Candle Haul || October 2013

Mood: Chilled

Listening to: Ben Pearce- What I Might Do

Hello beautiful bloggers!

I know I'm posting this later than expected, but I've been busy and had a lot more going on than I thought. But I suppose it's better late than never. 

So last week I went shopping and I spent a bit too much on candles, and I thought I would share with you what I bought.

1. Yankee Candle tealights in Season of Peace

When I smelt this I had to get them, it's quite a clean, musky smell and not too overpowering. I'm not a huge fan of sweet vanilla scents and a lot of this years Christmas Yankee Candles seem to be very sweet. I can't wait to light these closer to Christmas! I can't remember exactly how much these were but I think they were around £6.75.

2. Yankee Candle Regular Tumbler in Red Apple Wreath


This candle has a mixture of scents, there's a strong scent of apple and cinnamon and there was also a sweet aroma which I later found out is maple. I love this candle and I would probably re-purchase it in the future. The price of this size candle is around about £9.95.

Apple Blossom scented candle from Homebase

This was an unintentional purchase, I stopped off at Homebase on the way home from the Garden Centre and I've been looking at these candles for months. The scent is literally mouth watering, it smells exactly like crisp green apples. I wouldn't usually buy such a fresh scent in Autumn/Winter but they're so lovely I had to. I bought two of these and they were around £1.49 each. Bargain!

Neom Luxury Candle in Harmonise

I've been eyeing up Neom candles online for a good few months and I've never seen them in any shops. So when I went into a shop called Nicholls in Brecon, I jumped at the chance to smell them all and treat myself. Neom candles are quite pricey, this size costing you £15 but as the packaging says, they are indeed luxury candles and are intended to be used between 2-4 hours at a time. The scent Harmonise may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I couldn't resist the enchanting Christmas scent. The scent is quite menthol with eucalyptus, cedarwood and pine. It smells like fresh pine trees, a scent I adore.
This is what Neom says this scent is intended for;

"For times when you need a moment of restoration to treat tiredness and to encourage focus. A gently energising blend, perfect for helping clarity and concentration"

Berry Candle in a Tin from Wilkinsons

Again, another cheap candle but the scent was too good not to purchase. I love winter berry scents and when I smelt this I wasn't expecting such a nice smell. It has a deep berry scent and the pattern on the tin was super cute! The candles were only £1.50 each so if you're on a budget they're a great buy!

I hope you've all enjoyed reading this post, and I've also purchased a few beauty items in the past week which I'm hoping to do a post on by next week! Hope you're all having a great week so far!

Love from Bethan

xox

Songs I'm Loving || October

Mood: Sassy

Listening to- Whitney Houston- So Emotional (What a throwback haha!)

So here are my top ten songs that I've been loving this month. Like always the songs I listen to may not be newly released, but I've put them in there anyway.

1. Passion Pit- Take a Walk

I can't remember where I heard this, but a few day later I watched Tyler Oakley's How To: Take over Sydney video and this was the song in the video. I instantly searched it on Spotify, and I haven't stopped listening to it since. It's such a happy song and instantly puts me in a great mood.

2. Drake ft Jay Z- Pound Cake

I've been listening to Drake's newest album a lot on Spotify lately and I must say I've replayed this song over and over. I don't know what it is about Drake that I've been loving lately. It features Jay Z which I love and you can certainly hear the Jay Z vibe on this track.

3. Daughter- Youth

There's something very calming about this song. I love how the vocals slightly echo and it makes it hauntingly beautiful. I love to just lay on my bed and listen to this song. I recommend you listen to Daughter, they have some great songs.

4. The Weeknd ft Drake- Live For

Another song that features Drake, I know! The Weeknd have impressed me with this song, I love how catchy

5. Lorde- Royals

Another song that I've been hearing a lot lately. I've had this song stuck in my head for that past few hours, it's so catchy. I can't believe she's only 16!

6. Chase & Status ft Moko- Count on Me

I've always been a big fan of Chase & Status and they've not disappointed with this song. It gets me moving every time and has a nineties vibe to it which brings back nostalgic memories. I recommend this song to anyone who misses the nineties and wants a good old dance.

