My three favourite perfumes

Hello and welcome to a new post, this week we’re talking perfume. 

I've only recently gotten into perfume but I have three which I love and wear one every day. 

I don’t tend to have a distinct scent which I go for, for me it all depends on how the scents are matched up. However, I don’t usually like anything too strong and really love fruity scents and adore musky base tones.

Below I'm going to show you each perfume and list what the key scents are, for this I'm going off the perfume shop website (just because it seemed most informative) and will list the best price I can find for them. I bought two of them from boots and the other was a gift, but I'll search for the cheapest price I can find, as I know perfume can be expensive!

Amazon

This is One Direction's first fragrance and one which I LOVE! Whenever I wear this I get a compliment on the scent and people are always surprised when I say that it's this scent. I got this as part of a gift set alongside a body lotion and the roller ball (handy for your handbag).

Top notes: pink grapefruit, red currant

Heart notes: Jasmine petals, fresh freesias, frangipani

Base notes: musk, sheer woods and white patchouli

Amazon

I had my eye on this perfume for a while when it finally went on sale! I love this scent, it's my favourite out of the Marc Jacobs range and is an easy to wear fragrance which is really pretty and floral but has a great base tone.

Top notes: red berries, dragon fruit and honeysuckle

Heart notes: jasmine, coconut water and orange blossom

Base notes: vanilla, driftwood and musk

This final perfume is a scent I'd never tried before receiving it as a gift and absolutely love it! It's again easy to wear and doesn't carry a heavy tone but is different from the other two, as it is more citrus-y and doesn't carry the musk undertone. I love the gold bottle and this one is easier to travel with as the glass is protected by the plastic outside.

Top tone: aquatic iris, citrus

Heart tone: barringtonia, peony, violet and jasmine

Base tone: sandalwood, cedar, amber and vanilla

I hope you liked this post, comment to let me know your favourite perfumes and I'll be back next week with a post all about bedroom decor! Stay golden, Gracie xo

June Favourites!

Hello all welcome back! Sorry for the missed post last week, I was so busy that blogging slipped my mind, however this week I'm back on track with my June Favourites, I've tried to include a little bit of everything and I hope you enjoy it!

First up, fashion! June has been a month of all seasons in North East England (where I live), with some days being hot sunshine and other days just being wet and windy. However, there have been a couple opportunities for me to get out my summer clothes and dust off my sandals!

L: TKMaxx, £19.99 // R: Tu Sainsbury's on sale £8

I seriously love both these pairs of shoes and they were both such a great find that I've been wearing them as much as possible this month. The sandals on the left are the Tropical Print footbed sandals from White Mountain available from TKMaxx. I got these while on a hunt for a pair of Birkenstock sandals, they've been in fashion for a while now and I've had my eye on some big time. However after trying a pair on, decided that these were more comfortable and for £30 less I couldn't say no! I love the tropical print, it gives a bit of colour to my more boring outfits.

The loafers on the right were a real bargain from Sainsbury's as I got them on 1/2 sale for only £8! I love pairing these with ripped jeans and a simple tee or my black dungarees. 

Casio unisex watch, TKMaxx, £6.99 // bulldog clips, New Look, £3.99

I've never been one for wearing a watch but saw this one and couldn't resist, I love how simple it is and the plain black doesn't clash with anything I'm wearing. I got this from TKMaxx for the bargain price of £6.99 but it's also available here.

As the weather has been a little bit warmer I've been really enjoying letting my hair air dry. If I'm in a hurry I use a diffuser, however I find my hair curls nicest when I let it do it's own thing. To keep it out of my face I've been loving using these bulldog clips from New Look. The top clip in the image is one I've been using for years, but any little clips are great for keeping the front sections of my hair neat and tidy!

Next, beauty! I've been all about glowing skin in June which sometimes even meant ditching foundation and reaching for a great face scrub!

