Chanel Rouge Allure Gloss | Affriolant

This is the first time in over a year's worth of blogging that I am writing a full posted dedicated to a lip gloss - probably because I tend mainly to only be into my lipsticks! However lip gloss is something I have been interested to get a bit more into wearing, and I'd seen a lot about the new line of Chanel Rouge Allure glosses. If you own any of the Chanel Allure lipsticks you will be aware of the sleek packaging and these follow in the same innovative principal 'colour and shine lipgloss in one click' these are designed to be as intense as lipsticks in terms of colour pay off while still remaining very much a gloss.

After trying a few different colours on at the counter I settled for number 13 Affriolant, a stunning pink with hints of coral. What I like about this is that you can go for quite a sheer look with just one layer or you can build it up to achieve a more opaque covering of the gloss. You really do get the colour pay off with this lipgloss - I've had quite a few people mistake it for lipstick asking me 'oh what lipstick are you wearing?' Though that doesn't mean that it isn't glossy or shiny - it gives you a luscious sheen on the lips that make them look so full and puckered. This is such a beautiful feminine lip product that when I'm wearing always makes me feel very ladylike.

The wear time is surprisingly impressive for a gloss lasting a good four hours with a subtle stain behind on the lips. Its extremely comfortable to wear the texture isn't at all sticky or too thick like some glosses. It goes without saying that the packaging is on the money with the timelessly classic black and gold and Chanel logo on the wand that clicks smartly in to place. Also I think the doe foot applicator is the perfect shape to trace the lips with ease. I've been absolutely loving wearing this and will be a stunning addition to my collection particularly through the upcoming Spring/Summer months.

Wearing Chanel Rouge Allure Gloss in Affriolant

QOTD: Have you tried any of the Chanel Rouge Allure Glosses?

Fragrance Focus: Jo Malone Orange Blossom

If there's one thing I love the most, it certainly has to be a new fragrance discovery. Especially when its in the form of a Jo Malone Cologne... You wouldn't think it if you looked out the window right now at the rain splashing down, but Spring is on our doorstep here. There are promises of the new season arriving everywhere:, from the daffodils brightly decorating our streets, birds singing outside and the evenings gradually getting lighter. With Spring setting in and influencing my moods, I feel myself drifting away from those rich, spicy colognes I love in Winter in favour of lighter floral options.

Orange Blossom is a bit of a crowd pleaser as its a delightfully fresh balance of both fruity and flowery notes. This is categorized as part of the 'floral' family in Jo Malone's range and while I would agree that there is definitely an element of the blossoms lingering in the scent, I predominantly pick up on the orange. Orange Blossom is such a beautiful fragrance and has an oddly energizing effect that just instantly picks my mood up as soon as its sprayed and it becomes even more delicious as it warms on the skin. I always feel very feminine and sweet whenever I wear this, but not in a sickly sweet way! Unlike some citrus, fruity scents that can come across as a bit cheap and god-forbid smell like a cleaning product - Orange Blossom almost has this creaminess so it is more of like a creamy orange.

A perfect fragrance for these Spring months and following right through to Summer (it would be a gorgeous holiday scent!) I've definitely picked this up at the ideal time as it will be getting plenty of use I can imagine. I would say that this is suitable for daytime wear but is also lovely and special enough to dress up in the evenings too. I love mixing and matching my scents, and for a slightly warmer evening appropriate scent I like it combined with Dark Amber & Ginger Lily - I have this in the 9ml travel size bottle from the Christmas set. Dark Amber & Ginger Lily makes for a more heady and slightly sexier scent. I can imagine that the body wash would be amazing in this range as I love uplifting shower gels! Orange Blossom is definitely my favourite scent at the moment.

QOTD: Have you smelt Orange Blossom?

The Body Shop Hemp Hand Butter Vs Hemp Hand Protector

During the winter I discovered my holy grail hand cream from The Body Shop and that is their Hemp Hand Protector and I've already written a full review of that which you can find here. If you caught my recent haul post you will have seen that I picked up the Intensive Hand Butter from the same range as I love the original so much and wanted to see how the butter lived up to my favourite hand cream. In this post I am going to do a comparison of the two products as although they are from the same Hemp range they do offer slightly different qualities.

So I'll start off with what you really ought to know about about the differences in these products - the consistency (see the picture below for a visual comparison too.) As you would expect the Intensive Hand Butter does have that nice buttery soft texture that sinks effortlessly in to the hands hydrating the skin, it leaves quite a soothing effect and is a miracle worker even to tough dry patches. The Hand Protector actually has a thicker texture in comparison to the butter,and it inevitably does not sink in quite as easily but I would say for that reason it feels a bit more nourishing to the skin. The hand protector really leaves the skin super soft whereas I'd say that the effect of the butter is more to smooth the skin.

