BEAUTY Archives - Megan Taylor

THE SAFE WAY TO HAVE A BATH WHILST PREGNANT

Bathing is meant to be super relaxing, right!? Well, sadly that can be wrong if you’re an anxious first time mum like me. I am now 34 weeks pregnant and whenever I have had an achy and tired body or feeling the woes of morning sickness people suggest I have a bath. Yet, the problem with that is that I’m scared I’m going to boil my baby! I have always loved a scorching hot bath. I love bubbles, I love oils, I love body scrubs, I love candles, the lot! Yet, which oils are appropriate and what temperature should the water be at for a pregnant woman and another thing…black smoke from candles, is that a thing and if it is, what on Earth is it? There’s so much to think about that I end up avoiding baths all together. I put out an Instagram story asking what temperature is appropriate and so many mums and mums to be were also in the dark to what was correct, so like me avoid(ed) a “relaxing bath” altogether. I have asked some industry professionals what the actual answers are so you don’t have to worry anymore. Happy bathing…

THE PROFESSIONALS

GLENDA TAYLOR

Glenda is first and foremost my gorgeous mum and according to Vogue UK, “an Aromatherapy Guru”. Mum knows everything there is to know about aromatherapy and beauty products. Having created and sold many beauty companies over the years she knows an inci listing inside and out. Make sure you ask her a question over on Instagram if you are at all worried about beauty, beauty products, ingredients or aromatherapy.
INSTA @angelicolife
WEB Angelico

LAURA STOCKS

Laura is a doula and a hypnobirthing instructor. I am currently taking her classes every Wednesday evening over Zoom with a couple of other expectant parents. I’m learning so much and whenever I have a pregnancy question Laura has the answer straight away. Give her a follow if you have any pregnancy questions, are looking for a hypnobirthing class or need a doula.
INSTA @birthmotherme
WEB Stripped Back Birth

THE TEMPERATURE

Laura says that the temperature you should have your bath at whilst pregnant is the same as it would be if you were in a birthing pool. It would also be the same if you were bathing your newborn child. The temperature you can have the bath at is 37°c. This is the same as your core body temperature. I advise that you buy a bath thermometer. I had so many people recommend this one from Tommee Tippee so I bought it right away for both myself and for when my baby arrives. It also lets you know the temperature of your room and has an ambient light that shows when the bath or room is too hot. My first bath with the bath thermometer was an interesting moment…I’ve 110% been having baths that were too hot for me whilst pregnant! 37° is not that hot at all for a steamy bather 🧖🏻‍♀️. The light flashed a lot whilst I was initially running my bath. This recommended temperature is also the temperature that you would have your birthing pool at so I would advise you to try a long bath at this temperature before you make it part of your birthing plan. I personally think I would get a little bit too chilly sitting in a pool of 37° for a few hours but you can always make your room warmer and mums I have spoken to have said you get quite warm during birth anyway so it doesn’t actually feel too cold.

THE OILS AND SCENTS YOU HAVE TO AVOID

Clary Sage is an essential oil that you must stay away from for most of your pregnancy. That being said, once you are 37 week plus you are considered full term and Clary Sage is then allowed and can be incredibly beneficial. Clary Sage is considered a very powerful essential oil that can help trigger labour. The reason it can trigger labour is because it can stimulate uterine contractions triggering the start of labour. It can also help boost your oxytocin and endorphins which after many hypnobirthing classes I have learnt is great to keep adrenalin at bay.
Even though Clary Sage is often recommended for labour, Glenda prefers recommending the use of Frankincense during labour. As an essential oil, Frankincense can promote deep meditative breathing which will keep you calm and in control. By simply placing a few drops on a cloth and inhaling it from time to time it can be really helpful.
Other oils that you must avoid during pregnancy (especially in your first trimester) would also include, juniper, black pepper, cinnamon and geranium.

ESSENTIAL OILS TO HELP YOU RELAX AND SLEEP
Lavender, Camomile and Benzoin

ESSENTIAL OILS TO HELP YOU BALANCE AND GET READY FOR THE DAY
Grapefruit, Mandarin and Lavender
(Lavender is balancing and can refresh or relax you according to which other oils you combine it with).

HOW TO USE YOUR OILS

You can use between 6-10 drops of essential oil in total. Put your oils in your bath after the water has finished running. Make sure you drop the oils in at the other end from where you’re sitting so you don’t sit on the oils if they haven’t fully mixed in to your water. It’s not dangerous to sit on them but you could aggravate your skin like a stinging nettle. The ratio of the oils is up to you, but use the above oils I mentioned and have fun mixing them together to create your own blend. Babies baths are a whole other story, so maybe I will write another blog post on that, for example you wouldn’t use any more than 3 drops of essential oil and it must be diluted.

BLACK SMOKE CANDLES

Black smoke in candles are caused by the wick being too long, so make sure you always trim your candles. This will also stock too much flickering of light from your candles which is never relaxing. Trimming you candles will stop the black smoke but also prevent too much fragrance dispersed at any one time. If too much fragrance is released it could be far too “heady” and overwhelming for you. The safest option is for you to purchase fragrance free candles. Use this lovely trick that Glenda has taught me…When your burning candle has produced a little puddle of wax, you can drop in one or two drops of one of the essential oils we have discussed above. You can do this each time you light it. This way you will avoid any artificially fragranced candles and create the loveliest most naturally bespoke scented candles.
You must not use candles which are made from paraffin wax as they are carcinogenic. Soy wax candles are great but avoid candles which are artificially fragranced and look for natural oil blends only.

SHOPPING LIST:

An essential oil starter kit for both your pregnancy and for your baby (make sure you get full guidance before using oils on your baby before the age of 2).

• Lavender
• Mandarin
• Camomile
• Grapefruit
• Benzoin
(Comes from the word Benzoic which means calming.
It is a resin which is sold alongside essential oils)
• Clary sage or Frankincense
(37 weeks plus only)
• Bath thermometer
• Fragrance free candles

THE SAFE WAY TO HAVE A BATH WHILST PREGNANT | Megan Taylor

I hope this can help you have a safe and relaxing bath now. Feel free to leave any questions in the comments and I will get them answered for you.

VALENTINE’S DAY GIFT GUIDE 2020

Wahoo, Spring is on the horizon and to me that signifies Valentine’s Day, Pancake Day, Easter, romance and lighter evenings. I have compiled a lovely edited selection of Valentine’s Day gift options for him and her. If you are stuck for date night ideas and maybe a bit low on funds make sure you check out my 5 Cheap Date Ideas over here. Also, a quick note to say, if you think of Valentine’s Day as a commercial holiday that should be ignored then why are you here…? I love any excuse to celebrate romance and shower my other half with gifts x Check out my old Valentine’s gift guides as well for further inspo.

SELF CARE

Valentine’s Day is the perfect day to treat yourself and/or your special someone. Here are some lovely goodies you are going to adore. SANCTUARY SPA are always a great gifting option. This stunning chocolate box inspired gift called Lost In The Moment is the perfect gift for the girlies in your life. Hosting a Galentine’s Day party? Definitely get the girlies a box of this each. No need to wrap it when it looks like this. If you are tight on budget or just want some cute little token presents for the girls (or yourself…) then ONLY CURLS Scrunchies and Hair Clips are the ones for you. After spending an hour curling or straightening your hair the last thing you want is a kink in your hair from having to tie your hair up. The ‘Only Curls’ silk scrunchies are fabulous because they don’t leave you with any marks at all. Valentine’s Day is all about romance and treating yourself right?

