Lush Valentines 2019💕

Now you have probably seen my previous Lush posts, but this newest launch seems to have been the least PG but probably the favourite designs I have seen them create for Valentines. So I had to show you a roundup of the launches.



This has to be one of the most talked about bath bombs from the launch and brings 2019 dating to life through emoji bath bombs. The classic Aubergine 🍆 has made it way into our baths. Enjoy a steamy soak with uplifting bergamot, fruity ho wood, fresh aubergine and litsea cubeba. This is certainly a tongue in cheek design as when its bobbing away in the bath it  shoots green and blue foam from both ends. It would make quite a good joke present for your significant other. 



On the theme of emojis they also launched Peachy bath bomb which looks just like the peach emoji 🍑.  This bath bomb is much more of a slow fizzer, releasing bursts of juicy grapefruit, fresh peach juice and sweet davana to help gently cleanse and refresh. Swoon over pink sunset of colours whirl around you in the bath in the scent of peaches and cream.



One of my favourite from last years collection has returned! Love Boat leaves a little red heart trail as it fizzes round the bath and the changes colours to form and lovely purple bath. I find it a zesty sherbet smell with organic sweet orange oil, Sicilian lemon oil and rose oil. My skin felt super soft after using this and I need to stock up while they last!



Unicorn Horn is a Valentine’s collection favourite, I've seen this bubble bar every year are part of the collection. Relaxing lavender oil and mood-brightening neroli are the key elements to this lustre-filled bubble bar. Neroli oil increases serotonin levels in the brain which makes us feel contented and cheery and creates super fragrant bubbles. Crumble the whole thing under running water or I tend to cut up the bars to get more use from them! Who can't resist the pretty sparkly pastel colour of this creating a perfect pink bath.



Open Your Heart bubble bar is full of  spicy cardamom and sensual sandalwood, perfect for sharing a candlelit soak. Golden lustre shimmers in the water, while softening murumuru and Fair Trade cocoa butter keep your skin silky smooth and moisturised. Use one half or both for a valentines treat. Inspired by Madonna's infamous cone brassiere by Jean-Paul Gaultier worn one her 1990 'Blond Ambition World Tour'. 



Love Token bubble bar is the perfect token of affection. Say thank you to someone you love with this luxurious, gold lustre-covered reusable bubble bar, to be held under running water for a bath full of pine and clove scented bubbles. This bubble bar has a spicy scent not too dissimilar to gingerbread with the ginger and clove so perfect for a cosy night in. This doesn't even have to be a valentines treat it could be the perfect little thank you gift to those special people in your life. 



Six bubble bar comes in two colour to choose from; yellow and red or yellow and blue. With a warming spice clove bud and heady, floral ylang-ylang oils its one to keep you warm on these cold winters nights. Again not necessarily PG but that's what I like about Lush pushing the boundaries with their cheeky designs! A lot of people are saying it smells like the Yog Nog from their Christmas collection so if that was one of your favs then stock up! If you like these then why not buy two at a time😉.



Love Island body scrub consists of sand, sea salt and sugar which provides a vigorous scrub to leave your skin touchably smooth, with a spicy apple perfume for added zing. To use it pinch off a piece, add a little water and scrub gently all over the body for a thorough polish that’ll leave you ready to flaunt it all. It also has Aloe Vera extract and Lemongrass Oil to help tone and sooth your skin while the sand and sugar buffs away any dead skin cells regenerating your skin.  



On the theme of scrubs lets move onto Eve's Cherry lip scrub. Rub over the lips to gently exfoliate, then lick/wipe off and let jojoba and Shea butter sink in for a soft pout. Davana, buchu, cherry kernel oil and almond essential oils leave you tasting fruity, while lime gives a zesty zing to your kiss. Caster sugar helps remove any unwanted dead skin to keep your lips flake free so perfect for any prep for liquid lipstick users. 



American Cream shower gel comes in both the bottle and the naked packing-free version. After washing your body with tempting, warming benzoin, topped with softening carrageenan extract and herbal clary sage you'll be getting so many compliments with how soft your skin feels and helps sooth any aching. Fresh Strawberry Juice, Fresh Orange Juice and Vanilla Absolute it feels like bathing in a strawberry milkshake. 


That's my roundup of the Lush Valentines 2019 collection. Have you picked up any of these? I certainly need to go back and stock up! 

