YANKEE CANDLES; TOP THREE BIG JARS

So as most of you already know, I am completely obsessed with candles. Like, creepily obsessed.

I used to have to buy a new candle whenever I went into a shop that sold them and heaven forbid I'd go to Ikea and only buy one.. Nope, that never happened.

Recently though, I've been really focusing on building a strong Yankee Candle collection. Yes, they're slightly more expensive than your average candle, but the scent pay off that you get from them are unreal. They're like no other candle. If I light a Yankee Candle in my living room, I can smell it up in the bedroom for a good few hours afterwards.

With Yankee Candles, I find that the last an extraordinary amount of time too, so you definitely get your money's worth. Just a few months ago, I finished my first ever Yankee back from my 16th Birthday, so yeah, that's a good 6 years that I had it.

Anyway, today I thought that I'd share my favourite three large jars and then I'll do another post on smaller jars and the tarts at some point.

1. Cotton Candy (aka candy floss)

Wow. This candle smells heavenly! I'm a massive, massive fan of sweet, sickly scents (probably my sweet-tooth showing through) and so this is practically my perfect candle. Once lit, it seems to linger around for a while before getting to it's full potential, but once it's there, it's there for the evening.

2. Cranberry Ice

Not something that I would generally choose for myself.. I didn't even know that cranberry had it's own scent, but once this candle is lit, it's so pretty! It does smell quite fruity (obviously) but is not at all overpowering, which I love.

3. Beach Holiday

So this candle comes under the 'fresh' category and I couldn't agree more. It's refreshing and subtle and leaves my house smelling clean and open. It's an absolutely beautiful candle and I would recommend this if you're stuck for one, or you're not a massive fan of overwhelming candles.

Have you ever tried a Yankee Candle?

xxx

SIBEL HAIR STRAIGHTENER HOLDER

I've had this little thing since last Christmas, but I've never had anywhere to put it until I recently got my new dresser and now, I'm not sure how I ever got on without it.

It's a plastic, heat-proof holder in which you slot your hair straighteners in, keeping them safe from causing any damage to nearby surfaces and simply making your dressing table/getting-ready-area neat & tidy.

It has little sucker pads underneath so that it grips your surface, making it perfect for sticking on to a wall, however I love to keep it just on my dresser.

Here's the link to where you can purchase it on eBay for just £9.95:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hair-Straighteners-SIBEL-Table-Top-Stand-Holder-Black-/360852765158

I'd 100% recommend this to anyone that uses straighteners on a regular basis or simply for anyone who wants to tidy up their desk area.

xxx

L'OREAL SUBLIME BRONZE EXPRESS PRO SPRAY: QUICK REVIEW

Img taken from Google

(yep, it's that bad that I couldn't even be bothered to photograph it myself)

Hey guys, me again.

Another fake tan post, sorry- but honestly, this one is important. I promise!

So, luckily, I got this from our bargain shop at work for £1. You all know that I'm constantly on the look-out for new brilliant fake tans, and this was just another one of those whims that I take so very regularly.

So, I've tried this at least 3/4 times now just to make sure that the first couple of times, I didn't have any leftover body lotions or products on however every single time, I've found the results to look awful. 

I've applied this in the evening, straight before bed and also in the morning and I've tried it not only on my entire body, but I've tried to apply it to more specific places (chest, feet, legs) to no avail.

I've done a cheeky review search to see what you guys think and, thankfully you all agreed (ruling out user error!) and so this one will be going straight in the bin.

It's so unfortunate, because the rest of the range is fab and I use it regularly (although it's a bit on the pricey side) so it looks like I'll be sticking with my trusty Soltan for now!

xxx

WEST-MIDS WEEKEND AWAY

Hey guys,

So last weekend (the Bank holiday), me and Luke decided that we wanted to go away somewhere- it's not very often that I get a 3-day weekend and so we thought that we would make the most of it. 

Luke generally left it down to me (because his suggestions suck) and I fancied going somewhere that has more to offer than just drinking and shopping (eventhough they're my fave activities!) and I figured that Cadbury's World is somewhere that I've always wanted to visit so that was my plan.

I then realised that whilst we are travelling that way, we may as well take a trip to the West Midlands Safari Park too (obvs!) and so a plan was born. 

