May Books

Here's what I've been reading in May:

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Play Dead by Angela Marsons (DI Kim Stone - Book 4)* - Stone and her team are at Westerley Research Facility on a visit when they find a "fresh" body of a young woman among the dead inhabitants at the "body farm". A second girl is attacked and left for dead. She too has soil in her mouth and appears to be drugged. Nosy and annoying newspaper reporter Tracy Frost goes missing and the race is on to find her...A fast paced story with lots of twists and turns. Highly recommend.

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The Last Days of Summer by Vanessa Ronan* - Lizzie's brother has done his time for a horrific crime and is now coming back to the family home in a small prairie town to live with her and her two daughters.

Teenager Katie finds her uncle creepy and wants nothing to do with him while 11 year old Joanne is curious and keen to be-friend her uncle.

While not looking for trouble it duly arrives at Jasper's door with ugly consequences and typical small town prejudices. I found the characters interesting as well as most of the storylines although I found it hard to read in places. Would like to read more by this author and likely to pick up future novels.

Last Dance in Havana by Rosanna Ley** - huge fan of Rosanna's books and this one was un-put-downable. See my review HERE. Also please enter my world wide giveaway to win a copy which ends today.

Baby Doll by Hollie Overton*** - Lily has been held captive in a windowless basement room for 8 years when at 16 she was abducted by someone she knew and trusted.  She's suffered but she's also loved - she's got a little daughter called Sky who is her world.

One day her captor forgets to lock her in and they escape finding out they've been held close to home. They make it to safety but so many things have changed since she's been away..

Her boyfriend is now in love with her twin sister who has suffered deeply since Lily's been gone. Can things ever go back to how they were?  A fast paced story which I couldn't put down.

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The Girl who Lied by Sue Fortin**** - Erin and Roisin were friends at school until a fatal accident which killed Niall, Roisin's brother and Erin's boyfriend. Erin leaves Ireland thinking she'll never return.

She comes back to visit her father after he is injured and in a coma in hospital. She finds it good to be back among family despite the circumstances to her visit. She becomes friendly with Kerry, a local mechanic who called the ambulance after her dad's fall.

Roisin is determined to make Erin pay for something which happened in the past...A fast paced and exciting story which I couldn't put down. Highly recommend.

*copy from Netgalley

**copy from the Publisher

***copy from Love Reading

****copy from the author

May Empties

I think this must be the smallest amount of empties yet. But included are some definite re-purchases.

Bee Good Honey & Crambe Daily Hand Cream 50ml* - really lovely to use and I'd buy it once the hand cream stash reduces a bit.

Beatitude Joy Body Oil 100ml* - I love this luxe citrus scented oil. See my review HERE. Just cracked open a new bottle (I'm going to wash out this bottle and use it as a reed diffuser).

Botanicals Indulgence Aromatic Body Oil 50ml - lovely to use and a real luxe treat. Again, when my body oils stash reduces a bit I'll pick it up.

L'Occitane Roses et Reines Hand & Nail Cream 10ml - a rich cream scented with roses. Would buy again.

Fair Squared Vanilla Shower Gel 10ml* - this is a great little try me size/for weekends away. See my review HERE. It's one I'd pick up full size.

Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist 15ml - again one of these products I buy periodically. See my review HERE.

Isle of Harris Distillery Rose & Honeysuckle Hand Cream by Amanda Saurin Apothecary 30g* - absolutely loved this and will buy once my hand cream stash reduces a bit. See my review HERE.

Aromatherapy Associates Inner Strength Bath & Shower Oil 7.5ml - this is my favourite Aromatherapy Associates scent. See my review HERE.

Clarins Booster samples (0.8ml) in Repair, Detox and Energy - liked Detox and Energy so would maybe buy.

John Masters Organics Honey & Hibiscus Hair Reconstructor 10ml - used this loads of times before. Makes the hair shiny and healthy looking. Will no doubt buy again.