7. Ben Pearce- What I Might Do

Thank you Tesco for having this song on your new advert. When I heard it I was like like "Wow, who sings this song? I absolutely love it!" I've not changed my opinion on it after listening non-stop. I hope to hear a lot more from Ben Pearce in the future. 

8. One Republic- Counting Stars

When OneRepublic first appeared on the scene I wasn't a big fan of them, I found them slightly boring. Now I've grown older I've really started to enjoy some of their music. The song Counting Stars has been played quite a lot this month and I've literally heard it everywhere I go. I must say I do really like this song.

9. Wilkinson- Afterglow

I love this song and it makes me happy that the vocalist is Becky Hill off last year's The Voice UK. I always had high hopes for her because she's such a talented singer. Another thing about the song I adore is the video, I find it very fascinating and I've watched it around about 30 times (no joke). I think out of all the songs on this list, this has been my favourite this month.

10. Iggy Azalea- Change Your Life

I am the BIGGEST Iggy fan, not only is she super talented, she is breathtakingly beautiful. I would give anything to look like her! Her newest released song 'Change Your Life' is as catchy as her previous songs and I can't stop listening to it. I also love looking at her different make-up styles in every video, she always looks flawless.

Hope you've enjoyed listening to my top ten! Let me know what you've been listening to this month.

Love from Bethan

xox

Massive Beauty Haul || October

Mood: Contented 

Listening to: Wrecking Ball (Cover)- James Arthur

Hello beautiful bloggers!

So yesterday I went on a massive make-up haul to Boots and Superdrug. I also love candles, so while I was out and about I picked up some up ready for the Autumn/Winter evenings but I'll do a post on them next week! 

My lipstick holder that came this week! Bought from here.

Moisture Renew Lipstick in As You Want Victoria.

This is not one for the faint hearted, bright colour lovers eat your heart out!

Very happy with my new Rimmel lipstick.

The lipstick is a very pigmented!

I was very happy with this lipstick from Rimmel, I've had my eye on it for a while now. The lipstick applies easily and they are very moisturising on the lips. The colours just pop and they are very pigmented. They last a good few hours and you don't have to top up much during the day. The only fault is that if you accidentally smudge it, it stains your skin quite badly. I would also like to mention the lovely pink and orange patches on my hand from swatching As You Want Victoria & In Love With Ginger.

MUA Undressed Palette.

A right bargain at only £4!

A gorgeous neutral palette.

 I tried swatching the eyeshadows but the lighting was awful! I love the pigmentation on the shimmer eyeshadows but I was disappointed with the matte ones because they didn't show up that well on my skin. For £4 I can't really complain, I can see myself using this a lot for daytime. 

BarryM Jewel Glitter Nail Paint in Amethyst

Perfect for party season!

I've been eyeing this bad boy up for a while and I think it's a perfect for the upcoming party season. I've yet to try it, but I have high hopes for it. 

Looking forward to using this product!

I was told by another blogger in my Payday Wishlist post about this primer because I was going to buy Benefit's Porefessional. Apparently this is a great dupe of Porefessional, and although I've not used it on my face when I tested a bit on my hand they felt/looked almost identical. At £3 I hope it's a great dupe because I'll be saving an enormous £21.50 by switching primers!

MUA eyeshadow in Pearl

Super pigmented!

Looks much better in person.

I am most impressed by MUA's single eyeshadows! They are a steal at only £1 each, they are highly pigmented and apply easily. I love this shade, it's a pinky-purple colour and I've been wearing a lot of colours like this lately and I'm very happy to add this to my collection. 

Photography isn't my greatest talent...

Unfortunately, my Organix Moroccan Argan Oil shampoo and conditioner has finally ran out. As much as I loved them, I've wanted to try the Lee Stafford Argan oil range for a while.They are quite expensive at £10.99 each! But while I was in Boots they had a 3 for £20 offer on the Argan Oil range so I bought the shampoo, conditioner and the Argan oil (£11.99). I saved nearly £14 with this deal, so I couldn't just walk away.

My new go-to moisturiser.

Smells divine!

 This moisturiser was on my Payday Wishlist and I'm so happy I bought it! The smell is truly amazing, it smells exactly like Baileys (An Irish whiskey and cream based liqueur.) It sprays on evenly and dries very quickly. It's non-greasy too, something I hate in a moisturiser. A great buy for people who like soft skin but are always in a rush!

