My Favourite Christmas Candles

Hey beaut's!

Its no surprise that I like a candle or 50 at this time of the year, theres something so cosy about having candles lit when it's dark and cold outside and it's something I actually look forward to when Autumn and Winter comes around. It's not all about the cosy vibes for me though, it's also about those yummy festive scents that we cant get throughout the year, so today I thought I'd share with you all my top 5!

Yankee Candle Christmas Cookie - Christmas Cookie is actually up there with my all time favourite candle scents, it has a buttery rich, vanilla and sugar cookie scent which is so divine I could eat it, it's definitely the perfect candle for that person who likes sweet, sugary, food like scents.

Crabtree & Evelyn Noel - This one is seriously festive, it contains notes of fir tree branches studded with tangy citrus zest and mulled spices, it's literally all the traditional Christmas scents wrapped into one candle, the scent throw is seriously good too!

Home Bargains Gingerbread - I discovered this Gingerbread candle in Home Bargains last year and become obsessed so I was so happy to see they brought it bacj this year. Gingerbread is literally one of my favourite scents at this time of the year and this one smells exactly like you've got a batch of gingerbread men baking in the oven, my goodness its smells incredible! These are so affordable too at just £2.99 each for the large glass jars and I may have bought 8 of these so far this, I know I'm terrible!

Yankee Candle Christmas Eve - We buy a Christmas Eve candle to burn every year in our house on Christmas Eve, its become a tradition really and it just wouldn't be Christmas Eve without it now. I love how it subtly smells of all things Christmas, think vanilla, berries, cinnamon and nutmeg it's so lovely and isn't overpowering at all. 

Yankee Candle Berry Trifle - Arhhh finally is Berry Trifle, another candle that smells good enough to eat. This one is a fruity yet sweet scent and raspberries and cranberries definitely comes through, theres a light vanilla fragrance too which comes from the vanilla cream but the berry scent is definitely what comes out on top and is the most recognisable, I bloody love anything berry scented!

Whats your favourite Christmas candle beaut's? I'd love to know!

nopin

Yule Log Cupcake Recipe

 Hey beaut's!

I love baking but at this time of year my baking addiction goes up a notch, theres something so cosy about doing some baking during the festivities and I thoroughly enjoyed baking these Yule Log cupcakes and just had to share them with you all. If your a chocolate lover then your definitely going to want to bake some of these, their made up of a gorgeous chocolate sponge, filled with yummy cream just like a standard yule log then finished off with a chocolate icing, whats not to love! 
What You Will Need For The Cupcake Batter
4 tbsp Boiling Water
40g Cocoa Powder
3 Eggs
175g Unsalted Butter
165g Caster Sugar
115g Self-Raising Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder (rounded)

Cream Filling (Optional)
300ml Double Cream
2tsp Vanilla Extract

What You Will Need For The Chocolate Icing
60g Unsalted Butter 
30g Cocoa Powder
1-2 tbsp Milk 
250g Icing Sugar
Cadburys Flakes For Decoration

How To - Cupcakes 
1. Line a muffin tin with paper cases and pre-heat your oven to 200°C (400°F, Gas mark 6).
2. Sift the cocoa powder into a bowl and then add in the four tablespoons of boiling water and mix into a thick paste. 
3. Once you have turned your cocoa powder into a thick paste add in all the remaining cake ingredients and mix with an electric whizzer!
4. Spoon the cupcake batter into the cupcake cases until they are 3/4 full and bake for around 12-15 minutes.

How To - Cream Filling
1. The cream filling is optional but if you want a proper yule log cupcakes then you've got to fill them with some yummy cream, it so easy too! All you need to do is whip the cream up with the vanilla extract until you have stiff peaks.
2. Once your cream is ready pop it into a piping bag, then core out the centre of each cupcake either with an apple corer or a knife and fill the centre with cream then pop the little roof of the cupcake back on ready for icing!

