Sunday 31 July 2016

July Books

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


One Bad Turn (DS Coupland #3) by Emma Salisbury* - Emma very kindly gave me an ARC. This is the third book in the series (although it could be read as a stand-alone). I think the series is just getting better and better and I highly recommend.

DS Keving Coupland has just returned from a relaxing family holiday. A woman's body has been found who had suffered a fatal blow the the head. With his partner Alex on maternity leave he's been paired up with DC Ashcroft. Two days later another woman's body is found.

Meanwhile his beloved daughter Amy introduces him to her new boyfriend, an ex-con who he put away for GBH two years before which in turn causes huge tensions at home.  A third body is found and the team discover links to a murder in 1992. A brilliant fast paced read which I couldn't put down. Can't wait for book #4 to find out what happens next!


Dead to Me by Lesley Pearse** - I'm a huge fan of Lesley's books so was delighted when I was approved for an ARC. 

Two very different girls meet on Hampstead Heath and become friends. Verity is well mannered and smartly dressed and Ruby is a grubby urchin but they just seem to click.

Things drastically change for Verity while Ruby seems to land on her feet and find romance. War beckons and things change yet again for Verity. Ruby needs her help and later she thinks Verity has betrayed her. They lose touch but Ruby is there for Verity when she really needs her and their friendship becomes what it was once again. Another brilliant read from the great storyteller Lesley Pearse. Highly recommend.


Beyond the Sea by Melissa Bailey - I simply loved this book. It's one of my favourites this year.

Freya's husband and son vanish at sea while she is away from them for work. A year on she returns to the lighthouse keepers cottage on a remote Hebridean Island where she knew much joy.

Her dreams are dark. In them those close to her warn her of dangers lurking nearby.  She finds her son's diary and retraces his steps to feel closer to him and to try and find closure.

A stranger with secrets comes into her life and she feels unable to trust him. An absolute stunning book with lots of suspense and unease. I loved the characters and storylines too.


Baby by Marie Campbell* - I couldn't put this fast-paced debut novel down! I also loved that it is set in Edinburgh and features a lot of places I know very well. 

Michael Stanton goes to work as normal one day and doesn't come back. His pregnant girlfriend Jill isn't overly worried to begin with as he has often gone out for drinks and not come home until the next day.

When he doesn't return she contacts the police who aren't at all helpful. As time goes on Michael's friends, her friends and sister believes she should move on. Going by her gut feeling Jill doesn't really believe he's a missing person as she knows deep inside he wouldn't have left her and their unborn child.

While looking for clues Jill discovers a secret Michael has been keeping from her. Meanwhile Michael's ex Anna is determined to get her way no matter what...

An absolute roller-coaster of a read which I loved. Thanks to Marie for the ARC.


A drop in the Ocean by Jenni Ogden** - Boston Neuroscientist, Anna Fergusson finds herself at a crossroads when she loses her funding for her Huntington's Disease Research Project. Spurred on by her friend Fran she rents a cabin on Turtle Island, a remote island on Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Here she finds love, makes friends with people from all walks of life, comes into her own when she helps fellow islanders and truly finds out who she really is. A beautiful story which I absolutely loved.

What have you been reading this month?

*copy from the authors
**copy from Netgalley

Monday 25 July 2016

July: Lately I've been Loving

July loves:


My Green Beauty S/S '16 swap with Lynda. I love everything she picked for me. See my initial thoughts HERE. Thanks again to Ria for organising! I'm enjoying trying everything and reviews will follow.



My July's Craft Gin Club box was one of my favourites. Such a delicious gin. See my thoughts HERE. Remember you can get a tenner off your first box with code BEAUTYBALM.


I totally fell head over heels for Kate Logan Beauty Rose Otto Healing Balm. It's up there as one of my all time favourite products. See my review HERE.


Strawberries from the Allotment. Such a simple and delicious pleasure.


