Jo Malone Peony & Blush Suede

I'm definitely not one for having a 'signature scent', life is too short and I'm far too fickle. But if ever I was to have one, Jo Malone Peony & Blush Suede would be a serious contender. 

It's no secret I love peonies, I even named my blog after them, but of all the peony based fragrances I've come across, this is by far my favourite. It has that beautiful floral fullness of fresh summer peonies which when combined with the suede note suddenly feels more sophisticated. The top note of  crispy red apples gives it a lightness and freshness that makes it feel exceptionally modern. Not something easily done with a peony based fragrance. 

I've been wearing this fragrance almost non stop since I got it, I find the scent so addictive that I spend most of the day sniffing my wrist when I wear it (much to my hubby's amusement). It's definitely a fragrance I'll be repurchasing again and again in years to come. 

What is your current favourite fragrance?

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Mini Beauty Haul

I've not been buying a huge amount lately in an attempt to use and make the most out of things I already have. One product aside, I've bought products to replace the ones I've used up recently.

Fushi Organic Sweet Almond Oil

I've always used Coconut Oil for a multitude of beauty tasks, mainly as a hair mask. I've become slightly bored of it so decided to have a bit of a change and give sweet almond oil a go. Fushi make a good selection of organic, cold pressed oils which I'm planning on trying more of in the future. I love the fact that I won't have to melt this oil everytime I want to use it as a hair mask!

Philip Kingsley Elasticizer Extreme 

I tried a sample of the original Elasticizer a while ago and thought it was brilliant, when I decided to buy a full pot I went for the extreme version instead as it's designed for thick, coarse hair that's quite damaged. I'm desperately trying to get my hair back to a good condition and I hear this is the stuff for the job!

Soap & Glory Archery

I usually fill in any gaps in my brows with powder and an angled brush, it gives the best finish but it's definitely not the quickest method. I also unfortunately lost my spoolie between a crack in the floorboards so an eyebrow pencil with a spoolie on the end was a necessary purchase! I really love this one, the pencil is very thin and so looks very natural it also has a wind up mechanism so it does't need to be sharpened.

Soap & Glory Supercat

I've been wearing winged liner a lot lately so when my Avon SuperExtend liner ran out I needed another one pronto. I had read good reviews on this one and I'm really glad I got it, the pigment it super black, the point stays sharp and the formula stays put.

Nars And God Created the Woman Palette

Late to the party, I know. I finally caved and bought this palette after lusting after it for the longest time. I'm so glad I did because I absolutely love it and have been getting a lot of use out of it. I know it will be my go-to palette for traveling as it's a great edited down selection of every colour I need. 

Have you tried any of these products?

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Video: Morning Skincare Routine

Exciting news! I filmed my first ever video for the blog, I decided to talk about my Morning Skincare Routine and did mini reviews of the products I'm using along the way. I'll be filming my Evening Skincare Routine soon too so stay tuned for that one!

I really enjoyed the experience of filming and editing this video so I really hope you like it. I have a whole list of others I'd like to film but if there's anything in particular you'd like to see me do let me know! I'm so excited about this new venture and can't wait to get stuck in!

Products Mentioned;

Elemental Herbology Delicate Cleanse

Rodial Dragon's Blood Hylauronic Tonic

Clarins Special Eye Contour Balm (full review here, it's an oldie!)

Elemental Herbology Cell Food

Delarom Acquaconfort Cream (full review here)

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Moisturiser SPF30

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Sale Edit

I love a good sale but I always seem to leave post christmas sale shopping till january. I don't like the stressful and frenzied atmosphere that comes with shopping as soon as the sale starts. It does usually means that most of the popular stuff has already gone but to me that's part of the fun! I like to take my time looking around and I always end up finding some hidden gems. 

1. I love this Marc Jacobs iPad Case, it makes me feel like spring is on it's way (if only!) I'd be snapping it up myself if they did a version for iPad minis. Perhaps I could use it as a makeup bag? Because obviously I don't have enough of those!

2. This Caudalie trio from Space NK is an absolute bargain at just £11, the body butter alone is usually £21! All 3 products work brilliantly and smell delicious too.

3.  I love the cut of this Flowy Vest from Zara, it could easily be dressed down with jeans or up with leather skinnies and a statement necklace.

4. Another versatile basic that I could probably quite happily wear everyday. The Ribbed Sleeve Dress from Mango has a really great fit, it strikes just the right balance between slouchy and smart.