How To - Icing
1. To make the chocolate icing all you need to do is melt the butter and pour it into a bowl, then sift in the cocoa powder and the icing sugar adding a little at a time so you don't get the dreaded icing sugar cloud, if the icing is too thick you can add a little milk until you get your desired consistency .
2. Once everything is all whizzed together and smooth just pipe or spread on the icing and add some decorations, I opted for a sprinkling of icing sugar because all yule logs have a sprinkling of icing sugar don't they, and I cut up some cadburys flakes and popped them on the top as they remind me of little yule logs and voila!

My goodness these cupcakes are such a treat, and they are the best chocolate cupcakes I've ever made even if I do say so myself, the sponge is so light and bouncy and the icing piped just perfect, yum yum yum! Obviously your going to want to eat these up pretty quickly because they contain fresh cream but they will keep for a couple of days in the fridge, that's if they last that long he he.

What will you be baking over the festive season beaut's? I'd love to know!

nopin

Soap & Glory Free Makeup Gift With Purchase!


Hey beaut's!

Soap and Glory have an amazing deal on at the moment which is almost impossible to resist, from now until the 26th of December you can get their Eyes Queen Gift Set* for FREE when you spend £14.00 or more in a single transaction on any Soap and Glory cosmetics in Boots stores and online. As I'm sure you all know by now I'm a massive Soap and Glory fan so spending £14.00 on their cosmetics is pretty easy for me, I absolutely love their blushes, kohl eyeliners and matte lip crayons, I seriously cant recommend them enough.

Within the Eyes Queen Gift Set are two of Soap and Glory's best selling makeup products, both of which are full size and worth a whopping £16.50, this is literally a corker of a deal and such great value so I'd snap it up whilst you can beaut's. The set includes two of my Soap & Glory favourites - a Thick & Fast HD Mascara and the Supercat Black Eyeliner Pen - I've actually repurchased both of these over and over again, their regulars in my makeup bag so I was super pleased to see them within this set.
As I said before I LOVE the Thick & Fast HD Mascara and the Supercat Black Eyeliner Pen, their a duo that never leave my makeup bag. The Thick & Fast HD Mascara features a 7-sided fan flare-180 brush along with a strength-building Collagen formula which creates length, volume and definition as well as being super intense, smudge proof and flake free. The Supercat Black Eyeliner Pen is again a super intense inky black liner with an easy to use felt tip nib, I'd definitely recommend it for beginners because of it's shape, it just feels like your drawing it on he he. It's also super long lasting on me too and doesn't fade, run or smudge all day long.

  Will you be taking advantage of this amazing deal beaut's?

You can find all of Soap and Glory's cosmetics in store at Boots or online HERE.

nopin

Festive Degustabox Review + £7 off Discount Code

Hi beaut's...

