Before I jet away to Sydney for a year long life in Australia, I wanted to leave you with a beauty blog post highlighting some of my new favourite products I have been getting my claws into for the last week. I was recently introduced to beauty brand Melvita, an organic French beauty brand, Founded in 1983 on the site of a bee farm, deep in the countryside of the Ardeche Gorges, France, by biologist Bernard Chevilliat. Now a pioneer beauty care, Melvita offers a collection of over 300 ECOCERT certified products that work for both the skin and the environment. A global leader in organic formulation expertise, it is an excellent brand for the beauty fans out there who feel good using brand who support ecological issues throughout the world.
So on the morning before I fly away, I ripped open a box of roses chocolates as one of my leaving presents, and treated myself to a relaxing morning of reviewing these lovely products…
The first products I started to use a lot over the past week are the Melvita Beauty Oils. They are full of essential fatty acids to improve the skins moisture barrier leaving skin feeling nourished and hydrated. Oils are becoming big players in the beauty world, being relied on for improving the condition of skin, with it’s revitalising and nourishing properties. The one’s I love are the Carrot Oil for Face and Body, Avocado Oil for Face and Eyes, and the Argan Oil, for Face, Hair and Body. The carrot oil is fantastic as an after-sun to act as a natural tan-enhancer, packed with pro-vitamin A to support a golden tan. So this beauty is coming in my suitcase! It costs £17.50 for 50 ml, and will last a long time as with all oils, a little goes a long long way!
The Argan Oil is one you have possibly heard of the most, as it gives a healthy finish to both skin and hair. Great for damaged skin, it promotes cellular cohesion and is a brilliant product for anti-aging. Fabulous for dry hair too, when applied on damp hair before blow drying! As for the Avocado Oil, it used Vitamin A & E to repair damaged skin. Great for dry skin, especially to use as a day time moisturiser or to massage on before bedtime. Don’t be put off my the intense colours, this is because all oils are 100% pure and not diluted.
They have also launched mini roll-on oils, including Argan and Rosehip Oil, Argan Oil, and Argan Oil with Geranium, in 10ml roll-on bottles. Perfect for weekends away and for the handbag! I have been trailing the Argan and Rosehip Oil for crows feet and laughter lines, it is so quick and easy to use, and the oil texture just melts straight into skin leaving a non-greasy feel!
Another product I have been using is the Melvita natural roll on deodorants, which use a blend of sage oil and antioxidant Vitamin E and provides 24 hour protection. Three anti-bacterial essential oils and infused for added body odour protection, including peppermint, thyme thymol and sandalwood. They have a delicate floral scent, making them lovely to use instead of my usual spray deodorants.
Now for the most luxury products I have been trialling from Melvita – the Beehive Innovative Apricosma Body Range. Using a new patent-pending complex, the 3- Honey Complex, which offers a proven synergy of star active ingredients, Thyme, Acacia and Orange Blossom, this range is aimed at adding back in the nutrients to dry and delicate skin. Honey is known for its amazing skin properties so I always feel good using honey in my bodycare products. The collection includes a Skin Softening Body Milk, an Ultra Nourishing Body Balm, and Extra Rich Hand Cream, and a Repairing Lip Balm. I have been using the body balm and it is divine! It has a thick and creamy texture, which is really rich and wonderfully fragranced. The unique Melvita 3 Honey Complex cocoons the skin using Royal Jelly and Cocoa Butter, leaving my skin gorgeously soft and moisturised. This would make a beautiful gift!
And in terms of face wash, as lets face it, for me that’s my most important product of my beauty regime, I’m trialling out the Bouquet Floral Cleansing Jelly and the Bouquet Floral Cleansing Foam. Both use a soap-free formula and having amazing textures! The jelly melts and foams into skin leaving a super-clean feeling and rich aroma of delicate flowers, where as the foam feels as light as air and rinses away any dirt and grime. Both make you feel like you are washing your face in botanical gardens! The scent of rose and orange blossom is also a really good mood-lifter, so definitely good facial washes to try. Suitable for sensitive skins.
The Melvita products are available from the Melvita store in St Martin’s Courtyard, Covent Garden. Also at www.melvita.co.uk, selected Jon Lewis stores, Havery Nichols. Wholefood stores and at www.feelunique.com.
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email For the majority of the year, I end up keeping away from designer shopping due to the fact that I never have the right occasion coming up to purchase a designer outfit, or event big and glam enough to buy someone a designer gift. However, once November approaches and all those glittering Christmas evening invites start arriving, it’s the one time of year I make the exception!