My North Berwick mug from Time and Tide which I picked up when visiting the town. It makes me smile.


Cake! From Bostock Bakery in North Berwick - yummy.


My gorgeous starfish mug from Jersey Pottery which I absolutely love. It also holds lots of coffee :)

What have you been loving in July?

Saturday 23 July 2016

Bloom Perfumery: Yearly Sample Pack: July 2016: Continental Roses

My July Bloom Perfumery perfume sample pack has just arrived and this month the theme is Continental Roses. I love rose scents so I'm really looking forward to trying them out. 

"Throughout the ages the humble rose has remained one of the most precious and multifaceted ingredients in perfumery".

Bloom Perfumery have selected for us "six different variations on the idea of a rose".


I've not really had time to test them out properly yet but on first sniff I'm drawn to Bestseller Parfumerie Generale's PG13 Brulure de Rose EdP (£81.50 - 50ml, 1.6ml - £2) which aims to portray the life cycle of a rose: from tight green bud to a full bloom. With notes of Rosewood, Rose, Amber, Musk, Raspberry and Sandalwood.

Next up, again by Parfumerie Generale is PG26 Isparta EdP (£81.50 - 50ml, 1.6ml - £2) which is also a Bloom Perfumery Bestseller. With Red Fruit, Smoke of Agarwood, Patchouli Leaves, Isparta Roses, Benzoin, Tolu Balm and Amber.

Rozy Voile d'extrait by .vero.profumo. (£156 - 50ml, 1.2ml - £10) is exclusive to Bloom Perfumery. The Rose isn't so noticeable in this formulation but it's there complementing the Blackcurrant, Tuberose, Honey, Cassis, Labdanum and Spice notes. (great to try such an expensive perfume too!)

Baruti's Indigo Extrait de Parfum (£80 - 30ml, 1ml - £5) has notes of Amber, Atlas Cedar, Frankincense, Hyacinth, Rose and Sandalwood. "The perfumer  sought to mimic the rose scent of freshly picked damascena roses by using Greek Roses with a Moroccan Rose absolute".

Just Landed: Parfumerie Generale's PG4.1 Le Musc Et La Peau (I can't actually find it online yet) is a blend of 7 musks with notes of Ylang-Ylang, Tonka Bean, Amber, Cedarwood, Rosemary and Vanilla. You can wear this scent alone of layered with any other fragrance.

Phaedon's Cendres de The EdT (£69 - 100ml, 1.6ml - £2) is exclusive and a best seller which has notes of Camphor, Cardamon, Cedar, Musk, Myrrh, Pepper and Rose. 

What do you think of this month's picks?

Friday 22 July 2016

July Empties

I'm not going to use anything else up this month so here's my July empties:


Skin & Tonic Steam Clean 50g - this is an absolute staple for me and one of my favourite products ever. I love it's minty scent and how easily it melts away impurities and daily grime. Have just opened a new one.

Supernatural Beauty Redemption Face Oil 10ml - just love this rose scented oil. See my review HERE. Will buy full size when my stash reduces a bit.

Schmidt's Cedarwood + Juniper Natural Deodorant 75g* - I love this deodorant in the Bergamot + Lime scent best so wouldn't pick this one up again. See my review HERE.


beatitude Luxury Cleansing Bar 100g* - which was gentle enough to use on the face as well as the body. Really enjoyed using this and would buy.

Therapie Himalayan Detox Salts 500g - I'm never without these sleep inducing salts. They just work. Will be buying more for sure.

Clarins Blue Orchid Treatment Oil 2ml - a free sample with purchase which I enjoyed using. Would consider buying full size.

Kiss the Moon Glow After Dark Face Oil 3ml - loved this beautiful facial oil and have since purchased another. Beautiful.

Aromatherapy Associates Deep Relax Bath & Shower Oil 3ml - one of my favourite scents. Sure to buy again.



Juice Beauty Green Apple Nightly Brightening Pads x 1 sample - as this was only one sample pad it was hard to see if the product would be effective or suited my skin.

