredibly smooth and moisturised - it's basically the body version of a hair conditioner. It has the same gloriously sweet, candy-like and comforting scent as the shower gel and when used together it's double the candy and double the Lush heaven! I'm SO impressed with this body conditioner, it leaves my skin very smooth, soft and moisturised so much so that I don't even have to use a body lotion. Additionally the scent of the body conditioner lasts on my skin for a good few hours (approx. 5-6 hours on me ) and in the bathroom which is incredible! Overall rating: ★★★★★★, 6/5...yes, 6/5, it's that good.

I've tried a few Lush lip scrubs, as well as lip scrubs from other brands, and the Lush ones are definitely the most effective! I love the Popcorn Lip Scrub and this is another favourite. I have really dry lips all year round (sexy, I know) so I'm always looking for exfoliating scrubs and rich lip balms - here comes Lush to the rescue *cue super hero music*.

*Lush Sugar Plum Fairy Lip Scrub (£5.75, 25g)

Any Lush product would make a fantastic gift this christmas but I think in terms of stocking fillers, these last two products would be perfect. The Lush lip scrubs are a favourite for so many people, myself included and this christmas offering is gorgeous. The Sugar Plum fairy scent is sweet, sugary and fruity so it's a lovely christmassy scent; also the colour is so pretty too! It's a fantastic lip scrub as it is exfoliating but not too harsh and leaves my lips so smooth, soft and preps my lips perfectly for lip balm and lipstick. It's a christmas and new year party prep essential. Although if I'm honest my only problem with lip scrubs is that they are a little messy. Overall rating: ★★★★★, 5/5 (you knew everything was going to be 5/5, it's Lush!).

*Lush Elf On The Shelf Fun (£5.95, 200g)

As well as body conditioners, another Lush product range that I haven't really tried is FUN! Lush FUN is a combination of a bubble bar and playdoh, my child self would have been in love with it. The Elf On The Shelf FUN can be shaped into a cute little Santa's helper complete with stripy elf legs! There are a few variations to choose from but this one contains grapefruit and ginger oils, cinnamon leaf oil and gardenia extract; it smells subtle but lovely. I haven't tried this one yet but I have tried the blue FUN and it makes so many bubbles! I'll be making a cute little elf next month so stay tuned on my Twitter/Instagram to see how awfully I can make an elf!

Overall, I'm feeling all of the christmassy feels with the heavenly, sweet and festive products from Lush. All of the products are cruelty free as Lush is an amazing brand in terms of not just products but also ethics and all four products are suitable for vegans too. Additionally all four products that I've featured are 'self-preserving' which means that they don't contain any synthetic preservatives to keep them fresh which is fantastic. If I had to choose just one product as a favourite then it would have to be the amazing Snow Fairy Body Conditioner but I honestly couldn't recommend all of these products enough! Thank you so much to Lush for these festive treats!

Have you tried any of these products? What are your favourites from Lush? 

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2016 Beauty Favourites

Images from Google

Yes, this post is quite late but I've had a bit of an unproductive start to the year..oops. I love reading end of the year favourites posts rather than monthly favourites as you know the products included are consistently effective and worth buying! I've published my end of year favourites for the past couple of years which you can look back on. Today's post is all about the beauty products I've loved throughout 2016 and a few honourable mentions too because I can't just choose a reasonable amount of products...

Skincare

My favourite skincare brand over the past couple of years is definitely Antipodes! I've tried quite a few of their products and I have been extremely impressed with every single product which is a bit of a miracle as my skin is dry, sensitive and eczema prone so it's one of the worst skin types to have and it makes finding effective but gentle and natural products very difficult. However, Antipodes is a wonderful brand and I'd recommend any product from Antipodes but I've particularly loved the Manuka Honey Day Cream the most this year!

Another fantastic natural brand that has impressed me in 2016 is Supermood which is a natural skincare brand based in Finland. I was lucky enough to try a range of their products back in March and I've loved both of the serums since. I used up the gorgeous Beauty Sleep Serum a few months ago and now I'm using the Egoboost Serum - both are so effective, natural and they don't irritate my skin at all. I definitely want to try more from this brand!

Bodycare & Haircare 

It's well known and kind of inevitable that Lush is one of my favourite brands and it has been since well before I started my blog back in 2012. I've tried so many of their bath bombs and I adore the skincare that I've tried; while in college my whole skincare routine consisted of Lush and my skin was fantastic so I'm definitely going to have to start using their products again. Anyway, tangent over, I have been using the Silky Dusting Powder consistently for the past four or so months and I've remembered why I loved it so much years ago - the scent is so nostalgic to me. It's amazing as a scented talcum powder for the skin but I've also been using it to sprinkle over bed linen too.

