January - April 2018 Favourites

Some of my favourite things that I've been using over the past couple of months. I haven't been trying that many new things recently so would love to hear what you've been loving, or hating.

As I mention in the video I first bought the Clarins Instant Concealer in 2015 and was sent the Travalo in 2011 though it felt like it was longer ago!

All products are listed below and if you haven't already then do go and subscribe to my YouTube channel and come and join my Facebook group.

Heliocare Gel 360 Fluid Cream SPF 50+
Ilia Illuminator in Sway
Dr Dennis Gross C+ Collagen Deep Cream
Clarins Instant Concealer
Burts Bees Vanilla Bean Moisturising Lip Balm
Yunic Floru Nail Varnish
Travalo

Reviews:
Ilia Illuminator
Dr Dennis Gross C+ Collagen Deep Cream
Clarins Instant Concealer
Travalo

Some links are affiliate links which means I will get a small commission if you click through and buy from them. There is no extra cost to you and if you are not comfortable with that then do feel free to open a separate window and google the product for yourself

Jo Loves Pink Vetiver

Jo Malone is a household name. Everyone has their favourite (Lime Basil & Mandarin since you ask) and for some of us it's the ultimate house gift. However, not so many people know that Jo Malone (MBE) left the eponymous brand in 2006 and 2011 after trouncing a particularly aggressive form of cancer came back with a new company Jo Loves.

As a brand Jo Malone, now owned by Estee Lauder, is huge and available worldwide - everything about it, even the black framed cream packaging is luxurious. Jo Loves feels different. Of course it's on a smaller scale, it's a relativley new company created by someone who has her name on products she created, in a design she wanted but is no longer affiliated to. That must be incredibly difficult. You need to it look different, you need to come up with a whole different range of fragrances and ideas. And she's done it. Jo Loves feels intimate, personal, boutique. She seems to be able to create the most amazing and unique smells and Jo Loves doesn't disappoint. Pomelo, Mandarine, Mango Thai Lime, White Rose and Lemon Leaves or my favourite, Green Orange and Coriander.

What's in my hospital make-up and washbag - Friday Video

Here's a little peak inside my make-up and washbag that I've packed to go to the hospital to have the baby. I'm really sorry if I seem a little lack luster - I was feeling exhausted and not very well when I filmed this but bare with me - it may be useful! I've listed below all the products I mention that I have used and would recommend. There are some here that I wouldn't necessarily buy again or that I haven't tried so I'm not linking to them...

• Balmi 
• Clinique Moisture Surge Face Spray 
• This Works In Transit Camera Close Up 
• Blistex Lip Brilliance
• Avon Quad in Mocha Latte
• Maybelline Better Skin concealer
• MAC Eye Kohl in Smoulder
• Benefit Sugarbomb
• Real Techniques Shading Brush
• Daniel Sandler Smudger Brush
• MAC Blot powder
• Paperchase Watermelon Washbag
• Halo Antibacterial Wipes
• Soap and Glory Clean on Me 
• Soap and Glory Righteous Butter 

Top 3 Perfumes - Friday Video

I'm often asked what perfume I'm wearing and it will definitely be one of these three...

Travalo

I think I must have spent about £75 on different varieties of portable atomisers that have just not worked at all. They are either impossible to fill without losing most of you scent or the leak everywhere, the most expensive one I bought (from John Lewis) comes apart completely in my hand bag about five seconds after it goes in no matter how securely I put it together.

So I'd given up on the whole thing. I know just drench myself in perfume or lug different bottles around on holiday which is a bloody nightmare. Just before I went to South Africa however, I got sent a Travalo to try out. It looked good and the principal seemed pretty sound but I was dubious. Surely it would not work.

I was wrong. It is fantastic. Totally worth the £12.49 price tag as I'm going to use this all the time. I usually buy my scent in the airport but I'd got some at Christmas and really didn't want to lug a whole bottle of Chanel around SA as it's my winter scent daaaaarling and I only really wanted it for plane journeys and sultry nights out. So I followed the instructions (remove the spray head from your perfume, put the Travalo on top of the nozzle peg and pump it up and down to fill it) and filled the Travalo up with the really easy pump action - and without breaking my scent bottle - and that was it. There's a level indicator window to show you how much scent is in there (you don't want to overfill it) and it is completely mess free. In it went to my plane freezer bag of products and I checked it every ten minutes for signs of breakage/leaks/crapness and it was perfect.

Liz Earle Botanical Essence No 1

Yes this is about to be another rave about how much I love Liz Earle, this time I shall be focusing on her perfume, but before I start saying how much I love it I'd like to say how much fun the event at their London store was last Thursday. It was just a lovely evening, I arrived late and stressed and thought I wasn't even going to make it on time and everyone there was just so nice and welcoming and I felt soothed and so pleased that I was able to make it. I had missed the talk by the wonderfully inspirational Lorna McKay but spoke to her about the inspiration behind the fragrance, and the development process with one of the top perfumers in France... I did this whilst sniffing my wrist every two minutes where I had sprayed the fragrance because I loved it and it changes whilst you are wearing it.

I have quite a hard nose to please - I like grown up musky perfumes rather than anything to sweet or citrusy. Botanical Essence No 1 by Liz Earle hits the nail on the head. Fantastic for summer days when you want something lighter but still with a bit of back bone and a real pick-me-up in the depths of winter. I was really surprised by just how much I loved it - I just could not get enough of it. If you doubt me just check out the reviews for it here. I could also still smell it hours later which is incredibly unusual - my skin seems to absorb perfumes.