Paul Mitchell Original Shampoo One sachet -  I used to use this shampoo all the time. Got two uses out of the sachet. Would consider buying full size.

de Mamiel Winter Facial Oil - last year I bought all the seasons which was a real treat. My favourite seasons were Spring and Summer (my real two favourites). This oil was lovely. See my review HERE. I'm tempted to get the seasonal oils next year.

Madara Micellar Water 100ml - my favourite Micellar Water. See my review HERE. I've already opened a new bottle.

Nourish Radiance Firming Facial Oil 15ml* - I simply loved this and when my stash reduces a bit I'll definitely buy. See my review HERE.

What have you been using up this month?

*PR samples

Thursday 21 July 2016

Gallinée La Culture Hydrating Face Cream


I've been testing out Gallinée's La Culture Hydrating Face Cream (30ml - £35)* and like all their products I've tried so far I absolutely love it. See my reviews of the Foaming Facial Cleanser* HERE and the Hand Cream* HERE. The Foaming Facial Cleanser also appeared in my top 6 products for the first half of the year - see HERE (and I must admit the hand cream wasn't far behind!)

The La Culture Hydrating Face Cream* absorbs instantly and leaves the skin feeling comfortable and nourished. It also brightens the complexion while soothing and protecting. It has a slightly spicy scent (a bit like gingerbread) which is due to the high concentration of natural active ingredients. I kind of like it!

With a 98% natural formula which respects the skin's natural pH. It contains a patented Triple Biotic Complex of prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics which help to "support the skin's protective ecosystem".

To use: apply to the face and neck after cleansing AM and PM.

Products are free from parabens, colours, mineral oils, silicone, microbeads, phenoxyethanol and methylisothiazolinone.

*PR sample

Wednesday 20 July 2016

Laura Mercier: Tarte au Citron Eau Gourmande EdT


This scent by Laura Mercier was inspired by a freshly baked lemon tart in a French Patisserie.  It's a blend of Lemon Zest, sugared Citron, Bergamot, Creme Fraiche Meringue, Neroli blossoms, Jasmine petals, Anise flowers, Vanilla, Pastry accord, velvet musk and blond woods.

It's an absolute dreamy gourmand with sherbert lemon sweetness and a slightly tart edge with sugary vanilla and edible cake notes. I absolutely love it!

What's your favourite Laura Mercier scent? (I also love Creme Brulee).

Tuesday 19 July 2016

Shopping My Stash #78


Here's what I've been reaching for this week:

Nuxe Prodigieux le Parfum - I bought this recently from a friend who was having a clear out. I love Nuxe's dry oil so I was keen to try the scent. It's perfect for summer with notes of Orange Blossom, Magnolia and Vanilla.

Avril recently sent me a box of organic goodies* to review and I'm loving the Lipstick Pencils*. I chose 2 and this shade is Rouge Franc. With long lasting colour they are very easy to wear and apply. Love.

Some more Nuxe love! Their Rêve de Mel Lip Moisturising Stick nourishes and cares for the lips.

I've been enjoying using The Hand Made Soap Company's Sweet Orange, Basil & Frankincense Hand Cream* which deeply nourishes the hands. See my review HERE.

Rock Solid by Leighton Denny* which is a base coat and strengthening treatment. I'm a bit of a nail nibbler (but would love gorgeous nails) so I'm on a mission! Fuller review will follow.

What have you been using this week?

*PR samples

Monday 18 July 2016

Aurelia Probiotic Skincare: Aromatic Repair & Brighten Hand Cream

I was recently sent a parcel in the post from Aurelia Probiotic Skincare which contained their new hand cream - Aromatic Repair & Brighten Hand Cream* (£28 - 75ml). I love the pretty packaging along with the hand written note.




