GIFT GUIDE 2014 PART ONE: SEASONAL CANDLES

CANDLE LOVERS ANONYMOUS - Although the likes of Diptyque, Tom Dixon, Byredo and NEOM have some exquisite seasonal offerings, I like to think I've found some more affordable alternatives, without sacrificing on the luxe factor...

1. Anthropologie Good Nature Soy Holiday Candle £14.00

THIS SMELLS LIKE CHRISTMAS TREES. GENUINE PINE. That is pretty much all you need to know. Plus I got it on Black Friday (dum dum daaaah!) for 20% off so it was an absolute bargain in my opinion. I think the tin is super cute and unique compared to other candles on the market and it has two wicks for a nice even burn. Winner.

2. NEST After Midnight Candle in One O'Clock (£14.99 from my local TK Maxx)

One of my good friends Jen once found a NEST candle in TK Maxx and ever since I've had my eyes well and truly peeled. They are a luxury US candle brand and really hard to find in the UK. On a recent visit I hit the jackpot and found the full range of their After Midnight Collection, which comes in One, Two and Three O'Clock Scents. They are all pretty heady scents and definitely not for the faint-hearted but I fell in love with One O'Clock, the tamest of the bunch which is described as 'Oriental Orchid' with notes of 'wild orchid, night-blooming jasmine and frangipani flower layered over a sultry blend of exotic woods, black pepper and vetiver.' So when I say tame I mean not tame at all... The candle jar and wax are black which I think ups the luxe factor by a million per cent. 

3. N.5 La Ceria Handmade Sugar & Applepie Candle (£7.99 from my local TK Maxx)

I cannot find anything about this brand online but if you see it in your local TK Maxx, have a sniff. You will not be disappointed. The description does not do this candle justice... Not only does it smell like dessert but has a beautiful perfumey note (great description) which makes it smell much more expensive than it actually is. I haven't burnt this yet so I have no idea regarding the throw but just from the unlit scent alone, this may in fact be my favourite of the bunch. Catch it if you can!

NICHE NUDES

L-R: MAC Modesty, MAC Myself (L.E.), MAC Patisserie, MAC Hug Me

Everyone is sporting this lip at the moment due to a certain Miss Kylie Jenner and various 90s influences. Due to my lips being naturally quite heavily pigmented, the likes of MAC Soar Lip Pencil lean very dark & vampy on me indeed. A look I love, but not really appropriate for my every day face. The above nudes have the desired lip-plumping effect without being too OTT. J'adore. 

THE A/W TEA EDIT

When the nights draw in and the temperature outside takes a dip, there's nothing more comforting than coming home and making yourself a comforting hot drink. However, when you're trying to stick to a healthy diet, drinking mugs of creamy hot chocolate night after night can rack up a serious amount of empty calories. Since cutting down on my dairy intake due to it's seemingly havoc-wreaking effects on my skin, I have been slowly developing a serious herbal tea addiction (I can think of worse habits).

Whilst the likes of peppermint, fruity teas and green teas satisfy my needs in the summer time, I don't find many of them quite as comforting come the colder months. So here I give you my edit of the best winter warmers for the dairy-free/caffeine-free (mostly)/calorie-counting contingent...

1) Twining's Cherry & Cinnamon Infusion - sweet, subtly spicy, warming, comforting... If you have a sweet tooth, skip dessert and brew yourself one of these bad boys. You will not be disappointed. Caffeine-free.

2) Clipper Organic Apple & Elderflower Infusion - I have an apple tree in my garden at home that every autumn yields a bountiful crop of bright green cooking apples, which my mum deftly whips into delicious apple crumbles, pies, cakes & stewed apples. I love the warming, wholesome taste of this tea, which immediately reminds me of home. Caffeine-free.

3) Pukka Organic Vanilla Chai - A good one for tea/chai latte lovers, this one is about the closest you'll get to the comfort and pleasure of a sweet, seasonal, speciality latte without the calories. Caffeine-free.

4) Leaf Champagne Cassis Tea - This tea was a gift from two of my best buds. It's our favourite tea from our favourite tea shop in our home town of Liverpool. If you want to truly indulge yourself, this is the tea to go for. The only loose leaf offering of the bunch, this one is definitely worth the mess. Delicately balanced white tea with cornflower and sweet but punchy black and red currants, this tea is perfect to serve as an alcohol-free option at a celebratory event. If you can't make it to the wonderful Leaf in Liverpool (they also serve deeee-licious food, it is now available online here. Low caffiene.