TBS Hemp Hand Butter versus Hemp Hand Protector

A couple of similarities in the two products would notably be the smell with both giving off that identical medically, clean aroma: although I would say that the hand cream protector is slightly stronger and leaves the smell lingering for longer than the butter does. They are also very similar in the way that neither is at all greasy, which for me makes or breaks a hand lotion - I hate that sticky 'just put cream on my hands' feeling you often get with some brands but both the butter and the protector sink nicely into the hands.

Now aside from the actual products differing there are the more obvious differences such as the packaging. The hand butter comes in a 100ml pot similar to TBS's original body butters and I really like this as you don't often get a hand cream in this sort of tub type packaging. Then from the picture you can see that the hand protector comes as most hand creams do in a squeezy tube and screw on lid, however I really think that the packaging of this is the products one downfall - it looks absolutely battered! I wish The Body Shop would get some smarter packaging for the hand protector in the future.

The question is, do you need both? 
Honestly no. Unless you love trying new hand cream related products out like I do, but you don't really need to own both these. In my opinion the Hemp Hand Protector is hands down still the best - sorry for the pun. But I'd say that it wins in terms of value for money £5 for 100ml of it compared to £12 for 100ml of the butter and it also wins on performance it just makes your hands feel so soft and healthy whereas the butter just leaves them feeling quite smooth. Both nice but if you're unsure what to go for I'd have to say get the tube of Hand Protector.

QOTD: Have you tried any of the Hemp range from TBS?

Spring Beauty Haul #2

Time for another Spring haul of things I've purchased in recent weeks.This is a small albeit mish-mash of a beauty haul but I thought I'd share my new bits none the less. It wouldn't be a haul from me without an item from The Body Shop would it? This time I picked up a tub of the Hemp Intensive Hand Butter - the Hemp Hand Protector from TBS is my ultimate hand cream so when I saw this tub on offer on the shelf I was intrigued to see how it compared to the original. I might do a comparison post on the two in the upcoming weeks. The next thing I picked up on a recommendation from my friend, and it was the Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Scrub as she said it really helped in clearing her skin. When I saw it on offer in Wilkinsons for just £3.50 I thought why not give it a go?

From Boots I decided to pick up another Tangle Teezer Compact as they're really handy. I picked up the leopard print Style compact Tangle Teezer from duty free a while ago so went for the purple one this time as they're just great to keep it in a handbag and I wanted to get another as back up. The compact Tangle Teezers are light and obviously 'compact' as the name suggests with a protective back you push in and out. Then lastly a high end beauty piece that came from the Chanel counter in Boots is the Rouge Allure Gloss in number 13. I've seen quite a lot of these glosses pop up on the beauty scene - literally as these glosses slide in and out of the packaging in such a chic format. But I won't say too much more as I will definitely be doing a full review on this soon.

QOTD: What have you picked up recently?

Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt Scented Candle

Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt Scented Candle | Link

Can you tell I'm on a bit of a Jo Malone fix lately?! I can't seem to get enough. At Christmas I gave the Travel Candle Collection a whirl and it was the first time I had branched into the Jo Malone home wear. Needless to say it gave me a real taste into the decadent world of luxury candles. After sampling a few of the small travel candles  I was certain sure that a JML candle would be working its way into my life before long. 

I recently wrote a post speaking about my family taking on my Nan with dementia to care for her. At the start of February we moved in to my Nan's house, while our own home is getting work done on it ready for us all to return. While the adjustments haven't been easy for me, it has been made more pleasant with some 'home' comforts. Fresh white paint on the walls, a fluffy new bedroom carpet and some cozy touches like fairy lights and of course a new Jo Malone candle has all given me somewhere nice to escape to.

I love the Wood Sage & Sea Salt cologne, its up there as one of my most worn scents its so earthy yet fresh and the candle has the same effect. When lit the candle emits a truly relaxing scent that encapsulates the room, and truly fulfills that homely atmosphere that I'm after. This is such a beautiful candle and I'm addicted to lighting it each night to get my fix of Wood Sage & Sea Salt burning around the home. I find it totally chills me out and puts me in a lovely mellow mood. Similarly to the packaging of the colognes, the candle is subtly sophisticated and classy: embellished by the chic square label with black writing and elegant silver lid. 

QOTD: Have you tried any Jo Malone candles?