Another bodycare product that I have loved in 2016 is the Mama Mio Liquid Yoga Bath Soak which I  reviewed fully in 2015 and I've been using it very sparingly since. If you have tense muscles or sore muscles then you need this bath soak, it's one of the most effective bath soaks I've ever used and it came in so handy while learning to drive last year. After a stressful day of driving for over five hours, having a bath with this product helped SO much.

The only haircare product is the Moroccan Oil Dark Tones Dry Shampoo which is surprising as I have hated drys shampoos for the longest time but luckily I've found two that work really well. The most effective dry shampoo for my hair is this one from Moroccan Oil (I love Moroccan Oil products!). It mattifies my hair, absorbs oil and makes my hair look quite frankly amazing even when I haven't washed it for three days. It also makes my hair so soft and smooth too unlike most dry shampoos which leave my hair feeling weighed down, tacky or built up with product.

Makeup 

Now onto the most exciting part, makeup! I've loved two fixing powders in 2016, the amazing and super inexpensive Essence Fixing Powder which I cannot recommend enough and the equally fantastic Vichy Setting Powder - if you want your makeup to last all day without looking cakey then check these out.

Speaking of long lasting makeup, the Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Dolce Vita has been a favourite of mine for about two years and it has become a product that I'll definitely repurchase in the future as the natural rosey red shade is my perfect everyday shade, it lasts almost all day even through eating and it feels very comfortable on the lips. I need more shades now!

Well, it seems like I loved relaxing products in 2016 as well as long lasting makeup and the Too Faced Hangover Primer has been a favourite since starting driving lessons back in the spring last year. The primer doesn't irritate my skin, it feels so lightweight and it helps my makeup last all day - what more could you ask for!

Honorable Mentions 

• Tweezerman Rose Gold Eyelash Curler and Contour Brush
• Lush Intergalactic Bath Bomb
• Jurlique Balancing Mist
• Benefit Gimme Brow
• Eylure Brow Pomade in No.20
• NYX Lingerie Liquid Lipstick in Bedtime Flirt

What beauty products have you loved the most in 2016? Have you tried any of these products?

Can you believe that this is my 1,200th blog post! 

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Initial Impressions: Chanel Les Beiges Multi-Colour No 1. Light Harmony

I have a whole series of 'initial impressions' blog posts coming soon with multiple products in each post but for today I thought I would share my opinions and initial impressions of the new Chanel Les beiges Health Glow Multi-Colour (SPF15 PA++) (£39). This is my very first Chanel purchase!

I bought this product from House of Fraser as soon as I saw it as I think it is going to be a sell out product this summer! I bought the shade 'No 1 Light Harmony' which is the lightest shade of two. With the compact you receive a pouch (very fancy) and a semi circular brush which is fantastic! The powder consists of a top highlight layer, followed by a bronzer and finally a blusher. The highlighter does have fine shimmer in it and the bronzer/blusher also have shimmer in them but it is very very fine, it is hardly noticeable in the compact. 

Can we just have a moments silence for the packaging....how gorgeous, luxe and freakin beautiful is this compact - even the brush and powder have 'chanel' written on them. Usually I throw away brushes but as this is Chanel there is no way this brush is going in the bin - and the brush is fantastic! The brush is super smooth, soft and effective for the highlight, bronzer and blusher. The brush is big but thin so it is great for contouring when used on its side and when used flat it is great for sweeping the product over the high points of the face that would catch the sun. 

Now onto the powders, the highlighter is a soft creamy champagne colour with noticeable fine shimmer. It is a super soft powder that is very easy to apply and blend. The shimmer isn't really noticeable on the skin, it just gives a subtle, lit from within glow *most used phrase in blogging ever*. I expected the pigmentation to be a little better as I do like a strong highlighter (such as TheBalm's Mary Loumanizer) but it is nice to have a more subtle sophisticated glow. 

Secondly the bronzer, I have only recently started to get into bronzer fully and I am loving the Bourjois Chocolate Bronzer. I was slightly concerned while buying this compact that the bronzer would be too strong, dark or orange on my super pale skin but it isn't. As you can see from the swatches above, the bronzer as well as the other powders isn't very pigmented which may be a negative for some people but for me it is great as it means I will not look like a muddy, orange tangoed mess! It does not look orange or dark on my skin, it blends so well that it looks very natural. I like the subtle glow the bronzer gives and it is fantastic for contouring - it is not shimmery at all so it is nice for a bronzy summer contour. 

