Yankee Candle Mini Haul

                           

Market Blossoms

 Florals are usually not my first choice of scent but it is I found this to be a lovely fresh scent perfect for spring time. It has a beautiful light floral fragrance with a hint of sweetness. 

Fragrance notes

Top: Peonies

Mid: Fresh cut roses

Base: Sweet vanilla

Bakery Air

This one is my favourite out of the trio. I love sweet fragrances and this really does a great job of recreating the scent of a bakery, think creamy butter swirled with vanilla, chopped pecans and cinnamon all baking in the oven...yum!

Fragrance notes

Top: Creamy butter, maple extract

Mid: Chopped pecans, ground cinnamon, crushed clove

Base: Crystallized sugar, vanilla

Catching Rays

I am enjoying how fresh this candle makes a room smell, it's a mix of citrus and relaxing amber. I think the scent is a lot like clean cotton and not as 'beachy' as the photo on the jar would suggest.

Fragrance notes

Top: Sharp orange zest

Mid: Golden amber

Base: Sea air

What are your favourite Yankee Candle scents?

Carly x

December Favourites

Hi Lovelies!

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas! It's that time of the month to show you what I have been enjoying...

First up is the Tarte Amazionian Clay Eye & Cheek Palette

I have been using this palette pretty much every day since I got it, it contains 6 matte shades of eye shadow, including a liner, lid, crease and highlight shade. The shades are great for creating a natural look but can also be used to create a more dramatic evening look. In the center of the palette is a golden peachy pink blush, which leaves a subtle hint of colour and creates a healthy glow to your complexion. Tarte is hard to find in the UK (which is such a shame!) but QVC has some great offers on this brand and what i've tried so far from this range, I definitely think it's worth checking out.

Pixi Glow Tonic

This has been on my wishlist for months and I finally bit the bullet and bought myself a bottle. I use this once daily, usually in the morning after cleansing and have found a definite improvement in my skins texture, I am no longer troubled by pesky dry patches and my skin is left with a healthy glow which makes for a great base before applying my makeup for the day!

Caudalie Instant Detox Mask

I purchased this at the start of December and have been using it once or twice a week and think it's a great little mask to add to your stash. It is a clay mask that deeply cleanses, helps to minimize pores and eliminates impurities and toxins to renew the skins texture. The main ingredients are pink clay, grape marc and coffee- it smells divine! 

Yankee Candle 'Fireside Treats'

Oh boy, I think this maybe my new favourite candle scent! I have been burning this in my bedroom and it smells delicious! It is very light in fragrance (not overpowering like other sweet scents) but adds a comforting marshmallow aroma. I will be repurchasing this once it's been used up, which will probably be quite soon at this rate!

Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm

I really didn't want to like this cleanser, as it is really very pricey, but after a couple of weeks of using this in the evening, I have to admit I love it! It is a deep cleansing balm, which helps soften and nourish the skin. This is a real treat to use and melts away makeup like a dream, I also find it quite therapeutic to use as it's fragrance helps you to relax and unwind before bedtime.

What have you been loving recently?

Carly x

Yankee Candle Christmas Top Picks

If like me, you love this time of year and use it as a good excuse to restock your candle supply with some seasonally appropriate scents this post is for you! Here are my favourites from the Yankee Candle Christmas collection...

Christmas Cookie 

(sweet)

If you love sweet scented candles this one is for you! It smells of buttery rich, vanilla scented cookies, perfect for filling your home with a freshly baked treats scent!

Cosy By The Fire 

(spicy)

This is a new addition to the Yankee Candle Christmas selection. A warm mixture of ginger, cloves and orange  combined with woody notes to give the snap of a crackling fire and the comfort of a hot drink beside it.

Christmas Tree 

(fresh)

If you love the scent of pine Christmas trees, you'll love this candle. A fresh aroma of fresh cut pine boughs and zesty berries!

Candy Cane Lane

(fresh & sweet)

A lovely peppermint scented candle that combines the aroma of freshly baked cookies and creamy vanilla icing- sounds good enough to eat!

Gingerbread Maple

(sweet)

Another new addition to the Yankee Candle family (and one of my all time favourites!) This candle combines the rich aroma of baking spices and warm fragrance of cloves with a touch of maple. Dreamy!