Sun cream, Boots, £7.50 (full size) // Cleansing lotion, Boots, £2.79

These two products have been top of my list throughout the month, first up is this handy travel size sun cream from Garnier. I try to wear SPF all year round however I amp it up in the summer to protect my skin even more. I am super pale which means carrying round sun cream on a sunny day out is a must. This one is from the Garnier range 'Sensitive advanced' and is specially formulated for people with 'fair, sensitive and sun-intolerant skin'. This is SPF 50+ and protects against UVA and UVB rays. I love this because it's light on your skin and doesn't leave you feeling greasy at all.

Next up is this cleansing lotion from Boots. It's colour and fragrance free and enhanced with aloe vera. Despite its cheap price I find it removes my full face of make-up (inc mascara/eye liner) really well and leaves my skin feeling clean and soft.

Finally non-beauty! Some random non-beauty favourites for me this month range from plants to music and I thought I'd share a couple.

My boyfriend and I recently took up bouldering. For those of you who don't know, it's basically the same as indoor rock climbing but you're not attached to any ropes or harnesses. We had a lesson at our local centre and have been loving it! It really works your whole body out but doesn't leave you feel gross and sweaty. Plus, climbing up 12/17 foot walls really gives you a sense of achievement!

I also have been buying things to add to my university room once I go back in September. Last year I had a few personal touches but I really want to add to that in year two. One thing I really wanted was plants to give a bit of colour and life, but didn't want anything which I was going to have to care for properly which is why I've opted for succulents! They're perfect to keep in containers and are really hardy (especially the varieties I've chosen).

I've been all about girls when it comes to music recently and have been catching up on albums I've missed out on such as Taylor Swift, 1989 and Little Mix, Salute. But I've also been listening to Beyonce's self titles album (still) and really enjoying more pop in my iTunes playlists!

Let me know what you think of my favourites in the comments below and I'll be back next week with a new post! 

Stay golden, Gracie xo

Summer Make-up Essentials!

Hello and welcome back! For me there are 3 things which I always finding myself turning for from my make-up bag as the weather heats up. That’s why this week I thought I would share with you this year’s picks for a light, dewy foundation; a warm, matte bronzer and a dark brown eye-liner!

Linked below // £8.99

The first thing I swap once the weather turns sunnier is my foundation. Through the winter I like using more high coverage foundations and use more powder, this year I've been using the Rimmel London Lasting Finish 25 hour foundation which provides great coverage but isn't too heavy. However in the summer I like a more natural look, and therefore chose the Rimmel London Wake Me Up foundation. I love Rimmel foundations as their shade 'light porcelain' matches my skin perfectly and they're not very expensive. Their Wake Me Up foundation isn't a new release, however this is the first time I've used it and so far I'm loving it. I find I don't need to use powder to make it last and it's sheer enough that you can still see my freckles, but you can't see my dark circles or blemishes! It's also got an SPF 15 which is an added bonus.

Similar product linked below

The next product I use mostly in summer is a bronzer. I'm super fussy with bronzers as I'm pale and think it's easy with a fair skin tone to over bronze, which is why I prefer a matte bronzer which I find to look more natural than one with a shimmer. I don't use a bronzer in winter - I prefer a more grey shade - but I like one in summer to add a little warmth and create a little definition as well. The one I'm using now I've featured in past blog posts and bought around Christmas time, and that is the L'Oreal Paris Glam Bronze, in the shade 00 Blond Sun. This is a really great bronzer and is very pigmented but still blendable which means you can either go for a natural or bold look super easily. Since buying this from boots I've not been able to find it online in the same style i.e. one colour in a compact packaging with a mirror underneath, however Boots online do sell the L'Oreal Paris Glam Bronze Duo Powder which I assume is similar.

Linked below // £5.99

The final product I turn to in summer is a brown eye-liner. I do still love and use a black liquid eye-liner but on sunny days I think that using a brown eye-liner, either pencil or liquid, can just add to that summery-bronzed glow and look beautifully natural. The one I've recently purchased to try out is the Maybelline New York Master Precise liquid eye-liner in the shade forest brown, this is a super dark brown but just looks more simple and undone than a solid black and has a super fine tip to make a cat eye really easy. 

I hope you've enjoyed this post, please feel free to let me know what make-up you enjoying using in the summer months! New blog posts go up on Sundays! 

Stay Golden, Gracie xo

Eye Makeup Trilogy: Brows!

