Champneys | A New Start

If you've recently popped into your local Boots store, you will have noticed that the spa brand Champneys has had a re-vamp & completely changed their look.
Gone are the dated looking packs that don't have a sense of continuity & in come the bright, colourful & fashionable products!
If I'm honest, I've never taken any notice of Champneys to the extent that I wasn't really aware of the brand itself. This re-vamp has definitely changed my perception of the products which I guess is what they were after.

August Favourites

Somehow, I managed to miss out a July favourites... not sure how I did that but it happened. Oh well, onto the next.
1. iPhone 6

Sad I know. But since I got my new phone, I have been loving it. I'm not usually too fussed with phones but everything about it is better & it's sleek & simple.

Review | Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate

This is a product that I have had for over a year now but for some reason, haven't yet blogged about! I've posted a review on the eye cream which matches this beauty of a product which you'll find here but I felt was about time I reviewed the original.

A Jo Malone Experience | Bridal

Last weekend, I headed to Jo Malone on a mission to find my wedding perfume. You may ask, "why do you need a perfume for your wedding day?" Well... I thought exactly the same until a friend told me about their wedding perfume & the experience they had at Jo Malone.

Review | Stila Undercover Conditioning Toner & Moisture Prep

I've seen plenty of Stila beauty products on the shelves but have only just come across the skincare range. Usually, I'm pretty picky with what I use but for some reason I couldn't resist trying this!
I opted for the 'Undercover Conditioning Toner & Moisture Prep' in case I didn't get on too well with it as it was one of the cheaper products (or should I say "less expensive?")

May Favourites

This month, I "May" have bought some new products & they've been a dream. Bring on June & more amazing products!!
1. Tangle Teaser

I have finally (after about 5 years of having wanted one) bought a tangle teaser & my gosh do I love it. As a girl with long hair, I'm suffer massively with knots & tangles to the point where I dread having a shower as I'll have to tackle the mane. Since buying this, it's made brushing my hair a dream. If only I'd bought it sooner.

Review | Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel

Another product that I've had for ages, love but have never thought of reviewing. So the time has come for me to introduce the Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel to you!

January Favourites

Oh em gee! How is it already the second month in 2015? This year is going to fly!
Anyway, here are my January favourites!

1. Philosophy Shower Gel 

Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Eye

The king of all eye creams...

Oh yes, this beauty has quickly become my all-time favourite!

I've already discovered a favourite day eye cream in the Alpha H Absoluté Eye Complex so I was thrilled to finally find an equal for night time.

Me Me Me Cosmetics Review

A couple of weeks ago I went to my first blogger event (I blogged about it here.) Whilst I was there, I was handed some makeup goodies from 'Me Me Me.' 

To be honest I'd never really heard of the brand before other than the odd mention but I'm glad that I've now been introduced.

Wedding Pamper

One of the most exciting things about planning a wedding is that I know I can have a real indulging pamper day & not feel bad about it AT ALL.

You do need to be careful when planning these treatments though as you don't want to be that bride with a red face & orange body on your wedding day!

Here are my top 5 beauty treatments for the run up to your wedding day.

1. Nails

This is a must! I'm definitely opting for a gel nail polish to make sure they don't chip!! Depending on your theme & what type of bride you are, you could keep it real simple & go nude/pink/french or match your nails to your theme to give that little 'pop' of colour!

2. Hair

If you've been growing your hair rapidly so that you can have your desired hairstyle then this might not be the greatest idea! However, I always feel great after a fresh hair cut & knowing that my hair will look healthy for the big day is an added bonus :)

3. Massage

Nothing can be more relaxing than a full body massage. Release all of those wedding stresses by booking yourself in for one of these! 

4. Facial

To facial or not to facial? If you have sensitive skin & bad results after a facial then please don't go for it! It sounds like a great idea but if the reality sucks, don't do it. If you're not too sure how you will react then I'd suggest trying it out a couple of months before & if you love the results then maybe get another a couple weeks before the wedding.

5. Fake Tan 

Not everyone will agree with getting a spray tan before their wedding day. If however, you're like me & look like a ghost then this might be something you want to consider. I'm clearly not going to go for the "orange" look as it'll clearly clash with my hair... I just want a natural healthy glow. Famous last words. 

Like the facial, I would suggest you have a 'trial' spray tan a month or so before so that you can make sure you get the right colour you're going for. If it's a success you'll want to book it a few days before the wedding so that if it turns out a little darker than planned you have a few days for it to wear off.

Let me know if there are any other beauty treatments you would suggest before the big day!

Make sure you check out my previous 'bridal' post 'Floral Design' for flower inspiration.

Thank you for reading

Love,

Dainty Bride xx

September Favourites

                                                                Another month rolls by... September Favourites is here!

