Yankee Candle Sweet Shop Gift Set

 

 

You know when you're Yankee Candle obsession is reaching new heights, when you're checking a week in advance for Yankee Candle shows on QVC. Yes I hold my hands up, i'm a mad candle lady! I'm a Yankee fan, all the way and as I was tuning in to watch one of their shows I saw they were doing this giftset and I instantly fell in love. The only problem was that it came with another gift set called Christmas Memories, and it contained a lot of (well you guessed it) Christmas fragranced candles, with scents like pine and cinnamon which don't appeal to me at all so I really didn't want that gift set. And I wasn't willing to pay the £30 odd pounds for only one box really, so I watched in envy and eventually forgot about it.

 

Then about a month later these boxes appeared online and in my local Yankee Candle shop, and the best news of all I could buy them separately! So I rushed out and bought the Sweet Shop Gift Set and here it is in all it's gingerbread house looking glory.

 

It is one of the most beautiful gift sets i've ever seen of any product, let alone candle products. Just look at it! I don't even want to use them, I just want to keep staring it. But the scents are too good not to use.

 

As you can see by the first two pictures, this set contains 12 different votives/samplers. 6 on one side and six on the other. Another appealing factor to this gift set is that it contains two US exclusive fragrances which you cannot get over here in the UK, which are Whoopie Pie and Gingerbread. I was very excited for these two in particular, but also to get my hands on some old favourites which have recently been discontinued :(

 

Now i'll go into all the scents individually.

 

 

The first side contains:

 

Salted Caramel - It does indeed smell like caramel, a very rich caramel scent. I'm a little wary of burning this one as it's one of the strongest but i'll certainly give it a go.

 

Cranberry Ice - I was given a Cranberry Ice votive for Christmas last year and I liked it, it's a lovely cranberry scent with a hint of fresh coolness to it.

 

Whoopie Pie - I've never even heard, seen or smelt a Whoopie Pie before but from the picture alone I want to try one. And this one is a straight up chocolate scent, yum!

 

 

Also on this side contains:

 

Sugared Apple - I bought tealights of this scent for my best friend for Christmas, and I wish i'd picked some up for myself at the time. I'm glad I have this for myself, it's a fresh, cool and sweet gorgeous apple scent. Lovely!

 

Snowflake Cookie - More of a sweet cookie smell, compared to the other cookie scent we will come on to in a bit. One of the newer scents for this year and i'm eager to try it.

 

Cherries on Snow - Oh my goodness! One of my favourite ever Yankee scents, gorgeous fresh cherry smell. It's recently been discontinued (why oh why?!) and i'm so glad to have a back up of this scent. One of the main reasons I wanted to get this set, just for this scent.

 

 

 

The other side contains:

 

Red Velvet - Everyone loves this scent, and i've yet to try it but it's a cakey sort of scent and actually very nice! Looking forward to trying it.

 

Christmas Cookie - My favourite Christmas scent, also recently been discontinued. Very happy to have another one of these to burn. A gorgeous vanilla cookie scent.

 

Honey and Spice - For someone who doesn't like spicy scents, this is my only exception. You can smell more honey and sugar and even a hint of cocoa. A sumptuous gorgeous grown up evening scent I think. One of my favourite all time scents.

 

 

The final three are:

 

Merry Marshmallow - Such a cute picture on the front isn't it? This one as you'd expect, by sweet marshmallows. It's a new scent for this year too.

 

Gingerbread - This smells just like gingerbread. I must admit this is a very strong scent and it's a bit too much for my liking. But if you like Gingerbread scents or strong scents you would adore this!

 

Strawberry Buttercream - One of the weaker scented candles in this set, it does have a nice creamy strawberry smell but it's not as strong as I would like. Still lovely though and fits in well in this set.

 

 

I bought this set for myself a few weeks before Christmas and gave it to my mum to wrap up and give it to me for Christmas, and as Christmas has been and gone now I can finally start using this gift set. I cannot wait!! It's a fantastic set by Yankee Candle, full marks to them!