So yeah, Saturday morning we got up bright & early and set off towards the West Midlands Safari Park, stopping for a Mcdonalds breakfast, of course. Once we had got there, we realised that it was going to be crazy-busy due to school holidays and the bank holiday, which wasn't brilliant, but I was still so excited to get in and see some animals. We queued in our car for what seemed like forever in the sweltering heat, whilst getting strange looks from families around us (yes, we are early twenties and still like safari parks, so what!) and once we had finally got in, we found that there were.....
MORE QUEUES!

For any of you that have been here before, you'll know this, but for you guys that haven't been, you basically go around the safari in your car, following the trail in and out of different sections e.g. 'Wild Asia' or 'The Lion Kingdom' etc, however it was that busy that you can't move anywhere so it's basically like sitting in stand-still traffic for 3 hours... Like that's not bad enough, there are such steep hills that you are expected to sit on and there were cars breaking down all over the place! (this is not told before you book tickets, so watch your clutch on your car!) I also thought that it was pretty pricey for what you got, but I do think that it would've been tonnes better had it been mid-week and a lot quieter. You can book tickets here.

After this, we went to the hotel that I had booked (a Park Inn situated in West Brom), left our bags, freshened up and went out to find some dinner as by this point, I was starving. We found a local shopping centre called 'New Square' (I think) that was fantastic- it had so many different retailers and restaurants and we settled on a Nandos which, as usual, was amazing. (Nandos has quickly become my favourite food btw). We mooched around the shops for a little while and then nipped into the biggest Tesco I've ever seen & got a cheeky bottle and some snacks then went back to the hotel to enjoy them. The next morning, we got up & got ready and luckily, we had breakfast included (yay!). Breakfast is by far my favourite meal of the day, although I'm more of a continental breakfast kinda gal, not really a massive fan of fry ups. This hotel has the best breakfast I've ever seen. Everything was help yourself, including lattes, warm food, pastries, cereal.. You name it, they had it. Amazing! Here is a link to the hotel in case you're ever in the area: Click Here

After checking out, we made our way to Cadburys world in the hope that it would make up for the disappointment that we had encountered at the West Mids Safari Park and boy did it do the job. It was everything that I had expected and more. There is something for everyone- down to the history of Cadburys, to the way it's made, through to old packaging, games and a 4D experience. It was just a great day. I don't want to give too much away for those of you that haven't been, but honestly, if you haven't been, go and book here!

So after we had been to Cadbury's world, Luke decided that he wanted to go out for dinner in Birmingham as a nice end to the weekend and so we travelled there, parked up & got out. As I went to walk off, he shouted be back and gave me my overnight bag and let me in on the secret; we were staying in Birmingham overnight, wahoo!! I honestly had no idea- I was so sure that we were going home...

He directed us to the hotel (The Macdonald Burlington) and wow. It's one of the nicest hotels that I've ever had the pleasure to stay in. The period architecture is what makes it feel so posh and elegant- the chandeliers are to die for- and this was only the reception. I stayed back with the bags whilst Luke checked in & then off we went to our room...

By room, I mean suite!!!! Luke really had gone all out and had booked us in to an executive suite which Blair Waldorf would envy. It was a huge apartment overlooking the busy streets of Birmingham city centre that had one of the largest bathrooms that you could wish for (and included a fancy robe and designer toiletries), the comfiest bed, pillows and bedding that I have ever used and also a living room complete with comfy settees and a TV. I felt like a princess! 

We did end up going out for dinner again and, no surprise, we couldn't resist walking past Nandos and so that's where we ended up :) I woke up the next morning to Luke telling me that we had breakfast in this hotel too, which I was really looking forward to- and for a good reason too. We had waitress service and it was all very posh, but you could order whatever you wanted off the menu, they bought you over tea and coffee with toast and an array of jam jars (cute) but then you could also pop into the other room and help yourself to a continental breakfast too. Fantastic!

I really did have the best weekend and if you've never been to any of the places listed above, please please please go and give them a go. I'd love to know what you think!

Ciao for now!
xxx

THREE THINGS TO DO THIS WEEKEND: WELCOME IN AUTUMN

*img taken from Pinterest*

How perfect is that photo above?