Hello and welcome back! This week is the third and final post in the eye make-up trilogy I've been doing and that means its brows time! I don’t do a great deal to my brows in the summer as I prefer and overall more natural look, however depending upon what I'm doing I switch between products. My brows are naturally in shape and require little maintenance, however they’re sparse through the arch which is where I focus on if I'm doing a fuller brow look. For more info, keep on reading!

£3.99 // £2.99 // £4.95

For a natural look - I go for the Rimmel Brow This Way tinted brow gel, this is really great to give some more colour and definition quickly and easily!

For a fuller look - I use a brow pencil, this one by Rimmel is a really great colour for me and lets me fill in my brows in the areas they're sparse without looking too drawn on

For a dramatic brow - I use the w7 brow twister, this is in the same style packaging and texture as the Anastasia Beverly Hills brow wiz but for a fraction of the price, this creates a full and more dramatic look and I use it on days when I'm feeling more brave with my brows!

I also use a clear brow gel/clear mascara to set my brows when I've used a pencil/brow twister, however mine has run out at the moment

I hope you liked my little trilogy! I use highstreet/drugstore products as they suit my student budget, let me know if you have any favourite eye make-up products you'd recommend! 

Stay Golden, Gracie xo

Eye makeup triology: Eyeliner

Hello, welcome back! This week I'm back with the second post in my trilogy series which focuses on my favourite eye-liners, one for each job and a couple of coloured ones to brighten up my make-up look!

£1.99 // £2.99 // £2.99 // £2.99 // £3.99

Black pencil liner: Collection Kohl Eye-liner, this lines the waterline and tight-line really well without fading, but also is super soft and blendable so you can use it along your lash line too.

White eye-liner: Rimmel soft Kohl Kajal liner, I use this in my waterline and my inner corner to open up the eyes making them look bigger, and making me look more awake!

Black felt tip liner: Collection extreme 24 hour felt tip liner, this is a really great liner for people – like me – who aren't very good at the classic cat eye. It’s not too thick or thin and is easy to use.

Coloured felt tip liner: Collection extreme 24 hour liner, no 3, blue. I love using a coloured liner on days when I feel like injecting more colour into my look, by using a felt tip liner it’s easy and lasts all day.

Coloured eye crayon: Rimmel Exaggerate Eye Definer in Emerald Sparkle, no 250. I usually apply this under my eye and use a brush to smudge it out, this eye liner is a soft crayon like consistency but is also waterproof so lasts all day.

I hope you liked this post, next week I'm going to post the third and final post all about eyebrows! 

Stay Golden, Gracie xo

Eye Makeup Trilogy: Mascara

Hello, welcome back! This week I've decided to do something a little bit different, focusing on my favourite part of my make-up routine: eyes!

For me make-up is all about the eyes and I love how the dramaticness of your eye make-up can affect your whole look. I've made this into a trilogy of posts each focussing on one element of my eye make-up collection, first up is mascara, followed by eye-liner and then brows! I'm going to do a full eye shadow collection post later on in the month too.

I hope you enjoy and let’s get started!

£19.50 // £7.99 // £7.49 // £4.99

The prices for these are all for the full size versions from Boots.com and are correct when this gets posted

For length: I opt for the Benefit Roller Lash, I got this sample from Elle magazine and I really love it, however the full size is expensive for what I usually pay.

For volume: Maybelline Rocket Volum' express is my favourite, I find that you can't build this without it getting clumpy, however it's great for thickening your lashes.

My Favourite: Rimmel Kate Rockin' Curves, I love this mascara! It's a really great all round mascara for everyday but can also be layered up to create a dramatic evening look.

Great for everyday: Rimmel Extra Super Lash is a great mascara to give a casual everyday look, it has a curved brush which gives a natural curled look.

I hope you enjoyed a peek at my current favourite mascaras, let me know what yours are below and come back next week for a look at my favourite eye-liners!