Sparkling Cinnamon

(spicy)

A real traditional Christmas scent, spicy warmth of real cinnamon sticks with a touch of clove. Perfect for bringing some

scented comfort into your home.

What candle would you pick?

Carly x

Christmas Stocking Fillers For Him

1. Fudge Brownie Cookie Dough Bites

£1

Who doesn't love a good sugar rush? American candy makes for great stocking fillers. You can choose from a wide selection on Amazon, but bargain shops such as Poundland and B&M have recently started stocking a selection of American candy!

2. Apothecary87 Beard Oil

£6.40 - £65

If you have a bearded gentleman friend, they may appreciate a heavenly smelling beard oil. Apothecary87 are a UK brand and offer a wide selection of fragranced beard oils from vanilla and mango to  sandalwood and musk!

3. Hip Flask

Urban Outfitters £10

A neat little pocket sized gift for booze  lovers.

4. Lushs' Dirty Body Spray

£15

This is wonderfully fresh smelling alternative to aftershave. Scented with spearmint, sandalwood and herbal essential oils, it's something a bit different  and is totally worth the hype.

5. Navy Aztec Woven Scarf

New Look £12.99

You can't really go wrong with gifting someone a cosy winter scarf!

6. Ghostbusters Travel Mug

Retrorules £9.99

Who doesn't love Ghostbusters? Not many, probably...this is a fun way to take your coffee with you when you're on the go.

7. Green Moss Candle 

Izola $29.95

Candles for guys? Yes! There is some lovely musky, tobacco (manly..ahem) candles on the market at the minute. TK

Maxx stock unique and hard to find candles so is worth checking outbefore  splurging on a $30 candle. 

8. Field Notes Notebook

£9.95 Amazon

This is a great pocket sized notebook for the doodler, note taker and list maker on the go! 

September Favourites

1. No7 Stay Perfect Foundation

This was a new purchase in September and have been wearing it on a daily basis, it provides long lasting coverage and is great for dehydrates skin!

2. Eau des Missions Cologne

This was a great find this month! I found this in TK Maxx and couldn't believe the price, £7 for 250ml!! It is a beautiful vanilla cologne which I have been wearing non stop, perfect for chilly Autumn days.

3. My ever growing Tsum Tsum collection

Yes, I am 5 years old, but look how cute they are!!

4. Caramel Nut Delight Coffee

This tastes...amazing!

5. Home Sweet Home by Yankee Candle

This is my 'go to' Autumn candle, it's the perfect cinnamon and spice scent and does a great job of making the whole house smell great!

6. The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Other Tales of Terror by Robert Louis Stevenson

I always like to read a few good horror stories during the months leading up to Halloween. This is a classic gothic novel, it's wondefully atmospheric and does a great job and leaving you feeling uneasy and creeped out. I highly recommend!

What are your September favourites?

Carly x

Autumn 2015 Wishlist

1. Bath and Body Works pumpkin scented candles

(eBay)

2. Heeled Chelsea Boots from Mango £79.99

3. Mac Lipstick in Retro

£15.50

4. Reversible Scarf from Primark

£7

5. Faux suede biker jacket in mustard from Misguided 

£40

What are you lusting after this Autumn?

Carly x

August Favourites

Bye August, hello September! 

Here are a few things I have been loving in August...

Paddywax 'Tobacco & Patchouli' candle

Ugh, this smells great! I've held of burning this little travel candle as I think it will be the perfect scent for cold autumnal nights- I can't wait!

Lush's 'Vanillary' perfume

If you've ever smelt Lushs Vanilla Dee-Lite body lotion, this is the perfume version. I do love a good vanilla scent when it comes to perfumes and this really packs a punch when it comes to giving you a dose of vanilla goodness!

No7 Moisture Drench Lipstick in Soft Earth

This has been my go to lipstick this month, it's the perfect everyday colour. It is great for an effortless pop of colour, nothing to dramatic for wearing during the day.

Heeled boots from Boohoo.com

These boots where an absolute steal at £12! I have been wearing them a lot this month as the summer here hasn't been...well...summery at all! They go great with every outfit and are super comfortable to walk in. This will definately be a staple for the coming months!

What have you been loving this month?

Carly x

Primark Home Haul

Earlier this week I went for a spontaneous road trip to Dublin for the day and spent some time exploring some

of the shops there (obviously!) 

Dublin city centre has a huge Primark (it's called Pennies there) it's located on O'Connell Street and is worth checking out if you ever find yourself in Dublin. 