The thought of Autumn gives me physical butterflies in the pit of my stomach as it truly is the most wonderful time of the year. For as long as I can remember, I've looked forward to this time of the year; when I was younger, I'd look forward to going back to school (I know, strange), but it's that feeling of a fresh start, the new uniform, your new stationary stash. It's about finding that winter coat that you love and getting gloves, scarf and a bag to match. And not to mention the new school shoes, too!

As I've gotten older, it's more the promise of dark, cosy evenings, sipping either a salted caramel hot chocolate or a pumpkin-spiced latte, smothered in cream of course. It's the thought of all of the family getting together on Bonfire Night to watch a few fireworks, to enjoy hot dogs and mushy peas and to light a few sparklers. It's also the fun planning of halloween costumes, the acceptance of putting up fairy lights... everywhere. Putting away your sandals and replacing them with boots and a fur coat. I could go on for days!

So this weekend, I will be doing a few things to welcome in this fantastic time of the year & maybe you should start on this too:

1. Start building up your warmer clothes;

Now is the perfect time to start looking for a new winter coat. The tricky bit is choosing which type!

img taken from Pinterest

There are so many different coats in such different colours that it's almost impossible to pick just one, but this year I think I'm going for a light-coloured/pastel coat in a woolen-variety. I'll be on the look out this weekend for a new one, as it's definitely getting chilly here in the UK at the mo. 

2. Step up your skincare;

I know that us bloggers bang on about skincare all the time, but now is a good time to start using thicker, more nourishing products. Make sure to exfoliate, use face masks, use a creamy cleanser that will prevent stripping moisture from your face and always, always moisturise. This doesn't just stand for your face, but also for your hands and body too.

3. Cosy-up your house/room;

There's nothing that I love more than coming in from work, switching on a lamp/fairy lights, lighting some candles and grabbing a blanket, so go ahead and buy some candles, grab some lights and pop them around your room/house. I love the battery-operated lights from Primark (especially the feather ones) and they're so cheap, so you can't go wrong.

Do you love Autumn as much as I do?

Let me know!

xxx

REVIEW: SOLTAN BEAUTIFUL BRONZE

So by now, you should all know that I have an unhealthy obsession with fake tan.

I'm whiter than white, but I'm olive skinned at heart. It's just not fair. And so I spend copious amounts of time on a daily basis slapping my fake tan on, hoping that this new tan will take over my top position. 

I can't even tell you how much time, effort and not to mention money(!) I've spent on searching for that great fake tan and thankfully just recently, I've discovered this fantastic range. 

Please tell me why I've only just got my tanned paws on it?!

As you know, I've worked at Boots for almost 2 years now and I've been so focused on trying out new tans that I've completely overlooked our own brand- naughty Jess. 

Needless to say, I saw this in one of our shops and figured "what the heck" and picked one of each up; a lotion, a mousse and a spray and eagerly went home and gave it a go. 

After speaking to a friend (who always has a flawless tan, btw), so enlightened me in her tanning process where she places the mousse all over her body, leaves it to dry and then sprays the spray tan over the top, leaving you pretty sticky but definitely covering every inch of your skin.

The next morning, I woke up with a glow that I've not seen in a long, long time. I was tanned. Like really, really tanned but not in a fake-tan kinda way. Wow.

Bonus: this even works on my face (which never usually happens!). 

As for the lotion that I picked up, I tend to use that after few days when it's looking a little pale and it picks the tan straight back up.

The longevity of this product on the body is unreal, too. I've left it for a week, un-topped up and it's still visible and not even all that patchy if I'm honest! Jeez, I sure have been missing out!

If you're looking for a new tan and have never tried this before, please please go and pick it up. I promise that you won't be disappointed!

xxxx

KIKO: FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Nottingham is such a great city and we're really lucky to be able to offer great shopping and a good night out, but there are always those pesky shops that are a little too far away that you can't take advantage of. Cough. Forever 21. Cough.

Thankfully, we got our shit together recently and was able to open a Kiko shop. Fantastic for shoppers, not so fantastic for my bank balance because I am officially obsessed!

For those of you that haven't had the pleasure of visiting a Kiko store, it's basically a very bright, very simple shop covered wall-to-wall with makeup. It's all their own brand and there are different sections e.g. lipsticks, foundations, bronzers etc and the sections have different priced ranges, so it's suitable for everyone. 