VALENTINE'S DAY GIFT GUIDE 2020 | MEGAN TAYLOR

Well, HOLISTIC SILK is your one stop shop for items to treat you and your partner. I was first introduced to Holistic Silk about 2 years ago in a press event goodie bag where I was given a pretty green lavender eye pillow and I have used it ever since! Why not get a his and hers Velvet Scented Eye Mask. This stunning pink velvet tie back eye mask is what I have been looking for for years. Liam and I are huge advocates of wearing an eye mask to bed. Shut out any light, shut out the day and effectively force your eyes to close. This eye mask has the added bonus of being filled with lavender which helps aids relaxation and sleep. Another of my favourite gems from Holistic Silk is this cute pink Gemstone Face Roller which is cooling and rejuvenating for your face. Get your partner to give you a gorgeous face massage using the roller. You can use a face oil or moisturiser but you can also just use it bare. RABOT 1745 is a new product line to me and I am super excited about it. The owners of Hotel Chocolat (yep, if you follow me on Instagram you will know how addicted I am to HC…literally can’t get enough of their goodies) have a beauty brand. The reason for the name Rabot 1745 is from the name of their cocoa plantation in St Lucia (take me there now please). Check out their full range here where they have 15% off all products in their Valentine’s edit. Make sure you take a closer look at their ‘Spread The Love‘ gift set here for some guilt free chocolate. The gift set comes with a pecan and salted caramel spread and a liquid chocolate body mask. A treat for your body and your tastebuds. Another reason to use a chocolate based beauty product is that the properties of cacao are incredibly beneficial to us. Cacao can help protect the skin from harmful UV rays, it is also an incredible at being anti-inflammatory.

NEW MAKE UP

I am a sucker for new make up, especially when it is packaged beautifully, originally or the actual feel of the product is lovely. Here are three items that I had never used until 2020 but now adore. CULT CANDY are completely vegan and that is the first thing that drew me into finding out more about them. Then I saw a photograph and the packaging sung to my heart. Playful, bright and across between a pop princess and a gothic emo. My favourite pick for you is the Play House palette filled with the cutest colours. Baby and Plushie are my favourites in this palette. I have been using DIEGO DALLA PALMA for about five years ago now as a staple. Their super fine eyebrow pencil is the best out there! This Go Crazy Palette is absolutely divine. Filled with colours that you can use everyday for the perfect earthy smokey eye, with a few metallic options to jazz up your look for the evening. DEAR DAHLIA is new to me and I am already in love. The packaging and the weighty feel of the product makes you realise you are holding a luxe item. This Ruby lipstick is creamy, non-drying and the perfect elegant red for Valentine’s Day.

FOR HIM

Ok, so, not all of these products are JUST for him but there are more items than I would normally add. There are even some lovely his & hers ideas I think you’ll love and will last you a life time. Liam and I have owned a CORKCICLE bottle for about two years now. We have a large white bottle which we immediately fell in love with one Summer because the neck of the bottle is wide enough to pop some ice cubes in and the sheer quantity of water you can add makes it the perfect bottle to take with you for a picnic. I hadn’t realised the amount of colour-ways Corkcicle had until I was finding links for this blog post. Why not treat you and him to His & hers canteens… The classic black bottle I have featured can be found here and the seriously cute pink floral number can be found here. With this amazing era of being more sustainable and carrying a water bottle with us wherever we go I thought I would share another water bottle idea with you. Stand out from the crowd with this stunner from BEWATER. You can buy these bottles in glass or a durable Tritan plastic (this means BPA free plastic which is great!). Each bottle has a crystal insert in different colours which all signify something different. I chose the rose quartz mainly for the beautiful rosy colour but it happens to also be associated with a strong heart and circulation. Also worth mentioning that this bottle is dishwasher friendly which makes life so much easier 🙂 .
A more specific men option that I adore is this ESPA Mens gift set. I love that it comes presented in this gorgeous reusable tin and has a lovely gift tag inside for you to write your personalised message in. This gift set has a grooming oil, face wash, face hydrator and shower gel. It’s basically a one-stop gift set filled with everything a man would need but filled with amazing active ingredients rather than him using the 10-in-1 soap at the gym.

What’s your favourite gift option from above? Is there something you may want to buy yourself? 😉

STOCKING FILLERS & SECRET SANTA GIFTS

Merry Christmas everyone. Have you bought your Secret Santa presents yet? What’s your budget? I’m sure I have something for you in the list below, although I must say it’s pretty girly down there so make sure you check out my other gift guides going live this week because there are a few more masculine goodies there 🙂

Burt’s Bees Pomegranate Bauble
This bauble is adorable and such great value. Just £6.99 for a lip balm stick and cuticle cream in a tin. Both products smell wonderful (there are two other scents available). I also love the tin bauble it comes in with a hanging string. Perfect for your Secret Santa.

Beatitude Bauble
I have included Beatitude in my last two Christmas gift guides as well because I really love their products. Pure essential oils smelling absolutely delightful and packaged in this beautiful hanging tin bauble. It really makes a lovely gift.

Sleek Make up – Layer Up
At only £2.50 this Sleek gift would be perfect for the tweens out there. Do you need to buy presents for your daughters friends? These would be ideal. Oh and you may want to get one for yourself too, the gold powder has serious Christmas kapow vibes.

STOCKING FILLERS & SECRET SANTA GIFTS | Megan Taylor

Tropic – lash extension kit
This is such a clever kit that any girl in your life would love. There are two mascaras in this pack. The first being a fixing gel mascara and the second is a mascara that has extension fibres in them. Check out the link above to watch a video where you can see a dramatic difference. I know many women who get lash extensions that would love this. Sadly, I am a contact lens wearer and the brand don’t advise you use it :'(

Only Curls Silk Scrunchies
I tie my hair up every evening that I get home from work and put my PJs on. I like to get my hair out of my face and away from my cooking or taking my make up off. I also like to sleep with my hair tied up so that it doesn’t get tangled. These silk scrunchies are the perfect solution because you won’t create a ridge in your hair.

Morning Glamour Satin Pillowcase
I have wanted a satin pillowcase for years and years after many celebrities raved about them. Victoria Beckham recently said a satin pillowcase is one of her top beauty tips. Keep your hair knot free and your face free from pillow lines the next morning. Also, this particular one comes in the dreamiest powder pink.

Sensationail Nailtural
One of my favourite stocking gifts (I have given my parents stockings since I was a teenager now) is to pop in a nail varnish. It’s such a simple gift but always so adored and it last for so long. Sensationail have a lovely range of natural nude colours which everyone will love. Another bonus is that these nail varnishes are vegan.

Fides Baldesberger Tweezers
I know, I know, tweezers seem like such a peculiar Christmas gift but when do you really go and treat yourself to a decent pair of tweezers? Tweezers can come good and bad, they can last a lifetime or just a week. These are absolutely stunning, high class rose gold tweezers come packaged perfectly for Christmas.

Patchology Poshpeel Pedi Cure
Why not treat your friend to an at home pedicure. Get her a nail varnish as seen above and this Patchology posh peel for an easy at home treat. Patchology also sell some lovely sheet masks but my favourites are their under eye patches.

Will you be buying any of these for yourself?

THE ULTIMATE BEAUTY GIFT GUIDE

Beauty, for her, for him, for anyone. Just make sure you don’t come across as giving a beauty product that symbolises that someone “needs it” or smells ;P . I always find that a beauty gift is quite an easy buy. Everyone washes themselves so body washes, shampoos and conditioners will never be a wasted gift. Then you have the more luxurious beauty gifts like bath salts, body oils and body creams. I personally love being gifted items like this as they aren’t necessary something that I would treat myself to on a tighter budgeting month for example. Even if I already buy myself body creams I may just stick to what I already know and love so I love being surprised with brands I haven’t tried before or that I wouldn’t necessarily splurge on. Here are my favourite picks this Christmas with links of where you can buy them the cheapest right now.

UNDER £20

These brands are household names that you probably grew up with. They are all gift sets under £20 but look like a super special gift that someone would be really happy to receive.