1. Office Shoes

I've wanted the Valentino version for quite some time now so when I spotted these beauties in Office shortly after my birthday I just couldn't resist!! They look like the kind of shoes that hate feet but amazingly, they're super comfy! 

2. Kiehls Eye Cream

I've had the Kiehls Midnight Recovery Concentrate for a while now & I absolutely love it! It feels incredible on my skin & I would always recommend it. When I last went in I was given a sample of the eye cream. I don't tend to use samples as they get pushed to the back of my dressing table draw but I felt like this one would be worth a go. I'm so glad I tried it as it's just as amazing as the concentrate. It's super creamy consistency makes it a dream to put on every night & I will definitely be re-purchasing this!

3. Jo Malone 'Dark Amber & Ginger Lily'

I think this post has a bit of a theme with me going into places not expecting to find anything & then coming out with a rather large dent in my purse! This perfume is no exception. I originally went in to discuss my 'wedding fragrance' & came out smelling like a dream. In the end I had to go back to get another spritz so the lovely lady gave me a sample. Luckily, my fiance being in America, I was able to get this a tiny bit cheaper as it's a whopping £100!! Although expensive, it's definitely worth it.

4. Gel Nails

Everyone has that one part of their body that they love. For me, it's my nails. Odd I know! I'm lucky enough to have naturally long & strong nails which I love to enhance with a cheeky bit of polish. However, nail polish & I used to have a bad relationship. I got so annoyed every time it would chip & would immediately need to take it off & reapply. Then I was introduced to gel. I haven't looked back. It's incredible, I can live my normal life & not worry about my nails looking messy or waiting for polish to dry properly for hours on end. 

5. New Look Shoes

Again, another purchase I wasn't expecting to make! These shoes aren't normally something I would buy as I can be a bit 'safe' sometimes but for once I decided to just go for it. I love the colour, style & versatility of these heels. I've been able to wear them for various occasions including work. A worthy purchase in my opinion.

6. Lace Bra's

I can tell I'm getting older as these would have creeped me out at 16 years old! I'm definitely edging towards comfort over style although these are very in at the minute so I guess I'm killing two birds with one stone. 

7. Hardrive

I've never really been a 'techy' person but having realised I was filling my macbook up to the brim I needed somewhere to store my thousands of photos. This WD passport has been amazing. It's super easy to use & has a large amount of memory available. 

8. Bumble & Bumble Thickening Spray

I'm always a bit wary of buying hair products as I find my hair gets greasy easily when adding lots of products into the equation. However, this hairspray makes my hair feel soft but also increases the body which lasts for ages!

9. Truffle Oil

Mmm truffle oil. Just thinking of it makes my mouth water! Any time I see 'truffle' on a menu I instantly choose that dish. As my fiance is moving away for 6 months again he decided to buy me some truffle oil for my going away present. Literally the best present ever! You can practically put it on anything. Amazing.

10. Kate Spade Bag

I'm loving this bag at the minute. It's pretty much identical to the Longchamp version I have but it's slightly softer & is a larger size. I love the colour which is very autumnal but I feel like this is something I can wear all year round.

Have a read of my previous favourites - 

April

May

June

July

August

Thank you for reading

Love,

Dainty Bride xx

(Pictures on this blog post are property of DaintyBride unless stated otherwise with an asterisk *. Any images marked with an asterisk * are sourced from the internet & are believed to be public domain & have no rights affiliated with DaintyBride)

Hourglass Primer Review

I have a love/hate relationship with primers. I've had a few great ones but many not so great.

I often find that they don't react well with me. I don't know if it's the foundation or moisturiser I use or even just my skin but I always find that once I start applying my makeup my skin looks all "peely" & dry. 

This could be a mistake that I'm making but I don't really see why I would need to change my whole skincare routine to be able to wear a primer.

Then came this beauty....

The Hourglass Veil Primer is a dream!

It feels incredible on your skin. Almost like silk when you apply it. It's so soft & because of the texture, I feel like it's adding more moisture to my skin rather than drying it out. It creates that perfect smooth base to kick start your makeup!

I've definitely noticed a difference in how long my makeup lasts when I have it on to when I haven't applied it & I'm sad that my sample has ran out :( I need to buy a new one!

It's a mineral based water-resistant primer which is meant to eliminate redness, minimise your pores, soften the fine lines we all hate & create that smooth even base we all crave. It's a white creamy consistency with a slight hint of blue tone running through it which I really like as sometimes with primers they're the colour of the foundation & I feel like I'm putting foundation on top of foundation. This primer also has an SPF 15 which is what I feel we're all looking for in our beauty products these days.

After I've finished my usual cleanse, tone & moisturise skincare routine I use my fingertips to apply it to my face, making sure that I've gone over those areas where my makeup tends to fall off first & then spread it out to less oily areas. It also has a nice sheen to it once applied unlike the Benefit POREfessional which is more of a matte finish & like I said this primer is less drying & more moisturising.

