Boots Premium Beauty Little Luxuries Easter Egg Bundle

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Just a quick one to tell you about a very cool limited edition set at Boots - the Little Luxuries Easter Egg Bundle.

Priced at £55, this very cute bundle of goodies contains over £190 worth of products. The full contents is:

Fenty Skin Hydra’Reset Intensive Recovery Hand Mask 75ml (full size)

Elizabeth Arden Hyaluronic Acid Capsules 7 pcs 3g 

Elemis Superfood Midnight facial face mask 50ml (full size)

OPI Nail Polish - Alipine Snow 15ml (full size)

Dr Jart Cicapair Tiger Grass Enzyme Foam Cleanser 30ml

Patchology Serve Chilled Bubbly Eye Gels 13g (full size)

Iconic Triple Threat Mascara 9ml (full size)

Erborian Red Pepper Pulp 5ml

Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum Complexion Correcting 10ml 

Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Cream 3ml

Clinique Moisture Surge 100H 15ml

Morphe Glow Show Radiant Pressed Highlighter - Rose Glimmer 7g (full size)

Nudestix Eye Color Pencil - Terra  2.8g (full size)

It's bound to sell out pretty quick, so if you're interested I'd grab it now! You can find it here.

YSL Black Opium Le Parfum

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YSL Black Opium is a hugely popular fragrance but despite wanting to love it, I've never been very keen on it. There's something in it that makes me feel a little nauseas - I think it's because the coffee note is quite prominent and a bit much for my nose? Whatever it is, something has stopped me wanting a bottle. I was excited by the release of Black Opium Illicit Green last year (the fig note really appealed to me) but on sniffing it, the juice was just too similar to the original. The latest flanker for Black Opium however, Black Opium Le Parfum, is one of the most gorgeous things I've had my nose on recently and I'm lucky enough to have the 90ml bottle.

Black Opium Le Parfum takes the heavy vanilla from the original and really elevates it and I think it's absolutely gorgeous! 

This fragrance is an elegant mixture of fruity, floral and vanilla notes but the vanilla really dominates.

The top notes are sustainably sourced Green Mandarin from Italy, Pear and Cinnamon.

Middle notes are Solar Jasmine Sambac and Orange Blossom.

Base notes are Coffee (specifically espresso accord), Indonesian Patchouli, Ambrox and a 'vanilla quartet' that includes Madagascan Vanilla Planifolia Absolute and Vanilla Pod Absolute, Vanilla Bourbon Infusion and Tahitian Vanilla.

Everyone smells things a little differently and to me Black Opium Le Parfum is a total vanilla bomb, with a subtle hint of coffee and bright white flowers very much in the background. Vanilla is absolutely the star in this, with a hefty sprinkle of brown sugar on top. I'd describe it as like sitting in a cafe, eating a big slice of vanilla cake with buttercream icing, with a beautiful vase of flowers on the table before you. The vanilla cake is the main character, while there are wafts of freshly ground coffee floating about in the air and a touch of floral elegance somewhere at the back.

It's been compared to Kayali Vanilla 28 and I have to say that the sugared-vanilla aspect of Le Parfum is very similar but there is no spice or woodyness in this like there is in Vanilla 28.

That said, if you like Vanilla 28, Billie Eilish's Eilish fragrance, Victoria's Secret Bare Vanilla and any bourbon vanilla type scents, chances are you'll really like Black Opium Le Parfum.

In terms of longevity, it lasts and projects on my skin for a couple of hours before drying down into a cosy skin scent but lasts for ages on clothing. For example, I sprayed this on my coat collar yesterday and it's still very much there!

The le Parfum bottle is smooth black, whereas the other Black Opium iterations are textured, and is quite sleek and elegant, but also shows up every smudge and fingerprint (as demonstrated below!).

 You can find YSL Black Opium Le Parfum at quite a few places where it retails for £75 for 30ml, £102 for 50ml and £135 for 90ml. Right now, Boots are having a fragrance promo where it's a little cheaper - I've linked to the 30ml for £63.75 here.