Stay golden! Gracie xo

March Skincare Favourites

Hi all, welcome back! This week I wanted to share with you some constant skin care favourites which I have been using throughout March and which I have been loving! Some are new products and others are old favourites

These first two products are ones I have been using on and off since January (I've done a blog post on the body lotion here) however I really got into them in March. It’s been unseasonably warm recently which led to me being very pale and unprepared and getting slight sunburn on my shoulders, the Sanctuary body lotion really helped with this, not only does it smell lovely but it’s super lightweight and moisturising which helped with the sore skin 100%! The hand cream from Vaseline is one that I have again been using loads recently to keep my eczema at bay, it smells lovely and soaks quickly into the skin.

The next three products I have been using are face products, starting with these Simple Kind to Skin brightening face wipes. I use these on days when I've not been wearing make-up to clean my face before bed, they make my skin feel clean and are super sensitive. Next up is the Q10 face cream from Aldi, this is a really nice face cream which isn't too thick or thin and it also has SPF 15. Finally, my holy grail lip balm which is Vaseline, this is such a multi-purpose product and this conditioning version is especially great to heal your lips if you share my terrible habit of biting them!

I hope you liked my skin care favourites, check back next week for a new post!

Stay golden! Gracie xo

My Wishlist!

Hello all and welcome back! 

This week I wanted to bring you an updated version of the wish list post I uploaded back in October (see that here). In that post I focussed on make-up and tools which I was after at the time, this post will be a little different in that I am going to cover things I'm wishing for from lots of different categories. There will be some make-up, clothes, a book or two and maybe even some more!

Disclaimer: all of the images were sourced by me from the website listed below the image, however these images are no way mine and do not belong to me, I simply screen grabbed them from the website.

https://www.benefitcosmetics.co.uk/product/view/dandelion

This is the first product I have had my eye on for quite a while now. Benefit have this listed as a brightening face powder, however many reviews have labelled it as a perfect blush for those with fair skin who want a hint of colour but don't want to appear blushed. I think the delicate pink looks perfect for spring/summer and after swatching it in store it gets the number 1 spot on my wishlist.

http://www.hm.com/gb/product/77130?article=77130-A&cm_vc=SEARCH

Next up on my list are dunagrees. Now, I haven't had a pair of these since I was about 10 years old but I loved the look then and 9 years on I'm still all about dungarees. They're not to everyone's taste, I personally prefer black over blue or white denim, but I think they can look casual or smarter and are great for summer if you don't want to show off too much leg. These ones from H&M are perfect and the cheapest ones I've seen at £30.

https://www.waterstones.com/book/elizabeth-is-missing/emma-healey/9780241968185

As part of my New Year's Resolutions I'm trying to read more books and that's lead me to browsing Waterstones quite a lot over the past two months. Elizabeth is missing doesn't look like the type of book I would usually read, however after checking out the blurb I was into it straight away. Not sure I'll be able to put it back on the shelf next time I see it!

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/221457254/i-am-baymax-i-am-groot-mug-coffee-mug?ref=shop_home_active_2

The final item on my wishlist is this mug, I especially love Baymax (from the new Disney movie Big Hero 6) but I also adore Groot and I think this mug is perfect! It's from an Etsy shop called Cheezymug which stocks loads of funny mug designs. I love mugs and tea cups (check out my Pinterest board) and this would be a perfect addition to my collection!

Please comment and let me know if you have any of what I'm wanting and what you think of it. 

Have a great week and stay golden! Gracie xo

You can find me on social media if you click these links:

TWITTER TUMBLR INSTAGRAM PINTEREST

P.S. I also changed my website so it is now www.littlewildflowerblog.blogspot.com this is just to tie everything together better and I am working on updating the look of my blog as I type!

New Hair Products!

Hello all and welcome back! Today my post is going to be about some new hair products which I've bought recently and have been trying out.

I have used all of these 3/4 times so this is a first impressions type post which I hope is useful to some of you!

Working from left to right, the first product I have been trying out is the Colab dry shampoo in the scent London- I have done a haul which talked more about the product which you can read here. This scent is a really nice mix of more floral tones with a musk background which means that it's not too overpowering to use on your hair but gives a nice scent for while you're styling your hair. I like to use this when my hair is straight to add volume at the roots and make my hair less flat, a bonus of doing this with a dry shampoo is that of course it removes any signs of grease or build up too! This is the best dry shampoo I've used and is a really great price too.