I just nipped in one day when I was in town and thought that I'd pick up a couple of bits to try out. Read on to see what I thought... 

Lip liners;

I was in desperate need of lip liners and I had heard a few people rave on about how great their liners are, so this was an obvious choice for me. I was just going to pick up one, however they were on offer and were under £2 each so figured I may as well pick up a couple. 

These liners have quickly become a staple in my makeup bag as they are so pigmented, they last all day, are so creamy and compliment my skin perfectly. I'll definitely be going back to pick up some more of these and for under £2, they're a complete bargain. 710 is my favourite out of the three as it's just a beautiful berry shade that will look lovely in the coming months. 

Eye Shadows;

I also picked up this eye shadow in a pretty, pale shimmery colour (Infinity 202 I believe). It's beautifully pigmented and really brightens my eyes, especially in the corners. This was only £1.50 & they're meant to go in to palettes so that you can custom make them, which is fantastic. I'll be popping back in soon to make my own up for sure.

Have any of you been to Kiko? How did you find it?
I'm really impressed and no doubt will be spending a heap more money in there in the future!

Find your local Kiko store here.

xxxx

GETTING FIT

images taken from Pinterest

We made it to the weekend. Phew! 

So this weekend's post may be slightly controversial and possibly won't be to everyone's taste, but this is what I'm up to this weekend and I thought that it would be nice to share it with you all.

There may be some of you lucky little ducklings out there reading this that are 100% happy with your body and your fitness level, but for the girls out there that are at a constant battle with weight/fitness and food habits, it can be somewhat torture to overcome.

Admittedly, the girls that are featured above are not what everyone considers to be perfect and in no way will I ever get that kind of body, it's just something to aspire to. 

Body weight and shape shouldn't be the be all and end all of your confidence. For me, as long as I am healthy and can walk up a hill and not get out of breath, then I'll be happy.

This being said, for a long time now, I've been at my least fit state and it's gotten to a point where I put off doing certain things or going to places and so last month, I vowed to myself that I would get fitter and make an effort to live a healthier lifestyle and so far, it's going surprisingly well!

I've started running using an app called Couch to 5k which, using interval training, builds up your stamina over 9 weeks, leaving you able to run 5k straight. I'm still on week 1 and so I don't really have much to comment on so far, but I'll keep you updated on my journey.

I have also been making the effort to get my ass back into the gym every night after work. With the running and the gym, this should hopefully help to shift a couple of pounds.

And it's not just the exercise that I've been working on, I've also cut out alcohol to take my body through a detox, I've started following Slimming World and also take my daily vitamins (something that I have always tried to do, but forgotten about). I also make sure that I get the full 8 hours sleep and try to get up at the same time every day (without snoozing may I add) and this has made me feel 100% better within myself. 

I'm not sure how long I'll last on this newly-found health kick, but hopefully it'll stick and become the norm. Watch this space for my updates on the running- why don't you give it a go too!

xxxxx

REVIEW: LANCOME TEINT MIRACLE

Three guesses what this post is going to be about...

Yep, you got it. It's the Lancome Teint Miracle foundation. 

So I believe that this foundation has been out for a good few years now, however it's one that I've never really thought to try. Truth be told, I generally tend to stay away from Lancome altogether. I've not had any bad past experiences with them or anything, I guess I've just never had any memorable ones.

One day last month, a lovely girl from work and I were chatting about makeup (because what else would us girls talk about, right?) and I was saying how I'd bought a few foundations recently that have turned out to be slightly dark for me. She then, to my fantastic surprise, offered to swap a couple of her lighter ones for my darker ones. 

The following day, I was handed this and couldn't wait to get home and give it a go.

(Just for the record, the original bottles that you can buy from store are much prettier- it's glass (I believe), square and has a great pump on it, however this is the bottle that you use in store to top up sample bottles and seeing as she used to work in store, she picked this up on the cheap-o.)

So, I've been using this every day for the past few weeks give or take a few days and I can honestly say that I've been loving it!

To say how thin the consistency is, the coverage is very, very high. I've barely touched any concealer since wearing this, which makes getting ready really easy. The foundation does smell slightly, which may be slightly too perfumed for some people, so make sure that you give it a sniff before you buy just in case.

