Primark Haul - February 2016 - Clothes, Home And More

So far this year hauls have been a bit thin on the ground for me - I really am trying to be good this year but for the past month or so I'd really been craving a Primark trip. I hadn't been to Primark since before Christmas and I was suffering for severe withdrawal symptoms! So last week I eventually managed to get my fix and predictably I bought a few things.

I love watching haul videos and reading haul posts and the first thing that I got was something that I'd seen on quite a few blogs and instagram posts...

According to Mummy Lou I have quite an obsessive personality, and two of the things that I'm slightly obsessed with are bedding, and daisies, so buying this duvet set was pretty much a given. This cotton and polyester mix duvet and pillowcase set is double sided - one side features large daisies and flowers on a back ground and the other side features a daisy chain pattern on a coral, pink background. I got the double which was just £11. I'd just made my bed so I haven't put this on the bed yet but I'll stick some pictures onto Instagram when I do x

You can also get matching cushions in two sizes and whilst I stayed strong on the day, my cushion obsessions is kicking back in and I'm really tempted to go back and get one of the larger ones. Primark's home wear collection just keeps getting better and better and whilst I didn't buy anything else on this visit, I can't wait to see some of the new additions when the Metro Centre store completes it's expansion.

Although it feels like it's still winter in my little part of County Durham, the shops are now full of Spring and Summer fashions and Primark is no exception. To be honest I don't need any clothes at the moment especially since I'm trying to lose a bit of weight so I only bought two things, something for now and something that will ideal for the warmer weather.

I know they aren't always the trendiest or coolest things but I'm a big fan of jeggings, You have the comfort of a legging but the look and feel of a skinny jean, but without all those zips and buttons that seem to embed themselves into your flesh! I buy most of my jeggings in H&M or Asda, but a few months ago I tried a pair of Primark's and for the price they were pretty decent. They had a couple of new colours in this time round a real stone 80's stone wash and this bright blue pair. They look a bit more of a navy blue in these pics but in real life they are a much brighter blue. These jeggings  are only £7 and they are stupidly comfy.

I wear jeggings all year round but the next thing that I got is probably more suitable for the warmer weather.

This pretty sleeveless ivory lace detail top was just £10, it's quite sheer so I would need to wear a vest or a camisole underneath it but I just thought it was unbelievably cute. It has a little collar, a tie at the neck, lace detail around the neck, shoulders and decolletage, and little lace trimmed cap sleeves. It also features little pleats and pin tucks.

That was it for clothing but I did buy a few accessories, including two lots of hair bobbles.

I got some Invisibobbles in a recent beauty box, and I really liked them.  Although my hair is in a pretty good place at the moment  (find out why soon!) I've suffered from quite a  lot of hair problems over the years, and having long hair I;m always careful what I use to tie it back with. I normally use Primark Opia plain, metal free, bobbles  (read my review / rave here) but I really liked the Invisibobbles. Marks and indentations in the hair don't really bother me but I like that way that they don't seem to pull out chunks of hair when your take them out. They aren't cheap though so I'm really hoping that these Primark alternatives do the trick. I first saw these on the lovely Ray's blog Who Is She, and whilst I couldn't find find the exact ones she had, I got the metallic rubberised coil rings, which have little charms on them that you can see above, which were £2 for 5, and a pack of black, fabric hair rings, which were £1 for 6.

I think that the rubber ones might stretch a bit overtime but I'll see how I get on and I'll let you know. The next thing that I bought was something that I nearly bought over Christmas.

Why on earth I didn't buy it at the time I'll never know - it was only £1 for goodness sake. Never mind at least I managed to get it in the end. All it is a gold tone ring, in a sort of cage design, with a thin, black oval stone. I liked the idea of cage or kiss rings like this but I wasn't sure how comfortable they would be. Surprisingly though despite the size and the shape this ring is actually really comfrotable and easy to wear, and it was a bargain.

The final thing that I got (apart from some Minion Tic Tacs!) was an old favourite and something I buy every time I go into Primark...the duo pack of the PS Love Your Skin Oil Balancing Facial Cleansing Wipes For Combination Skin


These wipes are just £1 for two packs of 25 wipes, and to be honest I've lost count of how many packs I've used. I very rarely use them for my face though, I normally use them for either freshening up on the go or for cleaning up swatches. I used nearly two packets already this month for swatch cleaning so I thought I better stock up.

