Beauty Lover's Gift Guide

If you're struggling to find presents for someone who loves all things beauty, don't worry because I've compiled a selection of gifts that would be perfect and will fit all price ranges.

Firstly, the Zoella Gingerbread Bath Fizz set, is perfect for those who love a relaxing bath and pamper. With the scent of gingerbread, these bath bombs are perfect for the festive season! Also, they are incredibly affordable being £9 from Superdrug.

Also, for any makeup junkies, the Violet Voss Laura Lee Palette is perfect. With a combination of matte and shimmer shades, almost any eye shadow look can be created. Being such a great quality, the price is obviously higher but, is definitely worth the price. You can purchase this palette from Beauty Bay for £40.

Another affordable gift which would be perfect as a stocking filler, is this Tanya Burr Mrs Claus Manicure. Including a nail file and gorgeous polish, you can buy this for £5 at Superdrug.

I personally love this book, it includes multiple makeup tutorials and more that would be incredibly helpful for someone just starting out with makeup or who watches the authors Pixi Woo on YouTube. When I purchased this book from Asda, it came with a real techniques brush included in the £10 price.

Finally, this is my favourite from the gift guide. From the MAC holiday collection, this set includes three eye shadow pigments and one glitter, all with great pigment. These eye shadows can easily be worn with any makeup look and these are available to purchase from MAC for a reasonable price of £26.

I hope you found this gift guide helpful and that you are enjoying my Beyond Christmas series. Thank you for reading and Merry Christmas!

Favourite Festive Candles

Throughout the colder and Christmas period, I love lighting numerous candles around the house. It not only makes the entire house smell like Christmas but it also makes me feel more relaxed. These are my most loved candles that are burning almost all the time.

Firstly, the Tuscany Candle in the Gingerbread House fragrance smells amazing. Like its name, the candle has a gingerbread scent which reminds of Christmas. Usually, I light this candle in my kitchen because it isn't to heavily scented and makes the room smell as though you've just been baking. I purchased this candle from Clintons.

Next, one of my favourite Christmas candles for a few years now has been Yankee Candle's Snow in Love. It has a creamy and fresh scent, so this is perfect if you aren't a fan of sweet smelling candles. I personally think that this candle can be lit anywhere in the house as it's comforting scent isn't too strong or heavy. This can be bought from Yankee Candle.

One of my favourite bloggers and YouTubers, Zoella, recently brought out a range of candles and room diffusers. This is the second gingerbread scented candle in my favourites and the reason why I love it is because its spicy and warm scent makes my house smell just like Christmas. It has a heavier scent than the Tuscany Candle and so I tend to only light it at night time and in either my bedroom or living room. However, I would definitely recommend using a jar topper (these can be purchased from Yankee Candle) as this candle otherwise can burn rather quickly and the wax can be wasted on the side of the jar. This candle can be bought from Superdrug for only £10.

For years now, I have loved Yankee Candle's Fireside Treats candle. It has a marshmallow and slightly woody scent which is warming and comforting and isn't too heavy or overpowering. You can buy this from the Yankee Candle store.

A new favourite of mine is the Festive Spice Candle from Next. Its fragrance is the classic Christmas spicy scent and I like to burn this in my living room as it is a homely scent that again isn't too overpowering. This candle is also huge and in my opinion it burns really well and steadily, without wax being wasted on the side of the jar.

Lastly, I have been loving the Marks and Spencer Frankincense and Myrrh Mercury Candle. Its scent is warm and slightly spicy and sweet which is unlike any other candle I own. Although I have burned it completely, I will definitely be repurchasing it during the Christmas season. I also bought the potpourri with the same scent which is currently in my room making it the whole room smell festive.

Thank you for reading and stay tuned for a different blog post each day of advent in my Beyond Christmas series.

Autumn and Winter Lush Haul 2016

Before I begin discussing the things I have purchased from Lush, I wanted to tell you that I will be doing a series called Beyond Christmas. I will be posting each day of advent including a range of posts both festive, beauty and lifestyle related.

Each year I look forward to Lush releasing their Autumn and Winter ranges as they consist of some of my all time favourite bath products! So, in tradition I had to make a trip to my local Lush shop to purchase their products.

Bath Bombs:

Monster Ball - This fresh citrus scented fizzer, contains cocoa butter which leaves your skin moisturised and nourished.

Pumpkin - A new addition to Lush's Halloween collection. With a warm and spices scent, this is perfect to make you feel cosy in the cold months.

Northern Lights - Although this jasmine scent is not my favourite, this bath bomb turns your water colours of blue, yellow and purple just like the 'Northern Lights!'

Shoot for the Stars - This sweet honey-scented bomb, contains cocoa butter and coconut cream that leaves your skin feeling silky smooth and conditioned. With sparkling stars and bright blue colours, your bath will lift your mood completely!

So White - One of my all time bath bomb favourites! The freshly Apple-scented bath fizzer now has a green leaf that will add an exciting glint of Christmas to your bath time.

Father Christmas - With the same candy floss scent as the Snow Fairy shower gel, this fizzer has a green surprise centre that makes your whole bath glow!