I have a subscription box review for you all today but it's a subscription box with a difference.... it contains yummy food and drink, so say hello to Degustabox*. Degustabox works very much like how beauty subscription boxes work, for £12.99 a month (postage included within the £12.99 price) you will receive 10 to 15 surprise food/drink products, many that are completely new to the market! So if your a bit of a foodie like myself and you love subscription boxes your going to love this beaut's! 
 This month we have 14 yummy snacks and drinks to sink are teeth into including a few festive inspired bits and pieces, firstly theres a bag of Cadbury Picnic Bites (£1.99) which are so yummy, I mean who doesn't like nibbling on bites of wafer, chewy caramel, raisins and peanuts, I know I do! Theres also a massive bag of Planters Fruity Chocolate Crunch (£2.00) which are the perfect festive table nibble, it's a mix of nuts, dried fruits and chocolate drops. Finally for sweet treats theres some Jelly Bean Super Sours (£1.79), these have the same yummy taste as normal jelly beans but these ones really tickle your taste buds he he!
Theres quite a lot of savoury foods in this months box starting with a jar of Filipo Berio Classic Pesto which is perfect to mix into pasta dishes! Then theres a jar of The English Provender Co.'s Caramelised Red Onion Chutney (£1.99), this will be used over Christmas in our house, it's perfect for adding on the side of a cheese board. I also got a packet of Kallo Organic Chicken Stock Pots (£1.80) which I'll probably use up pretty quickly as I go through so much stock when cooking. Something else from Filipo Berio is their Rio Mare Tuna in Olive Oil (£3.00), I adore tuna a sweetcorn sarnies or tuna salads so this will go down a treat with me.
Next up are more savoury bit's and pieces perfect for popping on the Boxing Day buffet table, theres some Ryvita Multigrain Rye Cakes (£1.39) which will be perfect with different cheeses and pickles. Then theres some Filipo Berio Crostini which can be used for really easy canapés, and theres some sweet Propercorn (89p) which will be perfect to snack on whilst watching a festive movie!
Finally this month we have a couple of drinks starting with the ALO Drink (£1.99), I've never tried anything like this before and it looks quite gloopy in the bottle so I'm really intrigued by this. Theres also a bottle of Dalston's Fizzy Apple (£1.89) which was super yummy, perfect for anyone who likes apple juice and fizzy combined. Lastly this month we have a bag of Taylors of Harrograte Ground Coffee (£4.49), my boyfriend is a huge coffee lover and hes really been enjoying this in the mornings!

Degustabox have kindly given me a discount code for all of my beautiful readers, all you have to do is pop 039DB into the promotional code box and you'll receive a whopping £7.00 discount when registering making your first box just £5.99. And don't worry beaut's, theres no commitments with Degustabox meaning you can cancel your subscription free of charge before the 10th of any month, but I mean why would you cancel monthly surprise food treats ha ha!

What do you think of the Degustabox concept beaut's? I'd love to know your thoughts!

nopin

Festive Reds Christmas Gift Guide 2017

Hey beaut's!

Christmas is only 12 days away I thought I would do another cheeky Christmas gift guide and carry on my 'Festive Reds' tradition that I've done for the past couple of years. I've gone for a mixture of cute smaller bits you can pop in for stocking fillers and then some bigger bits for under the tree ranging from affordable to a couple of more luxury prices. I hope you enjoy!!!
Festive Reds Christmas Gift Guide 2017

Soap & Glory Star Gift - Spa Of Wonder

Hey beaut's!

Soap & Glory always kill it when it comes to Christmas gifts, this year theres everything from big and small bath and body gifts to gorgeous makeup gift sets but the one thing I always get excited about is the Soap & Glory Star Gift, I mean it just isn't Christmas without a Star Gift crammed full of products on the shelves is it, and this years offering could be the best yet in my opinion!
The Spa Of Wonder* comes in a chest like box that is literally jam-packed with Soap & Glory favourites, theres everything from face, bath, body and makeup and what I think is so amazing about this years star gift is that everything is full size, theres no mini sizes at all which makes this such good value for money. 

Inside the Spa Of Wonder you get -
* Smoothie Star Body Milk
* The Righteous Butter Body Butter
* Face Soap & Clarity Facial Wash
* Clean on Me Shower Gel 
* Bright & Beautiful Radiance-Boosting Mask
 * The Scrub of Your Life Body Scrub
* Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss
* Supercat Liquid Liner 
 * The Righteous Butter Body Wash 
* Thick & Fast HD Mascara
The Soap & Glory Spa Of Wonder is available NOW in store and online at Boots for just £30.00 HERE! Yup you did read that correctly, you get £78.00 worth of full size products for just £30.00. This is the best bargain I think I've seen this Christmas and it would make the most amazing Christmas gift to either stock up a Soap & Glory fan or for someone who is maybe new to Soap & Glory because theres just so much to try out! If I was you I'd act fast if your interested in this set as I can see it literally flying off the shelves!

nopin

Maybelline Super Stay Matte Ink Review

 Hey beaut's!