If your into the fashion industry and keep up to date with all the retail news, you’ll know that J Brand are fashion high-flyers when it comes to being leaders in the jeans and leggings world. So when I did an online search to check out their collection of jeans and trousers to possibly pair up with an embellished top this December, I was pleased to find Avenue 32 are an online stockist! These are their new styles currently on my wishlist, as they will look fantastic teamed with a gorgeous top for parties and dinners, guaranteed to be comfy and long lasting, and also, to own my very own pair of J Brand jeans is a Christmas dream come true!
How amazing would the Black Leather Super Skinny Trouser above look to team up with all those party tops this season? So figure flattering and uber-cool! I also love the more relaxed styles, which for me are fab for Christmas day ‘making an effort’ yet taking it easy with family and friends, still looking ‘effortlessly cool’…
The jeans are all part of the J Brand photo ready denim collection, aiming to give legs a slimmed down look and feel. If you have a friend who loves their denim and is conscious about the shape of their legs, giving the gift of a pair of J Brand will put you in their good books forever!
For me, I would love to team up my favourite pair of J Brand jeans with a sparkly top for the party season, therefore I had a scout around on Avenue 32 and fell in love with this simple yet stylish top from Preen…
I also spotted some fashionable little gifts under the ‘Gift’ section of Avenue 32, where if I could let someone see some ideal gifts for me, I’d direct them to this page! I love nothing more than hardback fashion books (could never own a kindle…) so I am lusting after these two staple bedside table reads…
Let me know what is appearing on your wishlists!
In 3 weeks time, we will be in December and officially counting down to Christmas! Luckily for me, I’ll have arrived in Sydney and will be preparing for my first Australian Christmas, which is currently causing a mixture of excitement and anxiousness as I have never been away from home before during Christmas. It also means that I’m having a lot of my Christmas celebrations early, and that includes buying gifts!
Leaving do’s, farewell drinks, diners, early Christmas parties… it’s all glitz and glamour! Whenever I have an occasion coming up I do usually have a fail safe retailer that I fall back on when I need gorgeous party pieces to be guaranteed, and that is Coast! My love affair with the brand started over a year ago when I received a beautiful clutch bag from Coast, and since then I have re-visited them for many occasions. Here are some of the stunning party dresses and looks on my wishlist for the leaving parties I have lined up – how amazing?
First up is the stunning deep pink Maddie Dress for £115
Secondly, how gorgeous is this sparkle detail Genevie top for £55? Perfect with high shine leggings for evenings out!
…And because everyone needs that girly, nude coloured dress which screams innocence and femininity…
Not forgetting the red carpet glamour where every girl wishes they had an event big and glamorous enough to attend, especially wearing a dress like the Stardust Maxi, £250…
And the season of celebrations isn’t complete without amazing accessories to go with your gowns! Following my love for my little black clasp clutch bag with a pretty gold chain, I checked out the new collection of A/W’13 party bags to see what would make a great party piece companion to all my glittering events. I like nothing more than a bag with a bit of unusual style, so I’m pretty much lusting after these styles below. Definitely on my wish list too to receive as a gorgeous present! If you gave one of these as a gift, I can guarantee you’d be loved for longer than just the Christmas period.
Perspex is massive this season, so I am truly in love with the clear Perspex Ostrich Feather Clutch to the right!
However this cute and quirky printed Envelope Clutch bags are also making an appearance f my lust list, as they combine an on trend print with the added factor that they are roomy enough for all those important bits a girl needs to carry on a night out.
So I’ve shared mine – what’s on your party season wish list?
My favourite skincare brand, Elemis, are proud to announce that alongside the brand new Jasmine and Rose Milk Bath (review coming up very shortly!) they are launching a brand new Indulgent Face & Body Collection set- featuring a selection of hero products – to launch on QVC in an exclusive Today’s Special Value Collection at midnight, on November 16th and at various times throughout November 17th. The gorgeous set contains:
Multi-award winning Pro-Collagen Marine Cream, 30ml, to hydrate the skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
NEW Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm, 30ml, a makeup melting formula with a blend of essential oils to cleanse and nourish
NEW Pro-Radiance Illuminating Flash Balm, 15ml, to instantly brighten and tighten for a glowing radiant complexion this season.
200ml Frangipani Monoi Shower Cream with Tahitian Monoi and Frangipani Flowers- leaves skin beautifully soft and delicately scented
35ml Frangipani Monoi Body Oil, perfect for dry skin to lock in moisture and give skin a decadent spa time treat.
If your an avid QVC fan and love to watch it for a good beauty bargain, you’ll be pleased to see this amazing Indulgent Face & Body Set launching at a price point under £40, meaning you’ll be saving approximately £85! If that doesn’t make a fantastic Christmas present, then I’m not sure what does!