Lastly the blush, if you have been following my blog for a while you will know that I am definitely not a blusher kind of girl but since using TheBalm's How 'Bout Them Apples Lip & Cheek Colour, I am a convert! I use the same Chanel brush for all of the powders and it works well. The blusher is the most pigmented when swatched but on the skin it is just like the highlighter and bronzer - subtle but gorgeous. I can easily get away with swirling the brush through all three powders then dusting it on the high points of the face for a lovely subtle, healthy glow - hence the name. 

Overall, I adore the packaging and the compact. I am very happy with my first Chanel purchase. All three powders are beautiful to use and give a lovely, subtle and glowing radiance to the skin. It would be great for travelling as you have three products (well five in one, if you count the mirror and brush) together. Some people will be disappointed with the subtle pigmentation but I love it, it is perfect for my very pale skin. I am knocking one star off for the price and the scent of the powders (which is nice and floral but I would have preferred it to be unscented). I will definitely get a lot of use out of this compact, I hope it isn't limited edition! ★★★★☆, 4/5 (almost 5/5).

What was your first Chanel purchase? Will this highlighter/bronzer/blusher compact be on your summer beauty wish list?

Check out my international blog giveaway ft. Tom Ford and Benefit Cosmetics but HURRY it ends in less than 11 hours!! 

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Favourite Vegan Beauty Products

This post is quite late today as I wasn't happy with the photographs that I took so I had to re-take them today with some gorgeous pink roses! I'm really happy with these photos and this is one of my favourite topics to talk about - natural and amazing skincare and bodycare. Veganuary is almost at an end so I'll have a few round-up posts coming soon including this one.

Skincare 

Let's start with my favourite vegan skincare products so that obviously means talking about Antipodes! Do I even write a skincare post without talking about Antipodes? I am currently using their amazing *Divine Facial Oil which is perfect as part of my winter skincare routine as it's very moisturising, smoothing and nourishing but it isn't very greasy, heavy or irritating. I'm also using the *Rejoice Light Facial Day Cream which is 100% natural and a fantastic day cream and it will be even better during the spring months. If you have dry and sensitive skin then you NEED to check out Antipodes, I cannot recommend them enough! Both of these products are vegan as is the lovely *Joyful Hand & Body Cream.

Bodycare 

A long term favourite of mine is the Mama Mio Liquid Yoga Bath Soak which is the most effective bat soak I've ever tried - it's an essential if you have sore muscles or suffer with anxiety or stress. The scent is so relaxing, calming and heavenly so the newer Mama Mio Space Spray is on my wish list!

Another lovely, vegan and natural product is the newest release from Amphora Aromatics (I've tried a few of their products before and loved them). The new *Amphora Aromatics Ylang Ylang, Argan & Rosemary Shower and Bath Gel has such a unique, deep and earthy scent that is so different to any other product I have in my stupidly vast beauty product collection.

Tisserand was one of my favourite brands of last year as I love the Tisserand Sweet Dreams Bath Oil which contains lots of lavender so I'm happy! I also have the *Tisserand Sweet Dreams Aromatherapy Roller Ball and since receiving it I've been using it before bed most nights as it's a lovely product that helps me unwind.

Lush is also an amazing, natural and ethical brand, obvs. I have so many favourites from Lush including the Angels On Bare Skin Cleanser (I need to buy it again ASAP), the glittery *Intergalactic Bath Bomb and the multi-use Silky Underwear Dusting Powder that's perfect as a talcum powder alternative and as a linen powder. I've used it pretty much constantly for months and months and there is still so much left even though the bottle only contains 60g of product!

Winter drys out my skin so much therefore body creams and butters are an essential for me and the two I've been loving the most recently have been the *Dr Botanicals Moroccan Rose & Shea Butter Body Repairing Cream which is so incredibly rich, moisturising and nourishing so much so that it feels like a comforting, rose scented blanket over my skin. The second body cream is The Body Shop Instant Glow British Rose Body Butter; it's also fantastic but not as deeply moisturising or as luxe as the Dr Botanicals cream. However, both are lovely and suitable for vegans!

There are my top picks of my vegan beauty and pampering products and my current winter favourites! I cannot recommend these products enough and they are all of my winter essentials. Some of the products are from vegan brands but others are from brands with a few vegan products and other non-vegan items too.