Corinne Taylor Recharge Himalayan Bath Salts with Sweet Orange, Grapefruit and Ylang Ylang to uplift and Revive 70g single use sachet - these were gorgeous. I'll definitely buy these again. See the products available HERE.

Skyn Iceland Pure cloud Cream 1.7g sample - absolutely loved this lightweight nourishing cream. Will definitely think about buying full size at some point.

RMS Beauty The Ultimate Make Up Remover Wipe - This oily wipe is great for removing make up (although maybe a tiny bit small). Will still buy at some point as they'd be great for holidays.

MAULI Rituals Himalayan Healing Salts 60g - these are made for MAULI by Michelle Roques O'Neill of Therapie. Love these.

Kneipp Pure Bliss Mineral Bath Salts 60g single use sachet - lovely. Will buy full size soon.

Green People Quinoa & Artichoke Shampoo sachet - nice to use would maybe buy.

Jo Malone Nectarine Blossom & Honey Body Creme 7ml - loved this beautifully scented rich cream. One for the wishlist!

Neom Daily De-Stress Burst Capsule single use - lovely and would consider buying.

Bjork & Berries Dark Rain Body Lotion 5ml sachet - gorgeous! Will definitely look closer at this lovely range which is available to buy at Cult Beauty.

What have you been using up this month?

*PR samples

The Scent of a Man Discovery Box

The Perfume Society's latest box is entitled "The Scent of a Man" and contains scent samples and skincare goodies from Elemis and Penhaligon. Costing £15 plus P&P for subscribers and £19 plus P&P for non-subscribers.

It really is a fabulous box (for men) (which I bought it because I was keen to try Miller Harris's Latest launch) which I now can't wait to buy and I'm already a HUGE fan of Beaufort London's Coeur de Noir (mini review). 

It would be the perfect gift for Father's Day (19 June).  I'll be sharing some bits with hubby:

And probably some of the other scents too:

Do you think this is something you'd buy for your dad or as a present for your boyfriend or husband?

ABW: A Beautiful Box: S/S '16 Sampler

As ever the S/S box from a beautiful world sold out in record time. Mine arrived yesterday. (It costs £20 plus P&P). I added a Schmidt's deodorant to my order which I wanted and it meant I didn't need to pay P&P (P&P is free on orders over £30).

So what's inside:

The first thing that jumped out at me was new to me brand Skinnamon and inside is a single use pouch of Renew Body Scrub with Orange Sea Salt + Himalayan Apricot. The range comes all the way from NYC and I'm looking forward to trying this out.

Next I was delighted to see Josh Rosebrook's Hydrating Accelerator 60ml (and worth £19.95!) I've been wanting to try this for a while. Expect a full review soon.

I'm a huge, huge fan of Skin & Tonic and their STEAM CLEAN is always in my stash. So this is a very welcome addition to the box. This is a 15g travel/try me size pot and worth £11.

Also from Skin & Tonic is their Naked Lip Balm which is full size and worth £3.50. I've tried their Peppermint one before and loved it.

From YTTP there is a small pot of their Kale + Spinach, Green Tea, Hyaluronic Acid Age Prevention Moisture Cream which I can't wait to try. I absolutely love the cleanser and serum from the range (review).

The final beauty item is a 15ml shaker pot of Yarok's Feed Your Style Dry Shampoo which I'm happy to see in the box as I've not yet found the "perfect" one.

We are also treated to a cute Esmie mini notebook (the brand is yet to launch at ABW) and a code for 10% off a future purchase.

See my review of the Schmidt's deodorants HERE. The one I picked up is in my favourite scent.

Did you pick up a box? What are your thoughts as to the contents?

May: Lately I've been Loving

My May loves..

I picked up this bottle of Edward's Cordial at our local Earthy Foods & Goods Store and it's absolutely bursting with the taste of juicy fresh strawberries with a hint of mint. Perfect served with fizzy water or wine!

These Leafy air dried kale crisps are SO delicious. I first tried them in May's Limited Edition Luxury LifeBox (review). I adored the Luxury LifeBox too (link).