Nails.INC x Squishmallows

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 My son is a huge fan of Squishmallows (quite fond of them myself actually) so when I saw that there was a new collaboration with Nails.INC I knew I wanted to share!

The Nails.INC x Squishmallows duo is a super cute kit with two nail polishes and a set of Squishmallow stickers. There are actually 110 nail stickers included, so plenty to choose from to create your perfect Squishmallow mani.

The two shades included in the set are Mallow Dreams, a lilac-blue pearl shift shade, and Squad Goals which is a gorgeous baby pink colour. The shades both feature the Nails.INC signature long wear formula and wide hugging brush for easy application.

The idea is to paint your nails and let dry, apply the stickers, then add topcoat to seal. Sounds easy enough, though I am notoriously inelegant when it comes to doing my own nails so I'll be quietly impressed with myself if I manage a decent application.

The Nails.INC x Squishmallows Collectible Nail Polish Duo and Sticker Set is available now for £16 at Nails.INC. Cute!

Tips for Taking the Stress Out of Your Morning Commute

(Collaborative Post)

Every morning starts the same: you wake up, get ready, eat your breakfast and think about leaving your house/flat. Until this point, everything is moving nice and smoothly without anything to worry about. 

Then the morning commute begins. 

It’s a source of stress for many of us, meaning we start our days feeling really uptight and tense. For the sake of self-care, you need to figure out how to deal with the stress of the morning commute. 

What can you do to make this a less stressful daily experience?

Don’t rely on public transport

Most of us get super stressed because we rely on public transport in the morning. We need to get a bus, train or tube to work. Some days, there are no issues. On other days, you have delays, strikes and who knows what else?! 

It means that every morning you’re checking travel apps hoping that everything is okay. When there’s a slight delay, your blood pressure goes through the roof and you start getting stressed. 

Stop relying on public transport and the stress will melt away. 

Find alternative ways of getting to work. 

If you can drive, think about driving. If not, find other forms of transport that take matters into your own hands. Get a bike or a scooter and you can get to work in a flash without worrying about train or bus times. You could even get a pair of Moxi Skates to weave your way through everyone on the pavement. The point is, you take control of your mornings by not relying on public transport anymore. 

Plan your journey to account for traffic

If you drive, your biggest cause of stress is the morning traffic. It can make you late while driving you insane. 

The solution to this is simple: plan your journey to account for traffic. Learn when the rush hour traffic begins and leave way earlier than that. If it means you get to work half an hour or an hour early, then so be it. At least you don’t have to deal with the stressful traffic any more. 

Plus, it gives you time to maybe go to a coffee shop for breakfast. Or, if your employer allows, you can start early and leave early - meaning you’ll miss the evening rush hour too! 

See if you can work from home

The best way to remove the stress of your morning commute is by negating it entirely. 

Ask your boss if they’ll let you work from home. Many companies allow this and it could make you better at your job if you explain how stressful the commute makes you. It’ll ensure you’re always on time, and working hard. Some bosses will say it’s okay while others won’t. 

If the commute brings you so much stress that it genuinely starts to be a problem, think about changing jobs. Switch to a job where you can work from home, so there’s never any need to worry again. 

Depending on your situation, any of these three ideas will help you come up with a solution to the morning stress. Now, you have one less thing playing on your mind, letting your stress levels decline. 

Mother's Day Beauty Boxes 2023

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 Year on year there seems to be more and more seasonal special editions, collections and beauty boxes on offer and 2023 is certainly continuing the trend. Beauty boxes are a fail-safe gift idea and perfect if you're not sure what to get the mum or mother-figure in your life. There are quite a few kicking about this year but here I've gathered a few of my favourites to share. 