 

Also great value for money as these votives/samplers retail for £1.80 each and would come to £21.60 if you bought all these individually. I've found this set online for £18.99 here so there is a saving there to be had if you are interested in this set for yourself, or as a late gift for that Yankee Candle lover in your life.

 

 

 Yankee Candle Sweet Shop Gift Set

Avaliable for £18.99

here

 

 

 

 

 ***DISCLAIMER***

All views/opinions are my own, product bought myself.

My Christmas Day Makeup!

 

Well that's it, the big day has come and gone :( I hope you all had an amazing Christmas Day yesterday and are enjoying your Boxing Day! On Monday I posted about the China Glaze nail polish 'Glitter All the Way' which is what i've been wearing over Christmas, but I thought i'd share with you what make-up I wore on Christmas Day too.

 

As you can see it's an erray of products from the highstreet/drugstore to some high end products. I like to mix and match and it's nice to have some higher end products for such a special day in the year.

 

 

We'll start off with the base and work my way forward from there.

 

Bourjois Happy Light Illuminating Serum Primer - I've written a post about this primer (here) if you want to check it out. On Christmas Day I wanted my makeup to last all day and as this is currently the only face primer than I own I have to stick to this, but I do love it so it's all good.

 

Clinique Even Better Foundation - My favourite foundation to date, I just love the way it feels on my skin, good coverage and it lasts a long time too. It is on the higher end of makeup budgets as it's over £20 but it's worth it for me, definitely. I've yet to blog about this foundation but I will do in the New Year.

 

Rimmel Wake Me Up Concelear - I really like this concelear, I use this under my eyes and it does a good job of covering up dark circles, which I did end up having as I woke up early to open my presents (yeah i'm still a big kid at heart).

 

Bourjois Delice de Poudre Bronzing Powder - The only bronzer I own as i'm not the biggest fan of bronzers in general, but I use this to contour a bit and it works fine for me. I use this everyday in my makeup routine so I had to put this in.

 

Nars Luster Blush - One of my favourite blushes from this year, it's a beautiful orangey colour blush with gold shimmer and it's a nice subtle blush, I didn't want anything too bright on the cheeks as i'm wearing a strong red lipstick.

 

Rimmel Flash Eyeliner - This eyeliner is no longer avaliable, and it's actually the only felt tip eyeliner I own but I really like it. It's easy to use and it gives a nice strong black colour. For someone who doesn't really wear eyeliner at all, I have days where I want my eyes to pop and Christmas is one of those days.

 

Maybelline Colossal Mascara - To this day this is my favourite mascara that i've found, it gives a great volumising look to my lashes and also adds extra length to them. As it's my favourite mascara, I had to wear it on Christmas Day :)

 

Mac 'Russian Red' Lipstick - I have to wear a great red lipstick on Christmas Day, I go all out for this one and the only way to do that is go with Russian Red. One of Mac's best sellers and it really is the perfect red lipstick, it's a matte formula but it isn't too drying. I know i'll have to reapply this after eating my Christmas dinner, but apart from that it'll stay put all day!

 

 

Mac 'Brick' Lip Liner - With the intense red lipstick I need a good lip liner to make it look perfect, and that comes in the form of the Brick lip liner which is also by Mac. Brick and Russian Red go hand in hand, they're a perfect combination.

 

Urban Decay 'Half Baked' eyeshadow from the Naked Palette - If I want a gold eyeshadow then I automatically go for Half Baked. A beautiful gold colour and as it's Christmas i'm going for the whole gold and red theme with my make-up look. Amazing eyeshadow which will stay put all day.

 

Illamasqua Gleam 'Aurora' Highlighter - I've blogged about this (here). On this special day of the year every girl wants to look amazing and this Aurora highlighter by Illamasqua does the job for me. A gorgeous champagne cream highlighter which will just add the finishing touch to my makeup look.

 

 

I have yet to blog about a lot of these products but they will all be done very soon. And any I have blogged about already I have put links too.

 

What makeup did you wear on Christmas Day?