The only negative that I can find with it is the price tag. It's a steep £52 for a full sized 30ml bottle which isn't too bad for "special occasion" use but if you're looking for an everyday primer this may be a tad expensive. You'll find they do a smaller 10ml bottle for £20 which isn't too bad if you'd like to have a try first before emptying your purse on the larger size :)

Thank you for reading

Love,

Dainty Bride xx

(Pictures on this blog post are property of DaintyBride unless stated otherwise with an asterisk *. Any images marked with an asterisk * are sourced from the internet & are believed to be public domain & have no rights affiliated with DaintyBride)

My Makeup Storage

My makeup storage is definitely something I've been working on for years & I'm finally happy with what I now have. I've gone from having it in boxes to being in drawers & sitting on the floor to now having a beautiful dressing table where I can be comfortable & fully enjoy putting my makeup on.

I love seeing other people's makeup storage & collection so I thought that I would share mine :)

I love how my dressing table is set up. I have the IKEA Malm Dressing Table & the Nils Stool. My skincare & makeup brushes are easily accessible & all of my makeup products are safely hidden away :)

Square brush holder - MUJI

Circular brush holder - MUJI

In the first two boxes (which are MUJI for anyone who is wondering) are my foundations, concealers, bronzers, highlighters & powders. My favourites at the minute are the YSL foundation on the left & the Prep & Prime MAC powder on the right.

We then move onto primers, eyeshadows & brow products. Having a variety of primers always helps me (as you will have read during previous posts that I've had a love/hate relationship) because I can choose which primer (if any) suits my makeup that day. I also love having millions of eyeshadow palette's so that I can try a different look each day :)

In the middle are lots of mascara's & eyeliners of different shapes, sizes & colours. I frequently change my mind on which mascara & eyeliner are my favourites so I always think it's good to have a few options!

And finally, at the end are all of my lip products. I love having a variety of balms, glosses & lipsticks in the mix as it depends on my mood as to what to wear!

It's currently a bit messy as I've recently bought a load of new stuff & had to quickly find room for it all but I'm hoping to sort it all out when summer is over & I change my most used products around.

Thank you for reading

Love,

Dainty Bride xx

(Pictures on this blog post are property of DaintyBride unless stated otherwise with an asterisk *. Any images marked with an asterisk * are sourced from the internet & are believed to be public domain & have no rights affiliated with DaintyBride)

What's In My Travel Bag?

Here's my 'What's in my travel bag' from when I went to visit my fiancé in America :)

(Click on the bold writing for direct links)

I love my Longchamp bag so much! It doesn't look too big but can fit so much into it - almost reminds me of Mary Poppins' bag :) It's perfect for the airport because of the material, size & colour as it'll go with almost every airport outfit.

1. 

I always take my Kindle on holiday as I love to spend hours by the pool or in the airport catching up on my favourite books.

 (You'll also find that my Kindle was in my May Favourites)

2. 

I'm such a cold person that I have to take a pair of thick woolly socks to the airport! Especially when I'm going on a summer holiday as I tend to wear either sandals or flip flops to the airport & then my feet get really cold :(

3. 

This one is pretty standard as everyone needs their purse, so here you have my Mulberry purse that I got for my 22nd birthday!

4. 

I like to take a small bag with me for all random necessary items such as plasters, medicine, inhaler, creams & lady items but I won't photograph these seeing as they're pretty boring!

5. 

I always keep my sunglasses in my travel bag too for when I leave the airport/plane in case I have to go outside & can't see :)

(You can again, find my sunglasses in my June Favourites)

6. 

I take my Filofax everywhere I go! I like to jot down any information & in case anything gets planned it's best to have it handy.

(That is the Filofax I have but unfortunately they don't seem to sell it in that colour anymore)

7. 

A passport is definitely an obvious in a travel bag & I have mine in a really soft leather case which I can't even remember where I got it from as I've had it since I was about 16!!

8. 

This little travel document organiser is the best thing EVER! If your an organised freak like me then this will be a dream item for you too :) My lovely colleagues got it for me as a leaving present & I used it so much in America.

(Again I can't find the exact one I have even though it's really new so I linked another one that I love)

9. 

I really struggle with my ears popping whenever a plane takes off or lands, so I always make sure that I have some sort of hard sweets that I can have to stop this! I would definitely recommend this if you suffer with this as well as it always stops it from happening.

I also like to take a variety of beauty products with me on the plane to keep myself feeling human & hydrated!

1.

I always take this Alpha H Eye Cream with me to keep my eyes hydrated from all of the aircon.

(You'll also find this eye cream on 'Love The Skin Your In')

2.

After touching various machines & rails, I always find it useful to have an anti-bacterial hand wash to use before eating on the plane in case I can't get to the toilet to wash my hands.

