Yankee Candle Grilled Peaches & Vanilla Review

Hey beaut's!

The crazy candle lady is back he he, if you know me then you'll know that theres always a candle burning in my house, and recently I fell completely in love with Yankee Candles new Spring range 'Sunday Brunch', this collection is mainly made up of sweet, floral scents with a couple of foodie scents thrown in for good measure - which are my absolute favourite! I actually reviewed the Belgian Waffles scent from this collection a little while ago which quickly became a new favourite of mine, however Yankee Candle have just added three new scents to the Sunday Brunch collection, one of which is Grilled Peaches & Vanilla, I mean doesn't that just sound like a mouth watering scent!

Grilled Peaches & Vanilla* is described as 'Caramelized brown sugar and golden honey drizzled over juicy grilled peaches and garnished with vanilla cream' I mean it does literally sound like a candle you'd want to eat doesn't it, wowza! The candle itself has top notes of grapefruit, brown sugar and blackcurrant, middle notes of grilled peaches and ripe apricot and finally base notes of drizzled honey and vanilla cream and my goodness it's DIVINE! I get the peach, apricot and vanilla notes come through almost instantly when I light this, it's almost like I could be sat eating a bowl of peaches with the most amazing vanilla ice cream, it's quite sweet too and the caramelised brown sugar really comes through with the sweetness of the fruits, despite it's sweetness I never find it sickly which is good! I also think it's such a perfect scent for Spring/Summer, for some reason it instantly makes me think of all things Summer when I get a whiff of it! As for the scent throw...it was very good and managed to fill the entire house very quickly and still lingered when it had been blown out, it isn't over powering, and everyone that walks into my house loves the scent and instantly asked me what it was which is always a good indication of a bloody good candle isn't it!

All of the Yankee Candle large jars have a burn time of between 110 – 150 hours and Grilled Peaches & Vanilla is certainly lasting me well, I think because I find that the scent really lingers and fills the entire house I don't have to keep it alight four hours on end which is a bonus. For me this is the perfect Spring/Summer candle, juicy fruits and sugary sweetness, whats not to love!

You can find the Grilled Peaches & Vanilla Large Jar for £23.99 on Yankee Candle website, it also comes in wax tarts, votive's and small and medium jars too.

*This post contain a gifted item, all opinions are my own!

New In From Essence Cosmetics!

Hey beaut's!

If you've been reading my blog for a while now you'll know that I'm a bit of a Essence Cosmetics addict, I absolutely love their products because not only are they all so affordable but the quality is actually very good too - I literally cant get enough of their lip products and nail polishes, their so so good! Anyway...recently Essence launched some fab new bit's for Spring/Summer and I've been testing a few out over the last month or so and I'm actually pretty shook!!

Let's start with the Shine Last & Go nail polishes, now as I said before I love the Essence nail polishes but this range has a new quick dry gel formula which is literally to die for, the gel finish gives you that hard wearing, glossy 'salon-esk' finish and the fact their quick drying is heaven for me because I hate waiting for my nail polish to dry! Theres also a whopping 50 shades to choose from which is literally insane, and at £1.60 a bottle you really cant go wrong!

Essence now have a Lip Ritual Collection to keep our pouts looking and feeling fresh, three products within this collection are the Ritual Balms, theres a Nourishing Balm with Rice Oil which nourishes and pampers the lips intensively, a Moisturising Balm with Cherry Blossom Extract which revitalises and provides a huge dose of moisture and theres a Repairing Balm with Ginkgo Leaf Extract which regenerates the lips and makes them feel supple. My favourite is the Moisturising Balm because it makes my lips look and feel so juicy, it smells lush and it's pink which is always a winner for me, and at £2.00 they really are a bargain!

I'm a sucker for eyeshadow palettes so I was so excited when I saw Essence had some new ones I could play with. The City of Palettes collection features four stunning eyeshadow palettes which are just £7.00 each, I have the G'Day Sydney Palette which contains nine warm toned shades with a pop of blue and green thrown in for good measure and the Hello New York Palette which again contains nine shades but this one has more cool-toned shades to play with! Both eyeshadow palettes have a mixture of matte and shimmer shades, the pigmentation is good for budget eyeshadow palettes, but I will say some shade do need a bit of building up but overall I really like them! 