 

Merry Christmas!!!

 

Love

Amy

xxx

 

 

***DISCLAIMER***

All views/opinions are my own, products bought myself.



Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

 

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

 

I just wanted to send lots of love, best wishes, big hugs and Christmas wishes to everyone who has started to read my blog. I've been doing this for a couple of months now and absolutely loving it, so if you would like to follow my blog and continue on this journey with me then i'd be very grateful.

I'll be back with a new post tomorrow!

 

Thank-you all once again.

 

Hope you all have a very

Merry Christmas!!
 

 

 

Love you all.

 

 

Amy

xxxx

Winter Wonderland TAG!

Hi guys!

 

I saw this tag floating around on Youtube and I really wanted to do it.
So here it is!

 

1. Favourite thing about winter?

 

Well the obvious answer here is Christmas! And it's the one i'm going for. I absolutely LOVE Christmas, every single thing about it is amazing and it's my favourite time of year without a doubt. If I couldn't choose Christmas, it would be snow.

2. Scarves or Beanies?

I don't think i've ever worn a beanie.... I don't even wear hats that often unless it's very cold outside. I'm definitely more of a scarf person, I have way too many scarves but i'm loving my Primark tartan scarf this year.

3. Favorite holiday movie?

I did a whole post on Friday about my favourite holiday movies, and I'd have to say my favourite Christmas film is The Santa Clause, loved it as a child and it's still brilliant now. I actually watched it last night when one of my best friend's came round to cut and highlight my hair and exchange pressies!

4. Favourite winter nail polish?

This is an easy one, I absolutely love China Glaze 'Glitter All the Way' to wear around Christmas time, but if we're talking into January and February and a general all round winter polish i'd have to say my new favourite this year is Nails Inc Chelsea Square, oh it's so beautiful!

5. Favourite Starbucks Holiday Drink?

A short answer to this one, I don't have a favourite as I don't like coffee/tea so I never go into Starbucks.

6. What are your top 3 winter essentials?

My Burts Bees Honey lipbalm, my favourite lipbalm and it's seriously needed in these colder months as I get dry lips. My second essential would be scarves and gloves, not exactly beauty related by I can't cope in the winter without either. Thirdly it would have to be a very good moisturiser, my favourite being my Dr Organic Manuka Honey Rescue Cream.

7. Name one item on your wish list this year.

The most expensive thing i've asked for this year is an iPod Nano. My last one has broken and it was like 5 years old so i'd like a new one :) if not i'd be very happy with some Yankee Candles :)

8. Favourite holiday song?

My all time favourite Christmas song is I wish it Could be Christmas Everyday by Wizzard. So damn catchy! And i've loved it ever since I was a child. I was singing and dancing around to that song in the kitchen when it came on on the radio yesterday morning when I was making chocolate chip cookies!

9. Did you go Black Friday shopping this year?

 

We don't have Black Friday in the UK, although this year it did spring up out of nowhere for some reason, and I don't quite know why we've started doing it but oh well. I got a few things on Amazon but I didn't go into any shops on that day, i'm not even sure if the actual UK shops were taking part, or if it was just an online thing.

10. Must have winter lip product?

Another very easy one. Mac Hot Tahiti lipstick, a nice red that isn't a very bold red so it's easy to apply with hardly any effort. I have been wearing it a lot already and i'm actually wearing it today.

11. Will you be rocking an ugly Christmas sweater this year?

To call them "ugly" is just the persons opinion of whoever made this tag. I love the festive Christmas jumpers (or sweaters as you Americans call them). They have become very fashionable these last couple of years. I will indeed be wearing a Christmas jumper with a rudolph on the front on Christmas day. If some people think they are tacky then that's fine, but in my opinion they are great fun! It's Christmas, have a laugh and wear fun things!

12. Have you ever had a white Christmas where you live?

I can remember one year we had a white Christmas in the 1990's at some point when I was a child, but in recent years we never seem to have them that much in the UK (unless you live in Scotland or Northern England it is more likely) but as i'm down in the South it's not likely at all. Last year we had about 5mins of snow but it was very light and it didn't settle on the ground, so that's as close as i've got to a white Christmas in recent years.

