Aequill Juniper Berry and Cedarwood Candle

The first thing you should know about this candle is that it smells likes a double gin and tonic. I could even go as far as saying that the Juniper and Cedarwood Candle smells like enjoying a gin and tonic by the fireplace. That probably sounds a bit contrived but if you could smell this, you'd totally understand!
Gin is made from Juniper berries so it makes sense that the fragrance is going to somewhat resemble the cocktail while the addition of Cedarwood creates that toasty Autumnal feel.

Perfect for candle lovers who enjoy rich, woody fragrances, the candle also features notes of Bergamot and Vetiver to complete the scent beautifully.
The Juniper Berry and Cedarwood Candle is part of Aequill's 'Mum's Aromatherapy Shop' range which founder Jintana Khieochuam created after being inspired by helping her mum blend essential oils in her beauty shop.
Other candles in the range include Grapefruit and Vetiver, Lavender and Marjoram, Lemon and Rose Geranium and Orange and Ylang Ylang. The candles are paraffin wax based for optimum scent throw.

I think the backstory of Aequill as a brand is quite nice- Jintana was born in Thailand and moved to London with her mother who owned a beauty therapy clinic. Growing up, Jintana was surrounded by essential oils and was intrigued by their therapeutic properties. Her interest in essential oils coupled with an obsession with candles gave way to the inception of Aequill, which is based on the idea that old and new worlds need to collide for a sustainable balance. Like the rest of the range, the Juniper Berry and Cedarwood Candle is presented in a 100% recycled glass jar and is hand poured. The traditional apothecary feel of the packaging is inspired by Jintana's first job in a chemist.
To finish, each box is hand-stamped with a wax seal. Gorgeous. Aequill 'Mum's Aromatherapy Shop' candles are available in regular (approx 200g) for £24 and travel size (approx 100g) for £14. Interestingly, Aequill also offer an eco-refill service which I think is a very cool touch.
You can read more about Aequill and find stockists here.

Halloween Offerings at The Bentall Centre

Call me predictable but Autumn is definitely my favourite time of year. There's something so undeniably special about crisp, cool days and evenings spent snuggled up and cosy. On top of the beautiful weather, we have Halloween to look forward to and now that I'm a mum I've got a feeling I'll be getting into the spirit a little more from now on- whether I like it or not! I recently visited The Bentall Centre in Kingston to check out how the centre's various stores are marking this October 31st. Claire's is one shop that always comes through with the goods when it comes to playing dress up and their offerings this Halloween are no exception. They have many different options for kids and grownups alike; from wigs and gory or glamorous makeup to unicorn headbands, Claire's have got you covered. For a subtle touch of spook, Aussie brand Kikki K have a pair of very cute ceramic ghost ornaments available in two sizes as well as a kitsch ghostly tote bag and Halloween bunting.

Ghost ornaments £4.75 each and Ghost Tote £9. Images from Kikki-K.com

If Halloween treats you can drink are more your thing, pop into Whittard of Chelsea and check out their spooky seasonal delights - the Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate is SO GOOD and the Toffee Apple Fruit Infusion Tea is guaranteed to satisfy the most discerning sweet tooth.

During my visit to The Bentall Centre, I inevitably ended up in the Bentall's beauty hall which is probably my favourite haunt when I'm in Kingston (see what I did there?). I spent some time with the team at NARS to find out how to get a subtly spooky, perfectly wearable Halloween look. The MUA, Vanessa, used an assortment of brown and red toned shadows on my eyes for something less predictable and softer than a classic black smoky eye. As my eyes are quite hooded, Vanessa showed me some tips to open them up (matte shades are the way to go) and I had a little bit of subtle contouring, my brows were filled and given more definition before the look was finished with a nude lip achieved with NARS' new Powermatte Lip Pigment. The formula of this felt impressively light on the lips and had enough staying power to remain intact after I scoffed a large burrito from the recently opened lunch hotspot Tortilla!

If you're after something creepy, kooky and all-together spooky, chances are you'll find it at The Bentall Centre in Kingston this Halloween. You can visit The Bentall Centre at Wood Street, Kingston Upon Thames, KT1 1TP.

I received a gift card and makeup application. Views my own.