Hubby treated me to this stunning piece of artwork created by Lynn Howarth using pastels. It's called "Under a Portobello Sunset" and was bought at The Velvet Easel Gallery. Just know it's going to bring me years and years of pleasure. I just love it.

Charlotte Tilbury's Instant Look in a Palette became mine this month and I love it. So pretty and easy to create the look!

My friends Magi and Derek gave me this lovely Alfie mug. I've known their cat since he was a teeny tiny kitten and it makes me smile every time I use it.

My extra special 4160Tuesdays The Buddhawood Box EdP 30ml arrived unexpectedly this month. It's such a beautiful scent. See my initial thoughts on The Mysteries of the Materials: Four Scented Stories HERE.

Bodhi & Birch Botanical Dew Hand & Body Wash which is their latest launch. See my review HERE.

What have you been loving this month?

Bodhi & Birch: Botanic Dew Hand & Body Wash

You'll know I'm a huge Bodhi & Birch fan so was very happy to spot on Twitter their latest launch - the very gorgeous Botanical Dew Hand & Body Wash (200ml - £16) which is simply summer in a bottle.  I love how you receive a free deluxe sample with purchase. This time its my favourite Lime Blossom Protecting Hand Serum (5ml) Review

You can use the wash on both hands and body (love a multi-use product). The wash contains a purifying botanical infusion of flower essences, fruit oils and anti-bacterial herbal extracts. It's a blend of 19 essential oils which refresh and uplift both the senses and the spirit.

It's an absolutely delight and lovely to use. It awakens and soothes while it cleanses and contains active botanicals of - Peppermint which helps with mental exhaustion, Palmarosa balances and purifies, Bulgarian Damask Rose Otto nourishes and regenerates (and smells gorgeous), Bourbon Geranium improves skin tone and is anti-ageing, Frankincense revives and rejuvenates while Lactic Acid helps with ageing. 

It's another winner in my book!  Have you tried it? What's your favourite Bodhi & Birch product?

Book Review & Giveaway: Last Dance in Havana by Rosanna Ley - it's over!

I've got a lovely giveaway for you! You can win a copy of the fab "Last Dance in Havana" by Rosanna Ley which was published this month. I received a copy* for review and you can see my thoughts below.

I'm a huge fan of Rosanna's books. This one would make perfect summer holiday reading.

The story goes from Cuba in 1958 to Bristol in 2012 and is absolutely un-put-downable.

Sixteen year old Eliza meets Duardo in a club in downtown Havana where they dance the rumba and Eliza falls head over heels in love.

Grace has a difficult relationship with her father who she blames for her mother's death. Her husband is desperate for them to start a family but Grace is just not sure. She is very friendly with Theo, her husband's friend, a Cuban born magician. 

The descriptions and feelings are so real with evocative and entwined storylines with believable characters (I especially liked Eliza). Will Eliza ever be truly happy and in love again and will Grace find out the truth about her mother and be able to truly move on..

One of my readers can win their very own copy - the giveaway is open world wide. Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Thanks to Quercus Books for my copy of the book plus one for my giveaway

OH! Organic Head Organic & Botanical Haircare: Everyday Shampoo & Conditioner

I first tried OH! Organic Head way back in November 2013. My friend Julie spotted it in her local Morrisons Supermarket and picked up a selection for me. See my review HERE.

I was recently sent the brand's Everyday Shampoo (£6 - 250ml)* and Everyday Conditioner (£6 - 250ml)* which are both fantastic - effective. great value for money and smell gorgeous.

The shampoo gently cleanses the hair (and it's suitable for coloured hair - which is always a bonus) and is stuffed full of good things - aloe vera nourishes while organic orange oil soothes. Both the shampoo and conditioner feature a Mediterranean blend of olive leaf, lemon, vine leaf, thyme and fennel extracts. The conditioner is lightweight and easily detangles and conditions eliminating frizz and leaving the hair shiny.

To use: wet hair, massage a small amount of shampoo onto the hair before rinsing (repeat if necessary). For best results use with the matching conditioner.