Theres also a new face palette called 'Hey Cheeks' (£6.00) which contains 6 shades - theres 1 highlighter, 3 blushes and 2 bronzer's. Now this palette I absolutely love, all 3 of the blushes are gorgeous and blend out beautifully, the matte bronzer is lush and really warms up my pasty face and I actually like to use the glittery bronzer as an eyeshadow - I do love a muilt-use product! The only shade that's a little lack-luster for me is the highlighter, it's quite subtle which is great if you don't like something super bright but I like my highlighter to really glow, that being said I LOVE this palette and it's not left my makeup bag since I got it!

Now you know how much I love a winged liner look so it didn't take me long to put the Essence Dip Eyeliner (£2.50) through it's paces, this one has a super firm tip making it so easy to create precise line and wings with the sharpest flick at the end, arhhh it's amazing! It's super inky black, dries down matte and because it has a waterproof formula it lasts all day long!

The final product I've been putting to the test is the Insta Perfect Liquid Highlighter in the shade Gold Addiction. I love a liquid highlighter because their so versatile, you can use it as a glowy primer before foundation, you can mix it in with your foundation for a dewy finish, you can mix it with body butters or you can just use it as a regular highlighter to make your cheekbones pop! 

All Essence products are available from Wilko stores or online HERE

*This post contains gifted items, all opinions are my own!

Summer Makeup I Cant Wait To Put Back On My Face!

Hey beaut's!

We nearing the end of Spring and soon Summer will be in full swing, not only does that mean hot weather (we hope), summer holidays and festivals but it means we get to wear that Summery makeup we've been missing during the cooler months!

One product of mine or should I say palette that I cant wait to whack on my eyeballs is my Too Faced Sweet Peach Eyeshadow Palette! I must admit my palette is very well used and well loved because I do use this a lot all year round but I shall be using it most days during this summer because it's just... peachy! Those peachy vibes scream Summer to me and I've said it before but I'll happily say it again - the quality of Too Faced eyeshadows is phenomenal! If I cant be bothered with eyeshadow work when it's hot I like to whack on a cream shadow with my finger, the best I've tried that can withstand the warmer weather are the Maybelline Color Tattoos, these babies are so easy to use and wear and the staying power is so good, my favourite shade is Pink Gold!

When I think of a foundation I want to wear in the Summer it has to be MAC's Face and Body! I think this foundation is pretty much a staple in most makeup lovers collection during this time of the year, it's literally as light as water on the skin, it holds up well on my skin when it hot, it's dewy and healthy looking and even though the coverage is very light it builds up so well until you get the coverage you desire! Sticking with base makeup I like to go from a matte bronzer to a more glowy bronzer in the Summer, lets face it the summer months are all about getting that bronzed goddess look and the Too faced Sweetheart Bronzer does just that, it creates a bronzy glow without being super glittery, I love it! For cheeks a favourite of mine is the Peach Party Blush in Apricot Jam by Soap and Glory, this is the second one of these I've had over the years because it's just so pretty! It leaves a peachy glow to the cheeks which is just so dreamy, I cant recommend it enough!   

I must admit I'm not all that adventurous when it comes to lipstick colours but this Summer I'm determined to step outside my comfort zone of nudes and mauve's and go for something brighter like Soap and Glory's Sexy Mother Pucker Matte Lip in Fire Cracker and Makeup Revolutions Rose Gold Lipstick in Red Carpet! I've been inspired by Taylor Swift's trademark red lip recently so I've dug out one of my favourite red's to channel my inner Taylor, I mean why the hell not hey! 

Finally setting spray... I mean we cant go a Summer without one can we! My 'go-to' is Barry M's Mist & Fix, I have lost count the amount of times I've repurchased this stuff because I'm totally obsessed with it, it does exactly what it says on the bottle and sets my makeup in place for so much longer and works great in humid weather! I also love that Barry M have a matte version as well as the dewy version, at £4.99 a bottle you cant go wrong really! 