It's no secret that I'm not the biggest fan of liquid lipsticks, we just don't get along much, I find them so drying and uncomfortable to wear usually, that was until I tried these beauties from Maybelline.
Maybelline's Super Stay Matte Ink Liquid Lipsticks come in 10 gorgeous shades ranging from nudes, brights and even darker vampy shades so theres certainly a shade to suit everyone. I have the shades 45 Escapist which is a super vampy plum, 20 Pioneer which is a stunning bright red, 35 Creator which is a pretty violet shade and finally 25 Heroine which is a super bright orangey-red. Out of the four shades I own I would say Pioneer is my favourite, I've been wearing it non stop recently because it's such a gorgeous festive red!
 The formula of these liquid lippies claim to have a smooth matte, second-skin effect in just one stroke that lasts for up to 12 hours with a super intense colour pay off, sounds pretty nice huh, but for me the big question was 'would my lips feel as dry and rough as sand paper'?! Well... After giving these a whirl I can definitely confirm that they really aren't drying, yes their matte but it's such a smooth, soft matte finish and the second skin claim really is true because my lips hardly feel like theres anything on them once the lippie has set which is very rare for a liquid lipstick. The colour pay off is crazy - each one is super opaque in one teeny tiny swipe and they last like nothing else I've tried before, so if you want a liquid lippie that's going to stay put all day without crumbling and without that super dry feeling then you definitely need to try these! The applicator is pretty dreamy too, it has a precise arrow applicator which makes it so easy to get crisp lines and an even coverage, I've honestly never found a liquid lipstick so easy to apply, usually I make a compete mess but theres something so amazing about this applicator! 
(From top to bottom - Escapist, Pioneer, Creator and Heroine)
I'm so impressed with these liquid lipsticks from Maybelline, finally I have found liquid lipsticks that actually tick all the boxes for me. I definitely want to get a couple of the nude shades now that are slightly more wearable, don't get me wrong I love a vampy lip and the red shade Pioneer hasn't really left my lips since I got it but I feel a couple of nudes would complete my collection!

You can find the Maybelline Super Stay Matte Ink Liquid Lipsticks for £9.99 each HERE.

nopin

My Favourite Christmas Red Lipsticks

Hey beaut's!

Now I absolutely adore a red lip but I don't wear them enough, but because it's basically Christmas I have pulled out all of my favourite red lipsticks and have been wearing them with pride, I mean you've just got to embrace a red lip throughout December don't you. So today I thought I would share with you my favourite red lippies at the moment!

NARs Audacious Lipstick in Rita - I'm pretty new to this NARs lippie as I haven't had it long but isn't she a beauty! Rita is a warm red with a cream finish that packs an almighty punch, the pigment with this one is seriously insane and it's so soft a comfortable to wear, it's my new favourite everyday red!

MAC Viva Glam I - This one is a deep, vampy red shade with brown undertones and has a lovely matte finish. This is the red lip that I will be rocking to any Christmas parties because it just looks so dramatic on me and is such a statement lip, it is so beautiful though and definitely one to have stored away in your MAC lipstick collection!

Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick in 01 - I've gone through a few of these Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick's in 01 over the year's, it's another everyday favourite of mine because I find it's not too vampy or dramatic but is still a beautiful true red shade and it's lasts so long on my lips too.

Maybelline Super Stay Matte Ink in Pioneer - If I want to wear a liquid lippie then my Maybelline Super Stay Matte Ink in Pioneer is my go to at the moment, it's the brightest red I own and my goodness does this stuff last well.

Smashbox Liquid Metal Lipstick in Crimson Chrome - If your looking for a metallic red to wear the Christmas then you HAVE  to go for Crimson Chrome by Smashbox, it's so god damn festive! The formula is lush too, it glides on like a full coverage liquid lipstick but has a glistening high shine finish just like a gloss in one single coat, arhh it's stunning!
(From left to right - NARs Rita, MAC Viva Glam I, Rimmel 01, Maybelline Pioneer and Smashboc Crimson Chrome.)
Whats your favourite red lipstick to wear over the festive season beaut's? I'd love to know?

nopin

Technic Colour Icon Palette Review


Hey beaut's!