I had intended to have a look at the new look Primark Beauty range, which I'd seen online and includes some new foundations, some velvet lip pans, and a pretty exciting Urban Decay Naked Palette dupe, but the usual stands were nowhere to be found. I'm presuming that they were missing either due to the store makeover or due to the new launches but I'm hoping they'll be back soon.

I'm already planning another Primark trip to pick up a few things that I left behind, and to look for a few things that I couldn't find, so if you have any recommendations or you've done your own haul post or video then please let me know x In the meantime please take some time  out to watch the video to accompany this haul either below or via my You Tube channel x Thanks for watching and thanks for reading x

Restarting My Weight Loss Journey Featuring XLS Medical Max Strength*

It's hard to believe but it's been nearly 3 months since I put the breaks on my latest weight journey - doesn't time fly. A lot of water has gone under the bridge and I've eaten a lot of chocolate since then but after a few months worth of trials and tribulations I'm ready to start again.

Although I couldn't eat anything too hard, or too sticky or too crunchy I still managed to put on quite a bit of weight over Christmas. Salvation came though when the tooth said goodbye, 7 days of liquids and sloppy food meant that my weight loss journey started without me even trying. 

In the month that' followed I've had some good days and some bad days but since I first stepped on the scales on the Monday before my surgery I've managed to lose 6lbs by just making little tweaks here and then.

From today though I'm back on it good and proper and I'm going to be resuming my XLS Medical Max Strength trial. I started using this weight loss aid last June, and I really think it made a difference (Find out more about my previous experience by typing XLS Medical into the search box or have a read of some of my previous posts, here, here and here. Thanks to the tooth though and various unrelated health issues I had to put the trial on hold. From today though I'm back on it and for the next 3 months I'm going to be taking 4 tablets a day, whilst watching what I eat, drinking plenty of water and trying to increase my activity levels. 

What I was doing before seemed to be working so I'm going to try and do the same thing again - I'm a bit of a devotee of calorie counting so that's what I'm going to do. It makes sense really, eat less calories, and you'll lose weight - simples! Well I know it's not that simple. it's tough, it's hard and it needs serious willpower, but by making small changes, taking my XLS Medical supplements,eating 3 healthy meals a day, cutting down on the cheese and the chocolate, and by moving my body a bit more, hopefully I'll be able to shed those pounds and feel a bit more confident and a bit happier.

I still don't feel confident enough to reveal my full weight on the blog at the moment so all I'll say it at the moment I weigh:

1%st 8lbs

I have quite a bit  of weight to lose, and I know that it won't be a quick fix but I'm hoping that the XLS Medical tablets can do there thing, and at least help my kick start my weight loss over the next 3 months. I'm only going to be posting monthly updates on the blog, so if you want to keep tracks on my progress please follow me on either Instagram or Twitter where I'll be posting my weekly weigh in's every Monday. Thanks as per usual for your support, if you have any questions let me know and if you're interested in XLS Medical in general or the XLS Medical Max Strength supplements then don't forget to check out their website for more information x

*Sample

NOTD - AVON Gel Finish - Nude Shimmer

You can't beat a classic nude nail - it goes with absolutely anything, and it can be worn on any type of nail - long, short, round, square or even stiletto. At the risk of committing beauty treason though it can be a little bit boring! I still wear it and love it though but these days a nude nail doesn't have to be boring.

Nude Shimmer is one of AVON Gel Finish Nail Enamels and it's a real beauty. I'm a huge fan of AVON polishes and for me their Gel Finish line is even better. As well as protecting and strengthening the nails, it also leaves them with an ultra glossy finish without the hassle of having to use a UV lamp or special removal techniques.

Although it has the typical nude, milky coffee, almost taupe base, Nude Shimmer takes the nude polish look to another level. It's crammed full of multi coloured sparkles and shimmer but in a subtle way. No glitter balls here just pretty, subtle sparkles.