I also received the Detox Masque (150ml - £6)* which I'd used before and loved (review).  This product is Daniel Galvin Jr's "Hair Hero".

Pick yours up online direct or at Ocado.

*PR samples

Miller Harris: Citron Citron EdP

I recently took part in #30PlusBlogs (http://wearethirtyplus.com/) Twitter chat (@WeAreThirtyPlus) with Miller Harris and was lucky enough to be one of ten chosen at random to win a bottle of Miller Harris perfume - such a treat!

I'm already a huge fan of the brand having recently tried their Rose Silence EdP (review) and various sample vials over the years.

We were sent a bottle of Citron Citron EdP* 100ml which is the perfect scent for Spring and Summer. A juicy citrus with a touch of herbs and a base of green moss along with woods and spicy notes. It really is lovely.

It has top notes of Sicilian Lemons, Seville Oranges and Jamaican Limes with a heart of Mint, Egyptian Basil, Marjoram and Thyme abs from France. The base notes are green moss, Maroc Cedarwood and Cardamon from Guatemala.

I'm currently wearing this a lot and was thrilled to win such an amazing prize (and 100ml size too!) 

What's your favourite Miller Harris scent?

*Twitter prize

Bloom Perfumery: Yearly Sample Pack: May 2016

I can't believe this is my second last month of my subscription! I've loved receiving beautiful perfumes every month. This month is "Sea, Sand and Sun Lotion" and the picks are gorgeous!

My eye was first drawn to CARNER'S Costarela EdP (which is new in) (50ml - £85, 1.6ml - £2) which captures a coastal Mediterranean breeze and has top notes of Bergamot and Saffron, a heart of hot sand accord and sea spray accord with base notes of Ambrozan and Virginia cedar. Love.

Next up is Art de Parfum's Sea Foam Extrait de Parfum (50ml - £88, 1ml - £5) which smells of the ocean, salty and foamy as it breaks onto the shore. With notes of Bergamot, Frankincense, Haiti Vetiver, Lemon, Sandalwood, Eucalyptus, Guaiac Wood, Laurel, Patchouli and Seaweed.

Absolutely loving Parfumerie Generale's Bois Naufrage EdP (50ml - £81.50, 1.6ml £2) which has top notes of carob tree (Egyptian Fig), a heart of salt and a base of Ambergris and Vetiver. Bestselling Paris Seychelles EdP (50ml - £80, 1.6ml - £2) is a white floral blend (lush) with notes of Black Pepper, Galbanum, Lily, Petitgrain, Coconut milk, Ginger, Monoi Oil and Plumeria.

NEW IN: Neon Graffiti by Jazmin Sarai EdP (50ml - £72, 1.6ml - £2) has notes of Ambroxan, Cardamon, Grapefruit, Jasmine, Mint, Sunflower, Bergamot, Frankincense, Ivy and Mimosa and is fresh, floral and fruity.

The final one this month is Best Selling: Eau de Protection by Etat Libre d'Orange EdP (50ml - £70) with a salty note wrapped up in the ginger and rose heart. With notes of Benzoin, Black Pepper, Cocoa, Frankincense, Patchouli, Bergamot, Bulgarian Rose, Ginger, Jasmine and Salt.

What are your thoughts as to May's selection?

Content Beauty & Wellbeing: Beauty Wishlist #1

I'm always seeing beauty products I want so I've decided to start a new series. Here's some of my current wishlist items all from Content Beauty & Wellbeing which is situated in Marylebone, London (and one of my favourite shops to visit).

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Less is More Rose Serum (30ml - £26) - I've had my eye on this for a while. A serum which repairs and moisturises the hair, is great for dry, brittle and frizzy hair and treats scalp problems. It sounds like it would smell gorgeous! With Rose Damascea and Sicilian Tangerine.

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de Mamiel Salvation Body Oil (200ml - £75) - I have had the pleasure of trying this lovely body oil before as a 30ml sample size. I'd just like a full size bottle in my stash! Rich and luxe it's scented with Ylang Ylang, Rosewood and Jasmine and deeply nourishes the skin while relaxing and calming the mind.

