Monday, 10 December 2012

NEOM | Travel Candle Gift Set.

Believe it or not, I haven't actually tried any Neom products before.

I have to admit, I am a bit of a newbie to the candle world. I was given the Yankee Candle Summer Fragrance Mixology Gift Set (yes I did have to Google the name!) as a birthday present a few months back and I was really impressed with its strong scent and longevity. However, my living room has a very neutral (shock!) theme and is made up of Whites, Creams, Browns and Greys and although I liked the scents of some Yankee Candles the colours have put me off (especially if your going to spend £18.00 on a full size candle). I wanted a candle that would let its scent do all the talking and not the loud, bold colours to attract attention.
I then came across NEOM and instantly feel in love with their Ethos and that they only use natural ingredients - vegetable wax and 100% essential oils, thus, containing no parabens or nasties. This would explain the absence of black smoke once I blew the candle out and the lack of horrible black soot all around the sides of the glass.
Did I mention that Kate Moss, Daisy Lowe, Sienna Miller and Kylie are all fans? (Well if its good enough for Kylie..)

I decided on the Travel Candle Gift set (part of their Scent with Love gift range) containing 4 travel sized, best sellers.
I think this is great value in comparison to the full sized, three wick candle which is priced at £39.50. I simply could not justify spending this sort of money on one single candle alone.
Not only do you get the choice of four great scents but each candle is generously sized with a wax weight of 75g and a burn time of 20 hours per individual - a combining total of 80 hours! (30% longer than any of its competitors). The packaging itself screams luxury, housed in clear glass with NEOM Luxury Organics written on the face. But its the subtly and elegance that makes this brand a winner, each candle regardless of its scent has the same off white colour. Which fits in with any rooms colour scheme.

I love that Neom have included their most popular candles and not used any 'Christmas Scents' as I plan on using these sparingly throughout the year! I have also learnt from burning my Yankee Candles how different the scent was when burning so I'm glad that I have four variations to try.
Neom have incorportated different scents which not only means that I can have the choice depending on my mood but I can use them in different rooms depending on their suitability. (I currently have one in the Kitchen, Bathroom, Living Room & Bedroom)

If you're not wanting to spend as much, as lets face it - the travel set is designed as a Christmas present (To me, From me). You could split the set up and give to multiple people for a smaller present, or give as a whole to one of your nearest and dearest. Neom also do each scent in the same travel sized for £15.00 which can be found on their website.
I love the idea behind the travel candles - you can pop them in your handbag if your in need of something luxurious away from home!

Yes they are expensive and had I not tried the Yankee Candles earlier on in the year I probably wouldn't have even considered spending this amount. 
But I have always been a believer in "buying cheap, buying twice". Granted, I don't use these every night and when they are lit, I am always aware on how long they have been burning for, but, Neom candles are honestly the longest lasting candles I've owned and they really do fill your room without being too overpowering.

If you are interesting in buying anything from Neom I would seriously urge you to have a look around to find discount codes. I saved myself a lovely £11.00 with 20% off from MakeupSavvys blog. Ta Fiona!

Have you tried any of NEOM's products before?
What candle company would you recommend?






Sunday, 9 December 2012

Debenhams 15% off Beauty & Fragrances

For those of you who still have people to buy for still..
I just thought I would let everyone know that Debenhams' are currently having a 15% sale off beauty* and fragrances ending tonight (Sunday 9th October).
It even includes their christmas gift set. Which is incredible!

I've bought my mother-in-law Urban Decay's Naked Palette.
My Brother 'Spice bomb' by Victor & Ralph and my mum 'Alien' by Thierry Mugler.

CLICK HERE!

I managed to save myself over £20.00.

*Excludes Chanel. Full price only. Selected brand offer varies.

Amelie's 4 month Update | Baby Blog

Can anyone believe that it's December already? I am so excited for Christmas this year - the Christmas tree is already up and everything is starting to feel very festive in my household - there's something about christmas tree & candle lights that make everything appear far more homely. Rest assured the Christmas playlist on my Iphone has been played on repeat!
Amelie is now 1/3 of a year old and I'm finally slowing down on the christmas present buying (trust me she is a very spoilt little girl!). |'ve been very organised this year and have started buying presents for everyone well in advance (the previous Christmas' have involved a mad dash of running between shop to shop the day before - think Dales Supermarket Sweep and then add a wooly hat and you'll have the image of me!) We've even got her a stocking and I've given Santa his orders of present delivering.

