Tea India's Charming Chai Teas..

If you're a lover of chai tea like myself, then you really need to try Tea India's wonderfully tasty blends, trust me on this! 

I was lucky enough to be sent their full range of teas recently so I had myself a little tea tasting party over the weekend. Before I was sent the teas, I had already been purchasing Tea India's Masala Chai; I saw it on the shelves in my local Sainsbury's and decided to give it a whirl. The pretty packaging really caught my eye but I wasn't expecting it to become my new fave chai blend, at all. I was hooked on Teapigs chai tea at the time, so boy am I glad that I discovered Tea India as their 40 pack chai teas are priced at £2.20 instead of £3.99 for a pack of 15 from Teapigs.... 

There is no compromise on taste,    just amazing value for money! I was also sent a beautiful Scaramanga notepad and pen to make some tea tasting notes with.

Tea India and I both have the same belief that tea is one of life's 'simple pleasures' and if you're a tea lover and you drink copious amounts of tea every day, why not invest in the best quality blends? My favourite from the teas sent to me which were Masala, Vanilla and Cardamom chai teas and a traditional black tea is still the Masala overall but their vanilla blend is so creamy and fragrant; perfect for the end of the day I find. The Cardamom blend is really different to any chai i've ever tasted, really tasty and is something that I find myself reaching for more and more. 

The black tea is lovely and rich - perfect all rounder i'd say. It is priced around £2.95 for 80 teabags, again making it nice and affordable for a quality tea.

Tea India are doing lots of sample giveaways at the moment and I believe they are teaming up with ASOS next month to give away some delicious chai teas with orders.  To find out more and discover the taste of India visit TeaIndia.co.uk!

xoxo

Review: Sisley Phyto-Lip Twist (Nude)

Pout Perfection

Of all the beauty products I own (and I own a lot!), lip products prevail in my makeup bags and cupboards. I can't get enough of them, it's hardly surprising when you come to think of all the different shades and finishes that are available to purchase these days.

It's no surprise then that I got mega excited at the launch of one of my favourite luxury skincare brands; Sisley Paris' Lip Twists which aim to 'rewrite the rules of lipstick' in the sense that it acts as both a lipstick with concentrated colour in the form of a tint but nourishing and glossy like a balm. Amaze! And you know what, i'm going to put it out there - this is my favourite lip product to date! Here's why...

The main reason I love the Phyto-Lip Twists is the colour pay off. It's perhaps the most intense i've used for a balm, EVER. The colours are all beautiful and there is no need for anymore than the 6 offered as they are just perfect and offer subtle shimmer (like the nude shade I opted for) or all out glamour (try cherry), there's a shade for everyone and every occasion. The other fab thing about this product is the amount of time it stays put - for me it's hours on end and my lips feel conditioned for the whole day after just one application. Basically, it gives me everything I want from a lipstick and balm and mixes them into one 'do it all' chubby stick! It's all I carry in my bag these days. 

The catchphrase is "twist and shine" and it really is that simple. There's no getting your fingers sticky or having to sharpen the product once you've worn it down, you just twist it slightly to renew the length and apply straight from the stick. The nude shade is classic, buildable and has lots of shimmer unlike the rest of the colours. It just looks so beautiful on, perfect for everyday and even for evening if you want to dramatise your eyes and opt for a creamy nude lip.

At £29.00 a pop, they are very expensive but i've come across nothing that can rival the Sisley Phyto-Lip Twists... I took advantage of the John Lewis 10% event recently and picked up Peach but even without a slight discount, they are so worth every penny.

Hopefully you can see below from the lip smacking swatches just how shimmery and pretty this shade is... The shimmer is gold and tiny but it certainly is eye catching and lends itself perfectly to this nude shade.

Pucker up - kissably soft lips!

Utterly butterly... love this formula!

REVIEW: Rimmel BB Cream (Matte) 9-in-1 Skin Perfecting Super Makeup

Rimmel BB Cream (Matte) 9-in-1 Skin Perfecting Super Makeup £6.99...