5. I imagine my self wearing this ASOS Sheer Panel Skirt, to a spring wedding in the country. Now all I need is an invitation to one. 

6. I love having hot, steamy baths, I'd like to say just in the winter but really I have them all year round. The Aromatherapy Associates oils are absolutely lovely, they're so potent that they fill the entire bathroom with scent by just using a few drops. This set is a great way to try a range of different scents. 

7. I usually dress in monochrome but I love adding a pop of colour with accessories. These sunglasses by Finds would fit nicely into my wardrobe and go with any outfit!

8. A smart black clutch is an absolute wardrobe staple and I love this minimally chic one from Alexander Wang. 

9. I've always loved the look of an Aviator Jacket but have yet to own one, I tried this one on the other day and am seriously tempted to go back and get it. It would be a great piece to throw over jeans and a white tee on weekends.

10. I love the scent of Life's Jump Start range, this set contains a mini body wash, sugar scrub, body lotion and candle. It smells like freshly squeezed orange and grapefruit just, great for mornings and perfect for beating the January blues!

11. I always get scarves in sales, I can't help but feel they're almost always overpriced for what they are. This Houndstooth Bicolour Scarf looks both cosy and smart, a combination I think can sometimes be a bit hard to find.

12. I wear my black boots 99% of the time but I really like the look of these beige Suede Ankle Boots, I could see myself getting a lot of wear out of them come spring.

I hope you liked my better-late-than-never sale edit! Have you found any gems in the sale recently?

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#Mani Monday

Come the new year, I like to pack away my festive, sparkly nail varnishes and dust off my nudes and neutrals. As you can see, this time I couldn't quite completely let go so I decided to go for a compromise. I guess I just needed one last fix! 

I went for one of my favourite nudes, Lower Sloane Street by Nails Inc on all my nails then layered up Avon Colour Trend in Rose Golden onto my ring finger in an ombre effect. I love the effect of an accent nail and it's the perfect look to transition me from party season into the new year!

What have you been wearing on your nails lately?

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Nars Narsissist Palette

I think it's safe to say I'm late to the party on this one, the Nars Narsissist Palette came out around this time last year and I knew I instantly wanted it. I'm ummed and ahhed over wether to buy it as it was so expensive and of course being limited edition it quickly sold out. I instantly regretted not buying it and felt a little sad every time I saw it pop up on a blog with rave reviews. Sad, I know. But all was not lost as I was lucky enough to receive it for my birthday in december. Obviously, I was over the moon even though it wasn't a surprise and I've been using it non stop ever since. If you missed out on it too I'd recommend keeping your eye open on ASOS and Urban Retreat, the come back in stock every now and then only to disappear again at the blink of an eye. 

If you're a keen reader of beauty blogs, as most people who read my blog seem to be, you've probably already read multiple lists of the shades names and seen multiple arms covered in swatches so I won't make you sit through it again. Instead I thought I'd give a shout out to a couple of my favourite shades/combination of shades.

1. First up is Fez (top row, middle), my absolute favourite of the palette. I love this one simply washed all over the lid with nothing but a few coats of mascara. It looks simple, understated but like you've put in a bit of an effort. 

2. Fez on the lid, Mekong (middle row, right) on the outer corners and a little bit under the lower lash line with a touch of All About Eve (top left) under the brow bone and in the inner corners.

3. Mekong all over the lid with Coconut Grove (top row, right) in the crease is my go-to combo for a dark, smoky evening look. It's a great way of glaming up my makeup really quickly.

4. Bali (top row, 2nd from right) and Coconut Grove work really well for me as brow shades and of course Pandora (bottom right) is great as an eyeliner.

I've only used the other shades a couple of times so far so I'm still experimenting with them. I'm thinking of putting together a post with a few pictures of me wearing my favourite looks but I thought I needed a bit more time to experiment first! It is in the works though so keep your eyes peeled!

Do you have the Nars Narsissist Palette? What is your favourite shade or combination?

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Favourite Eyeshadow Brushes

I promised an edit of my favourite eyeshadow brushes here on the blog a while ago but for some reason it was a post that I kept putting off. I think I felt I should wait until I had all the brushes I wanted but then I realised that I'm actually quite happy with the ones I've got. You'll probably be quite surprised to see that this edit does not feature a MAC 217! I know, shocker! I just never got round to getting it as I have a few quite similar brushes that work well for me. That said, I'm sure I'll end up picking it up at some point! Anyway, here are my favourites and what I use them for!