It's no secret that I LOVE a Technic Cosmetics eyeshadow palette, I have a fair few in my collection now and love them all so much so when I saw how gorgeous their Colour Icon Palette looked I couldn't resist giving it a whirl!
The Colour Icon Palette* (£2.99) contains 14 eyeshadows all of which are either metallics or shimmers. The palette is actually split into three sections, the first six shades are perfect for the party season and for anyone who isn't shy about using a bit of colour, the centre then has a base shade to prep the lids and a define shade do add depth to the crease, then finally we have the third section of the palette which is my absolute favourite because it contains some gorgeous golds and neutrals which are right up my street!
 The formula of these shadows is super nice considering the palette is so affordable, I never thought I'd see such pigment in a palette that costs a tiny £2.99 but hey theres certainly plenty of pigment to go around, the shades applied and blended well with only a small about of fallout and they lasted really well on oily eyelids too which is a bonus.
I've swatched a few of my favourite shades within the palette and as you can see their stunning, I never thought I'd see such pigment in a palette that costs a tiny £2.99 but hey theres certainly plenty of pigment to go around, I literally cant get enough of those gold shades! Overall I cant recommend this palette enough if your looking for something super affordable that actually works well, what a beauty bargain hey!

You can find the Technic Colour Icon Palette for £2.99 HERE.

nopin

KNOW Cosmetics UK Review

Hey beaut's!

KNOW Cosmetics is super new to me, that's because it's actually brand new to us beauty loving brits, yup that's right - KNOW Cosmetics is usually found on the shelves of Sephora in the States so I was so excited to see that it's now available here in UK at Superdrug and Lloyds Pharmacy! Theres something so interesting about trying makeup that we can never usually get our hands on and KNOW Cosmetics sure does sound interesting, it actually promises quick-fix glamour and solutions for every day makeup challenges such as those pesky bleeding lippies and dark under eyes.
At the moment theres four products by KNOW Cosmetics available in the UK, I'm not sure if there are more available in the US but for us theres four pretty immense products to play with and try and I for one have been loving them. I must admit I'm a bit sceptical about products that claim to cure everyday problems but I've actually been pleasantly surprised.

The No Bleeding Lips Secret Lip Liner* (£12.50) has actually really helped me out recently, although I don't suffer with bleeding lippies much those seasonal berry/red lips do tend to bleed ever so slightly but this really helps. All it is- is clear lip liner that you line your lips with like a normal lip liner and voila, no more bleeding or feathering, it can be worn with any shade of lipstick too and I tend to whack it all over my lips as it creates a nice grippy base for my lippie to go over!

The No Dark Shadows Concealer* (£12.50) contains light diffusing pigments which soften the look of darkness and adds brightness under the eyes. I cant actually say too much about this one because the shade I have is far to dark for me but when I swatch it it's super silky, lightweight and blendable so I imagine it's pretty nice product to use.

The No Bare Brows Brow Pencil* (£12.50) comes with a universal brow crayon at one end and at the other is a handy clear wax so you can tame your brows first before filling them in. This is actually a really good product that lasts all day without smudging and it blends into my brows perfectly, it also has a little brow brush and sharpener with the box too which is super helpful.

I love a good lip plumper and the No Thin Lips Secret Lip Plumper* (£12.50) is pretty immense, I've been loving it! This one actually contains Aloe oil and Vitamin E and is super moisturising and hydrating, I haven't found a lip plumper yet that hydrates my lips so well so I think that's why I'm so impressed with this, it's the ultimate lippie base! It does have a gentle tingling sensation when first applied and does plump up my lips slightly leaving them juicy and super soft, I think this is my favourite product out of them all!
Overall I really like this range, it all does what it claims to do which really impressed me woohoo! I'm just gutted about how dark the No Dark Shadows Concealer was as I had high hopes for that and considering how much I've enjoyed the other three products I'm pretty certain I would of love it, it does actually come in two shade so I'm guessing I got the darker one, oops!