The next product I've been using is the Garnier Fructis Style my curl perfecting mousse, the one I picked up is ultra strong and is 4/6 when it comes to hold. I've never used a mousse before on my hair but the more I started wearing my hair curly the more I learnt about styling curly hair and all the blogs I read said that a mousse was the way to go. This one I picked up from Superdrug not long ago and it's already made me into a mousse convert! I scrunch this into damp hair while my head is upside down which adds loads of volume at the roots where my hair is usually flat. After that I usually leave it to air dry or use a diffuser if I want it dry quickly. The only issue I have with this is the high amount of hold can make my hair feel slightly crunchy, so next time I would get a softer hold, but apart from that, it defines my curls and keeps them in shape for longer!

The third product is one which I've been wanting to try for ages and that's a cleansing conditioner! This one is Palmer's Olive Oil formula cleansing conditioner and is enriched with vitamin E and doesn't have the sulphates or parabens which are usually in shampoo and conditioner. The idea of a cleansing conditioner is that it cleans your hair without stripping it of natural oils and drying it out. This is an ideal way of washing your hair if it's naturally curly or gets dry easily. So far I'm really pleased with the results of using this product, my hair feels as clean as when I do both shampoo and conditioner but it takes less time and leaves my hair feeling softer and less dehydrated.

The final hair product I've been testing out is the L'Oreal Paris studio line salt spray, this has a rating of 4/10 in terms of how textured it will make your hair look which is perfect to add a tousled vibe to my hair when I want it to be a bit more gritty. I also like braiding sections of my hair and find that this is great to make the hair less clean and therefore makes the braids look better than when it's freshly washed. This was a really inexpensive product and is similar in some ways to the VO5 give me texture spray I used to swear by. The only difference being is that this is definitely more of a wet spray than the VO5 which was more like a mist. However, the little bottle it comes in barely takes up and room and could be put in your handbag easily if you like to add more texture throughout the day.

I hope you've enjoyed my mini reviews of the new hair products I've been trying out throughout the month of February and I hope you have found them useful! I hope you have a good week and stay golden!

Gracie xo 

My Star Product of the month!

Hello all and welcome back! As a new feature on this blog I am going to bring you a blog a month featuring one product- could be beauty, skincare or haircare- which has really shone out to me and made me fall in love with it!

The star product for February is a skincare item available from not only Boots and Superdrug but also at quite a few supermarkets as well! It's the Garnier Micellar water! I've repurchased this product 4 times now and absolutely couldn't live without it! It costs roughly £5 (can be £4.95/99 depending on the shop) and if you keep your eye out it's also frequently on offer.

This product is great at removing eye make up as well as cleansing your skin, it doesn't leave your face feeling at all sticky and dries really quickly. If I am wearing make up, I remove that  all with a cleansing oil and then go in with a cotton wool pad and micellar water to make sure all my eye make up is off and give my skin a final cleanse prior to moisturising. 

However, on days where I am wearing no make up I simply wipe a cotton wool pad of this across my face and then moisturise once its dry! My skin type is mainly dry except my forehead which can get oily. Therefore I find it best for me to use as few products/ washes as possible works best for keeping my skin clear and healthy.

I hope you like this new feature, do let me know if you have a new favourite product! I will also be posting a monthly favourites so I can share with you things such as my favourite clothing items or a recipe I've been loving for the month!

As always, hope you're all having a great week, stay golden! 

Gracie xo

How I style my hair... curly and straight!

Hello all, welcome back!

This week I wanted to share with you the two ways in which I style my hair; curly and straight. I had previously done a blog about my hair in October, however I wanted to replace that one with this, to add more detail and information on my styling routine. 

My hair is long, thick, frizzy, naturally curly and also stubborn! It dries out easily and therefore I always use products to protect it when I'm using heat, as well as using a curly cream/spray and a straightening spray to help keep the frizz and natural madness at bay!