As i'm writing this review the sun is shining and there's not a cloud in the sky, so it's fair to say that spring has finally sprung! If you're like me, then you'll be having a bit of a spring clean of your makeup bag, or bags and cupboards in my case. I tend to try and look for lighter formulas for summer, products that give a dewy and breathable finish so as not to feel too heavy or start slipping if it's really hot. This idea is what made me want to give Rimmel's new BB cream a whirl....

I was initially impressed by this product boasting that it can give 9-in-1 skin perfecting benefits. It aims to prime, moisturise, minimise pores, conceal, cover, smooth, mattify, brighten, and help protect your skin in general from day to day stresses. Sounds pretty amazing, huh?! Yet it certainly didn't live up to these expectations, for me, personally.

I chose the 'light' shade which still looks quite warm on the swatch below but actually blends out to look quite fair in the end, still not the best match for light skins. That age old problem with BB creams! It does apply nicely, there's no tugging at the skin to spread it evenly which was nice but once applied I wasn't impressed with the finish. To say this product is oil free and is supposed to be mattifying, it was still quite shiny. I realise BB's are supposed to look dewy but there's a big difference between dewy and shiny! Not all over, but in all the places I don't like too much of a sheen - my forehead and nose area. This only got a thousand times worse throughout the day... I only managed to wear it for around 4 hours before I had to take it off. By the end of those 4 hours I looked a total mess, so shiny my skin almost looked wet to touch around my T-Zone. Therefore to me, for a Matte BB Cream, this has totally failed. I've used other BB creams that don't advertise mattifying properties and had better results!

It didn't give any kind of coverage for me, I prefer my BB creams with a bit more coverage - still light but to at least blur out any imperfections. If you have perfect skin to start with and no problem with oiliness in the first place then this product could be suitable but then why would you need to use it? Basically, I really don't like this product mat all. I do NOT recommend as it seems to be unable to do any of the benefits it boasts.

Review: Maybelline Baby Lips (Peach Kiss, Cherry Me, Pink Punch)

Maybelline Baby Lips Lip Balm £2.99

 I was dubious when I read the early reviews of these lip balms, I didn't believe that a £2.99 high street lip product could give my lips that sumptuously soft feeling and kind of thought they would be just oily and sit on my lips without ever really sinking in...

From left: Peach Kiss, Cherry Me and Pink Punch

But, I was pleasantly surprised! Although I'm a massive fan of the Nuxe Rêve De Miel balm and have never really strayed, I had to try these after the hype I was seeing on Twitter and on YouTube. Maybelline boasts 8 hour hydration, however, I would say I experienced maybe half of this.

These balms also offer SPF 20 in every shade, which I love! these would be ideal for when on holiday and hitting the beach, you should never forget to protect every inch of your skin. They don't feel heavy or tacky like some SPF lip products i've tried before, each application gives a lovely light and refreshing dose of hydration.

I actually stocked up on these three balms in the Boots 3for2 offer, I mean, they were already bagainous at £2.99 but it was the perfect excuse to try a few different shades. I went for Peach Kiss - a barely there nude with plenty of shimmer, Cherry Me - a luscious glacier cherry red and Pink Punch - a bubblegum pink. Each shade has a sheer application as they are a balm after all but what surprised me most was the colour pay off from Cherry me and Pink Punch... I've swatced them above, the lighting wasn't great but hopefully you can see the pigmentation.

From left: Peach Kiss, Cherry Me, Pink Punch

Cherry Me is my favourite of the three and I think it's really on trend for S/S14 with the added benefit of giving your lips some much needed TLC! They all smell and taste great - not that i've been licking them off my lips, y'know... x

My S/S14 Swimwear Picks

My love for swimwear somehow grows year on year yet how could it not with the amount of new glam, sophisticated and sometimes outrageous sexy designs that keep hitting the shelf! Below are my absolute faves for summer 2014 and although I won't be buying them all (sigh, I do have expensive tastes...) I shall certainly be investing in one or two key pieces for my jollies this year so I need your help deciding which is worthy of packing in my suitcase!