The Gel Finish formulation is a little bit thicker than the usual Nailwear Pro + formulation but the extra wide brush makes it super easy to apply. This is probably one of the most self levelling polishes that I've ever used. I had a couple of dints and chips in my base coat and this polish covered them with ease. I'm wearing two coats here but I could have got away with one for a lighter colour.

I'm wearing no top coat here and you can really see the gloss and shine for the gel formulation. These polishes take a little bit longer to dry but they're worth the wait and the wear time is definitely better than the traditional formula. AVON Gel Finish Nail Enamels have a recommended retail price of £7 for a 10ml bottle but take a tip from me and never pay that. They're currently online and in the most recent brochure for just £3.50 each - the offers vary but that's normally around the price that you'll pay. I'm definitely going to pick up some more of these polishes so if you have any Gel Finish recommendations please let me know x 

Happy Birthday LouLouLand - What 9 Years Of Blogging Teaches You

It might be missing a candle or 9 but you can't celebrate a birthday without a cake. It isn't my birthday though it's my blogs. On the 12th February 2007, LouLouLand was born. I published my first post on this little old blog of mine and 9 years later I'm still here.

There have been a lot of changes over the years, but I think that my blog has stood the test of time. It's changed with me but at it's core it's still the same and still my place to escape and explore some of the things that I love.

It hasn't always been a bed of roses though and  I've fallen in and out of love with blogging more than once over the years but at the moment I'm enjoying the opportunities and challenges that it brings and I think I've finally found my niche.

Nowadays blogging seems to be all about statistics, followers, events, and press packs, it's a far cry from those early days when there was no such thing as Google Friend Connect, and SEO. We've come a long, long way since then, and it's amazing that the internet has changed so much and given bloggers, You Tubers, and armchair journalists so many amazing opportunities and so much recognition, but for some us maybe it's only increased the pressure

I am eternally grateful for all the opportunities that blogging has brought me but sometimes I wonder if some of us are losing the love.  It's great to have lots of followers, fab to receive press samples, and amazing to get invited to events but it shouldn't be the bee all and end all. It's great to have blogging aims and ambitions but please, please enjoy what you do, enjoy writing, enjoy taking photographs, and don't be disheartened if the numbers don't climb and the invites don't rush in.

I've spent a huge part of the last couple of years comparing myself to other people, obsessing over my follower count, and contemplating why I haven't been invited to certain blog events but I need to build a bridge and get over it. If you love what you do why should somebody elses approval matter. I might not have as a many followers are some other bloggers who've been around for as long as I have but I love and appreciate the ones that I do have. Yes an invite, some press samples, or a new follower can make you feel better about your blog but when things don't go the way you hoped, don't let it get you down x

It's taken 9 years but at last I'm starting to feel comfortable in my online home, yes I might feel the pressure and have spells of negativity, and self doubt but that's me. So many blogs have been and gone in those 9 years but if there was an award for longevity you never know,  I might win it. I'm still here writing rambly posts, and struggling with bad light, and I'm determined to still be around this time next year to celebrate the big 10. Thanks to all of you for being there and don't forget to enter my 9th anniversary giveaway x

The Balm Nude Dude Eyeshadow Palette - Review And Giveaway - CLOSED

When I first got into make up I was a compulsive experimenter when it came to eyeshadow I used to play with colour and texture pretty much every time I did my make up. As I've got older though and more experienced with make up, on a daily basis I tend to stick to what I know suits me and I save experimentation and play for special occasions.

So what does suit me? well at the risk of being boring - a nude brown or a smokey eye. It's quick and easy to do and you can use a nude eyeshadow palette to create everything from a simple day look, to a full on smokey, evening look. 

One nude eyeshadow palette would in theory probably fulfil most of my eyeshadow needs, but being the beauty junkie that I am, I have a huge collection of nude, and neutral eyeshadow palettes and singles. What can I say I love choice! I normally alternate my shadows but at the moment I seem to be using  just one palette over and over again.

I received The Balm Nude Dude Volume 2 Nude Eyeshadow Palette, for Christmas and it was love at first sight. 

Like most of the products in The Balm range this palette comes in cardboard packaging with an invisible magnetic fastening. As you  know cardboard packaging isn't always my favourite but in this case I'll make an exception. In my experience they scuff easily and they can look a bit scratty even after only a few uses but this ones comes complete with a removable cardboard sleeve which should keep it a little bit more protected. 