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Kypris Beauty Elixir I 1000 Roses (47ml - £189) - again, I've tried a sample of this (link) and it's a must have for any rose lover. Simply lush.

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Sweet Virtues Chocolate Nut Butter (170g - £5.95) - having just found out I love Sweet Virtues chocolates I'm kind of sure I'd love this! Rich in vitamins and super food ingredients it contains raw cacao, chia seeds, coconut nectar, ginseng and almonds.

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Skin & Tonic COCO MASK (50g - £22) - I'm a huge fan of the minty STEAM CLEAN cleansing balm (and everything else I've tried from the brand). This powdered mask can be mixed with water, raw honey and yoghurt for a hydrating mask.

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Lina Hanson Satori Perfume Oil (8ml - £75) - a scent which awakens the senses. It contains vanilla, sandalwood, Japanese yuzu and ginger. Sounds so lush!

What's on your wishlist?

PHB Ethical Beauty

I'm unsure why I've only just tried this amazing brand. It could be I overlooked it as the packaging is rather plain - I'm just not sure but I definitely want to try more!

PHB Ethical Beauty (Pure. Handmade. British) was founded by British Entrepreneur, Rose Brown. The business is family run and products are hand made in the UK. I love companies that give back - PHB give 20% of net profits to charity to help improve the lives of people and animals in the UK.

100% naturally derived ingredients and many ingredients used are certified organic. Products contain no alcohol, SLS, PEGs, Petrochemicals, Palm Oil, Formaldehyde, DEA, TEA, Phthalates or synthetic fragrances. Packaging is eco-friendly and recyclable.

Hair Conditioning Mask with Monoi de Tahiti (100ml - £14.50) nourishes and conditions as well as smelling amazing! Use on out of condition, dry, damaged, coloured and dull hair. Organic Oat Complex restores, repairs and hair is left super shiny, soft and healthy. 

To use: 

For Fine hair: massage into wet hair, leave 3-5 minutes before shampooing

Normal/Dry hair: use as post-shampoo treatment, leave on for 15 minutes before rinsing. Can also be left on overnight for dry/damaged hair.

The second item I bought is Anti-Ageing Moisturiser with Monoi Oil & Gardenia (50ml - £18.95) which is honestly one of the nicest moisturisers I've ever used. It smells simply divine and absorbs instantly onto the skin leaving it feeling comfortable and moisturised.

To use: apply in circular motions to the face and neck.

I've been really impressed with these products both quality, value and how effective they are. Pick yours up HERE or HERE.

What are your favourite products from the brand?

Angela Langford Skincare: Bloom & Glow Radiance Restoring Face Oil

I've been trying out Angela Langford's Bloom & Glow Restoring Face Oil (15ml - £20.50)* which is packed full of good things for the skin including chia seeds and Sea Buckthorn which deliver potent levels of essential fatty acids, vitamins and antioxidants to the skin.

Angela says "Perfect for skin that is sensitive, easily inflamed or generally out of kilter. This is your recipe for gorgeous, glowing, radiant skin".

Vitamin E repairs and protects, Q10 regenerates, Evening Primrose helps to retain moisture, Chia seed and Rosehip heal and repair, Jojoba balances while Bisabolol calms and is an anti-inflammatory, Sea Buckthorn and Neroli repairs and is anti-ageing and Rose Geranium balances and is uplifting.

Suitable for all skin types the oil can be used AM and PM. I've found my skin loves this nutritious oil which leaves the skin cared for and glowy (and is reasonably priced too!)

To use: massage a few drops onto clean skin using upward strokes. Use alone or after serum. You can also add a few drops to your moisturiser.

Vegetarian and Vegan friendly (and good enough to eat!) Angela also included a healthy recipe to feed the skin (roasted chia seeds & aubergines) which I think is a nice extra touch.