Measurements: Height - 157cm
Weight - Just under 12lb. 
The health visitor came round last week and measured her - it turns out 91% of babies her age are bigger than her!
Amelie is finally fitting her 3-6 months which, naturally, has made everyone (me included) scower the baby clothing aisle at every given opportunity - Tesco has some amazing offers at the moment!
Eye colour - Blue
Hair Colour - Still mousey brown although we've both commented that she's getting fairer at the front. her hair is definitely growing and quite frankly I can't wait till I can start putting bows in it!

Feeding - Amelie is mainly on 180ml feeding although right before bed we tend to give her 210ml as she sleeps so well at night.

Winding - No complaints. Amelie's head control is improving on an almost daily basis and on several occasions she's managed to bring her own up so long as she's sitting up.

Sleeping - Still through the night! I'm starting to think you won't believe me! But honestly she goes down around the 9ish mark and will sleep through till about 8am. She'll average about 1-2 hours during the day (just enough time for me to do the immediate household chores).

Outings this month - We've kept this to a minimum partly because of the weather (it gets dark so early) and also because we are desperately trying to save. My mum and I took Amelie to see her auntie in Surrey for my auntie's birthday. I had a day trip window shopping in Kingston and I felt very festive as all the decorations that were up!

Date days/Nights - We left Amelie with her Nanny (Connor's Mum) in the middle of last month so we could go Christmas gift shopping. I have to admit as much as I missed her it was nice spending time with Connor on my own and enjoying a meal together uninterupted - you can't beat a good Nandos!

Highs this month? Going to see my auntie for her birthday.

Lows this month - Her injections (Again!) but this was the last one for about a year!

Looking forward to? - CHRISTMAS!!!

Least Looking forward to? The weather (again!)

Thursday, 6 December 2012

Christmas Wish List 2012

I can't get over how fast this year has gone. Already we are nearly into the second week of December. Its crazy!
I thought I would post my wish list for this year to give the poor old bearded chap a little helping hand in what would make me happy under the tree this year. Haha!

1. Lush - Snow Fairy Shower Gel
I am completely obsessed with this shower gel. I actually stock up as they don't go out of date for a good six months so I'm able to use them well into next year.
It smells exactly like candyfloss and has tiny speckles of glitter within it that doesn't transfer to your skin. Candy floss and Glitter; yes please!
I would seriously urge you to give this a go.

2. Bobby Brown - University Palette
Okay, this is a fantasy wish list item! I love the idea of having all BB concealers and foundation in one handy palette. I'm a fake tan lover so this would be great as it means I will always have a foundation/concealer shade suitable.

3. Zara - Leather Jacket With Shoulder Zips.
I actually know I'm getting this on Christmas Day courtesy of my lovely parents.
You can't go wrong with Zara leather. I have previously bought a leather jacket from them about 5/6 years ago and they keep really well.
Besides, Zara's pieces are very timeless and will look fashionable in seasons & years to come.
I love how the shoulder zips add an edgy element without being relevant to only one season.

4. Illamasqua - Nail Varnish in Creator.
Although not completely original in colour. I really love the overall effect on the nails and unlike adding a silver glitter to plain black nail polish I love the convenience of having them both in one bottle.
The finish looks gorgeous too!

5. Zara - Studded Leopard Print Ankle Strap Sandal
Another Zara item has made it on to this years Christmas wish list. Can you tell already what my favourite store is right now?
Complete statement piece. You could wear all black with the focus being on the shoes.
 I saw Dulce candy wearing these in a recent OOTD where she paired these with khaki trousers and a lightweight jumper and they looked amazing!
Leopard print and spikes - do I need to say anymore?

6. Juicy Couture - Viva La Juicy.
I fell in love with this scent this time last year when I tempt at a high end beauty stand and instantly fell in love.
I haven't got round to buying this yet so I'm hoping that Santa or one of his helpers have this under the Christmas tree for me, come the 25th.

7. Moschino - Logo Leather Belt
A complete timeless piece.
Its chic and elegant yet the gold big letters make it edgy too. 
Its very versatile (goodo considering the price!) where you can wear this with just about anything, dressing it up or down.

What's on your Christmas Wish list this year?