St.Moriz – Get Your Glow On
(currently on sale at Pretty Little Thing)
For those friends that can’t bare to not fake tan, we all know someone…This is an ideal present. The gift set bundle includes the famous St.Moriz body tanning mousse and even comes with a fab tanning mitt. I tried a tanning mitt for the first time this Spring just gone and I can’t believe I was so late to the game! It is literally a life changer, no smelly orange lined hands and you can really buff in the colour into your legs and ankles. To top off the gift set you also get a bronzer and lipgloss.

Yardley – English Rose Bath and Body Collections
When I was younger I thought Yardley was just for grandparents, that was until I was gifted a bottle of this rose body wash back 3 years ago. It smells like a floral rosy pine and I adore it!! This gift set would be perfect for any girl in your life, young and old.

Sanctuary Bath Salts
Sanctuary Rosey Hand Duo
I feel like Sanctuary products are a staple for under any British Christmas Tree. I am pretty sure that someone in my family has received a Sanctuary product each year without fail. They are just so gift-able. They are affordable and an easy gift because every girl likes to smell nice and treat themselves once in a while. These are my two favourite picks from their latest Christmas collection. I am a big salt bath fan and these bath salts smell beautifully girly and I love the tub. The Rosey Hand Duo is another great gift because it is the all-in-one hand present that comes in a lovely reusable display case and can be gifted to any woman in your life whether you know them well or not. Also, under £10 so great for your office Secret Santa.

THE ULTIMATE BEAUTY GIFT GUIDE | Megan Taylor

BOYS

Are you like me and find boys ridiculously difficult to buy for then you should check out these mens gift sets. They’re simple and no boy would turn them down because they all have to wash and not to be too cruel but probably don’t often buy themselves nice beauty products. The American Crew gift set even comes with a lovely wash bag with no excess packaging, well done American Crew!!

Hawkins & Brimble – Vintage Rituals
This face kit for men smells fabulous and feels super refreshing. The products are no sample size either, they are chunky monkeys that are going to last a while. Added bonuses to this brand is that they don’t test on animals and are free from any nasties like parabens and colourants.

American Crew – Essential Grooming Kit
This is the go-to kit for any guy. It is filled to the brim with all the products they could possibly need. My husband and my brother have both been using American Crew for a few years now and rave highly about the brand. The wash bag is a great size to travel with and will last the gift recipient years and years (maybe even the rest of their lives!).

LUXE

These beauty products are loved by women and men all over yet as they aren’t necessarily at the end of gondola in your average Boots or Superdrug you may not treat yourself to them regularly. These brands are all fantastic and have created fabulous Christmas gifting options not just including these ones featured.

Ren
I’m such a Ren fanatic as you can probably tell if you’re a reader of my blog or Instagram. This gift set is such a great introduction to the brand for friends that may not have tried it and even better if they travel. My absolute favourite Ren product ever is the Atlantic Kelp body wash and it’s featured in this gift set.

Murad – Vibrant Vibes
Murray has a cult following like no other. I posted a few stories about trying Murad for the first time last year and I was inundated with more messages than normal with a mix of “you’re so lucky” and “what? you’ve never tried Murad before!!!?”. Well I have now and I get the hype 😛

Maria Nila
If you follow me on Instagram you will know I am an obsessed fan of Maria Nila products, well this is an absolute steal of a gift box. I have used this shampoo and conditioner before and when my parents stayed my mum very much got obsessed with it like me. I picked this particular Maria Nila to showcase over the others as I feel after a festive party season filled with blow dries we may all appreciate this structure hair repair kit…although I must admit all of the Maria Nila products I have used leave my hair feeling fabulous.

By Sarah – Festive Body & Hair Care Gift Box
This gift box is made from crushed grapes!! Yep, you read that right. How cool! I have never heard of anything like it. I love the whole ethos of the By Sarah range, everything is organic, and award winning to boot. This feels like a really gorgeous and special gift that anyone would love.

Which of the products above will you be putting on your Christmas list? I personally want it all 😉

FESTIVE MAKE UP GIFTS FOR THEM & YOU

I love love love receiving new make up at Christmas and I find eye shadow palettes are allow going to be a winner. You may not like every single colour in a palette but if there is a wacky colour in there, Christmas is the time to make use of it. I have chosen these festive palettes from some of my favourite make up brands so therefore I know they are good quality, have great pigment and know that you’ll love them too 🙂

MAKE ME UP

Oh how I adore make up and eye shadow palettes are my absolute favourite. I’m like a magpie to the colours. I love the opportunity to try out colours that I wouldn’t necessarily buy as a single unit. I also love that in the lead up to Christmas I get a bit braver with my make up, my eyeliner gets longer and thicker, my shadows get sparklier and my contouring gets quite frankly epic!

I had always wanted to try Stila because everyone I know raves about it. Until this palette arrived through my door I had never tried the brand. Well, what can I say, the packaging is fabulous! The pigmentation is strong! The colours are gorgeous! Highly recommend these gift sets for a make up fan this Christmas.
Stila Blue Realm Palette
Stila Blue Pink Harmony Lip Duo

Code 8 is relatively new of just a few years and they have taken the make up world by storm. Their ethos is to be pretty simple with your make up application and that you don’t need to spend hours applying, well, I could spend hours simply admiring the products alone 😉 . Everything is so sleek, luxurious and most importantly works incredibly well. This Code 8 Party Essentials Selection is absolutely dreamy and a fabulous introduction to the brand for those who may not have tried them before. If you were to buy one introductory item from Code 8 I would have to advise it be this hydrating lip colour in the colour ‘Off Broadway‘. I have been using this lipstick a minimum of 3 times a week for a year now and it isn’t even half finished. It is the perfect everyday lippie that you can apply without a mirror.

I have been using Mina products for about 2 years now and their eyeliner and pigmented eyeshadows are fabulous! They have this stunning eye shadow palette available this Christmas and it is literally your go to for any cool girl you need to gift a present for. Mina – Glam Rock Eyeshadow Palette. Filled with wearable colours and few brave ones too.

VEGAN BRUSHES

Call me naive but up until 4 years ago I thought ALL make up brushes were synthetic. It wasn’t until one day on a photoshoot I said to the make up artist that I thought one brush was far more scratchier than another and she said it was because it was made from horse hair. I was absolutely shocked, I had just assumed that it would be both gross and expensive to use animal hair in a make up brush that goes on your face but apparently it is pretty common. Ever since that moment I have been actively trying to seek out and only use non-animal hair brushes. Here are three brands creating fabulous animal free brushes and championing the fact there simply is no need to use animal hair to create a decent make up brush!

These So Eco brushes are divine. This is the Face Brush Kit and the Round Foundation Brush is going to be my new everyday foundation application brush. It has the perfect rounded tapered end to get your concealer up under the lower lashes. I also love that this gift set comes with a handy travel pouch.

Look Good Feel Better have a wonderful ethos behind the brand and have been going for 25 years now. LGFB supports and helps boost the physical and emotional wellbeing of patients that are sadly having to endure cancer treatment with an annual donation of at least £20,000. The Makeover Brush Set is filled with all the brushes you need, a powder blush brush, stippling brush (fave!), tapered blending brush and a precision rounded brush to get into those more intricate areas of the face.

The Brush works Complete Face Set has make up brushes suitable for powder, liquid and pressed make up. They look so different from any other brushes out there so make a great stand out present. I had no idea until I read the back of the box that there is even a make up brush pouch hidden in the back!

Which items will you be keeping for yourself?

AUGUST BEAUTY FAVOURITES

I haven’t done one of these posts in a while but they always seems to be quite popular. I have been trying out a lot of new beauty and skincare products this year. My trusty Clarins face wash and Rimmel foundation were both discontinued this year so it forced me to step out of my comfort zone and try a few news things.