It's very blend-able too, which is a massive bonus. There's nothing worse than a foundation that you can't seem to blend, leaving you with funny patches over your face. I've also noticed that you can build it up, so if you feel like you need a little more coverage on certain places.

Another great thing is that it comes in plenty of shades- there are 20 on the Boots.com website and so there may even be even more in store or on the Lancome website.

The only downside that I've found is that it doesn't seem to last very long, which is such a shame. I've tried using different primers, different setting powders, even different skincare regimes, however nothing has worked and I end up looking a little sweaty and patchy- not the look that I tend to go for.

Also, the price! It's £29.50 which is fine, as long as the foundation does it's job, however for that price, you can purchase the infamous Estee Lauder Double Wear and have a hefty, great foundation for the price.

Don't get me wrong, this is a great go-to foundation for the day-time when a heavy face and long-lasting coverage is not needed (maybe shopping, lunch, even work) but I'd definitely leave it to the professionals if you're going on a night out or you need your foundation to last all day.

Have any of you tried this foundation? Let me know!

xxxx

Purchase from Boots here for £29.50

MY WEEK IN PHOTOS

Good morning!

Today I thought that I'd share with you what I've been up to this week so here it goes.. 

1.we had a BBQ (mmm) // 2.Stroopwafels & melted Nutella- need I say any more? //

 3.Trying out my new dressing table lights.

4. WE BOOKED TWO HOLIDAYS. Yep, two. Me & Luke are going back to Dublin in the next few months & then we booked to go to Gran Canaria, all incl. in February eeeep!

5.Garden party at my mum & dad's // 6.Going through old photos of me & Luke, aww.

7.Yet another selfie. // 8.See number 4. // 9.Saw Inside Out with my sis.

So there it is, my weekly roundup. I'm super excited for my trips away, especially to show Luke around Dublin and then just to chill in the Canaries just after my birthday.

Also, I would totally recommend watching Inside Out (it's a kid's animated film, but it's really well made) and, bonus, it even has a short story at the begin that is a bugger for making you tear up. Take tissues!

See ya later & enjoy your week!

xxxxx

QUICK CATCH UP FT. INSTAGRAM

 

 
 

Hi my little lovelies,

 

Today's post is just a little catch-up seeing as I've been somewhat absent for the majority of the past two months. I can only apologise for that and promise that I'll stop with the neglect and get my ass back into gear so expect plenty of product reviews and random rants.

 

I've left my Instagram name (jessiestarbuck) above so that anyone who doesn't follow me can have a little nosey and hopefully follow me. I'm constantly on Instagram and SnapChat (same username) so follow me on there to be kept fully up to date!

 

Anyway, as you can see- I've been a very busy bee what with nipping to Amsterdam, celebrating Luke's 21st birthday and other friends' birthdays and getting cheeky awards at work (!!) but I'll write a proper post including those events in due course.

 

Hope that everyone's okay!

 

xxxx



CLEARING UP YOUR COMPLEXION: MY ROUTINE

Spots, blemishes, blackheads. Ugh. There's nothing worse than waking up in the morning and realising that you look like a 14-year-old pubescent kid with a crater-face (slight exaggeration maybe?) but up until this week, that was my life.

Bad diet, excessive alcohol, late nights, lack of skincare routine, slathered in fake tan gah! No wonder my skin hated me, Nevertheless, I knew that I could pull it back and use my go-to routine to fix it and luckily, it has saved me again and so today, I wanted to share with you my top products for banishing the blemishes for good.

First up, I'll take off my makeup using my favourite cleanser; the Philosophy Purity cleanser £17.50. I just use a penny-sized amount, massaged in to my skin for 30-60 seconds and rinse off using a flannel. Then I'll go ahead and use this Nip and Fab Glycolic Fix Cleanser £7.95, first massaging in again with my fingers and then I'll go ahead and use this electric face brush (I got this from an international seller on eBay for about £5!) on high speed in small upward-circular strokes, massaging for about a minute or so, then I'll rinse it off using my flannel again.

Once I've patted my face dry, I go over my problem areas using both the Neutrogena Visibly Clear Spot Stress Control Cleansing Lotion and the Garnier Pure Active Spot Purifying Toner on a cotton pad. Generally, this is my nose, chin and either side of the chin and occasionally my forehead.