13. Favourite winter candle scent?

All this month i've been burning Yankee Candle Christmas Cookie, which is an amazing vanilla biscuit sort of scent. So yummy!! So i'll be burning that through the rest of this month and probably into the beginning of next year aswell. It has been discontinued recently though which makes me sad :(

14. How will you be celebrating this holiday?

Well i'll be spending Christmas Eve with my grandparents on my mum's side of the family, Christmas Day will be at home with my parents and my sister. Boxing Day we will be having my dad's side of the family coming over. We never go away anywhere for Christmas.

 

 

 

 

So there we have it that was the Winter Wonderland TAG!

Feel free to do the tag yourself.

 

Have a very Merry Christmas!!!

 

 

Love

Amy

xxx

Christmas Nails - China Glaze 'Glitter All the Way'

 

China Glaze Nail Polish - 'Glitter All the Way'

 

A play on the words 'Jingle all the way' from the Jingle Bells song, this China Glaze nail polish is more festive than you sitting in front of a log fire, eating mince pies whilst watching Elf on the television. It's beyond perfect!

 

China Glaze are very big in the nail polish world, and they are always bringing new collections out year in year out, and at Christmas it is no different.

 

I got this very nail polish for Christmas a couple of years ago from one of my best friends. I fell in love with it as soon as I unwrapped it on Christmas Day. Its a beautiful glitter nail polish, containing green, red, gold and purple glitter particles. Which look great together and are indeed very festive. The glitter is fine so no chunky glitter to worry about here.

 

 

 

It was very easy to apply and I managed to get this effect with just one coat, which is what I like to see in glitter nail polishes, well in all nail polishes if i'm honest. I hate having to put loads of coats on.

 

I have very short nails, as you can see, and it would look a heck of a lot better on longer nails but this is what I have to work with. And I refuse to not have glittery nails on over Christmas, it really makes me feel more Christmassy when I have glittery nails, I have no idea why.

  

 

This glitter is just perfect for Christmas time, whether you're going to a work Christmas party or just any Christmas party it would compliment any outfit. Or if you're not going to any Christmas parties and just want your nails to look a bit more festive, then this would be my number one pick. I will be wearing it over Christmas itself, without a doubt.

 

 

 

I really am impressed with this nail polish, I love the colours and it was easy to apply and I would purchase more from China Glaze. The only bugbear I have is that China Glaze is pretty expensive, but you can pick them up on discount websites and in some discount salon places.

 

 

China Glaze 'Glitter All the Way' was a limited edition nail polish at Christmas and is no longer avaliable, but you may be able to track it down on eBay or discount online shops or maybe in some shops if you're lucky. But I have been unable to track it down when writing this post.

 

Merry Christmas everyone!

 

Love

Amy

xxx

 

 

***DISCLAIMER***

All views/opinions are my own,

product bought for me as Christmas present.

Revlon Colorburst 'Orchid' Lipgloss

 

 

Revlon Colorburst Lipgloss 'Orchid' - £7.99

 

Revlon are such a great brand, I don't actually own any other products from Revlon apart from their lip products, and i've never tried any of their products either. The main thing that puts me off from buying things from Revlon I suppose is the price, it is the higher end of the drugstore/high street and I would only spend that kind of money if I know the products are really good. Some other things have been raved about from Revlon like their foundations, but the fact that you're paying a lot for a foundation that doesn't even come with a pump puts me right off, so for now i'm sticking to their lip products.

 

Revlon has a couple of types of lipglosses and they have both proved to be popular. I was on the hunt for a light pink lipgloss and when my sister was getting a Revlon lipgloss I spotted this colour and really liked it.

 

 It is a pretty good applicator and of the two lipglosses that Revlon do this is the longer one and these ones contain shimmer in them, unlike the Super Lustrous ones which are in smaller tubes. I prefer the Colorburst line purely because you get more product for your money and I do quite like lipglosses with shimmer in them. The packaging on both are superb! I particularly like the quilted look that is on the lid of this lipgloss.