27 THINGS

Inspired by a multitude of other blogger's posts, I recently I turned 27: here's what I have learnt so far...

1) Everything happens for a reason - stick to this philosophy and you'll always find a silver lining.

2) Accept the things you cannot change or control.

3) Take comfort in music.

4) Take up a hobby - preferably one that involves leaving the house.

5) Buy decent luggage. It will last forever.

6) It's okay to say no thanks.

7) If you want the cake, eat the cake (just don't eat them all).

8) If someone is rude to you, kill them with kindness. There is nothing they will find more infuriating.

9) Let go of negative people. No good can come of that relationship/friendship.

10) Drink more water.

11) Everything will be okay.

12) Good attracts good.

13)  Read more books.

14) Stop comparing yourself with others.

15) You are not your thoughts (the main thing I took from this wonderful book).

16) Be present, i.e. put down that phone/tablet/laptop and simply enjoy the moment.

17) Not everyone will like you.

18) W. Churchill spoke a lot of sense, e.g. my favourite ever quote: "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts."

19) Use things up (still struggling with this one).

20) Always find the lesson.

21) Take chipped nail varnish off immediately. It may be Chanel Le Vernis but it looks cheap as chips (this one goes out to my good friend Sarah).

22) It's okay to go to the cinema/restaurant/coffee shop alone. In fact you may be amazed by how liberating an experience it can be.

23) Don't allow others to rule your emotions.

24) Presently, you may have no other option than to work like a dog, doing a job you hate and being paid miserably for it, but trust me you have no idea how much you'll appreciate how far you've comes years down the line.

25) Be more assertive.

26) No matter how old you are, it's never too late to start something new.

27) "Paris is always a good idea." Audrey Hepburn

GIVE 'EM THE OLD RAZZLE DAZZLE

The transition of summer to autumn is perhaps my favourite time of year. The light changes, the air becomes cool and crisp and as the days become shorter, our thoughts turn to the thick scarves, Aran jumpers, tartan, and leather boots. This shift also applies to our makeup choices, burnished hues of browns, mauves, greens and greys are transitioned back into our daily makeup palettes. We feel we can amp up the drama, with berry-stained lips, smokey eyes or even both.

With this shift comes a craving for some serious makeup wardrobe updates... On a recent birthday shopping trip to Space NK, I purchased the much-hyped and hotly-anticipated NARS Dual Intensity Eyeshadow in the shade 'Dione'. Intended for use either dry for a beautiful sheen, or wet for an intense metallic slick, this eyeshadow truly is nothing like I have in my collection... or so I thought!

A few weeks ago as I was browsing the aisles of Boots, £3 off No7 voucher in tow, I came across their Stay Perfect Eyeshadow in the shade 'Mink.' Usually retailing at £7 for 1.9g of eyeshadow, after swatching, I immediately snapped this baby up for a mere £4. Its gives a beautiful taupe wet look sheen, a look which I simply adore at the moment. When I hastily unboxed my NARS eyeshadow and swatched it, although leaning slightly more gold-toned, I was quite shocked to find that both eyeshadows yielded pretty similar results.

Top: NARS Dual Intensity Eyeshadow in Dione. Bottom: No7 Stay Perfect Eyeshdow in Mink

If you're looking to spoil yourself, the NARS offering truly is a thing of beauty (complete with a very satisfying magnetic closure, and a mirror), although at £21 for 1.5g of product it really should be! I haven't yet tried both eyeshadows wet and perhaps that's where their major difference lies, but used dry I would definitely give the No7 shade a go first, especially if you have a money-saving voucher. Now I just need somewhere to wear them...

BACK IN THE GAME

So I've not been a very consistent or a successful blogger thus far and for that, I apologise. I'm am, however feeling inspired by the change in seasons & I'm ready to get back into the swing of things with some fresh, new ideas. Enjoy the last few moments of summer sunshine and have a wonderful weekend!

Happiness Hotlist #1

Fresh, vivid greens brightening up a walk through the woods in the rain

Vibrant Lupin in a flourishing kitchen garden

An unusual rose on a morning walk

Having a spring clean to White Denim's 'Corsicana Lemonade' and trying to fight off the urge to rock out with the vacuum cleaner

Finding a lemon yellow Kate Spade wallet in the bargain bin at TK Maxx. Words cannot describe

HAPPY SUNDAY!

x