FACE WASH/CLEANSER

After a very long bout of dreadful adult acne I found an amazing and simple skincare routine and stuck to it. Six years later and two of my trusty products have been discontinued. If I tell you I had a melt down that would be an understatement. I bought 4 bottles of Clarins daily energizing cleanser every year and I loved it. Well, when it discontinued I knew I had to find a replacement. My replacement needed to be trustworthy, delicate, not too fragranced, not stupidly expensive, attainable in being able to purchase and most importantly not mess up my now spot-free skin. Horrah, I have found a great alternative in Ren’s Evercalm Gentle Cleansing Gel. It is the same consistency that I was used to with my last. The scent is very neutral and not overpowering in the slightest. It cleans your face free of make up but doesn’t leave you feeling dry.

FOUNDATION

As I was saying in the cleansing section above, I have had two of my favourite products be discontinued. One of these discontinued products is Rimmel’s Wake Me Up Foundation which I quite simply ADORED! It smelt incredible, it was light but had an amazing coverage. Well, after a few weeks of moping about and a smidge of research I worked out that their new foundation ‘Lasting Radience‘ is a carbon copy of ‘Wake Me Up’. I have no idea what happened, why they changed the name and quite frankly just stuck it in a different bottle? Anyway…if like me you loved Wake Me Up then don’t fret and just buy the Lasting Radiance…they even have the same shades.

SLEEP SPRAY

I am a sleep spray addict! Anything scented like essential oils makes me feel an immediate sense of calm (I grew up with an aromatherapist for a mum!). There are many brands that ace the sleep spray products. My latest love is this This Works Sleep + Pillow Spray. I have used their normal sleep spray for many years now but this one was new to me. The difference being that this + Pillow Spray has its fragrances release throughout the night to help you sleep throughout the whole night.

BODY WASH

Ok, I lie this one isn’t a newbie and Ren’s Atlantic Kelp body wash has featured on my blog on numerous occasions. That being said, it is still my favourite body wash! I love that Ren have made the bottle out of recycled ocean plastic, meaning they are cleaning the ocean and making use of the rubbish. The scent is perfection, it feels like a very clean scent and you know it is doing you good at the same time. Filled with magnesium, you know it will help energise your skin and muscles. I actually don’t have any Atlantic Kelp body wash left so couldn’t photograph, sorry. Yet I have featured in this and this blog post if you want a closer look.

Have you tried any of these products? Which excites you the most?

TOP 5 EYEBROW PRODUCTS

I just happened to be fancying up my brows and picking between my favourite products when I thought I should really share them with you. I’m not one for HD brows, nor am I someone who totally ignores my brows. I’m somewhere in the middle ground with groomed naturalness taking my favour. I used to pluck my brows almost weekly when I was in my early 20s, although only the stray hairs under my brows arch. I didn’t play too much with the arch. Luckily I was never into brows when I was younger so never plucked them to teensy little lines and pencilling them on…phew. I did however have smaller brows than I do now. I barely pluck my brows at all now, just the absolute randoms that pop up and look silly (to me anyway, no one else can probably see them haha). I now have brows that I am pretty happy with, there is a very small patch which is more sparse than the rest but I just add a bit of colour there to fix it. My eyebrows are rather unruly though! If i don’t brush them or stick on a bit of brow gel they will look a little wild! Well, here are my top 5 eyebrow products which come highly recommended by yours truly.

1. Diego Dalla Palma

2. Essence

3. Revitalash

4. Eyeko

5. Milk

Try out the handy little dots on the above picture where you can click directly through to the shopable link to buy the products.

THE GELS

Gels weren’t about when I was younger, well not as far as I knew. I was however a big fan of a clear brow mascara and used one all the time of my messy hairs. Tinted gels are an amazing product. They are really quick and easy to use and are pretty fool proof. Just brush it over your eyebrows and you’re done! My two faves are Milk Kush brow gel in ‘Dutch’. I went to the Milk make up launch at the beginning of the year and I am already a huge fan of many of their products, mostly this brow gel. You may be able to see in the picture that you can see a few stray brow hairs in the bristles of the brush, I use this a minimum of 5x a week, I absolutely love it.
Eyeko have long been a favourite make up brand of mine as you can see here I have blogged about them a lot!! This Eyeko Brow Gel is great and award winning so others think so too. It has quite a wet consistency and glides on really well. It’s a bit darker than the others that I have so I often use a dry/clean spoolie brush to take off the excess and style with.
Revitalash are an amazing brand at the top of their game. If you haven’t been let into the secret of this brand then let me welcome you. Firstly their eyelash serum is a serious game changer? Do your lashes fall out too soon? Are they not growing? Then buy their eyelash serum, seriously mine grew within weeks and I adore it! Revitalash‘s Hi-Def Tinted Brow Gel is another amazing product and has all the brushes attached as well so it’s great for styling after you have brushed in the brow gel. The mineral formed gel helps condition your brows to stop brittleness and breakage as well as temporarily tinting them so bonus!

THE PENCILS

I am definitely quite comfortable with an eye brow pencil. A top tip would be to not get too dark of a pencil unless you are an absolute pro at doing your brows. If you go one shade lighter than your own brow you can draw in a few little faux-brows without being too obvious and then painting on a little bit of gel afterwards to smooth it all together. These two brow pencils are my absolute favourites. This Diego Dalla Palma pencil has been living in my make up drawer for about 4 years now and even though it is empty I can’t face to get rid of it. Not only is the creamy consistency of the pencil perfect it also has the perfect skinny styling brush at the end.
This Essence brow pencil is waterproof!!! All brow products should be waterproof right? Can you imagine being caught in the rain with your brows running down your face…ugh, no thank you! This pencil is only £2!!!!!!! I’m afraid I think you can only buy it in Wilkinson’s stores, I can’t find a link online. The pencil is wonderfully thin which makes drawing your faux-lashes on look far more natural.

Have you tried any of these? Are there any I should try next? Oh, also, what do you prefer, a pencil or gel brush?

MY FAVOURITE LUXE BODY WASHES

We all wash regularly and the scent of the soap we use stays with us for hours afterwards. The body wash washes our whole body and it is important that it not only cleans us but also works well with our skin. I have tried many body washes over the year and although my go-to when I was younger was a much loved foaming body wash I have realised that there is more to offer in a luxury body wash filled with natural essential oils. These three body washes that I am currently in love with are all filled with essential oils. The products you use in the shower will circulate in the steam and if you leave your bathroom door open will fill your house with the gorgeous scent as well. Here are my three favourite luxe body washes.

LIVING SEA THERAPY

I have been using Living Sea Therapy products for about a year now and I love it. The products look gorgeous, smell gorgeous and the whole ethos is also gorgeous. There’s a whole lot of gorgeous-ness there. Living Sea is the sister company of Cornish Sea Salt Co. which has been a staple in mine and my husbands kitchen cupboards for years and years now. This body wash has heady notes of grapefruit and eucalyptus essential oils which are two of my favourite scents so no wonder I love it. I also adore peppermint which I spy in the INCI listing and it is this which I feel real cleans me deeply. I have tried their salt scrub and body wash, next on my shopping list is their hand soap.

REN SKINCARE

You have heard me go on and on about Ren for many years now, I even had a lovely collaboration with them for a giveaway of the Atlantic Kelp collection which you can see here. Since my last post where I talked about the whole collection they have made it so that the bottle is now made with ocean plastic. They are making such incredible waves in the recycling realm and leading the way head and shoulders above many other brands. If you too want to support the planet and help the clearing of ocean plastic then you should actively try and seek out brands like Ren who are cleaning up the ocean by recycling the waste and making use of it. Click through to here to read more about this product and purchase one for yourself.