Mistletoe - A floral and slightly musky scented bath bomb that is new to Lush's Christmas range.

Bubble Bars:

Sparkly Pumpkin - My favourite bubble bar for the colder months! A citrus scent with a hint of spice, this bar leaves your skin soft and glowing. If you aren't a fan of glitter then I would steer away from this one.

The Christmas Penguin - This cute little bar will make you feel uplifted and fresh with its citrus scent.

Candy Mountain - A candy floss scented bar that creates mounds of skin softening bubbles that will send you into a relaxing bliss!

Snowie - New to Lush's Christmas line, Snowie has a floral scent that uplifts and refreshes.

Bath Melts:

Boo - A new one to Lush this year. with a ginger scent, this melt is perfect to make you feel cosy in the cold nights. Containing cocoa butter, this will leave your skin silky smooth and conditioned.

Snow Angel - Another glittery one, so avoid this if you don't want your bath to be left looking like a disco ball! Rich with cocoa butter p, this almond smelling melt is perfect to help you feel relaxed.

I hope you are enjoying Beyond Christmas, make sure to comment below your favourite Lush products for this time of year!

Pumpkin Spice Biscuits Recipe

Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Lattes are everyone's favourite in the Autumn season, so I thought pumpkin spice biscuits would go perfectly with one. These soft biscuits full of spice and warmth are so irresistible you'll be baking another batch before you've finished the first round!

What you'll need:

 For the biscuits-

100g Softened Butter

60g Golden Syrup

150g Light Brown Sugar

250g Plain Flour

1 Egg

1 tsp Mixed Spice

1 tsp Ground Ginger

Half a tsp Bicarbonate of Soda 

2 Baking Sheets Lined with Baking Parchment

For decoration-

500g Icing Sugar

80ml Water

Orange Food Colouring

Green Food Colouring

Begin by preheating your oven to 180 Celsius (350F). Beat together the butter, sugar, syrup and egg in a large bowl. Then mix in the flour, spices and bicarbonate of soda, until it forms a stiff dough. If the dough seems too sticky then add more flour. Now, leave the dough to rest for 30 minutes. Sprinkle a clean surface with plain flour and role out the dough into a large rectangle at about 3mm thick. Cut out as many biscuits as you can using a cookie cutter of whatever shape you like, I used a pumpkin shaped one from Asda. Then arrange them, with slight room in between each one, on the prepared baking sheets. Continue to gather the dough and repeat this step until you have cut out as many biscuits as you can. Place the trays into the heated oven and allow to bake for 8-10 minutes, until firm and golden.

Time to decorate! Split the icing sugar and water into two bowls and mix until smooth. Add the food colouring to each bowl until you reach your desired colour, then place the icing into piping bags. Cover each biscuit with orange icing and allow to set before piping a stem and leaves with the green icing.

 Now you can enjoy your pumpkin spice biscuits whilst cuddling up with a hot drink and blanket on the couch!

Thank you for reading, stay tuned for more posts coming soon.

My Travel Makeup Bag

As I said previously said in my last blog post, I will shortly be going away on holiday to Florida. So I thought I'd share with you the contents of the makeup bag I will be taking with me.

Usually I wear hardly any makeup on holiday but, this time I will be celebrating my birthday and my parents anniversary whilst I'm away so we will be going out for meals where I will want to look fairly formal and dressed up.

               

I take my makeup in a clear toiletry bag so it is easier to find the products I need. This bag comes in a set with a larger and smaller size bag, you can purchase this from Boots.

Firstly I pack in order of what products I put on my face. Starting with primer, I take an oil controlling one and a bronzing one for when I begin to tan. Here is the Benefit Porefessional Matte Rescue Primer and the Smashbox Photo Finish Luminizing Primer that has a bronze tint with a shimmer.

                       

Moving on to foundation, I take my everyday and a darker, full coverage foundation to add to my everyday when my tan begins to develop. This time I'm taking the Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation and the Estée Lauder Double Wear Foundation, both are long wearing and can be used for either a fuller or sheerer coverage.

                        

Similarly to taking a darker foundation to mix with my everyday one as my tan becomes darker, I take my normal concealer that matches my natural skin tone then a darker shade to mix. This is the MAC Pro Long Wear Concealer and the Maybelline Fit Me Concealer.

                       

As a powder, I like to take my favourite which is the Rimmel London Lasting Finish Powder. This controls shine for a longer duration and it also has a mirror and sponge in a compartment below the powder.

                       

When it comes to bronzer, blusher and highlighter, I find it better to take a palette that includes them all, this way it leaves more space. I take a bronzer that can be used as a contouring powder too and by taking a palette with a large mirror it makes traveling a bit easier. I'm taking the Nars Virtual Domination Palette which includes a bronzer, 3 blushers and a highlighter.

                                                                                             

When I want a more dramatic highlight, I love my Sleek Solstice Highlighting Palette. It has 1 cream and 3 powder highlights, which all give a gorgeous glow to the skin.