The Icons Fragrance Beauty Box - Boots £30

This box is my pick of the bunch in terms of value - it contains some great bits including:

Ghost- Ghost Orb of Night Eau de Parfum - 10ml

Carolina Herrera Good Girl Eau de Parfum - 7ml

Jean Paul Gaultier La Belle Eau De Parfum - 6ml

Laura Mercier Rouge Essentiel - Nu Préféré 1.4g

Liz Earle Cleanse & Glow Transforming Gel Cleanser - 10ml

NARS Laguna Bronzing Powder - 1.2g

This box also includes a £20 bounce back voucher that can be redeemed on Fragrance 100ml or above.

Buy Here

The Mother's Day Box 2023 Collection - Marks and Spencer £25

I've seen this box in store and it's quite gorgeous! Marks and Spencer have a great selection of beauty brands these days (some lovely affordable fragrances too- I recommend visiting a larger store and having a good sniff) and this special edition beauty box showcases some excellent ones. This box includes: 

Clinique all about eyes cream - 15ml 

Eve Lom rescue mask - 15ml

Lumene ajaton night cream - 15ml

Ren rosa centifolia cleansing gel - 150ml

Nails inc. porchester square - 14ml

Neom perfect night’s sleep candle - 75g

Buy Here

Look Fantastic THE BOX Mother's Day Scent Edit - Look Fantastic £55

This is a particularly excellent option because it includes a £55 voucher (delivered via email) to spend on the full size of one of the fragrances in the box. This box includes:

Armani My Way Eau de Parfum - 7ml

Lancôme La Vie Est Belle Iris Absolu (NEW) - 4ml

YSL Libre Eau de Parfum – 7.5ml

Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb Eau de Parfum - 7ml

Prada Paradoxe Eau de Parfum- 7ml

Lancôme Advanced Genifique Serum- 7ml

Armani Lip Power (Shade 104) - 1.4g

Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Omega-Rich Cloud Cream - 14ml

Buy Here

Mother's Day Just For You Premium Beauty Collection - Boots £45

This bumper collection is (unsurprisingly) sold out online so you'll have to visit your local store to grab one. The contents include:

Elemis Skin Pro-Collagen Marine Cream SPF30 - Travel Size

They’re Real Magnet mascara - Travel Size 

Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base Primer - 7ml

ICONIC London Sheer Blush - Rose Riot - full size

Vita Liberata Beauty Blur Face With Tan - Medium - 30ml

Liz Earle Rose & Lavender Instant Boost Skin Tonic - 200ml

Strivectin TL Advanced Neck Cream - 30ml

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream - 5ml

Rituals THE RITUAL OF SAKURA SHOWER FOAM - 200ML

Sol de Janeiro Beija Flor Elasti Body Cream - 75ml

THIS WORKS Transit Camera Close Up - 20ml

Anastasia Beverly Hills Deluxe Crystal Lip Gloss - 3.1ml

bareMinerals Ageless AHA Facial Mask - 10ml 

ARKIVE The Future Youth hair treatment mask - 60ml 

Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum - 7ml

REN READY STEADY GLOW DAILY AHA TONIC - 50ml

Inkey List Retinol Eye Cream - 15ml

Drunk Elephant Protini Moisturiser - 5ml

PHILIP KINGSLEY Elasticizer - 40ml  

Erborian Skin Hero - 5ml

Mother's Day With Love Beauty Box - Next £20

Next do some truly amazing beauty boxes of outstanding value and this one is no exception. The contents include: 

Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm - 15ml

ELEMIS, Pro-Collagen Marine Cream SPF30 - 15ml 

Sanctuary Spa, Ruby Oud Natural Oils Melting Pearl Body Butter - 75ml

Beauty Pro Retinol Under Eye Patches (single eye mask)

Aromatherapy Associates, De-Stress Mind Bath & Shower Oil - 9ml

Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Florale - 10ml

This Works In Transit Camera Close Up - 20ml

Pixi Glow Tonic - 40ml

Buy Here

Those are just a few of the ready-made beauty boxes available right now. If any are out of stock online it's always worth checking back the following day to see if it's been re-stocked. These are such great value collections that I wouldn't blame you if you picked one or two up for yourself for no particular reason too ;).