After this, I'll pop the Origins Super Spot Remover on top of any big spots that I have and use the Clean and Clear Advantage Spot Treatment on any smaller spots and leave to dry. I do this morning and evening and by the end of the week, my skin is back to being as clear as ever! 

How do you control your spots?

xxx

GARNIER AMBRE SOLAIRE ONE WEEK GLOW FACIAL TAN

For some reason, my face doesn't ever pick up a tan. It doesn't pick up colour from the sun and nor does it pick up colour when any face tanner is applied. It's a nightmare. Such a pasty face and a terribly mis-matched neck. So I picked this up at work in the hope that this would actually do the job.

Anyway, the Loreal Sublime elixir is the first tanner to work on my face since, like, forever except I'm blaming my new-found spotty skin on that bugger. I guess something so fantastic has to have it's negative qualities too, right? Anyway, I picked this up in my local Boots store for £6.66 (here) and started using it right away.

The first thing that I noticed is the smell; just like all other Garnier Ambre Solaire tanning products, it smelt divine. There's no other tan that smells so delicious. It's just so fruity and pretty and mmmm. I just love it! So far, so good.

I also love the fact that it's kind of a gel consistency- it sits lovely on the skin, goes on smoothly and feels so, so moisturising upon application. There is also a slight colour-guide which is great, then you tend not to miss any patches. (see below)

I put this on before going to bed and the next morning, my skin did have a nice glow to it, but nothing to suggest that I've been on holiday or anything. More of a 'just had 8 hours sleep and a good exfoliating session' glow. Not all that impressed. I was impressed that it had lived up to the 'no streaks' claim, which is good. I then put another layer on top before I put my makeup on but once I had taken my makeup back on, I literally saw no change. I then put yet another layer on (after cleansing) and the next morning, there was definitely a slightly deeper glow that could pass as a few days in the garden kinda glow, which I suppose is better than nothing. I do think that these results would be fair enough had I have bought the 'light' shade, but I bought 'medium' for a reason.. 

I then wanted to see this whole '1-week' claim. Okay, after my usual makeup removal routine, there was definitely product still there, but this lasted probably around 3 days before I was back to my pasty old self.. Yeah, it doesn't last a week. Maybe it would for people that don't wear as heavy makeup, hence they have to cleanse less, but for me it was definitely around the 2-3 day mark when I started noticing that it had gone.

Overall, I probably won't be using this again- I'll definitely use up the rest of the tube, but I'm not too fussed about repurchasing.

Do you know any good facial tanners? 

xxx

HOW I CLEAN MY MAKEUP BRUSHES

Hands up who loves clean makeup brushes? Now keep your hands up if you wash them regularly- I'm talking, like, weekly. Oh, not so many hands now huh?

Yeah, I'm a bugger for not washing mine very regularly, you know the whole *I'll wash them this weekend when I'm off* however we all know that it never comes around. A fresh makeup brush makes the world of difference when it comes to applying your makeup, but we just make do without I guess. 

Anyway, so when I finally do get round to cleaning my brushes, I like it to be very quick, easy and simple. I don't want to be hanging over the sink for hours on end and that is how I came across this effective way of cleaning by brushes that takes very minimal effort to do!

So firstly, I tend to turn down my water because I like to let it run the entire time and water that is too hot can ruin your brushes, making them fall apart or brittle. 

Next up, I take a silicon oven glove (I got mine off eBay for roughly £2!), I wet the brush and then I pop a 10-pence-piece-sized dollop of baby shampoo (the one that I'm using is just Sainsburys own) on to the mitt and, taking my first brush, I swirl it around in circles, running it under the water several times. I repeat this until the water runs clear and then pop it onto a towel to dry.* Carry on going through your collection of brushes until they are nice and clean.

*For the towel, roll one side up and make sure that the brush ends are facing that way (so that they are on a downward slant) so that the water runs out of the bristles and not down into the handle as it can, again, make the brush fall apart.

I also added the hand sanitiser on here as I like to make sure that I use this the whole way through, just because I tend to squeeze the excess water out of the brushes before re-shaping them and popping them on the towel to dry (and what's the point in rubbing dirty hands over your now-pristine brushes?!).