The best news is that I have teamed up with Elemis to giveaway one of these sets in time for the launch! So from now until Midnight, 16th November, you just have to RT & Follow @what_emma_did_ on Twitter and I’ll be selecting a winner who gets to own this beauty of a set. So hurry up, head to Twitter here to enter for a chance to own these award winning face and body Elemis products…
John Lewis has today announced that its much-anticipated Christmas advertising campaign will take the form of a classic animated festive woodland adventure that pays tribute to all of our most memorable childhood Christmases. Remember the cute snowman story advert last year? If so, then you will have been the same as me- eagerly awaiting to see what cute-mess can be brought to our TV screens this year to get us all ‘Christmassy!’. The best news is, if your watching X Factor tomorrow night, the advert will launch in the breaks!
The beautifully handcrafted advert tells a classic story of friendship at Christmas. Featuring best friends a bear and a hare, it continues the longstanding focus of John Lewis adverts on going the extra mile at Christmas. The advert has been created using hand-drawn animation and represents the first time 2D animation in 3D sets has been used in an advert in the UK.
It goes live on the retailer’s social media channels on Friday 8th November at 9am and will launch on Saturday 9th November, when, in a first for ITV, John Lewis will take a whole advert break in the X Factor exclusively. This will be preceded by a teaser campaign, again exclusively on ITV.
The story opens as winter is starting to draw in, and the fun and excitement of preparing for Christmas begins. As the first snowflake falls and lands on the bear’s nose, the hare starts to feel sad, as he realizes that winter is nearing and soon his friend will be leaving to hibernate and will once again be missing Christmas. As the woodland animals begin preparing for Christmas in earnest, the bear can hold off his winter sleep no longer, and leaves the hare to go to his cave. We see the bear sleeping as the days and nights pass. Whilst all the other animals are getting into the Christmas spirit busy decorating the forest and wrapping presents, we see the hare is finding it difficult to get excited as he’s missing his friend the bear. But he soon perks up when he has a great idea for a very special present for his friend.
Featuring the strapline ‘Give someone a Christmas they’ll never forget’, the story evokes the excitement of a first Christmas and the importance of friendship and thoughtfulness.
Created by advertising agency Adam&Eve/DDB, the ad is set to a cover of Keane’s 2004 hit ‘Somewhere Only We Know’ sung by Lily Allen.
The campaign with media planning and buying by Manning Gottlieb OMD kicks off with a 120-second TV advert on the 9th November and is supported by a combination of three shorter versions for six weeks. The total campaign cost including all production and media is £7 million. The ad can be viewed on www.johnlewis.com and the John Lewis YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/johnlewisretail) from 9am on Friday 8 November.
So today I spotted the first house with it’s Christmas decorations up and fairy lights displayed.. OK so we are in November, but I didn’t expect to see this so soon! The one thing I will let you all off for starting soon however is Christmas gift shopping. If you’ve been quite savvy, you will have already picked up on the mid season sales popping up around the High Street which has allowed many of us to grab some fashion, beauty and accessory bargains that we can save aside as Christmas gifts for friends and family.
If your like me and have a wide mix of friends, who all like different things and can sometimes be difficult to buy for, then I would recommend taking a look at TK Maxx this year. I know so many people who love the ‘finer things’ so to speak, so that’s the designer labels and expensive brand names. What on Earth do you buy them when you know they would usually just go out and buy a luxury item themselves? This is where I found TK Maxx really handy this year, as they have a ‘Gifts For Her’ section which features amazing designer buys at lower prices than you would expect to pay. Take for example this designer Dolce & Gabbana Leather Purse, which should retail at £144 but is available for £89, which comes boxed in a classic Dolce & Gabbana box. This is a great gift idea for the guys out there struggling for ideas to impress the ladies!
It all depends on your price range, but how fantastic is this Lulu Guinness Snake Lips Clutch Bag? These are everywhere at the minute, and all over the fashion mags, so if you’ve got a fashion fanatic friend or family member, they are going to love this!
As well as purses and handbags, they have a lovely selection of fragrance and beauty products, cute knitwear and accessories which cater for every time of lady you may need to buy for. I’ve seen some really nice little add-on gifts for my Mum and Sister whilst browsing the site today, and think I’ll be opting for a few of these ideas… take a look!
Leopard fur gloves from Dent, only £9.99! Nice and woolly for the Winter! And check out these super cool slouchy boots, perfect for a Winter inspired gift that will get lets of wear during January and February!