ANNE SEMONIN

This is the biggest bottle of body wash I have ever owned. I adore the pump function. When you have wet hands in the shower there is nothing more frustrating than trying to open a product but not being able to. I place my sponge underneath and pump directly on to it. My parents came to stay recently and my bathroom is an apothecary filled with choices but my mum and dad both chose this Anne Semonin over everything else, my dad for the ease of the pump usage, my mum for the romantic essential oil scent. I will definitely get this again because it is huge, luxurious, smells fabs and works out as great value for the luxury and quantity.

Have you tried any of these body washes before? Which one are you most interested in? Oh, also please do let me know of any other lovely body washes that I should try x

MY FAVOURITE LUXE BODY WASHES | MEGAN TAYLOR

RAINBOW HAIR SLIDE | HOW TO

Hair slides and hair grips are HOT right now. I have worked out a way to make the most gorgeous rainbow coloured hair slides. I was sent a rather large box of Essence nail varnishes the other day and they are so beautiful. I am the biggest nail varnish hoarder you will find. I had a nail varnish clear out last week and then 50 new gorgeous non-claggy ones have arrived. Out with the old, in with the new, right! Anyway, this box of nail varnishes inspired me to make these hair slides. (F.Y.I. I was never asked to feature these nail varnishes in any posts. These polishes are only £1.60 so are great to use for this project. Here is a link to the nail varnishes in their old form, these ones I will be out later this month in Wilkinsons. You can obviously use any nail varnishes you already own. Here is a link to all my past nail varnish blog posts filled with loads of gorgeous nail varnishes and tips). I chose an array of colours that create a pretty ombre effect.

WHAT YOU NEED

• White (or very pale) nail varnish.
• Nail varnishes in a variety of colours.
• Hair slides.
• Piece of scrap paper.

HOW TO

• Slide your hair grips on to a piece of paper so you can paint freely.
• Swipe a coat of white nail varnish over your hair slides.
This will act as your undercoat and mean that with a light nail varnish colour you won’t have to use loads of coats and allow them to get dented and peel away.
• Allow to dry.
I am quite impatient and just painted all six grips I was painting and moved back to number one with the coloured polish.
• Paint one thick coat on your hair slides.
• Leave to dry and ta da you are ready to look as cute as a button.

Let me know if you make these? I would love to see how you style them. Tag me on social @itsmegantaylor xx

VALENTINE’S DAY GIFT GUIDE

Yay, it is the month of romance, love and happiness. Even if you are single why not treat yourself to a goodie or two. I have compiled a lovely selection of Valentine’s appropriate gifting for him, her and even for you. I find buying for boys so much trickier than for girls. For girls I ten to just buy double of what I am buying and keeping for myself. For boys, well, adult boys, I tend to buy alcohol! In this list there are some treats for men to make them feel like they can pamper themselves whilst you pamper yourself too. Read on to find some amazing inspo.
(This gift guide contains gifted items which I requested for content creation)

LET’S GET LIPPY

Romance is so much about kissing right? Well here are some lovely products to plump up your lips and make them look beautifully rosy. This petite Winky Lux ‘Steal My Heart-Call Me’ lipstick scream Valentine’s and I am so pleased I have finally photographed it so I can use it. How beautiful is its heart shape and pinky colour. If you want to plump up your lips in preparation for kissing season then this product by Bybi is what you are after ‘Plumper & Buffer’. I have shared Rodin products before in my Christmas gift guides and I have been using their lipsticks ever since. These beauties decorated in a red floral design are the perfect present (Lilium and Dianthus).

VALENTINE'S DAY GIFT GUIDE | Megan Taylor

YOU KNOW THE WAY TO MY HEART

These two goodies are all about the luxury and not quite going to break the bank! Both come beautifully packaged as well which makes a present 1000x better in my opinion. I have loved Lulu Guinness for a really long time and have the classic red lips clutch and red lip print make up travel holder. I am now the proud owner of this divine ‘heart purse’. It is a good sized coin purse lined in the black and white striped fabric. The outside has a red side and a pink size. Oh I love it so! It would make such a wonderful gift for anyone in your life. Buckley London are always creating fabulous classy gifts which come packaged in such cute ways. This beautiful gold heart bracelet comes in the most adorable white and black edged box which looks like a teeny hat box.

SPRITZ YOUR WAY TO MY HEART

Girlies, I am here with some beautiful scents to make hearts flutter and strangers ask you what perfume you are wearing. You know that experience of when you are in a room and someone says, “who smells good?”, well, now that person can be you. I am always trying to think of new inventive ways to tell you about a perfume through words so I have decided to give you a few descriptive words to help you imagine the scents that I can smell here.

Goutal ‘Rose Pompon’ : Feminine, sweet but not sickly, a luxury holiday in the Maldives.
Tory Burch ‘Love Relentlessly’: young adult, balmy Spring evenings in the park with friends.
Elle ‘L’edition’: youthful, floral and a little bit sweet.

ROMANCE ME

Here are some beauty and romance goodies for the cheeky girls amongst us. Why not make your eyes flutter like they have never fluttered before. Kiss have incredible lashes and these Splendor lashes of their will have boys and girls staring at you from across the bar. I feel so much better when I have nice nails and have always loved Leighton Denny. Here are three divine romance inspired colours you will love (‘Plush Pink’ ‘Paparazzi’ ‘Provocative’).
Real roses, die and leave stains on surfaces and bedding. Why not save the roses for your beautiful vase and buy this bag of fake petals which you can use time after time…and if you are a blogger, they are a great prop for your blog posts. Why not pop this little pleasurable and discrete goodie from Bondara in your shopping cart when you buy your rose petals.

PRESENTS FOR YOUR GUY

As I said earlier, boys are tricky to buy for, right!? Well, here are a selection of lovely male goodies. It would be so lovely and special to get this array of goodies and pop them in a mini hamper, don’t you think? Gillette is such a classic isn’t it. My aunty actually uses this mens razor and said it’s the best razor out there. So maybe get the man in your life this razor but secretly know that it is a joint present ;P . I am the biggest fan of Tweezerman and swear by their tweezers. I have the pink ones and after I spotted Liam using mine a few times I popped a black pair in his stocking a few years ago. Tweezerman have great little gift sets. They come packaged so beautifully with great black leather travel cases. Check out these two here and here. These hillarious Valentine’s Day cards from Moments With Cards are currently only £1.99!! You will have a whole lot of laughs reading the front of each card. Black Leopard have an incredibly luxe range of products which you can buy in gift sets or choose your own products and pop into a gift box.

I hope you have a lovely Valentine’s Day. Have you got any plans?

SEVEN ROSE SCENTED WONDERS

Welcome to a post filled with what I believe are seriously pretty pictures. I have collected together my favourite rose scented products from seven fabulous brands, 90% of which brands I have talked about in the past, therefore you know I love them. What do you think of rose scented products? I know some people associate rose with old ladies (FYI…there’s nothing wrong with old ladies!!) and grandmas. I personally think rose scented products (not all are great, the synthetic ones can be horrible) are gorgeous, comforting and beautiful. These rosy products I have picked all smell incredible and I believe would change your mind if you are currently a hater.

SPRITZ YOURSELF

GOUTAL
I am already a huge fan of Annick Goutal products. It takes a lot to find a perfume I will wear that isn’t Chloe’s original perfume. This Rose Pampon perfume from Goutal has become my go to perfume for my more girly days. It reminds me of a fresh summers evening on holiday when you have made an effort with your hair and make up and put on a cute and pretty floaty dress. I think the pink pepper within the scent makes it less sweet than a typical rose scented product.

SEVEN ROSE SCENTED WONDERS | MEGAN TAYLOR

CLEAN YOURSELF UP

REN
You all know I love my Ren products. Check out my review of their Atlantic Kelp range over here. These divine rose scented products including their rose body scrub, rose bath oil and rose body lotion are all perfect for a romantic night or a relaxing night in by yourself. Run a steaming (but not damaging :)) hot bath with a cap full of the bath oil. Fill your bathroom with candles and cover your body in the body scrub before relaxing in your bath. Once out slather the rose body oil over your body for maximum rosy luxury.