You can for the KNOW Cosmetics range at Lloyds Pharmacy HERE.

nopin

November Beauty Favourites!

Hey beaut's!

I cant believe it's the last day of November today, I'm not happy that my favourite months of the year seem to be flying by... That being said Christmas is literally just around the corner now and I cant wait so it's swings and roundabouts really isn't it! Anywhoooo....it's favourites time again so I thought I'd share what makeup and beauty bits I've been loving throughout November!
I'm still totally obsessed with my Z Palette and use it all the time, every shade within it can be quickly whacked all over my lid and blended out within seconds, I'm particularly obsessed with the shade Grandstand by Makeup Geek (middle, far right), it's the most stunning rose gold/copper shade with a foil finish! On the rare days I don't reach for my Z Palette I've been using my Naked Heat Palette, it's crammed full of those warm tones which I love! For brows I've been using my Benefit Foolproof Brow Powder constantly, it's so easy to use because the pan is split into two shades, I always start off with the lighter shade at the beginning of my brows and then darken up the tail of my  brows with the darker shade, the formula is great too and I'd highly recommend it for beginners.

For lips I've either been going for a festive red or an easy to wear nude and my Maybelline Super Stay Matte Ink in Pioneer and Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Lipstick have been perfect at creating the two, I'm quite worried at how low I'm getting on Pillow Talk now, I must order another soon! My skin has been getting soooooo dry recently and the only thing that has been helping me is the Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre, it's honestly the BEST moisturiser I've used when my skins super dry, it's been a life saver recently! Finally for nails I've been loving the Barry M Superdrug Limited Edition Nail Paint in Extravagantit's a dark vampy red/plum which is crammed full of the most gorgeous sparkles, I'm in love!

What have you been loving this November beaut's?? I'd love to know!

nopin

Technic Get More Gorgeous Highlighting Gift Set

Hey beaut's!

If your an highlighting addict like myself or know somebody who loves walking around like a gorgeously glazed donut then I have just the Christmas gift or personal treat for you or them he he, that's right Technic Cosmetics have only gone and created a gift set containing not one but three stunning highlighters, oh my I'm in love!
The Technic Get More Gorgeous Gift Set* (£4.95) contains three of Technic's best selling highlighting shades and after giving them all a whirl over the last couple of weeks I can definitely see why, they are blindingggg! The first highlighter within the set I would say is the most versatile, it's an icy champagne colour that would suit most skin tones and what I absolutely love about it is that it's doesn't contain any obvious shimmer of glitter, it's just a pure metallic sheen, it's stunning! The second highlighter is a bronzing highlighter, this one does contain some minute shimmers but still has that gorgeous metallic sheen like the first highlighter, I think this one is perfect for medium to dark skin tones but used with a light hand I can just about get away with it, it also doubles up as a pretty epic eyeshadow too. The third and final highlighter within the gift set is a warm toned copper/rose gold shade, I've actually been loving this on my cheeks as a dewy blush and it works a treat! Again it does contain some minute shimmers but still has a gorgeous metallic sheen which I adore.
Each highlighter comes in a sturdy plastic compact with a wave-like raised design within the pan, they certainly look pretty cool. Formula wise.... I was blown away! Each highlighter is intensely pigmented so I would suggest using a light hand with these and the texture is as soft as silk which makes me think these powders are super finely milled, I also love how they aren't crammed full with glitter and shimmers like a lot of affordable highlighters are, these just create the most beautiful glow!
If your aim is to get your bestie, sister, aunt or mum glowing this Christmas like they've never glowed before then I cant recommend this set enough, the quality is seriously impressive and they set is just £4.95, can you believe it! 

You can find the Technic Get More Gorgeous Highlighting Gift Set HERE.

nopin