Open the palette up and your greeted with a large mirror, 12 eyeshadow colours and a small double ended shadow / liner brush.

So yeah all of the shadows are supposed to resemble naked men but we'll gloss over that ;) colour wise this is the perfect nude palette, that will take you from to night x 

The shadows themselves range from a beautiful creamy ivory, to golds, coppers, bronzes and pink nudes, to dark chocolate browns and a gorgeous dark, black, grey crammed full of sparkle. There are a couple of matte shades but the majority have a little bit of shimmer or even glitter shot through them. So what do they look like...

Top row from left to right - Fearless, Flawless, Firm, Flirty, Friendly, and Fierce

Bottom row from left to right - Fabulous, Faithful, Fit, Feisty, Funny and Fine.

I've read a few reviews of the first Nude Tude palette and a couple of them talk about chalky shadows and poor pigmentation but that's definitely something that you can't say about this palette. The shadows are velvety soft, and the pigmentation is superb on even the palest, and the matte shades. and they blend together like a dream. There is a little bit of fall out on some of the sparkly and shimmery colours but I can live with that, after all that's what a fan brush is for.

Speaking of brushes this palette also comes with a little double ended shadow and liner brush. Although it's not a full sized brush, it certainly isn't a throw away or an afterthought. The hairs are soft and smooth, and whilst it's soft enough to blend shadows, it's firm enough to use as a liner brush.

I haven't worn a lot of make up over the last month or so but when I have this is the shadow palette that I've reached for. The colours are really wearable and the quality of the shadows makes them quick and easy to use. If you love your nude eyeshadows then this is definitely a palette worth considering. The Balm Nude Dude Eyeshadow Palette retails at around £29.99 and available from the likes of Superdrug, and Debenhams.

Do you love this palette as much as I do? Well on Friday 12th February my blog is 9 years old! Yes I've blogging for nearly 9 years now! More on my blogging journey on Friday but to celebrate my blogging birthday I'm giving one of you the opportunity to win your very own The Balm Nude Dude Eyeshadow Palette. Yeah! aren't I a nice person! All you need to do is fill in the Rafflecopter form below before 6th March 2015 for a chance to win. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Remember the more times and ways you enter the better chance you have of winning. This giveaway is open worldwide and it's open to followers only so make sure you are following in the way you say because I will be checking. I would also appreciate it if you don't share this giveaway on competition sites or on giveaway message boards. I would love a genuine blog reader to win this giveaway if possible x Thanks for reading and if you have any questions please let me know, oh and good luck x 

Nails Of The Day - OPI Look At My Bow

Despite the hideous lighting and my short stubby nails I couldn't resist having a play with some of my new OPI Hello Kitty colours. I have some many colours from the collection now that it was difficult to choose which one to go for first but I decided to got for the proper girlie pink shade, Look At My Bow!

I had to take these pictures in artificial light so the colour is a little bit off. In real life Look At My Bow! is a warmer, much more vibrant, girlie pink, it's the sort of colour you would imagine Hello Kitty wearing on her claws, and keeping with the toy and character theme this colour just screams Barbie day wear.

The texture was a little bit thick and the first coat was a bit streaky, but like the majority of polishes in the OPI range, this one is pretty self levelling, and two carefully applied coats was enough for full coverage.

I think that this is a perfect colour for Spring and Summer, and it's one of those colours that works particularly well with a suntan or on darker skin. What do you think of Look At My Bow? Leave me a comment and let me know x

More Hello Kitty For OPI Goodies

Hey, hey it's Friday - welcome to the weekend! Although weekends don't mean as much as they used to for me - they are a perfect excuse for some serious family time and at the moment I need that x I've had another rubbishy week so I did what I always do when I'm feeling stressed I bought something. I'm trying to save a bit of money this year, so I'm trying to cut down on the shopping sometimes you just need a treat so I ordered a Lola Rose bracelet from QVC and I got this kit from ASOS.

Yup, another Hello Kitty for OPI kit :) I'm a huge fan of the OPI mini kits and this one had been on my radar since I first saw it. The kit contains 5 x 3.75ml OPI nail lacquers, and a free double ended OPI and Hello Kitty branded nail art tool.