 Then for eyebrows I find taking a retractable eyebrow pencil saves space rather than taking a powder and having to take an extra brush. Also, I take a brow gel to keep the hairs in place throughout the day. I will be taking the Anastasia Beverley Hills Brow Wiz and the Lancôme Brow Gel.

                                                              

Moving on to eyes, I take an eye shadow palette that has a good range of mattes and shimmers, I stick to neutral shades as they go with everything! Also, I take a pigment and a liquid and pencil liner to add drama to a look. I rarely wear mascara during the day but I will take one for night time. So this time I will be taking- the Urban Decay Gwen Stafani Eye Shadow Palette, MAC Pigment in Melon, Rimmel Scandaleyes pencil and liquid liner both in black, and the Benefit Roller Lash Mascara.

Lastly, for lip products I take 3 lip liners, a pink, nude and red one. Then I take 3 lipsticks- a peach, nude and red. I also take a bright pink and a more brown toned nude and a nude lip gloss. I will be taking the: MAC Lip liner in Soar, Maybelline Lip liner in Sweet Pink and Pleasure Me Red, MAC Creme Sheen Lipstick in Creme Cup, Rimmel Kate Moss Lipstick in 38, Lancôme Lipstick in 132, Nyx Soft Matte Lip Cream in Abu Dhabi and Istanbul, and lastly the Tanya Burr Lip Gloss in Lunch Date.

                

                                                                                   

Holiday Packing Tips

Soon, I am going on holiday to Florida so I thought I would share my most helpful packing tips and tricks with you all.

Firstly, I always find it easier to travel with a suitcase that stands out as it makes it so much easier to find your luggage on the luggage carousel. I have the IT Hard Shell Cow Print Suitcase. Considering cows are my favourite animals, I thought this suitcase was perfect for me as it also is quite unique and bold!

                       

Then to ensure that I don't forget anything when packing, I always make a checklist including everything from clothing, toiletries and electronics. Also, I include how many of each clothing items I need, remember always take extra socks and knickers (you never know what will happen!)

                              

Before you actually start packing your clothes, you want to lay out outfits. Usually, I stick to packing casual dresses or play suits for the day time as they take up less space in your luggage and are an outfit in one. Another good tip is to pack 4 tops to every pair of shorts, trousers or skirt.

When you begin to pack your clothes into your suitcase, rolling your clothes allows more packing space and your clothes won't get creased either. 

                                         

Also, I pack my underwear in ziplock bags because when you are at your destination they allow you to section your dirty clothes from your clean ones.

If you didn't know your luggage is usually thrown around quite recklessly at airports so to prevent your valuables like fragrances from shattering, wedge them between your clothes for protection and padding.

                         

With the air pressure in planes your liquid toiletries can burst or leak so to prevent that cover the bottle with cling film then screw the cap on.

                         

Makeup compacts can break too with the air pressure and by putting cotton pads in the compact it stops them from shattering.

   

I hope you found this post helpful and as always please comment below with feedback or any suggestions.

My Top 5 Favourite Face Masks

Once a week I like to treat myself to a face mask. Here are my 5 favourite ones I wish to share with you.

For when my skin is breaking out I use the Montagne Jeunesse Tea Tree Face Mask to combat my spots or blemishes. It is a cloth infused with spearmint, tea tree and bearberry which leaves your skin energised, revived and clean. The tea tree treats blemishes, whilst the spearmint refreshes and calms the skin. Lastly, bearberry naturally brightens, exfoliates and prevents fine lines and wrinkles.
This mask can easily be purchased from many supermarkets (Asda, Sainsburys etc.) or Boots at an extremely affordable price.

Similarly I enjoy using the Lush Mask Of Magnaminity when I have a few spots or my skin feels congested. It includes honey - a natural moisturiser, cleanser and antiseptic -  peppermint oil, to stimulate the skin, primrose and aduki seeds which gently exfoliate the skin. This mask also comes in a self preserving formula and can be purchased at your local Lush shop or ordered online.

At a more high end price I love the Clarins Pure and Radiant Mask to soothe, deep cleanse and comfort my sensitive and combination skin. With its pink clay it helps to thoroughly cleanse skin and refine pores. Perfect for oily or combination skin, it leaves skin appearing matte and fresh. Available to buy online or at Debenhams and Boots.

When my skin is dehydrated or dry, I always use the Clarins Hydroquench Cream Mask which simply boosts moisture, radiance and comfort. Again, Clarins products can be bought online or at Debenham or Boots in the UK.

Lastly, as a great exfoliator and  purifying mask, the Manuka Docotor ApiClear Purifing Facial Peel Mask works wonders to remove impurities (like blackheads) from pores, leaving your skin looking air brushed! It plumps, softens and exfoliates skin with its naturally antibacterial, antiflamitory and soothing manuka honey and purified bee venom. Although that sounds incredibly dangerous it really isn't, as it has similar properties to the honey and is proven to encourage naturally occurring cell regeneration, boost collagen formation, prevent sun damage and accelerate the recovery of damaged skin cells. Manuka Doctor products can be purchased from Superdrug, Feel Unique and their own website.

I hope you found this post useful, please comment below any feedback or product recommendations and follow for more Beyond Beauty posts.