Clarisonic Mia 2 Sonic Face Brush🧖🏻‍♀️

Being a skincare junkie I'm always on the lookout for the next big skincare products. After following Tati on youtube who swears by the Clarisonic products I decided to see what the fuss was for myself!  I picked up the Clarisonic Mia 2 Skin Care System* from John Lewis about 3 months ago and I've been using daily since.



The Mia 2 features two speeds, one-minute pulsing T-Timer; In just 60 seconds, the oscillating bristles remove 6 times more makeup, dirt and sebum than cleansing with your hands alone.  It comes  with a protective travel case that keeps the bristles in place, making it super easy of you want to take it with you when you go away. The brush head is soft so it is gentle enough it can be used twice a day for any skin type. 

The Mia smart 2 comes with the radiance brush head which is uniquely-designed, gentle and radiance-releasing brush head that helps to remove sebum and surface-level pigmentation to help your skin to reveal a natural glow and diminish the appearance of hyperpigmentation and dullness. There are so many brush heads to choose from so there are a lot of options once you have the device. I want to try out the eye massager attachment for my eye-cream to see if it can help it work harder and make my eye area feel more refreshed. I have tried the Sonic Foundation Brush Head*But I did find that it sheds when you use it, I need to try it a few more times because Tati is obsessed I think I just need to give it more of a chance.



I've been using mine for nearly 90 days and I have to say you really do see results. I use the ESPA Optimal Skin ProCleanser* or the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser Rose and Lavender*. I just wet the brush head and apply a bit of the cleanser to the head and follow the timed cleanse starting with forehead, leading to t-zone and then cheeks. Its so quick and easy to use and perfect for really getting makeup off your skin. I shall definitely be using this for the forceable future thanks to the results it gives me. 

Have you tried any Clarisonic products out? Leave me a comment with your thoughts!

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Benefit Cosmetics Roller Liner

If you are a Benefit Cosmetics fan then you would of heard of Roller Lash Mascara*. There is a new addition to the Roller Lash family with a coordinating Roller Liner Eyeliner* and Roller Eye Bright Pencil*.

The eyeliner come in two shades; black and brown. This gives you the two options should you prefer a more natural colour or want a more bold flick. The Precision tips make applying the product super easy to create varying  thickness of lines. 

Both the brown and the black are super pigmented and give a matte finish. The Eye Bright has a natural-looking soft pink shade to awaken the appearance of your eyes. They were certainly hard to get off my hand so when it came down to waterproofness it seems good to me!

This was a quick picture of my first attempt with the liner and it was very easy to use. It looks a bit patchy on the edge where I tried to neaten it up and  forgot to patch it in again. However it didn't fade after a whole day of wearing it with no transfer either. I also think the Eye Bright made quite a difference to looking awake and larger eyes so I was impresses by that product. If your in the market for a new eyeliner or you are a beginner to eyeliner this is definitely one to try out. You can also get a travel size of the Black Roller Liner* if you didn't want to invest in the full size if you are new to liner. 

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Enchanted Cinema take over the Guildhall🎬

The weekend before Christmas I was very kindly invited to the Enchanted Cinema, which had taken residence in the Guildhall in Cambridge. With deckchairs to sit and get cosy in with the little blankets they provided. The set up was perfect for a date night or girls night. They also collaborated with local businesses to create a little market in the room before going into the main hall where the screen is. With food from Afternoon Tease, Cone and Cask and Signorellis Deli.

The films they selected to show had a great variety from something for the children to films for grown-ups. On the 20th December they played Frozen, Home Alone and Die Hard. On the 21st They played "Its a Wonderful Life", The Muppet Christmas Carol, Elf and Love Actually. And finally on the 23rd they showed The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Greatest Showman, Mamma Mia and The Rocky Horror
Picture Show.  

I saw Love Actually on the Friday night, and it was certainly an enchanting experience. Before the film there was a singer called Simon Day playing acoustic songs before the film which I thought was a nice touch. We then settled in with our popcorn to watch the film under the little blanket. It was a much nicer experience than the normal cinema, I shall certainly look out for the next pop up!

Keep and eye out on their website and social media to see where they are popping up next! Twitter: @EnchantedCinema Instagram: @enchantedcinema  

Festive Long Weekend In Edinburgh🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Last weekend my mother and I ventured to Edinburgh for a long weekend away. We headed up on the train from Peterborough all the way up the coast to Scotland, which was a long trip but worth it for the views. I wanted to explore the city and get in the spirit for Christmas by exploring the markets and attractions that are on during the winter in Edinburgh.