This scientifically advanced hand cream helps to diminish pigmentation and nourish and brighten.  It contains Red Algae extract, Cassia Senna, Baobab and Kigelia which soothes, protects, nourishes and firms.

The cream smells glorious and is a real luxe treat. It's scented aromatic blend of Vetiver, Ylang Ylang, Lavender and Patchouli.

To use: Apply to hand as often as needed. It can also be used on elbows, knees and heels (I love a multi-use product!)

Absorbing instantly it leaves the hands feeling deeply moisturised and smelling great! Love.

See my review of Miracle Cleanser and Revitalise and Glow Serum HERE.

What's your favourite products from the range?

*complimentary

Sunday 17 July 2016

Bloom Perfumery: Yearly Sample Pack: April to June Favourites

Here's my final favourites from my first year of the Yearly Sample Pack Subscription and I'm super excited to say I've signed up for another year!

In April I loved them all (apart from one) but I have to say I simply loved Art de Parfum's Sensual Oud (Extrait de Parfum - 50ml - £88). See my thoughts HERE.


May saw me fall for Carner's stunning Costerela EdP (50ml - £85) which has costal notes and summer freshness. See my thoughts HERE.





Finally in June my favourite was Wūlóng Chá by Nishane (Extrait de Parfum - 50ml - £110). See my thoughts HERE.



You can see my favourites for the rest of the year below:


I know I'll definitely buy these perfumes at some point as they just wowed me:


What's your favourite perfumes from Bloom Perfumery?

Saturday 16 July 2016

New In: Bloomtown Botanicals

I discovered gorgeous Bloomtown Botanicals randomly on Twitter. They got in touch with me and sent me a box full of goodies to try and review.

The products are created by Preyanka and Medwin who used to live in Bali. Living there they saw first hand the devastation caused by palm oil cultivation. When they decided to create their own range of products they decided they would be palm oil and chemical free. I love that they give 10% of their profits to environmental and animal rescue charities.

Moving to Cornwall they started creating beautiful products for bath, body and home which are sold ONLINE, at EVENTS and at Not on the High Street.

If you send a clean jar back for recycling you can collect stars which you can build up to receive discount coupons - which is a great idea!

WOW!


The products all look so beautiful - I'm looking forward to trying everything and reporting back! Expect full reviews soon.

Have you tried any products from Bloomtown Botanicals? If so, what's been your favourite?

*complimentary sent for review

Friday 15 July 2016

Alucia Organics: Certified Organic Rosehip Oil

I've been trying out Alucia Organic's Certified Organic Rosehip Oil (£17.95 for 30ml)* which is available at Only Naturals.


Alucia Organics is a family run business which is based in Berkshire and they sell organic oils, organic shea butter, coconut oil and a range of organic essential oils. See HERE. I'd not heard of this brand before now. The oil is made using supercritical C02 extraction whereby C02 gas is pumped through the seeds under pressure which flushes the oil from the seeds.

High in Omegas 3 and 6 the oil regenerates the skin and helps with premature ageing, stretch marks, scar tissue and wrinkles.  It's also useful in treating burns, wounds, sunburn, eczema and acne and is suitable for all skin types.

To use: apply a few drops to clean skin massaging until absorbed.

I've been really impressed with the quality, price and how effective the oil is. Have you used any products from Alucia Organics before?

*complimentary sent for review

Thursday 14 July 2016

Feel Unique Pick 'n' Mix

Feel Unique have just launched a great "pick 'n' mix" sampling service which you can use monthly.  Pay just £3.95 to cover P&P and pick 5 samples - vials, mini tubes and sachet samples (when I ordered you could pick from 600+ samples).  You are also sent a code via email to get £3.95 your next order.

Here's what I picked:


Maison Margiela Replica Flower Market EdT 1.2ml which has notes of Tuberose, Jasmine and Rose. This seems a nice scent but perhaps not one I'd buy full size. I'll enjoy using the sample though.