80p each, ASDA

To start off I wash my hair every 3/4 days (curly hair tends to get greasier slower, usually mine can last a day longer). My hair doesn't get greasy very quickly at all, when I do wash it I vary on my shampoo/conditioner brands. At the moment I am using the Alberto Balsam mandarin shampoo and conditioner. These are great all round and leave your hair clean, moisturised and smelling great!

L-R: Boots, £6.99 // unknown

Curly hair first!

After washing my hair I brush it to remove any knots and apply argan oil to the ends. After doing this I do 5-8 sprays of the John Frieda Frizz Ease Go Curlier 48 hour curls throughout my hair and run my fingers through to spread the product. If I am going to let my hair air dry then I leave it here, if I'm using my hair dryer I'll apply a heat defence spray too. I diffuse my hair on a low setting so I don't use a lot of heat defence but I apply it to the ends to protect them from splitting and drying out. 

Hair dryer: Argos, £17.99

The brush I use is just a regular hair brush from my local chemist. The hair dryer is the Babyliss Curl and Dry 2100W. This is a great hair dryer and has speed and heat settings so you can control all aspects of your hair styling.

L-R: TRESemme, Tesco, £3.50// 3 day straight, Boots, £6.99// unknown

To straighten my hair I wash it in the same way and then apply argan oil throughout. Next I use the John Frieda Frizz Ease 3 day straight and spray liberally throughout my hair making sure it's distributed evenly.

Finally I use the TRESemme Heat Defence styling spray to protect my hair, concentrating on the ends.

Top-bottom: GHD's, £125, GHD.com// Haird dryer, Argos, £17.99// comb, poundland//
round brush, Boots, £9.99 

To straighten my hair and get it as smooth as possible I first use a widetooth comb to make sure there are no knots left in. After this, I rough dry my hair with no nozzle attached to get it to being damp. I now attach the nozzle and - starting at the front - use my Remington Keratin therapy round brush to blow dry it smooth. I am no expert at this and practice definitely makes perfect! After getting it thoroughly dried out and as smooth as I can I switch my hair dryer to its cold setting and blow my hair in a downward motion, this helps it keep its straightness. After this I use my GHD V gold max stylers to straighten it out, again in sections and starting at the front as this is where I have stubborn flicks and frizzy sections!

This is my final hair routine! It can take a long time to do, especially the straightening, however I love both finished looks. If I want to give my hair a break or just can't be bothered with using lots of product and heat, then I usually use a hair mask to deep condition it and then let my hair air dry or sleep with it in plaits/ a bun so that in the morning I wake up with curly hair without the fuss!

I hope this has given you some ideas! Hope your week is going great, stay golden

Gracie xo

P.S. all products are bought by me and the prices were right according to the store/store website at time of me writing this blog.

Edinburgh Beauty Haul!

Hello all, welcome back! I recently went into Edinburgh to pick up some new make up and I'm so excited to write this blog and share it with you! As well as the new stuff I got a couple of old faithful items which my make up bag is incomplete without!

The first thing I picked up is something I've been in need of for quite a while now, and that's dry shampoo! I've seen quite a few beauty gurus on Youtube gush about how great the Colab dry shampoo is, created by Ruth Crilly of A Model Recommends, and decided that I should try it out. I got the London scent and the sheer invisible formula, as I have dark hair, this 200ml can was £3.49 from Superdrug. Great price!

The other thing I got from Superdrug was the Maybelline New York, The Rocket volume express mascara in black (£7.99). I haven't had a Maybelline mascara in ages, despite them being the only ones I wore for a good 3 years of my teens. I've read great reviews about the rocket mascara and decided to bite the bullet and give it a go, I can be fussy about mascara but I will definitely let you know what I think!

The rest of my make up I got from Boots, starting with L'Oreal Paris. I've been wearing the Rimmel London 25 hour liquid foundation for ages now and I like it but I do find it slightly too heavy on the skin, so I stepped out of my comfort zone (away from the Rimmel stand!) and towards L'Oreal Paris. Now. This isn't a brand I would typically try but their True Match foundation does look great and sounds like just what I'm looking for, I got the shade Ivory (N1). While I was there I decided to make the most of their current offer, 2 for £12 across the brand. Considering the foundation is £9.99 on its own I couldn't resist trying something else and decided upon the glam bronzer in shade 00 Blond Sun. This looks like a great matte bronzer for someone pale like me and for £2 I couldn't resist!