Primark have really stepped up there game when it comes to homeware in the past few months and was excited to find their new autumn/winter range had been launched. Here are the few bits I picked up...

Geometric copper photo frame €2.00

I am loving the copper trend at the minute and was excited to find this extremely affordable nod to the current interior must have. It comes with an adorable little LOVE postcard so you don't even have to worry about thinking about what to put in it. 

Wire 'Hello' wall hanging €2.00

This is a nice little addition to a bare wall, i've hung this next to the front door in my home, as a fun greeting to any visitors. Orange in colour with an attached blue ribbon it gives a nice pop of colour aswell.

Mini artificial succulent plant €2.00

I love having plants and flowers in the house but I find it hard to keep succulents alive for any length of time (what am I doing wrong?!) so when I came across this artificial mini succulent it was immediately put in my shopping basket! 

Geometric print candle with wooden lid €3.00

If you've read any of my previous blog posts you will probably know that I am

A candle junkie, I love them! This caught my eye as it looks like something you would find in Oliver Bonas or another higher end interior store. I love the black and white geometric print and the wooden lid! The candle itself smells of fresh linen which is an added bonus! 

Salted Caramel Scented Candle €3.00

Yes, I got another candle. But look at the packaging! I love the simplicity of the design and the brown glass reminds me the apothecary candle range from Paddywax. It smells sweet like caramel with vanilla base notes, it boasts a burn time of 25 hours which isn't too bad for such an affordable candle!

I hope you are all having a lovely weekend

Carly x

July Favourites

Hi folks! I hope you all had a great month!

Here are a few things I have been loving this month.

I picked these up on a impromptu trip to Boots and got roped into their 3 for 2 deal. I wanted to give their hot cloth cleanser a go to see if it matches up to the much loved Liz Earle hot cloth cleanser (i've yet to try it) I also got the melting gel cleanser which I have used a few times and have really enjoy using it so far, it leaves my skin really soft after. Then for my free No7 product I picked up the early defense eye cream, just because I've ran out of my regular eye cream and wanted to give something else a go! I will report back on what I think in a future post!

TK Maxxs candle game is strong at the minute! I picked this up just because of the packaging, but i've been burning it non stop since! It's highly scented and smells earthy with a hint of ginger- perfect.

 

Paperchases silly postcards. Love them.

I've been reading The Girl on a Train this month and can't put it down. I'm only half way through and find the story compelling, a real page turner if you like thrillers. I won't say too much as it may give away the story, but it is worth picking up if you are looking for a new read. 

What have been your favourites this month?

Carly x

A Week in Photos #3

1. My lovely boyfriend surprised me with roses and lush goodies :)

2. Relaxing in my new coffee PJ bottoms I picked up in Forever 21 when I was in Amsterdam.

3. Discovering a new coffee shop while on my way to work, I will be revisiting this cute cafe soon!

4. Frozen Yoghurt date night! A new frozen yoghurt place has opened up in our area, so once every week we take an evening trip and try out some new flavours! This week I tasted their mocha and vanilla cake batter flavoured frozen yoghurt. Oh so yum! 

5. I love having a noisy in TK Maxx home section every now and again and found this lovely candle. I love the packaging and it smells wonderful! A bargain for only £6! Hooray!

6. I finished reading Caitlin Morans ' How to be a Woman' this week and really enjoyed it! It's written perfectly and includes hilarious insights into her teenage years, while making some incredibly thoughtful observations on modern feminisim. 

I hope you are all having a lovely weekend! 

Carly x

One for the candle addicts

Okay, first up, I have a confession...

I am a candle junkie.

If there is one thing that I am guaranteed to spend my money on this is it. I usually have at least two candles burning whilst i'm in the house, one in the bedroom and one in the living room. I tend to opt for more 'spa like' scents for the bedroom as it creates a nice ambient atmosphere when it comes to bed time. In the living space I love sweet smells, pretty much anything that smells like cake or pancakes...yum...

Todays post I will be recommending some tried and tested and loved candles.

The candle for sweet tooths

First up is the classic Yankee Candle 'Vanilla Cupcake'  this creates a warm, rich and creamy scent, heavy on the vanilla with a sprinkle of lemon. If you don't like sweet smells this candle probably isn't for you. It leaves your house smelling like you have just baked a fresh batch of vanilla cupcakes. If you pick up the large jar of this it will last you around 110-150 hours, completely worth the money if you ask me. The only problem with this candle is it will make you want to eat cake, and lots of it!