3.

As well as an eye cream, I also like to take some face moisturiser with me for the same reason, especially during long flights!

4.

Even though it's really air conditioned on all flights, I feel like I need to powder some of the shine sometimes before facing the public & scaring them so I tend to take my powder from my make up bag which at the moment is the 'MAC Prep & Prime Transparent Finishing Powder.'

5.

This miniature 'Marc Jacobs - Daisy' perfume is just too cute! I got it with a gift set & it's perfect to keep in your travel bag or handbag.

6.

This one is a tad boring but it was in there so I didn't want to miss it out! I always have to take a small tube of my eczema cream as air conditioning really dries it out & makes it sore.

7.

This lipgloss is gorgeous. It smells/tastes amazing & has a 25 SPF which is perfect for a windy beach day to protect those lips! Also perfect to keep those lips hydrated & looking a little more colourful than the au natural look!

8.

Another lip product. This time 'Burt's Bees' which I tend to use all of the time & then pop into my travel bag just in case I want a balm rather than a lip gloss.

9.

And finally, another lip product!! This time it's more of a makeup product than a lip care product in the form of 'MAC Creme Cup.'

(You'll find this lipstick being used in my 'Subtly Smokey' makeup look.)

Thank you for reading

Love,

Dainty Bride xx

(Pictures on this blog post are property of DaintyBride unless stated otherwise with an asterisk *. Any images marked with an asterisk * are sourced from the internet & are believed to be public domain & have no rights affiliated with DaintyBride)

May Favourites

I can't believe that we're already in June! How fast is this year going? Ridiculous.

Anyways, seeing as I really enjoyed doing an April favourites, I thought that I would make this a monthly post for you :)

1. Abercrombie & Fitch White Shorts

I bought these shorts last year in Amsterdam but I've recently found a new love for them! They're perfect for lounging around in now that the weather is getting a bit better & it's becoming slightly warmer. They go with anything so I can match any top with them & I can also wear them to the gym if I really want!

2. Vegetable Bake

Whenever I have a day off work in the week & I want a healthier lunch option I make a vegetable bake! I love it so much. I literally raid the fridge & select as many vegetables as I can find, chop them all up, add some tuna or chicken, chopped tomatoes & put a small bit of cheddar cheese on top :) delish!

3. MAC Liquid Eyeliner

I have a love/hate relationship with this eyeliner. I'm the kind of person who'd love to be able to create the perfect flick but it's never going to happen :( I love creating a cat eye but most of the time I get really annoyed at myself when trying to do one. This eyeliner has been really good lately & I forgot how easy it was to use :)

4. Victoria Secret Spray

My friends Viki & Mel bought me a spray for my last birthday which I absolutely love! I thought i'd lost it until I recently found it again it the back of a drawer & have been using it every day since. It really reminds me of summer & smells so fruity!

5. Kindle

I feel like this post is one of those where I haven't necessarily bought new things but I've rediscovered old products! My kindle is another one of those. I always have it by my bed but I'm always too distracted on YouTube or my blog to read but since the weather has been a bit nicer, I've been sitting in the garden & catching up on some reading :)

6. Mulberry Handbag

This was a present from my fiancé for my 21st birthday & I absolutely adore it! So much so, that I never used to wear it because I was scared of getting it dirty or ruined. I am now obsessed & it is my most worn bag :) I love the long strap which makes me feel like I can dress it down for the day or use the smaller strap for an evening handbag. (Thanks fiancé :) x)

7. Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm

Finally, a new product!! I have been absolutely LOVING this during May :) my skin went a bit mental in April for some reason which I think was due to the anaesthetic I had during an operation so I was in desperate need of some skin repair. This has definitely done the trick! It feels so luxurious on my skin &  leaves it feeling beautifully re-hydrated. 

8. MAC Bronzer

I love this bronzer. I must have had it for about 5 years, no joke! Probably shouldn't admit that but ah well. I went off it because it's quite shimmery & I went through at matt contour stage but I've recently rediscovered this & am loving using it to create a summery look.

9. Topshop Necklace

This necklace is so versatile its amazing! I've worn it to work, on a night out, to a fancy restaurant & just on a standard day. It goes with so many of my clothes but can also dress up an outfit really nicely. 

10. Primark Flannels

These have become a necessity in my skincare routine. I have about 12 flannels as I use one a day so that means a lot of flannel washing but it's definitely worth it. They're so cheap but are also soft as well :) I used to use the Liz Earle muslin cloths but I felt like after a few washes they lost the umph they first had so I decided to switch to flannels.

Thank you for reading

Love,

Dainty Bride xx



(Pictures on this blog post are property of DaintyBride unless stated otherwise with an asterisk *. Any images marked with an asterisk * are sourced from the internet & are believed to be public domain & have no rights affiliated with DaintyBride)