Have you tried any of these products? What are your favourite natural or vegan beauty brands? What are your favourite Lush products?

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*Winter + Snow Day Preparations

Image from Country Living

Winter is here and thankfully we haven't had any snow...yet. While I love photographing snow and looking at gorgeous snowy landscapes, I don't like driving on snow, walking through snow or being freezing! Apparently we are going to receive a dusting of snow soon so hopefully today's post will give you a few tips for starting your winter and snow day preparations.  

Winter Wardrobe 

Firstly, your winter wardrobe which despite not loving the wintery season, I do love the wardrobe! Jumpers, cardigans, fleece leggings, boots, layering and warm coats are some of my favourite items to wear and I'd wear them all year round if I could. I usually look for seasonal clothing in the sales and within an amazon sale I found my dream winter coat...last spring. I have wanted a warm faux wool coat at the right length and size in the most gorgeous forest green shade for years and now I have it! It's always worth checking sales for out of season items as they'll be much cheaper compared to buying at the time of the year when you actually need them. 

I used to buy so many clothes, especially jackets and coats, most of which were quite cheap, poor quality and I wouldn't get much use out of them so now that I shop around more and spend a little more, the quantity of items in my wardrobe has reduced but the quality has increased along with how much I'm wearing pretty much everything in my wardrobe rather than ignoring half of the forgotten items in there! 

Winter Tyres

Driving on snow is something most people despise and I'm one of those people too, especially as I'm still a fairly new and inexperienced driver (I passed my driving test two years ago) so for a safer drive, why not opt for winter or snow tyres. We also keep an emergency kit in the car which includes blankets, de-icer, snacks and a first aid kit, just in case. 

Generator 

Lastly, an item for the home; a generator is something we thankfully haven't had to buy where we live but it would be a very useful emergency addition to your home if you live in a more remote area or an area that is prone to power cuts. There are a variety of generators to choose from, some of which are for more industrial settings, camping, work or for the home. Some of which can be quite expensive but others are much more reasonably priced and SGS have a wide range for trade, commercial or domestic use generators. 

Do you have any tips for preparing for winter? 

*This is a collaborative post

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Vichy Dermablend Setting Powder

When it comes to skincare, French brands know their stuff and you should definitely check out brands such as Bioderma, Avene, La Roche Posay and of course, Vichy. I've tried some of their skincare which I liked and I also reviewed their Dermablend Foundation which I love! I was so excited when I was able to review the *Vichy Dermablend Setting Powder (£15) as I've heard nothing but incredible things about it.

The powder hypoallergenic, fragrance free, non-comedogenic (it doesn't sit in pores) and it contains SPF30 which is amazing! I couldn't wait to try it so I used it before taking any photographs *naughty blogger* and I am now one of those people who cannot stop raving about this setting powder.

It is a white powder but becomes colourless when blended and it comes with a sponge which I have been using but I'll have to throw it away soon as it can't really be washed or cleaned properly. The powder is designed to be used to set the Vichy Dermablend Foundations but I have been using it on any foundation or concealer I have as well as on bare, makeup free skin. The powder instantly mattifies but it doesn't highlight dryness *unless it's really bad* and it gives my skin a blurred and perfected look, who doesn't want that! They suggest to use it almost as if you are baking, by applying the powder generously with the sponge and then waiting and dusting off the excess but I've just been using it however I want - with the sponge or with a brush.

I've been using it every day I have worn makeup since I received it and I will definitely be buying another when this one runs out as it's just perfection. It sets my makeup without adding colour or coverage, it keeps my skin relatively matte for most of the day, it helps my makeup last longer, it doesn't highlight dryness and it make my skin look like it has a perfecting and blurring veil over it. A little of the powder goes a long way so I can see this tub lasting me ages and I cannot recommend it enough - you just need to buy it! Overall rating: ★★★★★, 5/5.

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Lush Christmas Gifts 2017

Christmas is such a magical and wonderful time of the time *one the whole* and one of the companies that can match that wonder is Lush. Lush has been a favourite store of mine for at least the past five years and I'm always justing at least one Lush product everyday. I'm currently using the gorgeous Get Closer dusting powder and the Santa Baby lip scrub.

The Lush Christmas collection gets better and better every year and this year the gifts are all so beautiful! I was very kindly sent three of their gift sets thanks to the amazing and super generous people over at Lush PR *thank you* and I love all three!