*PR sample

My Antipodes Collection

I'm slowly but surely building up my Antipodes collection having started with their Divine Oil which I first received in that amazing Selfridges Beauty Box that sent the whole beauty world crazy (link). The Deliverance Hand Cream is a new add! 

Vanilla Pod Hydrating Day Cream (60ml - £25.99) - I first tried this in a mini duo with the Divine Oil - see my review here. Simply gorgeous. Know it will be a re-purchase.

Delight Hand & Body Cream (120ml - £28.99) - I took ages to source this one. See my review HERE. Absolutely love it.

Deliverance Kowhai Flower Hand Cream (75ml - £15.99) - this is a recent buy. A rich and delicious orange scented hand cream which deeply nourishes and nurtures the hands and nails.

Avocado Pear Nourishing Night Cream (15ml) - which came in a mini anti-ageing set with the Joyous Protein-Rich Night Replenish Serum (10ml) (£13.99) - a real luxe trial size set which is a delight to use. Joyous deeply nourishes the skin and has a berry scent while the night cream nourishes, restores and uplifts.

Heavenly Body Oil (100ml - £24.99) - absorbs instantly and is scented with Ylang Ylang, Lavender, Rosewood and Jasmine. It rejuvenates and deeply nourishes the skin and is also heavenly for massage.

What's your favourite Antipodes product and what should I try next?

Atelier Cologne: Vanille Insensée

I first tried Atelier Cologne's Vanille Insensée in Liberty when visiting London. I then picked up a sample at Roullier White (link). The brand was created by Sylvie Ganter and Christophe Cervasel in 2009. They opened their first store in Nolita in NYC in 2011 which was closely followed by a Parisian Atelier in 2012. In 2013 more stores appeared in Brooklyn and Paris.

This little set was a spur of the moment buy...inside is a 30ml bottle of cologne with a hot pink leather case (this is refillable), a set of four postcards with sample vials (Orange Sanguine, Grand Neroli, Bois Blonds and Ambre Nue).  There also is a 200gr bar of soap.

It is a really stunning scent with top notes of coriander and lime, a heart of jasmine, vetiver and oakmoss with a base of vanilla, oakwood and amber. It's the perfect scent to wear anytime day or night.

Sample vials (my favourites are zesty Orange Sanguine and lush Grand Neroli).

Grand Neroli: with top notes of neroli, bergamot and petigrain, a heart of galbanum, oakmoss and birch leaves with a base of musk, cedarwood and vanilla.

Orange Sanguine: with top notes of blood orange, bitter orange and red mandarin, a heart of jasmine, geranium and black pepper with a base of tonka, sandalwood and cedarwood.

Bois Blonds: has top notes of neroli, bergamot and petigrain, a heart of obloss, pink pepper and incense with a base of blond woods, musk and verivert.

Ambre Nue: has top notes of green mandarin, bergamot and tajetes with a heart of orchid, cinnamon and benzoin with base notes of cistus, labdanum, amber and tonka.

Thanks also to Mandy for the pefume vials which are a great try-me selection. See my thoughts of the Heeley scents HERE.

What's your favourite Atelier Cologne scent?

Gallinée La Culture Foaming Facial Cleanser

I've been trying La Culture Foaming Facial Cleanser (120ml - £14)* from new to me brand Gallinée, a French company set up by Marie Drago, a doctor in a pharmacy who has over fifteen years experience working for successful and innovative skincare brands. The brand launched after a Kickstarter campaign and won a prestigious Beauty Shortlist Award this year.

After personally following a prebiotic and probiotic diet Marie decided to apply the same science to skincare and used her scientific expertise to create a patented complex formula of prebiotics, probiotics and lactic acid to nourish and support the skin's good bacteria.  I've been really impressed with this lovely citrus scented foamy cleanser which cleans, refreshes, removes impurities and leaves the skin looking radiant (it's one of my favourite products this year!)

Products are free from colourants, SLS, parabens, mineral oils, silicones, phenoxyethanol and methylisothiazolinone.

To use: massage the foam onto wet skin before rinsing.

See the full range HERE.

*PR sample