It's incredibly hard to review a fragrance as smell is such a personal thing and everyone has different preferences. I think you'd struggle to find people who didn't really like this perfume though. It's much more complex than I was imagining... Bergamot Essential Oil, Damask Rose, Coriander Essential Oil, Vetivert Essential Oil, Nutmeg Essential Oil are just a few of the ingredients and the balance is so perfect I think that's what I found most surprising from this fragrance. It's got the good smell of rose without it being sickly and overpowering, the freshness of Mandarin Essential Oil without being too orangey. I'm not putting this as eloquently as the scent deserves...

This is not just another aromatherapy type smell, this is a proper fragrance - it is grown up, womanly, spirit-lifting and sensuous. The Liz Earle team held nothing back when developing this - I really think you should try it.

What You Need to Know - Liz Earle Botanical Essence No 1 

•  £49
• 50ml
• Contains essential oils - Bergamot, Vetiver, Coriander, Lavender, Mandarin, Cedar wood
• Also contains - Damask Rose, Tonka bean
• Available in the UK from Liz Earle, John Lewis, QVC 

Elie Saab Perfume

I always wear the same two scents - with the occasional half-hearted dabble elsewhere, so it's quite hard for me to ever make my mind up when I'm trying something new. My overwhelming reaction for the first five hours of wearing it is 'IT'S NOT MINE IT'S NOT MINE' so I've kind of given up on the whole new scent thing except the odd dalliance with Reve Gauche because it smells soooooo good on my mum.

However, I've kept smelling my tiny tester of the new scent La Parfum by haute couture designer Elie Saab and I wanted to try it so much that today I succumbed and I'm wearing it and I really like it. What I think I find so appealing is it has the feminine floral tone of Jean Paul Gaultier Classique but it's more woody which makes it less sickly. You can smell the jasmine, cedar and patchouli and I would definitely trying this out for a day and seeing if it could be your new smell xx

Birthday Spoils

The thing about this blog is that it means every year on my birthday I get given lots of yummy smelly things which make the post-birthday blues (yes I still get them, no I'm not five) more bearable. I got some gorgeous Floris bath oil and some goodies from Lush. My sister got me some gorgeous E.Coudray moisturiser which is rich and fantastic smelling - ideal for your washbag in case you forget scent or need a little pick-me-up. She also got me some Bend don't Break by Jessica to stop my weakened nails snapping - you can feel the difference the day you apply it which is unusual.

Miss F tracked down a brand I'd never even heard of - Bella Bellissima and got me some Perfect Day Ultimate Bathing Oil and Perfect Night Luxury Dry Body Oil

. Now don't be put off by the words - Miss F and I nearly died with laughter when reading the back. It's nonsense (funny nonsense yes... but nonsense) but the smells are fantastic. A true pampering experience.

The best though was from my lovely husband who managed to track down a vat of Clarins Eau Dynamisante. Which blends 14 'aromatherapeutic' plant extracts and essential oils and to me just reminds me of holidays and happy times. It's energising and yet soothing and I just keep smelling myself all day! I've been dabbing it on my pulse points but you can actually rub it all over for invigorating toning! I'm now desperate to have the deodorant of this as well... to complete my set! xx

Lulu Guinness

This year marks the Lulu Guinness's 20th anniversary so I nipped down to their newly revamped shop on Ellis Street off Sloane Street to see their latest goodies and hear about how they'll be celebrating 20 years in the business. The shop looks fantastic - clean lines, fresh simple colours, the perfect backdrop for the beautiful bags and accessories. The cherry on the cake was a fantastically innovative display cabinet with the most intricate bags on little shelves that rotate. You get given a pre-programmed iphone and you can select which bag you want to hear about and Lulu herself talks you through what she loves about the design.

What I love about Lulu Guinness is the variety of designs and colours. From the simple to the fantastic every taste is covered. The traditional floral print and lipstick designs are fully evident. The now iconic lip clutches are brought out in a different colour every season. This season it's orange and I love them - it's like a lip rainbow and they are the perfect size and texture, you just have to squeeze them. The beautiful deep floral prints are available in bed linen, spreads and cushions - the perfect dramatic touch to any bedroom. There are also the more unusual designs - beautifully stitched spreads with butterflies and birds - you can't resist touching them. My favourite bed sets were the circus design - the ideal present for god daughter who has everything.

Lulu is best known for her handbags but there are also limited edition fragrances available. Although these are no longer being produced they are still available in certain stores so if you are keen to have a special scent these are for you. Lulu's signature scent is really floral and fresh really lovely if you are working all day and going out in the evening - perfect for both occasions and the bottle is fantastic. Cast a Spell by Lulu Guinness is a much deeper scent. I really love this one - it is vampy but still keeps the beautiful floral edge - good for those who like a bit of zing and of course the bottle will look fantastic on your dressing table!

The bags, of course, are just beautiful. It took all my strength to leave without the Sun blush leather medium Romilly bag or the silver snakeskin lips clutch which would be perfect with any evening outfit. But I wasn't just tempted by the bags (or the beautiful purses - medium flat frame sun blush crinkle patent purse please!!) the jewellery is fantastically glam and quirky. The pave crystal lip stud earrings are just the right size and can really jazz up a black outfit.

But it's not just Lulu who's celebrating. You can too - the sale is on now is your chance to pick up a bargain that you will have with you forever! xx

Palm Island

The deed is done - we had a fantastic wedding and are now sunning ourselves and drinking rum cocktails on the lovely Palm Island in the Grenadines. I did manage to buy some Pink Lemonade Lipglass from Mac in the Airport and a set of two Jo Malone fragrances (Grapefruit and Lime Basil and Mandarin) on the plane so I'm not completely neglecting my duties!! xx