 

 

As you can see it is a sheer pink, almost verging on a mauve lilac colour, and it does have slight silver shimmer which can make it look a tad frosty looking in some lights. But if applied right it looks fine and you hardly notice it. I have quite naturally pigmented lips and I never layer lipglosses over lipsticks so I wear this alone and I like the look that it gives. It's very glossy and not at all sticky, it doesn't last all that long on the lips (then again what lipgloss does?) and I do like the name 'Orchid' it suits the colour well. I think if you want a normal everyday pink gloss with a bit of shimmer then this one is spot on.

 

£7.99 may be a tad steep for you to spend on a lipgloss, but you may be more of a lipgloss person than a lipstick person so then in that case it may not seem too bad to you. There are always offers on in Boots and Superdrug also.

 

I probably wouldn't buy this again, as I don't often find myself wearing lipgloss so I don't see the point in buying more lipgloss if i'm not going to wear it. It's not a negative critic on the product itself, it's just me.

 

This Revlon lipgloss is avaliable at £7.99

 

HERE

 

 

Love

Amy

xxx

 

 

 

***DISCLAIMER***

All views/opinions are my own, product bought myself.

 

 

SEVENTEEN Lasting Fix 'Mulled Wine' Lipstick

 

SEVENTEEN Lasting Fix 'Mulled Wine' Lipstick - £4.29

 

It's getting so close to Christmas now, it's so exciting! So in the lead up to the festivities I thought i'd share one of my favourite lipsticks for this time of year, and it is very appropriately named 'Mulled Wine'. I really don't like Mulled Wine in the drink form, but it's a great name that matches the colour of this lipstick very well, and it just makes me want to wear it a lot around the Christmas season.

 

SEVENTEEN have had a bit of a re-brand recently, they now have the full name SEVENTEEN but a while ago they just used to be the number 17, as you can see on the lid. I'm not sure if they have repackaged the Lasting Fix lipsticks yet, or if they are going to at all, but from the Boots website they still look identical so I think they've kept it the same. Which I think is a wise choice, as I really like the design of the packaging with the all black but when the lid is on you can see the pink coming through in a small band around the middle. 

 

 

SEVENTEEN do a few formulas of their lipsticks, this one is the Lasting Fix formula but they also do Stay Pout which is reasonably new as I don't remember seeing that range there last year. There is Mirror Shine, which is probably their most famous line due to the blogger favourite Beehive colour! I adored the packaging of that a lot but the smell of them was not pleasant, and they have also since changed that packaging which is sad. Last but not least they have the Supreme Shine lipsticks, which I have one of and also enjoy.

 

The Lasting Fix lipsticks do exactly what they says on the tin, they last a very long time on the lips. SEVENTEEN say these lipsticks will last up to 4 hours on the lips, but I reckon they last longer, but then again I have quite a dark redish colour so that will have a bit of a staining affect which I find all dark colours like red do. I'd have to test out the staying power of the Lasting Fix lipsticks on a lighter colour one day.

 

 

 Like I said this is a red based colour, but it's a very easy and simple red to pull off. A very good choice for someone who wants to dip their toe into the whole red lipstick scene. I think this actually was the first red lipstick I ever bought, and it's served me well over the past year or so.

 

I like the fact that it lasts so long on the lipsticks, it's an easy colour to pull off in the autumn and winter months and even though it is a Lasting Fix lipsticks it's not at all drying like you'd expect it to be. I'd probably call this a satin formula lipstick, it's not completely matte but it's not glossy either.

 

One of the best things about this lipstick though is the price, for £4.29 you really can't go wrong. Such great value for a good product, i'd buy more of these without a doubt.

 

SEVENTEEN is only avaliable in Boots stores or

on the Boots website for £4.29

HERE

 

 

Any questions/comments please leave below.

 

Love

Amy

xxx

 

 

 

***DISCLAIMER***

All views/opinions are my own, product bought myself.