However, I absolutely adore Miller Harris's Vetiver Insolent EdP 2ml and am saving up for full size bottle. I first tried it via The Perfume Society's Scent of a Man box.

I'm a fan of Aveda's stress-fix range so it was easy to pick their body creme in a 10ml tube. 

A'kin's Lavender & Anthyliss Leave-In Conditioner 10ml sachet is a fantastic product. It's featured a lot on the blog and this one will be going in my travel bag.

My final item is a trip down memory lane. I used to use all the Paul Mitchell range of hair products and their coconut scented Shampoo One (7.4ml sachet) was a firm favourite. 

Which samples did you choose?  Pick yours up HERE.

Wednesday 13 July 2016

MatchBox Candle Subscription: July 2016

The theme for MatchBox Candles Subscription Box* (from £25) for July is "Picnic Box" with things you'd find on a picnic (including the rain!)

Inside is a selection of full size and travel soy wax candles from small UK artisan producers. See more details about the subscriptions HERE.


Inside this month is:



The first one which caught my eye was "Prosecco & Orange" (165g -35-40 hrs burn time) by William & Joseph which smells good enough to eat. I'm looking forward to lighting this one.

Second up is "Rain Water" by Rosy Rosie (travel size tin) which is a best-seller. It has a fresh and clean scent reminiscent of rain water.

Wax & Wicks are based in Yorkshire and included in the box is their "Strawberry" Handmade Soy Candle (180g - 40hrs burn time) which smells of fresh juicy strawberries.

The final candle is presented in a jam jar and the scent is "Fresh Cut Grass" by Elli Candles.



If you are a candle lover this is a great new subscription - exciting new candles in delicious scents. I'm tempted for sure! I'll do an update post once I've had the chance to try them out.

*complimentary sent for review

Tuesday 12 July 2016

Ion8 Ionizing Water Bottle Review & Giveaway - it's over!

I've been testing out the fabulous award winning Ion8 Ionizing Water Bottle* (£12.99 from Amazon) and I can honestly say I love it.



The revolutionary design targets health benefits by ionising you water. Fill and shake a few times to activate.

There is no BPA/Phthalates in the bottle manufacture and the bottle is 100% natural and safe.  The Ion8 band in the middle is impregnated with crystals that ionise the water.

Reported benefits include: staying hydrated throughout the day, production of anti-aging antioxidants and flushing toxins from the body.

The size of the bottle is 550ml, it's leak proof and easy to open, hold and lock. It will keep drinks hot or cold and is dishwasher safe.



It comes in three different colours - orange, pink and purple. I've got a purple one to giveaway to one of my readers - UK Only!

















Good luck!



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday 11 July 2016

Summer Scents


These are the scents I've been reaching for this summer:

Citron Citron by Miller Harris EdP* - I recently won this after being picked at random to win a bottle after a #30plusblogs Twitter chat. This is the perfect summertime scent. See my review HERE.

Diptyque's Philosykos EdT - this scent is always in my stash. The best fig I've ever tried. Takes me back to long hot summers in Greece. Love it.

4160Tuesdays London 1969 EdP - I first tried this from the amazing Advent Calendar and fell in love. A gorgeous citrus with a twist. It has top notes of Lemon, Lemongrass, Grapefruit, Mandarin and Cedar with a heart of Moroccan Cedar, Sandalwood, Incense, Violet and Lavender with base notes of Patchouli, Labdnum and Musk. See my thoughts on the Advent calendar HERE. This is a perfume I'll keep buying as long as Sarah keeps making it!

Light Blue by Dolce & Gabanna EdT - I used to wear this all the time so is my blast from the past perfume! I love its refreshing feel and fruity floral scent. With notes of Citron, Apple, Jasmine, Freesia, Musk and Amber. It's the perfect summer holiday scent.

I've been loving trying out the Vegan perfumes by Eden Perfumes, a family run company based in Brighton. Their perfumes have similar notes to high street perfumes including discontinued ones. My current favourite is No.475 with similar notes to Tom Ford's Neroli Portofino. It really is a very good match.