Thursday, 29 November 2012

Skincare | Boots Tea Tree & Witch Hazel Foaming Face Wash


I've been really loving Boots own brand 'Tea Tree & Witch Hazel Foaming Cleanser'. You can pick it up in your local boots for £3.49 and they regularly have promotional offers such as 3 for 2.
Don't get me wrong I do love my Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish for a 'deep clean' but the whole muslin cloth exfoliating malarky just isn't something that's practical in my day to day life.
This was actually the first cleanser I ever bought when I was 13! Its so quick and easy to use (something I've found particularly important now that I'm a new mum!). I can use it first thing in the morning while I shower and last thing at night before bed - It literally takes me about a minute!
I've always kept a bottle of this in my bathroom and it's definitely been a cleanser that I can rely on to clear up any problematic areas if I've had any breakouts.

The cleanser is a light green colour in the bottle which is dispensed by a pump, transforming it to a white foam - magic!
It does have (as the name would suggest) a tea tree scent which I really like, but if you're a fan of fragrance free cleansers this isn't for you. 

I've got combination skin and I find that I really do need to use a good quality moisturiser (i'm currently using my Liz Earle moisturiser) as I found it to be quite drying on my forehead so I can't comment on how suitable it will be for people with dry skin but I can definitely recommend it for combination or oily skin types.

Okay.. I have to use it twice to remove my waterproof mascara, but as a quick solution thats more beneficial then a facial wipe, this is a great quick fix. I will continue to buy this bottle after bottle!

Whats your favourite cleanser?

 

Wednesday, 21 November 2012

Spike Up Your Life

I've been absolutely loving Zara lately. 
Here are a pair of shoes I picked up last week.




I am in love! They are so wearable but can instantly add another element to any outfit and the fact that they are pumps make them perfect for daytime!

I'm in the process of writing a "How to style Studs and Spikes" post. I had hoped to get my  outfits photographed today but its pouring outside so hopefully this should be up next week!

 




Friday, 9 November 2012

Amelie's 3 Month Update | Baby Blog

Yet another month has flown by and Amelie is now 1/4 of a year old!
She's officially out growing more and more clothes on an almost daily basis. I've had to buy storage boxes to keep all her newborn clothes that no longer fit. She definitely can't get away with wearing them anymore!
She's now more alert than ever and is starting to become increasingly interactive and responsive, she makes little 'cooing' noises when you talk and she smiles in response to you voice, she seems to even want to be entertained now!
We bought a vibrating/rocker chair in my last month of pregnancy and she's recently been enjoying sitting in there. I think it was around the £50-60 mark and it vibrates and sings different nursery rhymes. 


Measurements - 13 weeks 1 day
height - 156cm
weight - 11lb 1 1/2 oz!
Amelie is starting to outgrow all her first size clothes. She's currently in the 'inbetween' sizes of 0-3 and 3-6 months.
Eye Colour - Blue!
Hair Colour - Mousey Brown.

Feeding - Amelie now feeds between 150ml and 180ml depending on the time of day and the time duration between feeds. 

Winding - Still relatively easy. Sometimes she will take a while to wind so I'll leave her to rest for a bit and occasionally this has resulted in her being sick but generally speaking she's good at burping!

Sleeping - Amazing! Throughout the month she has slept all the way through the night! We put her to bed around the 9.30 mark (same as always) and will often sleep through until around the 8am mark. Long may it continue!

Outings This Month - We haven't really been going on anywhere special. With the weather getting colder and the clocks going back it has made such a difference in what we do (particularly during the working week as Connor doesn't get back until 6.30 pm). We have gone to coffee shops and we still go out daily for Simba's walks - we just haven't been anywhere exciting!

Date Days/Nights - We went out for the first time clubbing this month and left Amelie in the safe care of her Nanny (Connor's mum). It was so weird as we hadn't been out for a good year! I honestly don't think we've been out properly since moving in and that was last October! I've never been a huge drinker so I opted not to drink but it was lovely to spend some time with our friends.
We also went into our local shops to do a bit of early christmas shopping, we're having everyone round our house this christmas and I wanted to start with our decorations!
It was our 3 year anniversary on Tuesday (6th Nov) so my mum said she'd look after Amelie so that we could have a nice evening.

Lows this Month? - Taking Amelie for her injections! She cried immediately afterwards but she soon forgot about it.

Highs this month? -  Halloween was a definite one! She looked so cute dressed as a pumpkin (although she didn't like her outfit too much!)
I also loved receiving her birth annoncements and posting them to family and friends - I have a lot of family who live abroad and have not yet seen Amelie so it was nice for them to receive.

Looking Forward to? - Amelie finally being able to fit into her 3-6 month clothes. She has so many cute outfits that I can't wait to put her in!


Least Looking forward to? -  Her next months injections - she has to have three in four weeks time!



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