Amy Tinson

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!