Amy Tinson

One of my favourite things to do at Christmas time is get the festive decorations up and it couldn’t be truer this season, after moving in with my boyfriend back in October.

Getting ready for Christmas had been at the forefront of our minds since getting in to our place and as the time drew nearer, we found ourselves getting more and more in to the decorating spirit. We managed to pick quite a few nice and fun pieces, but I’ll let the photos primarily speak for themselves!

Do you like decorating your house for Christmas? If so, do you go fun and bright or keep it simple and classy?

Christmas movies can be some of the best in the business and there's nothing quite like settling under a blanket on the sofa to watch a festive favourite. With that said, here are my top five favourites to watch during December.

The Holiday 

Two ladies who are having a tough time in their life (in particular, their love life) swap homes for Christmas, where they meet new people and find the happiness they needed. This sweet rom com will make you fall in love with it's characters (apart from Jasper, ain't nobody got time for him!), it's locations and the warm, fuzzy feeling it leaves you with. 

Elf

How could I make a list without mentioning this hilarious comedy?! Buddy gets accidentally transported to the North Pole as an orphan and grows up thinking he's an elf,  creating all kinds of havoc due to his human size. He then heads to the New York to search for his true identity and ends up meeting his businessman father, before trying to strike up a relationship. Expect plenty of big belly ho-ho-hos, as well as, the more tender moments in one of Will Ferrel's finest films.

Love Actually

Another rom com but this time, this follows the intertwined lives of different people leading up to Christmas Day, with one emotion connecting them all: love. There's loads of famous faces (including Hugh Grant, Bill Nighy, Colin Firth, Emma Thompson, Liam Neeson, Kiera Knightley, Alan Rickman; I could go on!), twists, laughs and even a few teary moments; everything you'd want for a truly British Crimbo flick.

The Nightmare Before Christmas
Some people may argue that this film is more for Halloween but it's one of my favourite Christmas films to watch and definitely falls in to my top 5. Jack Skellington, the king of Halloween Town, stumbles upon Christmas Town and falls in love with it - try not getting 'What is This?' stuck in your head! After kidnapping Santa Claus, he tries to do his own Christmas; until things go completely awry. If you love Tim Burton or slightly obscure movies, you'll certainly love this one and it's a great alternative to watch this Christmas.

Four Christmases
Some people love Christmas and others do not; this film follows how a couple who usually spend Christmas on vacation away from their crazy families, get stranded in the U.S. and have to visit their four divorced parents in one day. This one is a bucket full of emotions, laughs and love and is a definitely easy watch when curled up on the sofa with your loved one.

Highly Recommended

There are a couple of others that didn't quite make my 'top 5' cut but are still very much worth the watch: The Muppet Christmas Carol, Home Alone and Gremlins. All fun, family faves that are easy-to-watch!

What are your favourite Christmas films?

The leaves have changed colour, the nights are getting dark early and it’s rather chilly out there; winter is definitely on it’s way. 

Despite always referring to myself as a sun-worshiper, winter is becoming my favourite season with each year that comes and for today’s post, here are some reasons why.

Right, I’m off to go for a walk…oh, alright then, another Netflix marathon.

What are your favourite things about winter? Let me know in the comments below.

Now that my locks have been chopped, I want to ensure they don't end up in the sorry state they were in and this meant it was time to mix up my hair care routine; starting with shower products. 

Enter: Living Proof No Frizz Shampoo and Conditioner.

Having read rave reviews online for the brand and this duo in particular, I had high hopes. The set boasts that they reduce frizz by blocking humidity without being heavy and leave your hair feeling soft and  looking healthy, which was exactly what I was after. And did they deliver? Absolutely!
It's rare that I can say a product came through on it's promise but Living Proof really did; my hair feels soft, has less frizz and looks healthier than ever! I also particularly love the citrusy scent and the fact I can catch a whiff throughout the day too.

This really is a case of no frizz, no worries! 

Have you tried any of Living Proof's haircare range?

As much as I adore the look of white nails on others, I can never quite like it on myself. However, off-white colours are a whole different story and Nails Inc. 'Swan Street' is the perfect example.

The colour is a beautiful mint-white that is perfect for winter and looks utterly sophisticated. The formula is as good as usual; though it does need three coats to give the full colour.

So, if you're looking to add a touch of 'winter wonderland' to your outfit this season, definitely go for Nails Inc 'Swan Street' and wear on it's own or paired with a gorgeous glitter.

Do you like this colour? Have you tried Nails Inc polishes before?