We stayed at Haymarket Apartments* located in the West-End area of the city it was walking distance to most of the city, though it was a little way out of the city taking us about 10 minutes to get to the centre. `We were in room 1 which was  a quaint lovely space with two single beds, a beautiful modern bathroom and kitchenette located on the lower ground floor. With its fresh floral linens and white furnishings this is a comfortable and cosy apartment. Each door had been suitably adorned for Christmas and a beautiful tree in the hallway.   

After dropping our stuff off at our apartment we decided to head into the centre, and explore the East Princes Street Christmas market and plan what we wanted to see over the weekend. There were so many cute market stalls selling a variety of different things from festive ornaments, cheese, fudge, knitwear and children's toys. There was also so many different foods and drinks to indulge in and of course lots of rides and games. 

After walking around the markets we then explored the other streets and came across the silent disco called Silent Light where they give you have silent disco headphones to give you the ultimate street party: singing and dancing under a spectacular array of 60,000 lights synchronised to music heard only through the headphones. I did not partake but it did look like a lot of fun! We also went and saw the ice rink which you could get your skates on and glide all the way round the Rekorderlig Cider Lodge in St Andrew Square on the beautiful elliptical ice rink.

I may have accidentally popped into Anthropologie and picked up a few bits because they had 20% off when I was there. There was so much Christmas inspo I spent my time lusting over table setting ideas, crockery and furniture. 

On our second day we started by heading back to the Christmas market after breakfast and went on the Forth 1 Big Wheel where you get amazing views across the city and across the market. 

We then decided to explore the other side of the city crossing over the North Bridge and headed for the Royal Mile. This area had a variety of different shops, cafes and restaurant, you could easily spend hours exploring this area. There was a really nice art shop called the red door gallery on Victoria Street, selling prints, pin badges and jewellery which was very my style and you can shop it online so check them out!   

Walking around we stumbled across the Camera Obscura and World of Illusions Edinburgh, I had been recommended this by a couple of people so definitely wanted to check it out. It was certainly filled with many mind bending illusions including a mirror maze, giant kaleidoscope and Ames room.  Of course the camera obscura show was the main attraction being able to see across the city just with some mirrors reflecting onto a wooden board was very impressive. Definitely worth a visit!

We didn't have time to go into Edinburgh castle but we explored the Esplanade in front of the castle as it was a few steps from the camera obscura. Its certainly an impressive sight and would love to come back to see the Royal Military Tattoo. 



We then explored the Grassmarket area and walked round the Saturday market that they have. Accidentally bought some delicious macaroons from one of the stands, which made a good pre-dinner snack. 


Before dinner we headed for The Dome which is the most instagramable bar/restaurant I’ve ever been  in, both inside and out. In the dome was the biggest most magnificent looking heist as tree towering above the bar. The way the décor looked I felt like I was in Great Gatsby. I went for a Snowflake Martini which tastes like Christmas! I would definitely recommended a visit here (even though they suggested booking 18 months in advance for afternoon tea?!). 

After the incredible atmosphere of the Dome we had dinner at Gusto, but I was still rather hungry so decided to head back to the Christmas market for a chimney cake and a baileys hot chocolate.

Unfortunately the next day was time to head home back down the coastline, so we didn't do much on the Sunday! Have you been Edinburgh? I definitely want to go back and see more of this curious city!

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My Christmas Gift Guide 2018🎅🏻

Its coming to the time of year where its time to hit the shops in aim to get the perfect Christmas presents. I've put together a collection of gifts that I think are suitable for a whole range of different people in your life, from your bff to your uncle.

For the foodie I found a few perfect gifts for those who love a tipple or a nibble at Christmas time.



The first thing for foodies I found is possibly the most exciting present I saw and perfect for all the family (or yourself I'm not judging😉) Personalised Quality Street tins. Pick three or more of your favourite flavours to fill your tin, in selected John Lewis & Partners (Oxford Street, Glasgow and Trafford) you can even have the tin personalised and keep to refill year after year. Available at John Lewis & Partners Bluewater, Cambridge, Cheadle, Cribbs Causeway, High Wycombe, Kingston, Liverpool and Westfield White City.



The second gift I saw was the John Lewis & Partners Red Wine and Nibbles Christmas Hamper. This eclectic mix of of nibbles is the perfect all-rounder present and at £40 its not going to break the bank. Coming in a black and white hamper its a ready-to-go gift with minimal effort but still thoughtful for anyone busy in the run up to the festive season. There are so many other hampers by John Lewis I just picked this one out as I thought the price point was good.