What makes your summer perfume line-up?

*complimentary

Sunday 10 July 2016

Craft Gin Club: July 2016: Limited Edition Hernö Gin

I know I say it every month... it's my favourite but July's gin is just stunning. This month Craft Gin Club chose a simply amazing award winning Swedish gin and what's more they bottled it especially for club members in a 70cl bottle rather than the standard 50cl.


Hernö Gin is an Organic London Dry Gin 40.5% ABV and has botanicals of Juniper, Coriander seed, Lemon, Lingonberries, Meadowsweet, Black Pepper, Cassia and fresh Vanilla giving it a well rounded juniper and citrus flavour.

Also inside this month is:

The excellent Ginned magazine
A jar of Felix Lingonberry Jam (spread it on your toast or make cocktails with it)
Fever Tree Aromatic Tonic
Swedish Sweeties (yum) Dumle (soft chocolate covered toffees) and Polkagris (stripy mints)

Cheers!


Remember you can get £10 off your first box with code BEAUTYBALM.

Saturday 9 July 2016

Rather Lovely Organic Skincare


I've been testing out two of Rather Lovely's new skincare products*. I recently reviewed some body care and home fragrance HERE.

I love the simple (but pretty) recyclable packaging. You can chose to get the products with or without the pump (buy your first one with the pump and then choose the slightly cheaper version thereafter).

The Organic Facial Cleanser (100ml - £18.50)* is bright orange in colour (from the sea buckthorn pulp) which initially made me smile. Suitable for all skin types this oil based cleanser removes impurities and make up leaving the skin feeling clean and comfortable. It's stuffed full of good things for the skin and is made with 100% organic ingredients.

To use: apply to the skin and massage in circular motions before removing with a warmed muslin cloth. Follow with Love Trees (oily skin) or Love Floral (dry/sensitive) organic Skin Tonics.  You can also leave the cleanser on the skin to deeply cleanse, placing a hot flannel on the skin until it cools, repeat and then remove the excess cleanser.

This is my favourite of the duo and makes cleansing into a lovely ritual.

The Organic Skin Tonics are pure, organic hydrolats which refresh, tone and hydrate. They can also be used on sunburn and for stings, cuts and grazes. I've been trying out Love Trees Organic Skin Tonic (30ml - £7.50)* which is made using pure Witch Hazel hydrolat and is good for oilier skin types.

Have you used any products from Rather Lovely?

*complimentary

Friday 8 July 2016

Shopping My Stash #77

Here's what I've been reaching for lately:


Saach Organics Liquorice and Carrot Seed Day Protection Lotion and Sunscreen SPF15 which is perfect for using just now.  It has a delicious spicy scent. See my review HERE. Huge congratulations must go to Saach Organics who recently won a host of awards over at The Green Parent mag.

I've been testing out Skincere's Day* and Night Creams* and they are perfect for sensitive skin types as the products are free from preservatives, alcohol, wheat, soya, dairy and fragrance free. Very effective with gorgeous packaging. The creams melt easily into the skin leaving it comfortable and nourished.

As you know I'm a huge fan of Skin & Tonic's STEAM CLEAN (which is up there in my 5 favourite products of all time). I'd say their Rose Mist* is a close second! It refreshes and tones the skin and smells of roses. Totally lush. See my review HERE.

I used to love REDKEN's natural detox shampoo which sadly they discontinued. My current favourite if Avalon Organics Clarifying Lemon Shampoo which deeply cleanses the hair without stripping. It's absolutely fantastic (as well as being brilliant value). See my review HERE.

I'm a huge fan of fig scents and my favourite being cult classic Philosykos by Diptyque. Figuier & Osmanthus EdT from L'Occitane was limited edition last summer and is fruity and refreshing. It featured in my summer scents last year (link).

What have you been reaching for lately?

*PR samples