SPREAD LOVE, GIVE KIEHL'S

For this years festive season, Kiehl's have collaborated with the Brooklyn-based artist; Jeremyville. I have to say, out of all the Christmas packaging this year, Jeremyville has really hit the nail on the head with this collaboration! I absolutely adore the artwork, the bold colours and the little characters! Creating a festive feel, with a chic, modern twist.

I recently attended the Kiehl's On Wheels Event in Manchester, and being a huge fan of Kiehl's already, I knew I had to treat myself to their Limited Edition Advent Calendar. It is Christmas after all, right!? I was also very lucky to have received their Holiday Edition - Creme De Corps, an all over body moisturiser which contains Shea Butter, Avocado Oil and Squalane. After having applied this onto my body, my skin feels more nourished and hydrated!   

With Christmas hurtling towards us at fast pace, why not take a look at my reviews on some of my favourite Kiehl's products? Each product would make for an amazing gift, and would guarantee you some brownie points! 

Midnight Recovery Concentrate - Facial Fuel - Creamy Eye Treatment - Age Defender Moisturiser

Over the course of December, I will be unveiling each product over on my Instagram, and my Snapchat! So be sure to follow me on both of those, to see what's inside! To view the full range of the KiehlsxJeremyville collaboration, check it out online!

Instagram | Snapchat

Have you bought anything from Kiehl's before? Which is your favourite product? What do you think to the Limited Edition Holiday Packaging by Jeremyville? Let me know your thoughts down below, and don't forget to hit that 'like' button!

DIPTYQUE HOLIDAY COLLECTION 2016

Every Christmas without fail, I always treat myself to one of the Diptyque Christmas candles! I tend to go for the warmer, spicier scents, as to me, that's what Christmas should smell like. Cinnamon mixed with spices which fill the whole room, creating a cosy atmosphere for the Christmas period!

I had visited my local SPACE NK store in the hope of purchasing the 'Epices' candle, and was about to make my way over to the checkout when suddenly, the set of three Miniature Christmas Candles caught my eye... With there being a difference of £30 between getting one, as opposed to the three, I felt I could justify this. I mean, it is nearly Christmas after all right!?

UNE NUIT CHEZ DIPTYQUE

 

Act 1: Un Encens Étoilé

Incense - Vanilla - Elemi

I must admit, this is my least favourite out of the three. I have found this too sweet, and slightly disappointing in the sense that it didn't smell as strong as the other two. 

You can purchase Encens Étoilé here.

 

 

Act 2: Epices Et Délices  

Gingerbread - Honey - Star Anise

My absolute favourite Christmas candle! Gingerbread mixed with a dash of honey blending with the star anise note. Spicy and warm, a candle that truly epitomises the definition of 'Christmas'! In terms of the sillage, to say that this is only 70g, it definitely packs a punch, and can be smelt long after being blown out. With that being said, I think I may return to purchase a slightly bigger size of this candle.. 

You can purchase Epices Et Délices here.

 

 

Act 3: Le Roi Sapin 

Fir Balsam - Pine - Artemisia

I usually dislike 'earthy' scents, especially for a Christmas Candle, however, with this one it creates the perfect illusion of a 'Winter Wonderland'. The bold, woodsy notes blending with Patchouli create a feeling of a cold, frosty morning whenever I burn this! The sillage is heavy, yet the longevity of Sapin quickly fades.

You can purchase Le Roi Sapin here.

 

Diptyque have truly outdone themselves this year in terms of the design and packaging! I am in awe of the jars, and I find the artwork on each candle really simple, yet striking. Don't forget to check out my blog posts on various other Diptyque candles such as the Rosaviola and John Galliano candles! Also, with Christmas less than a month away, this gift set would be a gorgeous little present for somebody! Or yourself..

Have you smelt any of the Diptyque Holiday Candles? Which is your favourite out of the three? Do you own any Diptyque candles? Which is your favourite? Let me know your thoughts down below as I'd love to hear from you, and don't forget to hit the 'like' button! 

CHRISTMAS 2016

Hello readers! With Christmas less than a month away, I am so excited for the upcoming month! Naturally, I have a new look for my blog, what do we think? Also, I have planned many festive posts for you all, so I hope that you come back to check them out!

Are you excited for Christmas this year? Do you have many plans? Do let me know your thoughts on my blog's new look, as I would love to hear from you! 

BETTY'S CHRISTMAS RANGE 2016

I can almost 100% guarantee you that whenever you mention the town 'Harrogate', the immediate sentence afterwards will be; 'Ooo is that where Betty's is? It's lovely!' 100%, I'm telling you.