Do you have any extra tips for me?!

xxx

HEAVENLY HEALTH GROUP PRODUCT REVIEWS

So a few weeks ago, the lovely Faye at Heavenly Health Group delivered me a little basket of goodness to try out and boy, have I been excited to share this with you! The basket consisted of a good few little gems that you can stick in to your daily routine that will help to make you beautiful on the inside and out. 

Unfortunately, I didn't get to try everything, but here are my person reviews on the bits that I did get to try;

Aloe Heat Lotion;

I loved this stuff- after going to the gym, I get such bad lower back pain where my muscles literally ache so much and this stuff was a God send. I popped it onto the tender parts and let it work it's wonders and after an hour, I felt as good as new. There is a very strong, kind of medicinal scent, something like you get from Vicks rub (which I love), but this could potentially be a little too strong for sensitive noses. I really liked that this lotion has long-lasting effects; generally with heat lotions the warm sensation only lasts a couple of minutes, but this one was warm for an entire hour. 

Shampoo and Conditioner:

I genuinely loved the shampoo so much- I use so many products on my hair during the day that when I come to wash it, it usually takes a double-wash to make sure that my hair is squeaky clean, but it only took the one application of this and my hair felt the most clean that it had felt in months. I also loved that the shampoo lathered up perfectly and rinsed out very quickly, which was another positive!

The conditioner smelt beautiful; so soft and pretty and it left my hair feeling silky and surprisingly strong. Both of these are quite large containers, so I can imagine that they will last a long while. 

Arctic Sea Soft Gels; Omega 3:

After taking these 3 times a day, I can tell that my nails are 100% stronger and they are growing at a crazy-fast rate. I've not noticed much of a change in my hair yet, but with continued use, I'm sure that I will see the benefits. 

Face and Hand Soap:

I like how large the bottle is- I guess that it will last a while. This left my face so soft and clean with very little makeup residue on there, however it did leave my palms slightly parched, but a dab of hand cream fixed that. 

Aloe Scrub:

The exfoliating beads in this scrub are the perfect size, not too large that they don't make much of a difference but not too small and scratchy either. This left my face soooo smooth and perfectly exfoliated without irritating it at all, The scent, again, is beautiful and definitely not too overwhelming. 

Aloe Propolis Creme:

This says that it is to help maintain a beautiful skin tone and texture and I can 100% say that I agree with it. I used this morning and evening after cleansing and within a couple of days, my skin had totally transformed. It's very moisturising however unfortunately, I wasn't too keen on the scent.

Aloe Moisturising Lotion:

I feel the same way about this as I did the Propolis Creme in which it is very moisturising, however I didn't see many effects whilst using it. 

Aloe Vera Gelly:

Now this was my favourite product of the lot- I used it once after shaving, once after waxing and a couple of times when I'd scratched or banged myself (yep, I'm clumsy) and each time, it soothed my skin and helped calm it down drastically.

I also woke up with super-puffy eyes one morning and so I put this product in the fridge for 30 minutes and then used it just under my eyes and my god, it felt wonderful!! Fantastic! 

There were a couple more products in the basket, however I didn't quite get the chance to give them a go which is such a shame. I would definitely recommend every single one of the products that I tried and I am so eager to give everything else a whirl! 

You can find Faye and her group here on Facebook or you can follow them on Instagram @heavenly_health_group

Laters! xxxx

FIVE PRODUCTS FOR: THAT PERFECT RED LIP

Okay, so we all know that it's such a pain to get that Taylor-Swift-esque red lip down to a tea, but here are my top 5 products to help you along the way. 

Firstly, your lips are gonna need prepping and for this, I definitely recommend the lip scrubs from Lush, particularly the Bubblegum flavour. They are really sweet and effective and (total bonus), due to them solely being made from all yummy ingredients, you just lick off the evidence. MMMM. 

After this, you're going to want to pop a bit of lip balm on, just to keep your lips soft and supple. No one likes a dry, flaky lip- especially not when it's going to be the focus of attention, right?! My tip; do these two steps before you do your foundation and eye makeup, leaving your lippy 'til last giving the lipbalm some time to work it's magic. I'd suggest using either the Carmex (pictured) or Burt's Bees. I've tried that many lipbalms and these are the only two that make any change to my lips!