Even if you don’t wish to start your Christmas gift shopping yet, it’s a great category to have a browse at before you do start your lists, especially for some great inspiration and to start getting into that Christmassy spirit! Have a browse here. Happy shopping!
Just a little photographic blog post today celebrating the success of slogans and logos embracing T-shirts, jumpers and jewellery all over the world. It started back in 2006 with Henry Holland making his mark with humorous tee’s shown below, referencing to other designers, yet now the use of bold wording and phrases has become a fashion statement success globally. I wouldn’t be caught wearing any of the below styles, but it was nice to see Henry Holland having a little fun with fashion…
Now, slogan fashion has become a little more extreme, with a display of words such as swear words and rude words, which can make quite a shocking statement. Celebrities sport Tee’s with phrases to tell the press their state of mind, whilst others just poke fun at the trend and wear something completely random. 2013 also brought us mock designer slogan tee’s, featuring popular designer logos or tag lines with a slight twist to represent something else.
The media love to say that the rise in slogan wearing trend is people becoming more care free and thrive from making a daring statement, wearing slogans with the shock factor. My opinion is that people just love to make fun of fashion sometimes, and to just relax a little with trends, which these slogan tee’s allow. I know I’m a fan of them, although only own two myself, in which they read very understated words. I’m not quite brave enough yet to walk around sporting a ‘F**K YOU’ top just yet (and would I really want to? Not really…)
And lets not forget statement slogan jewellery…. another big trend for expressing yourself!
To slogan, or not to slogan… I think this trend will be around for a while, and will be another strong contender throughout SS14!
Images courtesy of Fashionising.com
First thoughts when someone mentions ‘Ann Summers’? Go on, say it…… thought as much! I know some of the words floating around your head. But amongst the more ‘rude’ things like dress up outfits and ‘accessories’, they are a very successful, well established lingerie retailer, with an extensive collection of good quality, stylish designed underwear that not only looks amazing, but super feminine and supportive for your body.
I was recently contacted about visiting my local store, on Manchester’s Market Street, and checking out the new Bra Fit service ‘A Fit To Flaunt’. Ann Summers recently conducted a survey into British bra buying behaviour and found that while over half of women claim to have had a bra fitting within the past 6 months, 60% are still wearing the wrong bra. Not that you are all interested in my personal bra news, but I am terrible with getting fitted. I haven’t been fitted for so long, and sometimes I’ll notice I am wearing a bra that is completely the worst, off-fitting bra I could possibly own. So a visit to Ann Summer’s Fit to Flaunt was well overdue.
Once I arrived in store, I was taken into the fitting rooms and discussed my current bra size with the assistant. She looked at my body type and suggested my back size is possibly a size smaller than the current bra I had on. She took to the shop floor and brought a selection in for 32B, but with adjustable straps that came all the way round and not just half way, as I have a slim body frame and often need tighter straps to secure the positioning. She shown me how to check it fits properly, with little tests you can do at the back, front and with the straps, and in the end, we finalised my size.
With this in mind, I shopped around and picked out a lovely, frill detail white bra, because there are some really lovely styles in Ann Summers at the moment, and because who doesn’t need a nice new pure white bra once in a while? Using my new sizing knowledge, I fitted myself perfectly in the changing room, being purchasing the bra. If you are like me and are way overdue a good fitting service, head down to your local Ann Summers store and discuss with a sales assistant about getting fitted with their A Fit To Flaunt service. They have such beautiful lingerie sets available for A/W’13, along with a great offer currently running of two bras for £25.
And as the ladies of Ann Summer requested, photographs of myself wearing my new bra underneath a casual outfit, you may not be able to tell ladies but the bra is very supportive and provides excellent lift! Note my new low lights to make my hair a step closer to my natural colour for my move to Australia!
Top: River Island. Shiny Trousers: River Island. Bra: Ann Summers Shoes: Florence & Fred.
My favourite Saturdays star, Mollie King, has been revealed as the new style ambassador for fashion brand Oasis. I’m not usually a fan of celebrities – be it singers or TV personalities- breaking into the fashion industry and collaborating with successful brands or launching there own collections (purely due to myself working in the industry for over 10 years and not liking people with no fashion training being handed their own collection, minus the lack of skill and education!) However I can be swayed a little by Mollie. For one, she is gorgeous. I actually have a major girl crush on her. And secondly, if anyone knows how to dress well and look cute 24/7, it’s Miss King. So if her collection with Oasis delivers a taste of her own look, then I’m all in already…
The collection launches in the brand’s 17 flagship stores and all digital channels on October 22, which means it is now available for us fashion fans to shop! The collection ranges from £28 – £350 and is available in selected stores and online at oasis-stores.com.