Juliette Armand Skincare

I really enjoy discovering skincare brands that were previously unfamiliar to me so when I received an email about Greek brand Juliette Armand, my interest was certainly piqued. Juliette Armand is not a new brand, in fact it was established in 1992 and has enjoyed success in the rest of Europe and South America and remained virtually unknown in the UK market - but that's about to change. The brand was created by Michalis Papaefstratiou and Loulia Armagou, two chemists who wanted to enter the beauty industry and develop new formulas while applying personal values to their laboratory work. The entire skincare range is based on quality ingredients and effective formulas and includes lines specific to conditions such as acne and sensitivity and features products focused on a range of areas such as anti-aging and oil control.
I've had three products to try from the Juliette Armand Elements range including a cleanser, hyaluronic acid serum and moisturiser so I've really been able to get stuck in and gain some good understanding of the brand's products in general.

First up, the Hydra Cleansing Milk. I've used this as a 'first cleanse'  on a few occasions to remove makeup and general griminess and found it to be perfectly effective and also impressively gentle. Recommended for combination, dry, 'normal' and sensitive skin, the mild milk contains chamomile extract and green aloe to moisturise the skin while the trademarked cleansing complex ingredient removes dirt and makeup. What exactly constitutes this mysterious trademarked cleansing component? I actually cannot for the life of me find out what it is so I think it must be a closely guarded secret! Rest assured though that this brand does not include anything that the green beauty movement might refer to as nasties (parabens, mineral oil, propylene glycol). It's worth mentioning that the Hydra Cleansing Milk effectively removed eye makeup too.
I love me a Hyaluronic Acid Serum and this one from Juliette Armand rivals some of the more expensive versions I've tried in terms of texture and how it feels on the skin. We know by now that hyaluronic acid is incredibly hydrating and is a brilliant addition to skincare regimes, especially for those with dry and dehydrated skins. The acid can hold up to 1000 times its weight in water and is slow release so it's a brilliant option for all day or night hydration.
The serum is beautifully lightweight, non-greasy and fast absorbing, perfectly prepping the skin for moisturiser. 

The Juliette Armand Extra Moisturising 24h Cream is designed to provide intense hydration for normal, dry and dehydrated skins. The cream features hyaluronic acid, collagen exclusively of marine origin and an ingredient called Moist 24. Moist 24  is extracted from a plant that grows in Asia and Oceania called Imperata Cylindrical. This plant grows and thrives in extremely dry weather conditions due to its ability to retain water. I for one am glad that the collagen in this is marine collagen because I really do get a bit squeamish over 'pig collagen' products! Designed to plump out fine lines and restore the skin's moisture balance, the moisturising cream is a pleasure to use as it's quite rich and creamy yet absorbs well.

After using the Juliette Armand regime, my skin feels soft and plump, which is exactly the effect I'm after really. I like how simple the products seem at face value, even though a tremendous amount of research and formulation has gone into each one. When I first started writing about these products, the word that kept coming to mind is 'inoffensive' so I'm just going to go ahead and use that word I guess! The products I tried are virtually scent free and gentle, so I imagine they'd appeal to most people. The Juliette Armand brand has a pretty extensive range of different products including a cacao peeling cream, scrub mask and colour control cream to name just a few.
You can find out more about Juliette Armand and purchase products in the UK at Naturastudios.

3 Struggles of Having a Fringe (and how to deal)

So you've taken the plunge and allowed a hairdresser to get scissor-happy across your forehead. Your fringe sits perfectly and frames your features just right. Then a day or so later you WASH YOUR HAIR and think that maybe going for the chop wasn't such a fabulous idea after all...

I've had a fringe on and off since the age of 7. Full and thick, short and blunt, to the side, cut by my mum and lopsided, choppy and textured- you name the fringe, I've had it. With all this experience of fringe-bearing I know all about the very real struggles that come with a slab of hair hanging over your forehead. 

The Cowlick

I have a cowlick on the right hand side of my fringe and the struggle is real. Letting my hair air dry results in a lovely straight fringe three quarters of the way across my forehead then BAM a random chunk of fringe that curves off to the side in a sort of 90's boyband floppy-curtain-hair way. If I am just air-drying my hair (which 99% of the time is my hair drying method...) I just use kirby grips/ bobby pins to sort of train the cowlick bit to lay more flat. I have naturally straight hair so more often than not, just pinning the fringe across to one side with a couple of grips for a few hours or while I do my makeup makes it look a bit less wayward. After years of having various fringes I have come to appreciate that hair grips are almost essential when you have a fringe.