What are your favourite makeup products to wear during the Summer monthes beaut's? I'd love to know!

My Spring/Summer Nail Polish Picks By Barry M

Hey beaut's!

I cant believe I'm finally saying this but the Spring weather has finally arrived here in the UK...wait, what....shocking right lol! It's been absolutely glorious and hit 28 degrees where I live last week which was just immense and long overdue! Seeing as it's been so lovely I decided to get my favourite Barry M Spring/Summer nail polish shades back out and share them with you, I'm pretty much obsessed with Barry M's nail polishes, their so affordable, great in quality, they last well on my nails and the choice of shades and finishes they have is incredible.

(From left to right Prickly Pear, Dragon Fruit, Flamingo, Mint Green, In A Heatbeat, Pinktail, Jellyfish)
Firstly I love Barry M's Gelly Hi Shine Collection because the glossy finish is just everything and it's a really hard wearing formula, my two favourite shades are Prickly Pear which is a pastel lavender/lilac shade and Dragon Fruit which is a candy pink shade with hidden micro shimmers within it, arh they both so pretty! My next favourite is Barry M's Coconut Infusion in Flamingo, this is a bright coral which is a great one if you want your nails to really pop and it looks fabulous against a tan. Then we have Barry M's Nail Paint in Mint Green, this is a gorgeous pastel mint green shade that makes my nails look fun and vibrant and it's the only shade of green I really wear on my nails to be honest. Next is Barry M's Speedy Quick Dry in In A Heart Beat, this is such a pretty colour, sometimes it looks pink then salmon then peach and because it's in the Speedy Quick Dry range it's a great one for gals who are on the go or just hate waiting for polish to dry like me because this one drys in a flash. The final two shades are from Barry M's Under The Sea Collection which is a pretty epic collection for Spring/Summer, I have the shades Jellyfish - a gorgeous lilac with a baby blue/turquoise duo-chrome shift and Pinktail - a salmon-pinky -coral which has a stunning gold duo-chrome shift to it. These two do need some building up to be completely opaque but it's so worth it as the effect is gorgeous!

What are your favourite nail polish shades from Barry M to wear during the Spring and Summer months beaut's?? I'd love to know!

Getting Your Feet Spring & Summer Ready!

Hey beaut's! 

It's finally Spring which hopefully means warm and sunny days are on the way, well I'm keeping my fingers and toes firmly crossed anyway as it's currently raining cats and dogs out there as I type this, anywho moving on......Now seems the right time to get pampering those tootsies and get them looking their best ready for the pretty sandals to come back out, oh how I'm longing for the days I can whack on some flip flips without even thinking and walk out the door, c'mon sun! 

The first essential for me to get my feet looking half decent is getting rid of any dry, hard skin and my Scholl Express Pedi does this in a matter of seconds, I actually got mine for Christmas last year and I cant believe I didn't buy myself one before hand, it buffs and smooths out the skin on my feet so quickly and the results really last. It's pain free too which surprised me as I thought it would hurt and I find it somewhat relaxing if I'm honest he he.

After the gross dead skin is gone I love to nourish my feet with my favourite foot moisturiser - Soap and Glory's Heel Genius! I've been using this stuff for years because it actually works and lots of other foot creams I've tried before talk the talk but definitely do not walk the walk like Soap and Glory's Heel Genius! It keeps my feet extremely soft, smooth and moisturised and you can even use it as an overnight treatment if you apply a thick layer to your feet before bed and sleep in some cotton socks, it works a treat I tell ya!

 Finally after giving yourself a cheeky pedicure your going to need some pretty sandals to wear and the latest addition to my sandal collection are these gorgeous Casey Bronze Metallic Studded Slip On Sandal Sliders* by XY London. These pretties are so comfy and easy to just slip on and they go with literally anything whether it be mini dresses, shorts, skinny jeans, maxi dresses, you name it they work. I also love the colour of these, the bronze effect sometimes looks gold, rose gold or even copper depending on the lighting, I always tend to go for bronze/gold sandals in the Spring/Summer as I find them so versatile so much nicer than wearing Black!