So when I received the invitation to attend their Magical Christmas Bloggers Event, I felt as though I had achieved a personal goal! Betty's is without a doubt a household name, and a British staple for all things tea and cake. Despite having gone to the Betty's in Harlow Carr (an area within Harrogate), I had never actually visited the one in central Harrogate, I know, it's shocking!

Prior to attending the event, for some reason unbeknownst to me, I was rather nervous... More so than any other event I had attended before! However, as I made my way upstairs, the nerves quickly disappeared, and I met the lovely ladies; Sunshine Sarah, The Harrogate Girl who was the host for the afternoons event, and Harrogate Mama! As I took in the stunning sights of the table displays, I was in awe of the sheer attention to detail, and how grand, yet versatile they each looked.

TABLE ONE:

  • Christmas Spice - The most traditional table out of the three, with dashes of the classic colours, reds and greens, with elegant gold tones, inspired by the scents and smells of Christmas Baking!

TABLE TWO:

  • Continental Elegance - This table grabbed my attention straight away due to the show-stopping Swiss Alpine Village! Out of the three tables, this was my favourite. I loved how traditional the table setting was, yet it had a modern twist to it.

TABLE THREE:

  • Winter Snow - A modern table, decorated in silvers and golds. Highly elegant, and one that has a 'Winter Wonderland' feel to it! 

After having taken countless photographs, we then sat down ready for some afternoon tea. As a newbie to the 'Tea World', I opted for the 'China Rose Petal' as it sounded rather pretty.. Presumptuous, I know. However, I seemed to have struck gold with my choice as this was truly delicious! For starters I had several scones with cream and jam, followed by small portions of food to nibble on, ending with gorgeous little bites of their desserts! I must say, their desserts were exceptional, with the little red, dark chocolate square being a firm favourite of mine. Much to my disappointment, unfortunately the red chocolate squares aren't available to purchase, however they are exclusive to the 'Lady Betty Afternoon Tea' upstairs in the Imperial Room! A perfect excuse to go back for more right?

Once we had our food, we were then split into three groups for the afternoon's activities. The first activity began by us unwrapping our gift from underneath the Christmas Tree, in which I received their 'Christmas Stollen'! A spiced fruit bread layered with marzipan, dipped in melted butter and rum, topped off with fine sugar. Delicious!

For our next activity, we were told by the inspiration of some of the Christmas Treats, and the process of how each one is made and where their inspiration came from. The most fascinating treat for me, was their little chest of drawers, in which each drawer had dozens of chocolates hidden away inside. The inspiration behind that, was a trip abroad where one of the chefs stumbled across a small jewellery cabinet and came back to recreate that! Our last activity, we were taken around each of the three tables as mentioned previously.

As the event drew to a close, we were given a goody bag which consisted of a £10 gift voucher! I am still yet to use that voucher.. Do you have any suggestions on what I should buy? I left the event on a high, and I feel very honoured to have been asked to such a wonderful event. To view the Betty's Christmas Range in full, you can click here for more treats!

Have you visited Betty's before? If so, what do you normally order? Have you viewed their Christmas Range yet? What should I purchase from their Gift Shop with my voucher? Do let me know your comments down below, and don't forget to give this post a 'like'!

DR MARTENS X YORK DUNGEONS

Who would have thought that I would have been contacted by Dr. Martens after posting this photo on my Instagram feed!? Needless to say, I was ecstatic and jumped at the opportunity of working with the brand!

I received the invitation to visit the Dr. Martens boutique in Leeds for their event with York Dungeons as part of their Halloween Event, however I couldn't attend the full event which meant I couldn't meet the ShoeShiner! But I still made sure to pop in first thing! I took along my friend Amy, and we had a preview of their Halloween Range. I was extremely lucky and fortunate enough to have been gifted with my own pair for a Street Style shoot, so I chose the Martel Smooth as I felt these best suited my style!

After the event took place, Amy and I went over to Belgrave in Leeds for the Street Style Shoot, as we felt this venue had the vibe that suited the Dr. Martens aesthetic, and I am really pleased with how the images turned out! A big thank you to Dr. Martens for this opportunity, and once again thank you to Amy for taking the photographs!

Do you own a pair of Dr. Martens? If so, which ones do you have? Do you like the shoes that I chose? Let me know your thoughts down below, as I would love to hear from you and don't forget to click the 'like' button! 

© Photography: Amy Peaches Palmieri

JO MALONE THE BLOOMSBURY SET

Having attended the Jo Malone's 'Theatre Of Christmas' Event earlier this year, I was flattered and touched to have been asked back again to attend their 'The Bloomsbury Set' Launch! Their biggest launch of the year, and a showcase of an unconventional life, celebrated in scent. 