*Lush Rudy Gift Set (£12.50)

Let's start with the cutest gift set I was sent which is this adorable Rudolph inspired gift which features the lovely Butterball bath bomb and the new Christmas Sweater bath bomb as well as the Rudolph knot wrap. It's a beautifully pre-packaged gift that is made of 100% organic cotton made in India and I think all of the items included are vegan too.

I tried the Butterball bath bomb years ago and loved it, especially when it's moulded into the Butterbear shape, the latter is available now as a bath bomb and wash card (both look so adorable!). As far as I know the Christmas Sweater bath bomb is new and to me it smells like the quintessential Christmas combination of ginger and cloves. It also looks very cute with it's fairisle sweater design! I think this set would be perfect for children and adults alike.

*Merry Christmas Gift Set (£22.50)

Next up is tied as my favourite of the three with the Ruby gift set as it contains two of my favourite Christmas bath bombs and it looks so festive! The Merry Christmas gift set contains the Shoot For The Stars bath bomb, Golden Wonder bath bomb, Christmas Sweater bath bomb and the Thundersnow bath bomb. I adore the Shoot For The Stars and the Golden Wonder bath bombs, both of which I've bought a least a couple of times.

I can't wait to try the Christmas Sweater bath bomb as it's one of the most festive scented bath bombs in the set and I also can't wait to try the Thundersnow bath bomb which contains peppermint extract, cocoa absolute and popping candy! The Thundersnow bath bomb smells like candy I had growing up but I can't place it. I think this gift set is a great all round set that would be ideal for so many people, from hard working mums, aunties or cousins to work colleagues, partners and friends - you really can't go wrong with this gift set.

*Winter Garden Gift Set (£18.50)

This set is also so beautifully packaged with a golden ribbon, tag and pretty floral paper so if you are like me and you cannot wrap presents to save your life then these sets from Lush are ideal as they are wrapped far more beautifully than I could ever gift wrap a present! I can think of so many of my cousins and friends who would love this set and it would be great for colleagues as you might not know if they have a bath at home or even if they like taking baths so they could definitely use everything in this gift set.

I can smell, what I think is the Golden Pear soap through the paper and cardboard and it smells incredible! The Rose Jam shower gel also sounds amazing although my favourite Lush shower gel so far is definitely The Olive Branch scent. Overall, I cannot recommend these three heavenly gift sets enough as Lush is such an incredible brand, there's something for everyone and all three are wonderfully packaged.

What do you think of these Lush gift sets? Would you like to receive these sets under the tree? 

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Autumn Day to Evening Looks ft. Essence

Back in June I was invited to the launch event for Essence which was the first blogger event I went to on my own and it was amazing (here)! Ever since I have genuinely loved pretty much all of the Essence products I have tried; especially the eyeshadows, liner and the incredibly amazing fixing powder! Here are my picks for a quick and easy day to evening look. Sorry the lighting isn't great in the photos below! Autumn/winter weather is not great for natural lighting and photography! 

First up, the day time look which consists of a very simple eye and a bold pink lip. I used the Essence All About Matte Foundation in Light. For concealer I used the amazing Essence Stay All Day Concealer which I actually love a lot more than the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer! A dusting of the Essence Silky Touch Blush in 20 Babydoll on the apples and back of the cheeks to finish the face.

For the eyes I only used one shade from the *Essence Quattro Eyeshadow Quad (15 Most Wanted) as I wanted a simple eye look to contrast with the bold lip. I used the white shimmer shade lightly on the lid and also in the inner corner; then a sweep of the Essence Lash Mania False Lash Waterproof Mascara. Lastly for this day time look I use the *, Essence lipstick in 10 Cotton Candy which looks really pretty but personally I don't think blue toned pinks suit me at all.

Now onto the night look, I used the same foundation, concealer and mascara that I used for the day time look. For the eyes I used the *Essence Quattro Eyeshadow Quad (15 Most Wanted) which contains all of the shades for pretty autumnal eyeshadow looks! I used the golden shade all over the lid as a brightening base and also in the inner corner of the eyes. I then used the deep purple shade in the crease, along the upper and lower lash lines and across the outer third of the eye. I LOVE the combination of gold and purple, especially for the upcoming festive season. 

To finish I used the *Essence Colour & Go Polish in 111 English Rose which applies so smoothly and it is a very pretty everyday shade. Overall, I am so impressed by all of the Essence makeup I have tried and I am so glad it finally arrived in the UK back in July. You can buy Essence makeup from select Wilkinsons stores (such as the Manchester arndale store and there is a stand alone counter in the arndale too) as well as on the Wilkinsons website.

Have you tried Essence products? What do you think of my day to evening looks? 

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