I love wearing perfume as I feel it completes my daily beauty regime.  While many people have a signature fragrance that they wear everyday, I tend to get bored with wearing the same fragrance, so I'm always keen to discover new perfumes.

I recently stumbled upon Leighton Denny Light and Dark Desire, a woody cedar fragrance with citrusy top notes of grapefruit and lemon tempered with moss, spicy pepper and nutmeg, creating an alluring fragrance that finishes with an amber controlled vetiver and patchouli mix. 

I loved the stylish black and white packaging the perfume comes in and the blue, almost star-shaped bottle is very eye catching and would look great displayed on any dressing table.   The fragrance itself is hard to describe, but it very unique and unlike anything I've ever worn, which really sets it apart.  For those who like a strong, sexy slightly masculine fragrance that will get you noticed, than this scent's for you!

Leighton Denny Light and Dark Desire is available from ld-boutique.com for £43.50 (70ml).

A.A. Miln

A love of red wine and coffee means that I find my once pearly whites need a frequent top up with whitening products to keep them looking as white as possible. 

I recently tried the Instant Whites tooth whitening system, which is comprised of handy individual liquid-filled swab applicators, which claim to make teeth up to nine shades whiter in one week by removing plaque and surface stains.

As anyone who whitens their teeth knows, whitening can often cause sensitivity, but with the Instant Whites I didn't have any post whitening sensitivity.

Another benefit of this whitening system is that it works on all tooth surfaces - not just natural teeth - so if you have veneers, caps, crowns, dentures or bonding, this product will work for you.  I have a cap on my front tooth and have previously had issues with the cap remaining the same colour while my natural teeth lightened, but with this system all of my teeth were whitened effectively.   

A.A. Miln

If you have a fair complexion that's looking a bit lacklustre after a general lack of sun over the winter months, then you're not alone.   I for one find that by this time of the year I'm a bit fed up with looking like a pale, more sickly version of myself, so I'm always on the hunt for a bit of help in the way of fabulous products to give me a bit of colour or a healthy glow.

To help you get your own glow on, I've rounded up some of my favourite beauty products for helping to perk up your pallor:

Charlotte Tilbury Wonderglow Instant Soft Focus Beauty Flash Primer (£38.50)
This popular primer is great to use underneath your foundation, or on its own for a relaxed, effortlessly dewy look. The soft focus ceramic microspheres ‘roll’ into wrinkles and scatter light to help create more youthful skin. I like to use mine before applying my foundation and then I also use a dab on my cheekbones once my foundation is in place to give my skin a fresh look.

Leighton Denny Sunbelievable Face Hydrating Facial Tan (medium) with Youth Glow Serum (£27.50 for 50ml)
This face tanner contains a unique blend of Organic Black Seed Oil, Jojoba Oil and Virgin Plum Oil to help reduce the appearance of fine lines, while Hyaluronic Acid restores smoothness and hydrates. Skin feels younger and looks plumper, restored and replenished immediately while also giving a subtle glow.  It's easy to apply and gives a gradual glow, so you don't have to worry about looking like a tangerine.

Clarins Radiance-Plus Golden Glow Booster (£19.00 for 100ml)
For a quick face tanning pick me up, this is my 'go to' product. Every time I wear it, people say I look like I've caught a bit of sun - which is the desired effect! Depending on the level of colour you're looking for, simply add one, two or three drops to your moisturiser, mix it in your hands and apply to your skin as you would normally moisturise. Best of all, it's perfectly portable size (100ml), makes it perfect for travel. I keep mine in my travel bag, so I can top up tan as soon as I land.
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Manuka Doctor Api Bronze Anti-Cellulite Bronzing Gel (£24.99)
Although this bronzing gel has the typical self-tanning product smell (e.g. that slightly odd smell you get when you walk into a tanning salon), it goes on easily and provides a natural, streak free tan that lasts for a few days before needing to be reapplied. As an added bonus, it also helps reduce the appearance of cellulite and improves skin’s firmness. For the perfect application, use a tanning mitt to help prevent steaks and prevent your hands from getting stained. Use before you jaunt off to holiday and you'll be beach ready in no time! 

A.A. Miln

I've found that the older I've gotten, the thinner my hair seems to have become, making my once thick, lustrous mane a thing of the past.  I'm not sure whether this is down to age (most likely, everything else seems to be!) or years of highlighting my hair (sorry hair, but blondes really do have more fun), but whatever it is, I'm determined to give my hair the best chance I can to help it to remain strong and healthy.

Thankfully, the clever people behind Paul Mitchell haircare products have just the thing at hand to help give me fuller, stronger hair - the Paul Mitchell SCALP CARE Anti-Thinning range. This hardworking range of sulfate-free products aim to ​prime the scalp for stronger, thicker-looking hair.

Paul Mitchell SCALP CARE Anti-Thinning Shampoo
The first step of the routine, this cleanser containing Kakadu plum, pea peptides, clover flower, turmeric and ginseng stimulates the scalp and removes impurities. 

Paul Mitchell SCALP CARE Anti-Thinning Conditioner
The second step of the routine, this conditioner helps to detangle fragile hair and reduce breakage. For someone like me who is always shocked to see how much hair I shed each day (it's a wonder I have any left on my head), this is crucial. 

Paul Mitchell SCALP CARE Anti-Thinning Tonic
The last step of the routine, this tonic is sprayed onto your scalp (you can use it twice per day) to help increase hair density and encourage healthy hair growth.

I loved the uplifting tea tree scent all of the products had - without being too overpowering or medicinal, which some tea tree products can be.  After using the full product range for the past few days, my hair feels strong, clean and healthy with less product residue.

http://www.paul-mitchell.co.uk/

A.A. Miln

I'm always looking for new shampoos to help make my wavy tresses look their best, so I was looking forward to trying the new range of hair products from Shea Moisture.

The range of natural products includes a Frizz Defense Styling Gel Cream, Frizz Defense Condititioner and a Frizz Defense Shampoo, all of which are essential for anyone with unruly locks in need of a bit of taming.

I loved the sweet almond fragrance and the fact that the products were sulfate free.  After switching to this range for one week, my hair felt sleeker and I had less flyaways.   

​I'd definitely recommend this haircare range to anyone looking for sleeker, more manageable hair - without having to break the bank. 

http://www.sheamoisture.com

A.A. Miln


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