The final two products I bought were both ones I've had before and always fall back on when I'm in need. These are the Boots Natural Collection corrector stick (£1.99) and the Collection Lasting Perfection concealer (shade 1 fair, £4.19). The corrector stick is the one make up item I find hardest to get hold of, as Natural Collection is Boots' own brand it's not available elsewhere and I tend to find it's sold out. When I can get hold of this however, I love it! The green cancels out any redness (of which I have loads) and creates a flawless finish, other correctors I find tend to 'match your skin tone', something which leaves me more oompa loompa than flawless! The concealer is much raved about and for good reason, it blends really well and covers blemishes and dark circles.

The final item I bought isn't beauty related but I couldn't resist it when I saw it and it's this notebook;

I got this for £5.99 from Waterstones and it is adorable! Bright pink on the outside with gold edged pages and flowers on the inside cover, this is right up my street, and you never know when you're going to need a notebook!

 I hope you've enjoyed seeing my recent purchases and I will definitely let you know what I think once I've tried them out, until next week, stay golden!

Gracie xo

Sanctuary spa review!

Hello all, welcome back! 

In the boxing day sales I managed to grab myself a deal with the Sanctuary Spa 'Love the Little Things' mini's tin and thought I would bring you a review. I got this tin because I love sanctuary products, they're one of a few products which are coloured and scented but don't irritate my skin. Sanctuary Spa is also a cruelty free brand which a huge bonus. 

I got this set for £5 (RRP £10) from Boots in store it's also available online, however it's currently sold out on the Boots website.

The set is made up of a body lotion (75ml), body scrub (50ml), body wash (75ml), bath soak (75ml) and body puff. I personally don't have access to a bath and therefore it's the only item from the tin which I haven't tried out.

I love Sanctuary as a brand as all of it's products work really well and the original products (with the orange packaging) have the most amazing scent which really does create a spa-like vibe. These mini sizes are great for travelling but also allow you to indulge in a luxury product without having to spend a lot of money, perfect for a treat on a budget!

Hope you like this review! Be sure to comment if you want me to do more product reviews in the future, and if you have any products in mind.

Stay golden! Gracie xo

What I got for Christmas and my Birthday!

Hello all, welcome back! I'm finally back with a working laptop and here to bring you a blog post about what gifts I was given for my birthday and also for Christmas.

I recently turned 19 and with this and Christmas so close together I have been well and truly spoiled. I'm not at all posting this to brag or show off about what I got, as I've been at university I wasn't around before Christmas so all of my presents were a complete surprise and are things I've had on my wishlist for a while now. 

Where I can I am going to post the shop where the gift is from however as they're gifts I obviously don't know the prices.

I hope your holidays have been really great and that you've had a relaxing time with the special people in your life.

Left: Fleece PJ set - Sainsbury's - Christmas gift from my Grandparents

Top: Heart shaped necklace - unknown - Christmas gift from my boyfriend

Bottom: Red handbag - unknown - Birthday gift from my grandparents

Top Left: Silver quote bangle - Equilibrium - Birthday gift from my mam

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain"

Bottom Left: Nivea minis bauble - Limited edition for christmas, gift from my brother

Top Right: Handbag - Matalan//Scarf - Edinburgh Woolen Mill

Bottom Right: Nivea giftset

L-R:

Poppy jug - Christmas gift from grandparents

Microwavable dog (called Pam) - TKMaxx - gift from my mam

Alice in Wonderland notecards - Waterstones - Gift from my mam

Top: Sainsbury's recipe book - gift from my mam

Bottom: Wreck this Journal - Waterstones - Gift from my boyfriend

I hope you enjoyed this post! I am so happy to be back to blogging after a month or so off! I'm working on scheduling posts as I type so I'll be a lot more reliable from now on, thank you for reading! Have a good week and stay golden! 

Gracie xo

Disclaimer: all the images are my own and taken and edited myself. I use either my Fujifilm Finepix S2980 camera or my iPad therefore the image quality varies.