JOHN MASTERS ORGANIC
I am new to John Masters Organics but I am already a fan with only two hair washes. The shampoo is not actually a rose scented product but I felt I wanted to add it in with the rest of this selection as it smells great (lavender and rosemary) and I really enjoyed using it. I felt that the product covered my thick mane of hair very well without having to use too much and I felt really clean after using it. I am yet to try this hair milk but I am excited to try it out as it sounds fab. With nine organic oils in the formulation you can leave this product in your hair for extra nourishment and you can style your hair with it as well! With this rose and apricot hair mask you can use it a couple of times a week for full on lush soft hair. Also, the first ingredient on the INCI listing is rose meaning it is full to the brim of rose…perfect.

WESTLAB
I am a big bath fan. As you can probably tell from all of these past posts all about bathing. My husband, Liam of Elevate Sport, wrote a blog on the different types of bath salts (here) and why each are good for different reasons. Make sure you check that out. I have used Westlab salts for a long time now. Liam and I buy the plain natural ones but I have recently found out about these rose bath salts and bath fizzer which they have to offer. They smell incredible and are incredibly relaxing. I love how the bath salts also have lemon in them. I am such a citrus fan, I feel like it makes everything more fresh.

ELEMENTAL HERBOLOGY
I have shared my love for Elemental Herbology over here before. I love how all their products smell like proper essential oils. No synthetic scents because they are a natural skincare company. This bath and body oil from the WATER range is delightful. Use this oil to relieve stress with a bath before bedtime (some of the essential oils in this product are not suitable for use during pregnancy. Be aware that if you are pregnant it would be wise to avoid the use of products with a high percentage of rose absolute. This is because it is a hormone balancer and you don’t want to use anything that could affect your natural hormone balance. Perfumes with natural rose tend to be ok though because they aren’t as absorbed by your skin).

DR.BRONNER’S
I feel like Dr. Bronner has been around in my life for as long as I can remember. I adore the packaging, it is so interesting and “cool”…do I make it sound less cool by saying the word cool haha. I just need to tell you they are simple, they are affordable, they smell fab and they will look amazing on your sink but you won’t want to unwrap the bar of soap because the packaging is so “cool”. Check out the liquid multi purpose soap here.

SANOFLORE
I mentioned this lovely rose balm product in my Mother’s Day gift guide last year. Rosa Angelica baume de rosee is really beautiful and is a refreshing delicate Hyaluronic acid because it is naturally occuring.

Let me know which products you are most intrigued by. Happy almost romance month 🌹.

STOCKING FILLER GIFT IDEAS

Hands up if you still get a stocking? Meeeee ;p . In fact, I get two, one from Father Christmas and one from my hubby. I actually love my stocking more than my presents under the tree. Yes, I freaking love those presents too and feel incredibly grateful for them but I love the surprises you get in a stocking. So many goodies and so much excitement. I have compiled an amazing list of stocking fillers which would also be wonderful for those Secret Santa gifting moments. I have items for kids, men and women. Let me know in the comments which is your favourite and what you will be putting on your Christmas list.

BEAUTY GOODIES

These soaps from The Bluebeards Revenge are so chunky and are going to last a long time even if the men in your life play rugby in the mud every day. I love the manly lumps of soap and wouldn’t even mind them being in my bathroom to use myself. I love the adorable bottles that Time Bomb have put in a little gift set. Their SOS range of bottles have the perfect selection of products for a complete facial reboot this Christmas. I am back with more products from Percy & Reed because I adore their products, they are so cute. I actually had a model casting with them back about 5 years ago and I think it was Percy who said to me that all the pretty illustrations of women and their flowing hair are based on his friends, I love that. My mum has actually already stolen this set from me, just minutes after I had photographed it! Feel Unique actually have this To Go gift set for 20% off at the moment and is an absolute bargain. Oh how I love Mavala. The adorable little bottles, the fact they last for ages and the lovely shaped brush. Here are a couple of Mavala Christmas gift sets which I am loving…also love the snowflake charm.
This Temple Spa bubble bath is already half used on the side of my bath. The bubbles it creates are fabulous and it is such a large bottle that it should last you a long time if you don’t over use it like me ;P. The scent is beautiful, very relaxing and spa-like.

STOCKING FILLER GIFT IDEAS | MEGAN TAYLOR

BITS & BOBS

My mum taught me to have bits and bobs stored up just in case you forgot to buy for someone, or if you didn’t buy enough or someone extra comes for dinner on Christmas day. So to be prepared I always like to have a little box with a few rather unisex gifts. Then if they don’t get used they become mine :).
I love these Free* SOUL Wake and Sleep Teas. They are beautifully packaged and are perfect for any herbal tea drinker. Teas for the morning and the evening. These Unicorn Tears have definitely made the press in the last year of so. I finally got my hands on some this year and I love them. They are essentially raspberry gin liqueur with sparkles inside. The perfect gift for any alcohol drinker. Socks, although often laughed at, are the perfect gift. I’m not sure that anyone ever doesn’t wear socks at some point. Why not gift them one of these two adorable ones from Mistral and Fat Face. I mentioned Buckley in my crackers gift guide last week and I am back with this gorgeous Christmas card they sell. The lovely card comes with a beautiful sparkly star necklace…my mum has already worn this to a party and had lots of compliments.

FOR THE TREE

I love a tree ornament and there are now many beauty options to put on the tree as well. If you are a bit spenny you could buy your whole office a beauty tree gift and hang it on your office tree. If that idea is a bit too lavish then you could buy one of these adorable gifts for your bestie, for a stocking gift or just as a token of Christmas lovliness. This Espa Christmas bauble is simply divine. Look at its beautiful navy and bronze design. I am in love with it and I’m not sure I can face gifting it to anyone ;). This years REN Christmas gifts have been decorated by Kikki K and are looking totally adorable. This pink gem is their Moroccan Rose Otto luxurious hand balm. Lanolin have a tree gift which is an absolute steal at under £6 here, this lip product even has SPF30 which must all try and use. For the beauty obsessed and more grown up Caudalie have their fabulous Beauty Elixir in a tree gift packaging.

FOR THE KIDS

These goodies are amazing for the youthful bunch in your family. My teenage years were spent spritzing Impulse all over my body. I can’t remember the name of the one I used but it was a pale green skinny bottle and smelt incredible and super fresh. Impulse is now so different from when I was younger, the bottles and clear and bigger and the scents are far bolder and promoted in collaboration with mega-influencers. Check them out here. These products from ON! Juniper are all hand made by a, local to me, Surrey woman. I love the fact that I can share her products with you all. Make sure you head on over to check her out. Here is the cola lip balm and the beautifully packaged bath bomb. Every year I ask for a pretty calendar and diary. With the launch of the new Mary Poppins film I know this diary will be a hit.

Do you still have a stocking?

CHRISTMAS GIFT SETS

Buying gifts can be tricky. There are those people who have everything, those people you have only just started dating and those people that refuse to give you a wish list. Whoever you are buying for this year I have you covered over many post. Check out last weeks three posts on candles, crackers and make up. Today I have some more special one offs, Wednesday we have some incredible gift sets which are only available at Christmas and on Friday we have a whole ton of Christmas stocking and Secret Santa ideas. Then next week until Christmas I sharing with you festive baking and drinking, festive viewing and festive crafts. Read on ahead for some easy buys for everyone in your life.