I'm a self-confessed candle addict, much to the annoyance of my boyfriend who has to put up with them dotted all over our place. But the scents, the cosy feeling they give off and the comforting look of the flame flickering are impossible to resist!

One candle brand that stands above a lot of the others is Yankee Candle. These candles are affordable, have great scent pay off and come in a variety of luscious flavours.

Winter time is where they excel the most though, with scents including 'Cosy By The Fire' (rustic woody, ginger and cinnamon based), 'Christmas Eve' (warm hearth, sugared plums and candied fruits) and 'Snowflake Cookie' (sweet, home-baked goodies) to name a few.
My lovely man also bought me the Advent House in the Snow Calendar and it's great! I've opened the little windows to reveal 'Snowflake Cookie', 'Candy Cane Lane', 'Spiced Orange' and 'Winter Glow' (our personal fave so far) tea lights and it's nice to have something to open that's different from chocolate - we all have enough of that leading up to Crimbo, don't we! We've also been burning a tea light every night; it's a fab way to count down to Christmas Day and may well be the start of a yearly tradition for us!

What are your thoughts on Yankee Candle? 

Winter is definitely upon us and with this, my skincare routine has had to pick up it's pace to ensure things aren't getting too dull and dehydrated. A new addition to this routine is Sarah Chapman's Skinesis Overnight Facial, which is seriously kick ass!

The oily formula is applied, then left on overnight and by the morning, skin feels rejuvenated, hydrated (without feeling OTT on the shine) and gives off a dewy glow; which is perfect when battling the impending chill.

For any of you who might wondering why an oily skin prone person would be adding more oil in to the mix, the Skinesis Overnight Facial is full of antioxidants, vitamins, anti-inflammatory omega oils, firming dermaxyl peptide and brighteners (annnd breathe!) which means that it is perfect for adding a bit of life in to any skin type during the colder months.

All in all, my skin feels and looks like it's ready to battle anything this winter! Plus, look at the festive box, talk about cute.

Have you tried this or any other product from Sarah Chapman's skincare range? Tell me what you thought in the comments below.

After falling head over heels for Mac Lipstick in 'Patisserie' last year - so much so it even featured in my '2014 Favourites' and 'Lip Loves of 2014' - I found myself immersed in 2015's New Year sales at Selfridges in the Bullring Shopping Centre, and in particular, the Mac section. 

With some Christmas treat money in my purse, it's no surprise that I found myself eyeing up all of the gorgeous lipsticks. After much deliberation and a lot of swatching, I ended up leaving with that beautiful black paper bag containing 'Ruby Woo' and 'Speak Louder' (as well as two shadows for my Pro Palette Quad).



To 'Ruby Woo' first and this was an entirely 'Vivianna Does Makeup' enabled purchase - seriously, that woman is an absolute babe! 'Ruby Woo' is an incredibly stunning red that would suit just about anyone. The colour is bold but beautiful and helps to perk up the face. The formula is matte but like with all matte lip products, it's rather drying and feels better over the top of a soft lip balm. It also lasts for quite a long time, however, I find that I have to reapply quite a few times in one evening which is it's one downfall. That being said, it's a fab matte red lipstick and one that makes plenty of appearances!

The second colour, 'Speak Louder', is a gorgeous pink that has some poppy-red and blue undertones and it seems to suit my skin tone perfectly. It's eye-catching and utterly vibrant, perfect for spring and summer. The formula of this one is "cream sheen", which means it's super creamy (obviously) and has a glossier finish on the lips. It's easily wearable and feels so soft once applied and although, it doesn't last quite as long as 'Ruby Woo', it still does it's best and lasts for an impressive few hours. 

Mac Lipsticks are becoming better with every application in my eyes and these two shades are fabulous additions, that'll keep my ever-faithful 'Patisserie' company for sure.

Have you tried these two Mac Lipsticks? Do you have any shades I should try out next? 

I've only gone and had my locks chopped and I couldn't be happier with the result!

The decision to go shorter came after being utterly fed up of thin and scraggly-looking hair. After doing some research on Pinterest, I found some styles that would suit fine hair and was pleased to find that shorter hair is 'in' at the moment!
Having recently moved to Tewkesbury, I found Emma at Rage Hair & Beauty and she did an absolutely wonderful job; she listened to what I wanted and cut my hair accordingly. I'll admit, the choppy bob has taken a little bit of getting used to but now that I have, it's a great decision!

What do you think? I'd love to know your thoughts in the comments below!