Soap & Glory Exfoliating Face Brush

Last but not least, I bought this nifty little exfoliating face brush. It was £6.50 from Boots and I thought I'd give it a try because Winter is coming soon and I want to make sure I keep my face in great condition. It's double sided, one side for exfoliating with a cleanser and the other side is to massage your face to boost circulation. I've used it twice so far and I've enjoyed adding it to my daily skincare routine.

I hope you've all had a great weekend. Let me know if you've bought any great products lately!

Love from Bethan

xox

Off Topic Post || Bad Day

Mood: Sad

Listening to: Drake & Jay Z- Pound Cake/ Paris Morton Music 2

Hello beautiful bloggers!

I was going to post a beauty post this week but I just haven't had the time, so I think I'll leave it for the weekend and post an off topic post for the time being.

I've seen this quote on Pinterest and it is very relevant to how I feel right now

If you're really not interested in a massive rambling rant, look away now. 

I would first of all like to mention that if having a bad day in work wasn't bad enough, finding out you wore your top back to front all day when you were coming home from work certainly doesn't help.

I've had one of those weeks where I've just wanted to cry for no reason, and if I didn't laugh things off I would seriously break down into tears.

I've also had an awful skin week and I've broke out in what feels like a million spots on my face because of stress, and nothing seems to get rid of them and my unusually oily t-zone (It never gets this bad!)

I'm normally a very happy, upbeat and cheerful person, so even though I'm having a rant I feel like it's good to get things off my chest. It's better out than in...even Shrek says so.

In a bid to make me feel better, I made a list of things to be happy about:

1. Amazing parents who love and support me, no matter what.

2. An upcoming trip away with my friends.

3. A gorgeous niece and another one on the way.

4. I'm in good health.

5. It was pay day on Tuesday...aka shopping trip!

6. Christmas/birthday season in very soon. Starting to feel festive.

I hope you've all had a great week, and sorry if you've read this and thought it was the biggest waste of space you've ever seen. I promise I'm not always this sad and depressing.

Love from Bethan

xox

Payday Wishlist + Autumn To Do List Update

Mood: Excited
Listening to: Ellie Goulding- Burn

Hello beautiful people!

Next week is payday so along with a few necessities I need, I'm going to treat myself to these beauties.

1. Vaseline Spray & Go (Cocoa Radiant)

I saw these on a YouTube video and I've wanted to try them ever since. It's a moisturiser that you can quickly spray on and rub in, apparently it dries quickly too which is a great bonus. There are three types/scents of them but I want to try the Cocoa Radiant as I love the smell of Cocoa Butters and how soft they make my skin feel. They are advertised as being non sticky or greasy too, so I can't wait to test them out!

2. Nars Sheer Glow Foundation

I've tried this foundation once in the shop but never purchased it! I'm now going back to buy it because I'm running out of my current foundation and I want to try something new. I love how radient my skin looked with the Sheer Glow foundation. I can't wait to purchase it!

3. Jo Malone perfume in Peony & Blush Suede

I've smelt this in the shop once and thought it was amazing, the problem is now definitely want to purchase it! I also want to smell a few other scents to see if they can tempt me!

4. Porefessional by Benefit

I had the the tester size of this for ages, and it lasted me such a long time. I think it's now time to purchase the full size because I find that it works really well. It makes your skin look flawless and is a great base for most foundations. Although I think the price is very expensive for a primer (£24.50) it did last a very long time, and I don't mind paying for it if it's going to last me a while.

. . . . . . . . .

A few posts ago I wrote my Autumn to do list, and I've been trying to do them while working around a busy schedule. So here is my updated list!

1. Start my Christmas shopping early! I say I will do this every year but I never do, but I am determined to do it this year. No more last minute shopping on Christmas Eve.

2. Project re-decorate my bedroom. I've already chosen a colour scheme (mint, white and pink) and I've chosen my bed. Now I need to get myself in to gear and buy everything.

3. Nothing says Autumn more than coming home and lighting your favourite candle. So I've added buy a new Yankee Candle to the list. I've already seen a few I like so all I need to do now is choose one.