The Bloomsbury Set Collection was inspired by artists throughout the 1900's, and a collection of 5 fragrances have been created reflecting various stages of their lives. From the calm, tranquil; Garden Lilies, through to their many nights of debauchery; Leather & Artemisia. 

I had arrived in London and began making my way over to the Jo Malone Townhouse. Prior to arriving at the event, I took a look at some of the photographs of the event on Instagram, and found myself getting rather excited! I entered the Townhouse, and came across two rooms. One room had a book binding activity which was taking place, whilst the other room had various tables set out, in which you could nibble on some lunch whilst learning about the history of 'The Bloomsbury Set'. I opted out of having food, however I chose the 'Pear & Fresh Botanical' drink, it was delicious! I must take a moment to mention the décor of the room. The whole aesthetic of it all felt really old school, and had an artsy vibe to it, and I couldn't believe the transformation of it compared to the 'Theatre Of Christmas' Event that I went to earlier this year! 

To begin with, I was told about each fragrance, and the inspiration behind each one. The Bloomsbury Set Collection consists of:

  1. Blue Hyacinth - Intoxicating bold blue hyacinth warmed by the Sun entwined with the vibrancy of garden Geraniums and woody Vetiver.
  2. Garden Lilies - The scent of dawn at the lily pond captured with effervescent water lilies, dewy green sap and lush ylang ylang enhanced with white musk and a wisp of vanilla.
  3. Whisky & Cedarwood - An enigmatic blend of fine whisky and opulent roses edged with spicy pimento, warm cedarwood and an intriguing accord of waxy wooden floors.
  4. Tobacco & Mandarin - Vibrant mandarin and herbaceous sage, sweetened with the warm elegance of beeswax and sweet pipe tobacco.
  5. Leather & Artemisia - The striking green facets of anise-tinged absinthe blend with aromatic artemisia, soft orriswood and the deep richness of leather enhanced by the amber woody notes of Cypriol.

Out of the five fragrances, I have to say that the Tobacco & Mandarin and the Whisky & Cedarwood both stood out by a clear mile for me. Both of these are the most masculine out of the set, and each bottle has been stripped of its iconic Jo Malone branding, instead having some paint designed upon them with the different coloured lids to differentiate each one, offering a first for the Jo Malone brand.

After falling in love with each of the fragrances, I went next door to create my own book! I thoroughly enjoyed this activity, and it brought something personal and unique to the afternoons event. It also took me back to my college days where I studied Art & Design! As I left the Jo Malone Townhouse, we each got given a goody bag in which a fragrance from The Bloomsbury Set was inside, and much to my delight, I had received my favourite; Tobacco & Mandarin! Don't worry, a full fragrance review on the Tobacco & Mandarin will be coming shortly!

The Bloomsbury Set will be available to purchase from March 2017, and each bottle will come in the 30ml size retailing at £46 each. I hope to get my hands on the full collection, so a full detailed review on my thoughts of each fragrance will be coming out next year! Also, I have been told that once this collection has gone, it's gone. So be sure to keep your eye out for The Bloomsbury Set!

Have you bought anything from Jo Malone before? If so, what did you buy? What is your favourite item from Jo Malone? Will you be keeping your eye out for The Bloomsbury Set? Do let me know your thoughts, as I would love to hear from you! I reply to each comment, and don't forget to hit the 'like' button down below!

HOUSE OF FRASER WINTER GIFT GUIDE

Judging by today's weather (it is currently snowing heavily outside), it seems that Winter is now in full swing and what better way to embrace the changing seasons, than to wrap up warm in a cosy jumper!? I have curated a small Gift Guide featuring some of my favourite knitwear by House Of Fraser! 

HOUSE OF FRASER KNITWEAR 2016

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From left to right:

Row 1 - 

  1. All Saints - Merino Open Cardigan
  2. Calvin Klein - Sasko Turtle Sweater
  3. Polo Ralph Lauren - Crew Neck Cable Jumper

Row 2 -

  1. Lacoste - Crew Neck Wool Sweater 
  2. Lyle & Scott - Fairisle Crew Neck Knitted Jumper

Row 3 - 

  1. Michael Kors - Merino Roll Neck Jumper
  2. All Saints - Tria Crew Neck Jumper
  3. Calvin Klein - Sarid Sweater

You can purchase each jumper from House Of Fraser! Which is your favourite? Have you bought from House Of Fraser before? If so, what did you buy!? Let me know your thoughts down below, and don't forget to give this post a 'like'!