You can find the Casey Bronze Metallic Studded Slip On Sandal Sliders for £19.99 HERE, they are also available in Black, White and Silver!

Embroidery 3 Ways With EGO Footwear

Hey beaut's!

The embroidery trend is huge right now and I for one am happy about that, theres nothing I love more than a floral, embroidered print and if your keen on being bang on trend this Spring/Summer then having some embroidery shoes in your wardrobe will be a super easy way to incorporate the trend into any outfit. Anywhoooo... Today I have three gorgeous pairs of shoes from EGO that fit perfectly in with the embroidery trend, I had no idea what to expect from EGO seeing as these are the first pairs of shoes I have from them but I'm so impressed, their so comfy, well made, reasonably priced and they really keep up with the trends too, and they even have some stunning Gucci Floral Mule dupes.

Harlow Floral Embroidered Lace Up Trainers In White Faux Leather £25.00

Lets kick things off with these gorgeous trainers, these are going to be such a staple for me during this Spring/Summer, their so easy to just throw on with jeans but can even be worn with shorts and little casual dresses when it warmer too. The pretty embroidery detail wraps around the side of each trainer which gives them such a cute, girlie feel despite being trainers, arhhh I love them so much. You can find more colour variations of these in the flat range from EGO here. 

Lala Pink Floral Print Ankle Boot In Faux Suede £34.99

Next up are the prettiest boots I think I've ever laid my eyes on. Now these beauties are totally out of my comfort zone, the boots actual shape and heel size is something I'd normally wear but I've never braved something so pattern heavy but these are stunning, their made up of a two tone floral embroidery pattern across the entire boot and heel with a faux black suede base. What I love about these boots is that their so versatile, they can easily dress up a casual outfit, add a pop of colour to a plain outfit and their also perfect for a night out. As well as being super pretty these boots are super comfy too, the 3 and half in heal is easy to walk in and my feet felt well supported too, I'm going to get so much wear out of these this Spring!

Taya Blue Floral Platform Heel In Black Faux Suede £34.99

Finally are these show stopping platforms, if your looking for that one pair of night out heels for the Spring/Summer then these bad boys have to be in your wardrobe. They might look simple from the front but the heel is where the parties at, just look at that blue embroidery design, arhhh its so pretty! Admittedly these heels are higher than I'm used to and the single strap around the ankle doesn't add a huge amount of support but if your used to heels then these will be a breeze for you to walk in I'm sure.

Have you ever bought any shoes from EGO before? Which pair are your favourite? I'd love to know beaut's!

Summer Fashion & Beauty Wishlist

Hey beaut's!

We have had some gorgeous weather here in the UK this week so it got me scrolling though websites online, I came across lots of gorgeous summer clothes and makeup so I thought id put a little wish list together. Firstly how cute is that floral print play suit from New Look, I absolutely love it and thought either of the Micheal Kors Shoes that caught my eye would go with it! I'm also obsessing over those gorgeous Ash Boots, I think they will look so cute for the festival season with little shorts. Something else that I NEED in my life are those rose gold sunglasses from Coconut Lane, wow they look beautiful! Makeup wise the Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Water Foundation is still at the top of my wish list, I want to try this so badly as I've heard such good things. I'm also intrigued by the new L'Oreal Cushion releases, they have launched a foundation and a bronzer and I really want to give them both a whirl.

3 Badge Short Dungarees from New Look £27.99 / River Island Floral Shorts £20.00 / Ash Boots / Michael Kors Shoes £94.99 / Michael Kors Shoes £110.00 / Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Water Foundation / Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess £50.00 / L'Oreal Paris Glam Bronze Cushion Soleil £9.99 / Yellow Ditsy Floral Print Frill Bardot Neck Playsuit £15.99 / Essie Gel Couture Nail Colour in 210 £9.99 / Primark Black Patchwork Shopper £12.00 / LUXE Miami Rose Gold Sunglasses from Coconut Lane £24.00

Whats on your Summer wish list beaut's? I'd love to know!



