Valentine's Gifts for Her

Although I am under no illusion that many men frequent this blog (if you are one then please identify yourself!) nevertheless I thought it would be fun to create a little Valentine's gift guide for girls. Most boys need a little nudge in the right direction... ;)

Dior Garden Clutch Palette (£55) - What could be more romantic than this beautiful Dior palette with three sumptuous eyeshadows and two pretty lip glosses? The packaging is absolutely adorable and luxurious - absolutely perfect for Valentine's day!

Spineless Classics Full Text Novel Posters (from £14.99) - Her favourite book can come to life in these amazing prints. Whether you go for romance with Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet or Mary Shelley's Frankinstein, I am sure she would appreciate such a thoughtful and original gift.

Folli Follie Bonding Ring box set (£110) - You can never go wrong with something sparkly! Every girl loves a little variety, so now is the perfect time to invest in a beautiful rose gold or silver set of four stacking rings. Each one can be worn alone, or combined to create some serious bling.

 

Joe & Seph's Gourmet Popcorn (from £4) -  Instead of queuing up in Thornton's or Godiva to purchase the usual box of chocolates, why not treat her to a delicious bag of handmade popcorn from Joe & Seph's. They have an amazing selection of flavours from salty caramel (my favourite) to a special Valentine's day concoction that combines rich Belgian white chocolate infused with caramel with a fruit cocktail of pure strawberry. Yumm!!!

Ted Baker ROCKSY purse (£55) - This cute patent leather purse with a heart detail clasp would fit into any girl's bag and with space for six cards and two note sections it's also small enough for a night out, or romantic meal out... whether or not she is paying ;p.

Beauty Box Subscription - The gift that keeps on giving with a beautifully presented box of cosmetic treats arriving on her doorstep every month. There are so many to choose from, but my favourites are:

• GlossyBox (Valentine's 50% off code: AFF50GLOSSYBOX) - £10 per month here.
•  Jolie Box/ Boudoir Prive - £10 per month here.
• Amarya Beauty Box (natural & organic products) - £10 per month here.

Nail Wraps from Myleene Klass (from £5.99) - I love these cute little nail wraps with the perfect heart shaped design. Each pack comes with 24 stickers, enough to cover both hands and feet, plus a handy (see what I did there?) nail file.

More Than Words... (from £75). Personalised gifts are always extra special, but can be a little tricky to source or make. This website creates beautiful artwork to your precise specifications. Tell your special someone one what you love about them, or create art featuring memories you share.

ClaireaBella Canvas Bags (from £14.99) - These have been popping up in the hands of celebrities everywhere. Although the canvas bag itself is perhaps not the most exciting accessory the cute designs and individual details, such as the name and bespoke cartoon, make it absolutely adorable!

Mulberry Alexa (from £650) - If you are looking to really spoil her you would struggle to do better than a classic Mulberry Alexa bag. I am absolutely in love with the new Silky Snake Print in playful pebbled beige, or the smart nightshade blue. 

What are you hoping to receive this Valentine's Day? Will you be treating yourself or a loved one to something special? xxx

Valentine's GlossyBox

 The January 2012 GlossyBox - Special Valentine's day edition!

For more information about Glossybox and to subscribe for £10 per month please visit their website here.  You can also receive 50% OFF the Valentines GLOSSYBOX with the code: AFFGLOSSY50OFF

To enter the GlossyBox Valentine's day competition for your chance to win a trip to Paris for 2 visit their facebook page here!

Have you tried GlossyBox? What do you think of the boxes you have received? Will you be subscribing to any beauty boxes this year? what are your favourites? What products would you like to see included in these boxes? xxx

*I am a GlossyBox ambassador, so this box was sent to for review consideration. I was not paid for this video, or to promote GlossyBox. *

Dr Lipp Balm

Dr.Lipp balm is 100% natural, tasteless and odourless, which makes it extremely versatile. It can be used to moisturise any dry areas, soothe rashes, calluses, eczema, scars, sunburn and especially dry lips! 

Dr. Lipp’s original balm was historically used by nursing mothers to soothe their sensitive nipples, hence the rather alternative name -nipple balm for lips!

 So what is this miracle balm made of? The answer lies in sheep!

The oils and waxes sheep naturally produce to protect their fleece are scientifically known to be the most similar to oils also produced by human skin. Dr.Lipp’s formula is made from these same natural oils and waxes processed and purified to a Medical Grade standard of purity and cleanliness, removing all environmental polutants. The formula is so pure it is termed Medical Grade Lanolin, which makes it suitable for pharmaceutical use.

The balm itself has quite a thick consistency, but quickly softens on contact. It strongly reminds me of Elizabeth Arden's 8 hour cream, but without any distinctive scent. Once applied it is colourless, but leaves a gorgeous shine, so it can be used as a light, moisturising gloss over your favourite lip colour!

For more information on this amazing balm you can visit the Dr Lipp website here. You can also purchase the balm for £11 on the Zuneta website here.

Have you tried Dr Lipp balm? What are your favourite moisturising products? xxx

Jimmy Choo Eau de Parfum

Recently I have been really getting into perfumes and Jimmy Choo's self-titled fragrance has been top of my list. So when I spotted it while browsing in duty free I decided to treat myself to a gorgeous little bottle. 

The Jimmy Choo fragrance is described as floral and fruity with a green top note followed by heart notes of rich tea rose and exotic tiger orchid finishing with base notes of cedar wood. It is girly and feminine, without being overly sweet and develops well on the skin. I am absolutely in love with this fragrance and foresee myself making my way through the bottle all too quickly! Although I wouldn't say it is particularly unique, it fits well within my collection (Miss Dior Cherie, Juicy Couture, Michael Kors Hollywood and V&R Flowerbomb) and is definitely one of my every day favourites.

Jimmy Choo eau de toilette starts at £33.50 for 40ml, while the eau de parfum starts at £38.50 for 40ml.

Have you tried Jimmy Choo's fragrance? What are your thoughts on it? xxx

I can do it like a brother, do it like a duuuude

One of my most requested celebrity inspired tutorials is to recreate Jessie J's signature makeup. I absolutely love her music, attitude and her individuality. I love the way she experiments with her makeup, style, hair... and even though a large proportion of it is not to my personal taste, I appreciate the artistic qualities and, of course, the fun factor!

For this Jessie J  look I decided to go super dramatic pairing a Swarovski crystal enhanced black smokey eye with a vibrant orange lip.

My main inspiration came from:

If you want to see how I created this look please check out the video below:


Products used:
Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet +
Pure Minerals Foundation*
UDPP
Grey shadow eg. MAC scene
Black eyeshadow eg. MAC carbon
Black liner eg. MAC feline
Eye Rock Swarovski Crystals*

Liquid liner eg L'Oreal superliner carbon gloss
Eyeko Skinny Brush Mascara*
Eyelure Lashes

MAC Longwear lip creme in Good To Go

Love Hair Extensions Going Gaga synthetic wig in jet black*
(Products marked with * were sent to me for review consideration).

Are you a Jessie J fan? What do you think of her style? Would you be brave enough to wear some of her more dramatic looks? xxx