(Clockwise from top left)

1. Real Techniques Accent Brush (available as part of the Eye Starter Kit)

This brush is great for precision application. I use it mainly for an inner corner highlight or to apply shadow under the lash line for when I want a bit of subtle definition. 

2. Nars #40 Eye Shadow Brush

This brush has had a makeover since I got my hands on it but the newer version is essentially the same brush with a nicer handle. It's the biggest eye brush I have and I think it's great at blending and softening out edges. I never actually ever put any eyeshadow on it! I just use it clean to make sure there are no harsh lines and everything looks well blended out.

3. Space Nk Eyeshadow Brush

This flat number is great for packing on colour, particularly high shimmer shadows, pigments and even cream shadows. 

4. Nars #43 Wide Contour Eyeshadow Brush 

A recent purchase that is very quickly becoming my favourite and most used. It's just so easy to use, works with so many different eye shapes and makes eyeshadow application unbelievably quick. In my opinion this is a seriously underrated brush! I use it to apply shadow all over the lid and the outer corner, it hugs the eye contour really well and does all the work for you.

5. Kiko 207 Blending and Contouring Brush

I don't use this one quite as often as the others but I love it all the same. It's great for applying lots of shadow under the lower lash line for a grungy, smoky look or for getting really precise definition in the crease. Both looks I love but don't wear that often.

6. Sephora Pro Blending Brush #27 

I love sephora makeup brushes, I think they're great quality for their price range. This one is a great all rounder, at a push I can do my entire eye make up with just this, for that reason it's usually the one that makes the cut when I'm travelling. It's similar to the MAC 217 but a bit bigger and fluffier, the hairs aren't as tightly packed. I use it to apply shadow to the lid, in the crease, blend out and to add a brow bone highlight. As I said, it does a bit of everything.

7. Real Techniques Base Shadow Brush (available as part of the Eye Started Kit)

Another great does-a-bit-of-everything brush. Similar to the sephora one but smaller and more densely packed. I tend to use this one if I want to build up more pigment and it's probably my favourite for blending shadow into the crease or for creating a smoky eye. 

With these brushes I pretty much have all my eyeshadow needs covered, I hope this post was useful to you if you're on the hunt for some new brushes. What is your favourite eyeshadow brush?

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Top 5 Skincare Discoveries of 2014

I've discovered quite a few products in 2014 that I absolutely love, particularly skincare so I thought I'd share 5 of my favourites with you today and let you know why I love them so much! 

1. The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil (full review here)

I absolutely love this oil, it's so effective at removing makeup, cleansing the skin and leaving it feeling soft and plump. It's just as good as some high end oils which is great because not only is it half the price, it also contains double the quantity!

2. Rodial Dragon's Blood Hyaluronic Night Cream (full review here)

From the budget to the not-so-budget! This one certainly isn't cheap but is most definitely worth it. It's hands down the best night cream I've ever used. It manages to deliver a huge amount of moisture to the skin but still sinks in easily. The consistency is just great and it smells good too. 

3. Good Things Manuka Honey Radiance Face Mask (full review here)

Whenever my skin feels a bit dull or grotty I reach for this. It's a clay based mask which unclogs pores, contains fruit acids to brighten and exfoliate and manuka honey to moisturise. It's a great all rounder that I'd recommend to everyone. 

4. La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo+ (full reviews here and here)

I don't get very many spots but I like to keep this to hand for when I do. A small amount applied to any areas with spots, clogged pores or blackheads help get skin back to normal in record time. The face wash and toner from the range are pretty good too, I spoke more about them here.

5. Indeedlabs Pepta-Bright (full review here)

If you're wondering why this one isn't in the main picture it's because I ran out of it a while ago and threw away the tube! The only reason why I haven't repurchased it yet is because I already had another serum in my stocks that I thought I'd use first. Anyway, onto the product. It has what indeed labs describe as a cream-serum formula which I'd definitely agree with, it's surprisingly moisturising for a serum and oily skin types can probably get away with using it on its own. The reason why I love it so much is because it's absolutely phenomenal at getting rid of pigmentation. Whether it's hormonal, from sun damage or as in my case, old acne scarring. By the time I came to the end of the tube my pigmentation was almost all gone!

I hope you've enjoyed reading about my favourite skincare discoveries from 2014, what were yours? 

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