The candle for seaside lovers

If you've ever smelt Jo Malones 'Sea Salt and Wood Sage ' cologne, this candle smells exactly the same as that. Fresh

seaside top notes mixed with a woody earthy sage base. It's an uplifting scent and is great to light when you want to wind down after a long day. It is a tad on the pricey side but worth investing in.

The candle if you love the outdoors

The Paddywax Apothecary 'Amber and Smoke.'  I picked this up a while ago in Urban Outfitters and have a full review of it in a previous blog. The packaging of this candle alone is beautiful, it looks great and can add some character to an otherwise dull room. The scent is a deep, woodsey, slightly piney aroma and does a really great job of scenting your whole house. 

The candle for mint lovers

The illume 'Avocado and mint' is a soy based candle from Anthropology. It comes in a beautifully designed tin and oh boy! This smells great, refreshing and packed with cool mint. It has a strong scent that lingers hours after it has been blown out. It is very similar to The White

Company Wild Mint candle but for half the price.

What are your favourite candles?

Carly x

A Week in Photos #2

1. Picked up the Happy Buddha shower foam and Fortune shower scrub from

Rituals at a 50% off sale. These smell so

good- refreshing with a citrus zing!

2. Finally got my hands on two of my favourite films on dvd- 'The Secret Life of Walter Mitty' and 'The Grand Budapest Hotel.' 

3. Checked out the degree show at University of Ulster last week, there was a lot of great work on show. This students work consisted of a large studio floor covered in fake flowers, it looked amazing.

4. My very talented bestest buddy painted me this great water colour portrait of Bill Murray from the Wes Anderson film 'Moonrise Kingdom.' I have it framed in my sitting room, love it!

5. H&M have some beautiful minimalistic jewellery in stores at the minute. I haven't taken off this rose gold layered necklace, it goes with everything and anything!

6. How cute are these mason jar candles? I picked up the scent Lemon Pound Cake and Pancakes & Maple Syrup. My house smells like a bakery now :) 

7. My first ever Whistles purchase. I will get a lot of wear out this top, it's soooo soft!

8. New Book. These little penguin classics are only 80p in Waterstones!

9. The weather has been great here so a lot of coffee has been consumed outside in the sun.

Paddywax Apothecary Collection

Okay, so I have a confession...I am a bit of a candle addict...There, I said it! I am an avid purchaser of Yankee Candles but have had my eye on this collection from Paddywax for quite a few months, however I was unwilling to spend a fortune on the delivery costs to get them shipped from America. 
                                                  
After Christmas this year, as tradition goes I took a trip to see what bargains I could pick up in the January sales. After having a nosy around Urban Outfitters I came across these two, tucked away behind other past season sale items. Being a regular browser at Urban Outfitters, I couldn't believe that I had missed that they stocked this range the whole time, ugh! 

So as it goes, I purchased them both. The reductions in price where pretty reasonable. The candle itself was originally £20 down to £18 (still fairly pricey, considering the size) and the room spray was reduced from £18 to £5. How could I say no to these two rare finds?

The candle itself is in a beautifully packaged vintage apothecary bottle- the smell, oh the smell! 
It is not easy to describe the scent of things in words (someone please invent scratch & sniff thumbnails!) 
But I would liken the fragrance to that of pipe tobacco smoke- oak like and earthy with the vague hint of sweetness from the rich Amber aroma. 

This scent itself is long lasting and can be smelt long after the candle has been blown out.

I had high expectations from the candle, but was unsure of the room spray, not being a particular fan of room sprays in general, they never seem to last any length of time! 
However, I was pleasantly surprised after a few generous spritzes of this in the bedroom, the scent lingered for long after using! This little spray reminds me of the This Works 'deep sleep, stress less' spray- uplifting yet relaxing, this is probably due to the chamomile. Chamomile itself is used to treat stress and insomnia- making this spray perfect for before bedtime smells. The fig is not overpowering, as how I sometimes would find it, which was a nice surprise! 


Overall, a nice little addition to my ever growing candle/home fragrance collection (Also, it doesn't hurt that the packaging of this collection is a reason in itself to have out in display in your home!)