RELAXING GIFT SETS

Christmas can be a stressful time. Why not treat someone to one of these gift sets which are all geared around relaxation and pampering yourself. Espa have a luxurious gift set of goodies. Their Ultimate Sleep Collection is incredible. It comes with a blue silk eye mask to top it off. I am incredibly partial to an eye mask. Black out blinds just don’t quite work well enough for me so for a true sense of darkness I like to use an eye mask, this one is fabulous as it is dark, thick and soft on your eyes.
Moroccanoil have had such a buzz around their products for a few years now and until I got this gift set to try I had never actually tried it. I have now tried it and I get the hype! Your hair smells fab and is left feeling in amazing condition. I love the tin box that the Everlasting Style gift set it comes in as well, no naff and unnecessary plastic wrapping.
Elemental Herbology create such wonderful scented products filled with essential oils making you feel as if you are being treated to a posh spa experience. I adore this Earth Balance Bathing Ritual gift set they have created… I am also rather chuffed with the images I took for it 😉 . The whole kit for a perfect bathing experience is there, the candle, the wooden scoop for your bag of salts and a body oil to smother yourself in before bed. If you are a regular reader here you will know I am a big fan of Ren. You will also know that I love their Rose products. It makes sense that I picked out this giftset filled with rose and called LOVE. Click on the word LOVE back there as it links to their site where they are currently selling it in the Black Friday sale for just £30 and you even get a free gift with it as well, so you can buy a gift for someone else and get a gift for yourself in the process…perfection.

BEAUTY GIFT SETS

This Percy & Reed Bountifully Bouncy gift set is an insane bargain. My mum and I both adore their products, I use their hair spray all the time and mum loves their hair perfume. This is a wonderful gift set for someone who travels a lot or who has never tried Percy & Reed products before and simply needs to be introduced to them. Korres have created an epic sized gift set box called Total Indulgence which has products within that are all over 80% natural. They smell fab too. Image Skincare have created a gift set called Festive Favourites which has a lovely handy pouch to place all your travel sized products in. The products will help your skin during and after the festive period along with a cleanser, serum and moisturiser.

UNISEX GIFT SETS

I find buying for boys incredibly tricky. When I buy for girls, I mostly just buy something I like and hope they will like it too. A a girl, I get girls but for boys hmmm…trickier, right? These three gift sets I have here are great for boys, the hair styler is definitely unisex and the other two are more specifically for the boys. No Gunk have created this beautiful gift set filled with hair products and a face mask…yes, boys can face mask too!
American Crew have fantastic products. Liam uses their hair products a lot and says they are great and thinks their wax and forming cream works really well (sorry, I can’t give a personal opinion on the product for obvious reasons ;P). I also love that this gift set comes in a tin made like a money box, no plastic throwaway gift set here.
This is potentially one of my favourtie gift sets I have ever seen! Alfa Italia have produced a travel hair gift set ‘Viaggio’ which is what dreams are made of. This gorgeous black bag comes with a small and super lightweight hair straightener and hair dryer, with a defuser attachment and two hair clips. I think this is the bargain of the century. I have linked to a place you can buy it for just £38.30!!! BARGAIN.

Which is your favourite? Do you also struggle to buy for boys?

MAKE UP FOR CHRISTMAS

As a girl i can safely say, I love receiving make up. I don’t find it offensive. It is my art. It is my daily creativity unleashed through drawing on my face. I know there are lots more men and women on the planet that agree with me. For all of those people in the world, this make up gift guide is for you. Treat yourself or pop these goodies on your Christmas Wish List, even send this post on to your friends, family, special someone as a hint 😉 . Enjoy this make up heavy blog post.

THE GIFT SET

Oh Christmas, the time for gift sets galore. Gift sets have never been chicer! Look no further than these insanely fabulous make up gift sets. Rodin Olio Lusso have this seriously classy gold spotted lipstick set which makes me smile from ear to ear. This would be perfect for the girl that has everything. They also have a lovely similarly packaged gift set with face oils inside.
I love Laura Geller make up. The quality is always great and everything I have ever used always has a great pigmentation to it. I am still using these beautiful creamy eyeliners that I wrote about back in March which have proved a hit on my Pinterest account. I have always loved Kajal eyeliners for the same reason, they are so heavy in pigmentation and last a blummin’ long time. I tested these on my hand and they did not budge all day. I had to use my make up remover to take them off. This gift set has a great array of colours which are all usable. New York The Ultimate Kajal Longwear Eyeliner.
E.L.F. have amazing affordable make up products. This gift set is such a bargain and I am in love with the colours in the palette. The Rose Gold Look Set is currently on sale in Superdrug…what are you waiting for?

THE PALETTES

I am such a fan of make up palettes. Apart from struggling to spell the word palette for many years (anyone else?) I loved the fact you can travel with so many colours all under one lid. I have always loved Too Faced palettes. The chocolate and peach palettes are firm favourites but this Christmas I am going to be glued to the Sugar Cookie palette, it is perfectly compact as well so will make the perfect travel companion. I have always dreamed of owning a slice of Zoeva make up and I have finally got my hands on the Zoeva All Night Long Palette and it did not disappoint. Full of an insane amount of pigment with every brush stroke this palette is going to last you a very long time. The colours are party perfect so I think you should treat yourself to this gem rather than put it on your Christmas list.

THE TREATS

This ART DECO Crystal Beauty Dust is the most magical item of beauty goodness that I have every laid my hands upon. Even my husband cooed at its existence. I wish I owned a beautiful traditional make up table that I could place this beauty dust on for permanent display. This dust can be beautifully spritzed over your hair, your face, your arms and legs. Walk around as your very own Tinkerbell. I have discussed my love for Kure polishes on many other occasions here. This year they have a perfectly formed Kure Bazaar Nail Polish Gift Set which is the perfect gift for the eco-concious set. Kure is a self proclaimed eco-trendy nail polish that is not tested on animals!

Which item is your favourite? Are you lucky enough to already own any of these beautiful make up items?

CRACKERS FOR CHRISTMAS

Crackers have been around since 1792. That’s a whole lot of time ago. In the past 10 or so years the invention of the cracker has definitely begun getting more inventive. As a family we have always had crackers on the dinner table because it feels like a part of Christmas that you should always include, for tradition. It is part of the table dressing, isn’t it!? Yet, with this years more apparent news on the devastation of plastic I think it is maybe something we should try and adjust. Why buy these plastic-y crackers for 2 seconds of happiness when they are just going to end up in a plastic heap in the ocean. Now, I am a HUGE fan of Christmas, the BIGGEST fan in fact and I hate thinking about the negativity of consumerism around the subject, but, if there is one tiny thing that we can do to help then I think swapping out crackers for more “special” crackers would maybe be something we could think of doing? I have compiled a nice selection of crackers which are each the price of one box of crackers but maybe you could forgo one present from under the tree and chip in together to have a table cracker present instead. It would definitely be something exciting to look forward to wouldn’t it. These crackers I have sourced range from £4-£22 and are filled with amazing gifts with something for almost everyone. Another fabulous way to gift crackers at Christmas is for those office and friends Secret Santa moments.

CRACKING BEAUTY

Beauty crackers are in abundance these days and I freaking love it!! Make up popping out of a cracker is fantastic and so exciting. This MOR cracker is their Mesmerising Marshmallow cracker and has a hand cream inside which smells like sweeties. At £8 this is the perfect gift for girls from 8-80! I am probably the biggest fan of Too Faced. I believe I have written about 12 posts on their make up haha. They have brought out this cracker with a lip gloss and their supremely famous ‘Better Than Sex’ mascara inside. At £14 it is the perfect gift for any make up lover.

POP OPEN THE RELAXATION

Christmas can be a supremely stressful period so make sure you take a moment aside to relax. What better way to relax than by taking an aromatherapy bath. Here are my top tips on having a dreamy bath. I included Beatitude’s crackers last year in my Under £10 Christmas Gift Guide and you all seemed to love it so I have brought them back again. The two I have here are Joy and Peace. They are £10 crackers that have a lovely aromatherapy bath oil inside.