So, now we add some colour.. Firstly, you're going to want to take a lip liner. You can pick these Natural Collection liners up from your local Boots store for under £2, although if you're looking for something a little more long-wearing, I would also recommend the Maybelline Color Stay pencils- they are fab! It's completely up to you, but I do prefer (especially with the red lip) to over-outline my lips ever so slightly, just because my lips are very thin. Pleeeease, please don't go overboard, we aren't trying to look like Ronald McDonald here, kids. Do this in thin strokes from the cupids bow outwards, and then line the bottom from the middle to the corners. This step not only stops the lipstick itself bleeding* (*running out your lips in strange wonky lines- not attractive), but it will help you get an even lipstick application and help you to stay within the lip line. 

With a red lip, try and use a flat, thin lip brush to apply it with. This one that I have pictured is one of my favourites and it actually came in a set of brushes that I actually bought off eBay! Using a brush will stop the product from going onto the lips too thick (which can make the overall look go patchy) and generally, it makes the lipstick last longer, especially if you put a couple of thin layers on. A brush is also handy if you've not got a lip liner with you, as you can use the brush and your favourite lipstick as a substitute. 

Lastly, you're going to want an actually red lipstick. Bet you never guessed that one, huh? My go-to red lipsticks are Mac Ruby Woo (which I would have pictured, but it's a little shabby now) and this L'Oreal Color Riche in 461. Personally, I tend to reach for cool-toned reds that have a slight blue tinge to them, as I find that these suit my skin tone and they also make my teeth seem brighter and whiter. I do love more orangey-reds, but only tend to wear them when I have a tan (Topshop Rio is my ultmate fave!).

I hear a lot of people saying that they "can't" wear red lipstick. I say nonsense! Remember, there is no such word as can't. Ease yourself into it- firstly, but a red-tinted lip balm on, then go for a red gloss, then a sheer red lippy and then just build up the intensity from there. I know that the red lip can take a little practice, but keep going and you'll get there! I hope that this has been helpful- do you have any extra tips?!

xxxx

FIVE PRODUCTS THAT WILL GET YOU GLOWING

To give yourself the best chance of getting a glow that Millie Mackintosh herself would be impressed with, start with a fresh, clean face, preferably exfoliated and definitely moisturised base. Products will cling to any dry skin and will definitely ruin your base.

The first products that you should be putting on your skin should be a primer and whenever I need a dewy, glowing base I turn to these two babies; the Bourjois Happy Light Luminous Serum Primer and the Look Beauty Perk Me Up Skin Brightening Primer**. The Bourjois, as the name states, is a serum so it evens out the texture of your skin and gives it that dewy feel that foundation sits perfectly on. I love that this serum is somewhat translucent (with a hint of pink)- it's more the texture that makes the overall look, rather than a shimmer as such and that is why I tend to use this first, and then put half a pump on the Look Beauty primer on the higher points on my face (cheekbones, nose, forehead, cupids bow) as this is the primer that actually has the shimmer; when I say shimmer, please read as shimmer and not glitter. Ew.

** So the Look Magazine Beauty Range seems to have disappeared recently- this is something that upsets me. I literally loved their foundations, lipsticks and nail polishes :( if anyone knows anything about this, please let me know!

Next up, I'll use my chosen foundation (at the mo I'm leaning towards the Revlon Colorstay foundation in Ivory), dabbing blobs over my face and then adding in little dollops of Benefit High Beam to my cheeks, forehead and nose and then blending all over my face. This just gives my foundation more pazazz, not leaving my face flat and lifeless. I'll then pop a little bronzer under my cheekbones and up on my temples to help give my face some more dimension and then I'll grab the No.7 Instant Radiance Highlighter Stick, swiping a tad over my cheekbones and down the bridge of my nose.

I like to finish of my dewy look (after I've put on my eye makeup and my brows), I'll take my The Balm Mary-Lou Manizer highlighting powder and, using a fluffy eyeshadow brush, I add a tiny bit of this product under my eyebrows, into the corner of my eyes, onto my cupids bow and a tad more onto the bridge of my nose. This is the best highlighter I've ever tried; I got it last year when I was in New York and have used it every day since and somehow, I still have half of the stuff left! Fantastic. It's so, so pigmented and lasts all day. Bonus too; Superdrug have just started selling this here.

Are there any products that you use to fake that 10-hour-sleep, 8-glasses-of-water-a day-glow? Let me know! xxx