In collaboration with Danial Footwear, all opinions my own.

Barry M Coconut Infusion Nail Paints

Hey beaut's!

Coconut oil is huge right now, whether it be eating, cooking, haircare or slathering ourselves in it like a body moisturiser but never did I think it would work its way inside my nail polish bottles but oh wait..... yes it has thanks to the amazing Barry M! That's right Barry M have a new line of nail polishes for Spring and Summer named Coconut Infusion, they are made with a whole new formulation that blends together both coconut water and coconut oil to gently hydrate and nourish the nails, how awesome is that! Obviously as soon as I heard about this launch I just had to pop into Superdrug and grab a couple of the shades to try and thanks to Superdrug's 3 for 2 offer I got three for the price of two!

 

The new collection has 9 spring/summer worthy shades in total all with have a beach theme which I think is so cute, I opted for Flamingo - a bright coral, Aloha - a hot pink and finally Surfboard - a stunning pastel dusty pink, borderline lilac shade. I've actually worn all three of the shades I picked up already and I have to say this formulation is my favourite by Barry M and that's really saying something considering I'm a huge Barry M nail paint fan anyway. Each nail paint went on super smooth with no bubbling or streaking and was easily opaque after two quick coats and dried quickly, I definitely felt like the formula was slightly thicker than the average Barry M nail paint but I actually preferred that because my nails felt slightly more durable afterwards. The finish was smooth, glossy and gel-like and I was chip free for a good 3-4 days, also I haven't broken a nail since wearing these polishes so whether that's just pot luck or it has something to do with the formula I have no idea! 

 

Do they smell of coconut??? Sadly they don't, that is literally the only thing that was disappointing for me about these nail paints, otherwise I absolutely adore this new Coconut Infusion range and cant wait to see what other shades Barry M add to the collection during the rest of the year!

Have you tried the Barry M Coconut Infusion Nail Paints beaut's? What shade is your favourite? I 'd love to know!

Mini Primark Haul

Hey beaut's!

Last week I went to Norwich and I just had to pop into Primark and see what new bits they had, to be honest I didn't see a great deal that tickled my fancy, I think it's because it's that funny time of year where all the Spring stuff is coming in yet it's still freezing cold here in the UK, never the less I did pick a couple of things up so I thought I would share them with you all today!

The first thing I picked up was a Lace Up Front T-Shirt (£7.00) in a gorgeous berry red shade, I've been after one of these lace up tops for quite a while but never found one that fits me perfect until I tried this beauty on. What I like about this one in particular is that the fabric is really soft but really thick so it's great to wear right now with my little leather jacket!

Then I went and had a look at the shoes and my goodness it was sandal overload, I've honestly never seen so many sandals in one place in my entire life! I ended up going for these cute Diamante Floral Sandals in Black (£6.00), they had these in so many colours but hardly any of them had any size 3's left (I have tiny feet you see) so when I spotted the black pair in a size 3 I just had to nab them to put away for the Summer before they sold out.

Sticking with the Spring/Summer theme I picked up some new sunnies! You literally cant beat Primarks sunglasses, theres so many pairs too choose from and they are so cheap. I went for the pair Primark call the Retro Club master in Brown, I love the shape and style of these and my boyfriend said that he loved them when I tried them on, so for £2.00 they went straight into my basket he he.

Then I ventured upstairs to check out the home ware, I really wish Norwich had a bigger home ware section as I'm slightly obsessed with Primarks home ware. The first thing that caught my eye was one of their candles in French Vanilla (£2.50), this candle smells incredible and so strongly of vanilla, I love it! Also the square copper/rose gold glass jar the the candle comes in is stunning and I will be reusing it somehow on my dressing table, I'm thinking maybe for my eye makeup brushes!

Lastly I picked up this cute watermelon 'Life is Sweet' dome shaped cup with a straw (£3.00), I got this to encourage me to drink more water when I'm at the computer blogging away and it would be great for smoothies and milkshakes too.

Have you picked up any goodies from Primark recently beaut's? I'd love to know!