The Grease Factor


Greasy hair is just not nice is it? But a greasy fringe? Heinous! Fringes oil up quickly because they are pretty much in constant contact with one's forehead, and there's not a whole lot you can do to avoid the inevitable - you can delay it though with this nifty trick. Powder your forehead. That's right, once you've finished doing your make up, sweep some translucent and mattifying powder across your forehead to keep excess oil at bay and away from your fringe. Any sort of powder will do but from my experience, those designed for oily skin work best. If your fringe still gets greasy quickly and you're not into washing your hair everyday, keep in mind that there's no law against tying or pinning your hair back and just washing your fringe when you feel it needs it. Also, dry shampoo used sparingly will sort you out if you don't have the time or inclination to wash your bangs.

Growing Pains


There's no denying that growing out a fringe is generally pretty awkward and tedious. They seem to grow so quickly too don't they! Growing out a fringe is another scenario where hair grips are your best friend - sometimes there is no other option than to pin it back and hope for the best. In the past, I've braided a growing-out fringe with the rest of my hair to keep it out of my face (hairspray helps in this situation to stop the shorter bits of hair popping out) and also rolled/ twisted the fringe back before pinning. Once the fringe is getting a bit of length to it, start 'training' it over to one side by brushing it to an angle (like a long side fringe) and adding a bit of product to keep it in place. If the growing out phase is just too annoying, head back to your hairdresser for a fringe trim and tidy up - most will do it for free or for around £5 - £10.

While fringes can be annoying to maintain and often add more time to your morning routine, the extra effort is totally worth it. I love that I just look a bit more polished when I'm sporting a fringe even when I'm wearing ludicrously odd socks and have baby drool down my front.

Farmacy Honey Drop Lightweight Moisturizer

I'm an absolute sucker for sweet sounding beauty products (and by that I mean literally sweet) so it was pretty much inevitable that I was going to want to try the Honey Drop Lightweight Moisturizer from green beauty brand Farmacy.

Farmacy is particularly interesting because they are a true farm-to-face beauty brand, meaning they use ingredients in their products that are cultivated from their very own farm. The brand's signature ingredient, Echinacea GreenEnvy Honey is created by bees buzzing around on the farm and is incidentally the star component in the Honey Drop Lightweight Moisturizer. 

Gel-cream in texture, the moisturizer combines a Triple Hyaluronic Acid Complex, royal jelly, propolis and the GreenEnvy, which is high in Cichoric Acid - a natural antioxidant - and is blended with honey for a hydrating effect. The moisturizer also features a concoction of non-GMO fermented soy, meadowfoam and camellia seed oils, mistletoe (!), and Japanese blood grass (!!).

The real icing on the cake is the inclusion of tiny Cupuacu butter beads which melt on application to provide long lasting moisture. Cupuacu butter is high in fatty acids and therefore helps to soften and moisturise the skin.

As well as imparting an instant glowing, dewy look, Honey Drop boosts moisture levels and over time is designed to improve the firmness and elasticity of the skin. At the moment I am alternating between this and three other moisturisers, so I can't accurately comment on the effects of long term use but can confirm that this feels really, really lovely on the skin. Even though Honey Drop has the word 'lightweight' in the title, I still expected it to be heavy for some reason - I suppose because it looks quite thick and creamy- but it really isn't. It manages to feel almost weightless on (even when I've gone a bit overboard and applied what can only be described as a 'dollop') and manages to give a bit of glow without any of the grease. In terms of scent, this cream really doesn't smell of an awful lot, just a slightly clean and subtle honey-esque fragrance so don't expect (or fear) an overpowering sweet fragrance. To top it all off, the extremely pretty, semi-rustic looking heavy glass jar is complete with a magnetic metal spatula that sticks to the lid. Ingenious. 

You can find Farmacy Honey Drop Lightweight Moisturizer in the UK at Cult Beauty for £38 for 50ml.