For the baker in your family I saw this little Penguin Cookie Baking Mix, complete with a penguin cutter. Perfect as a secret Santa gift or as a stocking filler. Also a good thing to keep kids busy this Christmas when the toys loose interest. They also do a unicorn version should that be more appropriate for your recipient!



The last thing I thought of for those who like a tipple, the people at Edinburgh Gin have brought out so many good sets this year. The one that I thought was so pretty and instagrammable was the Rhubarb and Ginger Liqueur and Glasses set.  The two branded cocktail glasses that come with the set are perfect for that evening tipple and the reverse of the box has a cocktail serving suggestion for the set. Its one of their bestselling flavours and good opportunity for any gin lovers to show them another distillery for them to try out.


The next two gifts I picked out seemed to be some good presents for the men in your life. First off you can't seem to go wrong with good old fashioned socks, though Happy Socks take these to a new level with their outrageous colours and design. They have a selection of different designs contained in a cracker for the ultimate Christmas socks.  I also thought this Barbour Land Rover Defender Belt and Card Holder gift set, exclusive to John Lewis. This little luxury set is a thoughtful but handy gift for any man in your life whether its your other half or family member.



This year a lot of us were obsessed with blue Planet this year and our environmental impact so something I thought that was a good gift for those who like their morning coffee on the go or to carry cold water re-usable bottles have been on the rise. S'well drinking bottles are the perfect gift for those caffeine addicts or people up on their hydration. They come in so many different designs as well as either 260ml or 500ml sizes so there is one for everyone.



On the subject of hot drinks what else is the perfect way to have a cosy evening than to have some festive pjs and a toasty hot water bottle. These could either be Christmas gifts or part of a Christmas Eve box. There are so many good PJ sets at John Lewis but I went for the Mon Etoile Cotton Pyjama Set with Eye Mask and the cosiest looking Rose Quartz hot water bottle. I can just imagine sitting by a fire with a hot chocolate cosied up, the perfect way to spend cold winter nights.



On the theme of cosy there are some really nice hats and gloves around to keep you warm. My favourite set is the Chunky Lovely Colour Block Beanie Hat and Chunky Lovely Colour Block Snood in Navy Mix. There is also a matching jumper to the hat and scarf which would also be a nice addition. It comes in three different colour block combos but the navy is my favourite.

And now for the beauty gift selection. This was the hardest to narrow down because frankly I want all the beauty gift sets.



My skincare gift set I chose was the ESPA Nourish Treats Skincare Gift Set. This little set includes their Overnight Hydration Therapy, Pink Hair and Scalp Mud and Nourishing Lip Treatment. This is the perfect introduction to ESPA skincare. Definitely one for those who love a spa day, the products smell amazing and work wonders for your skin.




The second set I saw was the Molton Brown Seductive Rituals Gift Set which looked like the perfect pamper evening. The set includes Jasmine & Sun Rose Bath & Shower Gel, Delicious Rhubarb & Rose Mini Scented Candle and Fiery Pink Pepper Fine Liquid Hand Wash. This set it the perfect way to test out the brand and at a good price of £30 for 2x100ml and a 30g candle. Rhubarb and Rose is my favourite Molton Brown fragrance, but this set is perfect for anyone wanting to try out three different scents in one set!



This gift is a bit of an extravagant one but could change your hair styling forever. The new Dyson Airwrap Volume + Shape Styler is the newest way to style and shape your hair on the market. I've seen this in action on other influencers channels and seen it in action on Dyson counters at John Lewis stores and I'm super impressed. Its certainly not a small price-tag but as something that could be pivotal in your hair regime.



The fourth beauty pic I went for was the BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter Macaron Kit. These adorable little macarons come in 4 different shades; Opal, Vanilla Quartz, Rose Quartz and Prismatic Amethyst. These are the ideal travel size for the glow on the go.



Onto the last gift idea, and still on the theme of sparkle the perfect edition to you highlighters is this beautiful Kate Spade New York Burgess Court Briley Small Makeup Bag in Soft Gold.  As you can tell from my blog I'm pretty Kate Spade obsessed so of course I had to include this little makeup bag. You could even just use it as a handbag tidy, I just think its so pretty and sparkly perfect for Christmas.

I've now come to the end of my top picks of what to gift this Christmas. How prepared are you this year at buying your presents?