In no particular order....

Seafolly is one of my favourite go-to brands for fun and playful swimwear. This year, I'm loving the retro floral print bandeau and bottoms; so feminine and pretty. I couldn't find them listed for sale anywhere yet so the name and price is currently unknown. I think I will definitely purchase the 90's style zig zag 'Mod Club Slide Tri (£90 for the set) as I'm obsessed with anything with a bit of neon yellow/green of late!

Naughty but nice swimwear is one of my life's littles vices... I only look to one place if i'm after something sexy; Agent Provocateur, of course. Styles like the new 'Tricja' bikini (£495) with detachable neck and waist chains verges on obscene, but I love it.

This sparkly little number is again from AP. The 'Zonia' bikini (£235) is in the most classic of shapes, the triangle, and one of the most revealing. I can just imagine how much this would glitter on the poolside in full glare of the sun. Innocent bystanders will need their sunnies fixed firmly on!

Ahhh, the Agent Provocater Mazzy bikini (£195)... Still going strong after it was first intro ducted in S/S12 with the orange and black shades when sports luxe swimwear was all the rage. I cannot get enough, each new shade they bring out tempts me beyond belief although if I had to pick one that I wasn't too mad about, it's the newest pink and black. It's almost looks like the monochrome version that I already own, the pink is too washed out. The neon one above though is far from being mute, it's so in your face bright it's almost crass but not quite. It's most certainly not for everyone, and it's grown on me. I've seen it so many times in people's holiday pics and they just look perfection on a tanned bod by the beach. It gives incredible cleavage too, even for modest boobage!

I only discovered Melissa Odabash swimwear last year and i've never looked back. She designs the most sophisticated and feminine swimwear and the quality of the fabrics is unrivalled. The fit, the feel... nothing comes quite so close. Undeniably some of the most comfortable swimwear I have ever worn and style isn't compromised at all. I've got my eye on the sporty monochrome 'Ponza' bikini set (£172) and the 'Cali Top' (£115).

I usually never EVER wear anything animal print, but i'd make an exception for the below 'Palm Zebra' set (£172). Not at all tacky, just wild and beautiful.

 

The Barrie cover up dress (£220) looks so delicate and chic, I just fall in love when I see it.

I am so sad that I only discovered Triangl swimwear as of last week... I've been seeing loads of pics featuring this pretty contrast bikini in both the above orange colour and a bright pink and I was dead set on buying it until I realised it was no longer for sale, literally anywhere :( I'm not so sure it would have been so flattering on me as it looks pretty full cupped and I would look so flat chested but still... swoon!

Now all I need is that beach body! ;) Roll on summer 2014....

Primark Armcandy

Primark Neon Shoulder Bag £8

I'm known for being a bit of a bag snob but when I saw this little neon yellow shoulder strap bag in Primark yesterday there was no doubt about it; it was coming home with me! It's strange as its been ages since I've found anything I liked in the accessory aisles in Primark but I actually ended up walking out with 2 little bags and a clutch!

From left: cream satchel £6, neon shoulder bag £8, Pink clutch £6

I've been waiting for a bright yellow bag just like this to pop up but I wasn't expecting to find it in Primark - I've seen quite a few dotted around the high street that weren't quite right and were LOTS more expensive.... This to me is my perfect little spring bag and I love the pop of colour against my outfits.

As you can see, it's quite dinky, so i'm not going to be tempted to over fill and give myself neck and shoulder ache as I do with some of my larger bags. BUT, there isa till penny of space for all the everyday essentials in there and an inner zipped compartment for any loose bits you might carry about.

I love this playful little bag, it looks super fun and quirky but I know it's not to everyone's tastes. These seem to be quite new on the shelves, so if you love it as much as me, get yourself down to Primark pronto! x