4. Go for a walk through all of golden and red crunchy autumn leaves. I may have to wait a while to do this as I can't control the seasons and weather but fingers crossed I won't have to wait long!

5. Get crafting! I've been saving and keeping some old jars for a while ready to make some candle jars I've seen on Pinterest.

My first homemade candle jar!

6. Go to the garden centre. The garden centres near me aren't just full of plants they have wonderful home decorations and they have lovely homemade food and lots of Yankee candles and many other miscellaneous items.

7. Get fit. Try and do some more exercise and go out on my bike more.

8. Drink more water. Just before summer I always drank a lot of water, I've always drank 8 glasses a day. I had a bottle that I took to work everyday but for the last month I've drank less water and I've really noticed the effect on my body. I feel sluggish and my skin doesn't feel as hydrated and doesn't have a natural glow.

9.  Take some pretty autumnal pictures. I don't mean snap a few pictures on my phone, I'm going to borrow my dad's camera and try and get a few good pictures. I'm am not a professional, so we'll see how it goes.

10. And finally is to appreciate the dark nights, falling leaves and the nights where you can just snuggle up with a blanket and a good back. There's nothing I look forward to more than this.

I don't think I've done too bad so far! I was going to tick off starting my Christmas shopping but I've only bought decorations...for myself. So technically I shouldn't cross it off.

I hope you've all had a great day!

Love from Bethan

xox

Autumnal Walk || October 5th

Mood: Cwtchy (Cwtch is a Welsh word for hug)

Listening to:  FUN- Some Nights

Hello beautiful people!

OK, so this isn't like my usual beauty posts so if you're here for beauty posts only, look away now.

 Today my parents, niece and I went for an autumnal walk on a woodland trail that is literally 2 minutes from my house. I am very fortunate to live in such a beautiful countryside area, so we try to make the most of taking wonderful walks and spending quality family time together in the autumn/winter. 

Here are a few pictures I took today.

(This picture makes me laugh so much!) 

(Colours are slowly changing)

 (Beautiful countryside walks)

(Lonely berries)

(Last of the Summer fruit)

 (Turned out a little bit blurry but look at those tiny fingers!)

(My mother adores this picture and wants to frame it)

 ("Look at my leaf Aunty Beth")

(Not the best picture, but ah well)

I am not a professional photographer at all and all these pictures were taken by luck on my Dad's great camera (Nikon D5000) 

Hope you've had a great day!

Love from Bethan

xox

Organix Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo & Conditioner || Review

Mood: Energized 

Listening to: Avicii- You Make Me

Hello beautiful people!

If you've read my previous posts you may know that almost a fortnight ago I bought the Organix Moroccan argan oil shampoo and conditioner. Before reviewing hair products I always like to try the product for at least ten days to see how my hair changes.

When I first used the products I was impressed with the packaging, the pearlescent blue and gold paired together beautifully and the curved bottles made it stand out from other shampoos and conditioners.
The liquid of the shampoo and conditioner is thick and luxurious almost like jelly in consistency. The smell to it is fresh and what I'd imagine paradise to smell like. I really love it.

The shampoo, I found really works into your scalp and when washed of it didn't leave your hair squeaky and dry, which isn't good when you have curly hair like me. The shampoo foamed into a soft lather when massaged into your head leaving your hair feeling super clean.

Following with the conditioner, I applied it sparingly as a little goes a long way unlike many other conditioners. I always apply conditioner on the ends of my hair AND roots and really work it into my scalp and then leave it to sink in for around 3 minutes before washing it off.

The conditioner left my usual frizzy, knotty hair, smooth and tame. And I also love how soft my hair is every time I use the products and how manageable it is to comb when wet.  They're such a delightful product to use as the Moroccan argan oil really nourishes your hair. Another plus is that it protects your hair from styling heat and UV damage, it's like everything you want in a hair product in one bottle.

Overall I am very impressed with the shampoo and conditioner and although it may be a little pricer than some shampoos and conditioners at £6.99 each I find they last much longer. I've still just under half a bottle of shampoo and conditioner left and I was my hair every other day.

Hope you've enjoyed reading my review and let me know your opinion on them if you've tried them!

Love from Bethan

xox