ONE FOR THE BOYS

I found it really hard to find a male specific cracker. The majority of crackers on the market are aimed at girls. Bulldog have made a male cracker which is on sale for £4 at Superdrug at the moment!! An absolute bargain. Being packaged in cracker for makes a moisturiser that much more special. I feel this cracker is the perfect easy gift for a guy you don’t know as well, maybe your best friends new boyfriend or some guy at the office that you picked for your Secret Santa.

SOMETHING SPECIAL

These two crackers are a little bit different from the others and would be more of a gifting surprise. This Nude By Nature cracker is filled with make up brushes! I adore Nude By Nature products anyway and to receive this cracker with a complete set of make up brushes would make me super happy. This Buckley cracker is a bargain at £12 with a charm bracelet inside. No one would expect that and it feels like pure indulgent happiness for any girly girl.

Are these crackers something you would like to receive? Which is your favourite?

THE PERFECT NATURAL MAKE UP LOOK

I have known the name Perricone MD for years and years. I’m pretty sure my mum had a health book floating around the house. Until last year however I thought it was just about supplements and knowledge books. Then I was invited to an event by their PR and I stumbled across this stunning make up. It was rememberable to me mostly by it’s name, ‘No Makeup’ and the gorgeous frosted glass bottles they were presented in. I have trialled all of the products for you and even filled a make up tutorial using the products on my You Tube channel, so you can see the products in use. Read on ahead to find out about the perfect make up for a pretty natural look.

This is not a sponsored post. I decided to create it once I was gifted some items.

FACE

I have been using the FOUNDATION for 3 weeks now and I love it. It hasn’t got a high coverage and is definitely best used in the day rather than on a night out. The colour their PR picked out for me was exactly my colour, I have never been colour matched so accurately! I have the Light colour shade which is their newest shade and the middle of their colour palette. The next product I tried was the BRONZER which I adored. You could use this as a bronzer or as a contouring liquid. It is a very wet liquid, that seems like a silly thing to say I know, but what I mean is it is quite runny and very easy to blend in. The CONCEALER however is a thicker and heavier liquid which does the job of concealing dark under-eyes, red patches and spots very well. I then used the BLUSHER and HIGHLIGHTER. Like the bronzer they are presented in an adorable little 10ml bottle but with a different application than the bronzers pipette. The blusher and highlighter have a little sponge brush on the end so you can dab a few dots in the desired areas before blending in. I would say that with the blusher you don’t need any more than 2 dots blotted on to your cheeks. The pigment is very strong. It also dries quite quickly so you want to dab and blend. The rosy cheeks you get from these couple of dots of product is beautiful and incredibly youthful.

THE PERFECT NATURAL MAKE UP LOOK | Megan Taylor

THE OTHER BITS

A few other pieces I want to share with you are the LIPGLOSS, MASCARA and LIPSTICK. The lipstick is a pretty pinky rose colour which glides on like a lip balm. It is incredibly creamy and it reminds me of the Victoria’s Secret girls’ make up on the runway. The lipgloss is a more dark pinky colour and lasts a really long time, well, until your next sip of coffee anyway. The mascara is an everyday mascara that gives you a very natural blackened separated lash appearance with stiff plastic bristles.

Check out my video of live trying the products on my You Tube channel. Don’t forget to subscribe whilst you are there.
Have you tried Perricone MD before? What’s your favourite product?

AUTUMN 2018 NAIL TRENDS

Happy Autumn and happy almost Halloween. As our evenings get darker earlier, we light our candles for a twinkling environment. The party invitations come in and we think more and more about painting our nails…I know there a lot of far more important things on our mind, but…still, I personally tend to paint my nails more in the Autumn Winter months. I also tend to go darker and redder. Read on ahead for some beautiful Autumn nail colours to help inspire you.

THE NUDES

My go to colours are always nude-y because of my job. When I go to castings and auditions I can’t really wear anything other than nude. Yet, this deeper and pinker nude from Nails Inc is amazing and I feel I can totally get away with this one for work. I feel like this pinky colour is the perfect Autumn pink as it has a deep Autumnal touch to it. Sadly I can’t find a link of it for you as it was in an old Nails Inc x John Lewis Christmas Gift Set. Here is a very similar one of theres though. Ballet Slippers by Essie is an absolute go-to and worn by the Royal Family so I didn’t feel like I could present a nail blog without including it. As you can see here, I have raved about it a lot in the past.

NAILS INC (similar) • ESSIE

DEEP AUTUMN SHADES

The dark reds, the mauves, the golds and the browns. These Autumnal colours all reflect the leaves which are falling. I never wear these deep dark reds at any other time of the year. I tend to save these colours from late September to New Years Eve (although I tend to go for gold on NYE). These stunning colours are all affordable and super durable. Check out the gold one by Kure as you can see below, it is so rich in colour and the only gold polish you need to own. The red one from Rimmel which is called Celebrity Bash has always been my go-to red polish but I can’t seem to locate it anywhere but eBay now. These other two reds from Kure and IZ London are the perfect mix to make up Celebrity Bash.

KURE • RIMMEL • IZ LONDON • KURE

MORE INSPO

If you would like some more interesting and fancy nail ideas for the A/W months then click on over tot his page I have created on Pinterest.

Which colours make you most excited for Autumn?

HOW TO COVER GREY HAIRS AT HOME

Are you here because you want to hide stray grey hairs in between salon appointments or because you want to hide your roots? Either way these products can help you. These products which I have sourced and personally tried are all great, affordable, last a long time and do the job. Also, they are for men and women! What is it about our culture being so embarrassed about grey hairs? Apart from my Italian nan who had predominently black hair well into her 80s I actually don’t believe there is anyone out there that can shy away from grey hairs their whole life, but it is such a taboo to talk about. Even if you do talk about grey hairs it is always tinged with negativity. Some guys are lucky and get cast a the sexy salt and peppered dude but women…well, that’s a whole sucky situation! Grey hairs are just a result of hairs that have cells that stop producing melanin and this can happen at any age. It’s not something to be embarrassed about and it’s not something we should be shamed for wanting to hide either. Even the stunning Cheryl Cole advertises hair dye to cover grey hairs but for some reason doesn’t actually address it directly. I think she could make a lot of young women feel fab if she actually said, yer I’m riddled in greys but I cover them…just a thought.

QUICK FIX POWDERS

Tight for time? These are the products you want and they are mess free.
Powders are an amazing way to cover your roots or grey hairs because you can put your hair in any style you wish and then use the powder afterwards to cover only the bits on show. I have found that with the powders the pigments stick much better if you have hair spray on. I have seen that they can produce a bit of a block colour if you’re not careful because you can colour your scalp as well. It suggests that you pull the hair taught then use the brush to rub the colour on.
COLORWOW • RICHARD WARD

HOW TO COVER GREY HAIRS AT HOME | MEGAN TAYLOR

SENT FROM THE USA

I have talked about Rita Hazan in the past in this post and you all seem to be clicking on it a lot. It was because of this post that I thought about creating this blog post today. The whole root concealing business seems to be pretty popular. I can highly recommend Rita’s products. They work and do what they say they should and they leave you smelling salon fresh which I personally adore. The two products I have here to show you are two different ways to conceal your roots and/or grey hairs. The first product is the ‘Touch Up Spray‘. This product works incredibly well and is probably the best out of all of the options but I found it to be the messiest out of everything I tried. My tip would be to spray it on your hair over your bath, not over any carpet. It is a powerful spray and has amazing coverage. The other product is the ‘Touch Up Stick‘. This stick is like a large crayon and comes with a little spoolie brush. It comes in three colours, dark blonde, dark brown/black and light brown. The pigment is insanely good and is easy to use and cover small sections if need be. I also love to use it on more sparse sections of my eyebrows.

Have you tried any of these goodies? Do you know of any other brands or ways to cover your greys or roots at home?