Packaged in a plastic storage tube, the red double ended tool features a small metal dotting tool on one end, and a thin striping brush on the other end. As much as I love nail art I'm normally, pretty lazy when it comes to my nails, a quick paint job is usually all I manage, but I have an awful lot of nail art tools, and embellishments, so hopefully 2016 will be the year when I finally start to express my creative side.

The kit contains 5 of the Hello Kitty colours, including 4 shades that are available in the full size and one shade that is exclusive to this kit.

First the two palest shades - on the left is the exclusive shade Milk Bottle, which as the name would suggest is a creamy, milky, white, and on the right Let's Be Friends, a creamy, very pale almost French pink.

The next 3 shades are perfect for creating a German or a Belgian flag, or any bright comic book look, on the left is the black shade, Never Have Too Mani Friends! in the middle is the bright apple, red, 5 Apples Tall, and on the right is the bright, creamy yellow, My Twin Mimmy.

As with the previous kits the pigmentation is excellent and it only took on average 2 coats to achieve full coverage all be it on a plastic nail

If you read my previous Hello Kitty For OPI post (read it here), then you'll know that I already have 3 of these colours in the full size, never mind the kit was still will worth it for the exclusive colour and of course the super bright, My Twin Mimmy, I love yellow but it's definitely not a colour that I would wear everyday so the mini is the perfect way of having a colour for those days when you want a super bright nail.

All of the colours in this kit work perfectly together so this is a great kit if you want to to try OPI or if you want to try a little bit of nail art. I've seen this kit for sale at a  few different price points but ASOS is definitely the cheapest at £19.95 if your interested x  Have you tried any of the Hello Kitty For OPI kits yet?

My Little Box Diary Winner Revealed

Hi Guys x Just a quick little post for you today and for one of you it will be good one. My, My Little Box Diary Giveaway ended at midnight,so I thought I'd try and get the winner up ASAP. I had a lot more entries than expected, so thank you all for taking the time out to enter, and to follow my blog and all my other social media channels. I really enjoyed reading about your new years resolutions and you've definitely given my a few goals that I could maybe try and achieve myself in 2016 - good luck to all of you and I have that you all achieve you goals and your dreams. Unfortunately there can only be one winner though and that winner picked at random via Rafflecopter is....

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Jennifer Haden

Congratulations Jennifer x  I will be sending you an email shortly x  Jennifer won by following me on Instagram so always remember to utilise as many entry options as possible. If you weren't lucky enough to win this time don't worry I may have a review post and an early blogging birthday giveaway going up this weekend, so stay following for the chance to win a prize you'll really want to win x

Trimming My Stash - January 2016 Edition - Empties And Mini Reviews

I seem to say this an awful lot but here we go again, goodbye January and good riddance. I always try to start the year in a positive frame of mind but within 2 weeks it had all gone belly up. I'm trying to keep personal stuff off the blog at the moment but please, please will something nice happen to me for once! I'm trying to keep myself focused on my goals though, and as I've said in my previous post, I'm been having a lot of pamper time, and pamper times involves using up a lot of beauty products, so I present to you my January empties :)

The Body Shop Vanilla Spice Body Butter - 200ml
Philip Kingsley Body Building Shampoo - 20ml
"OPI" Cuticle Revitalize Oil Pen - Rose
The Body Shop Frosted Cranberry Body Polish - 75ml
May Beauty The Incredible Face Mask - 10ml
L'Occitane Foot Cream - 10ml
Leighton Denny Slick Tips - 12ml
Total - 7 Items

Bar a couple of exceptions January's empties were all about moisture. Although it wasn't the coldest of months the damp and the wind have all played havoc with my skin. My hands and nails have been super dry and my feet haven't been much better. I've cleansed, exfoliated and I've slathered myself with moisturiser from head to foot and at last I'm starting to see some results, and in the process I managed to finish 7 items.

1. The Body Shop Vanilla Spice Body Butter - 200ml

The Body Shop Body Butters are one of my winter essentials, and although I often use them if I've been on a beach or hot holiday, for me they are one of my holy grail products for dry, and chapped winter skin. I usually have about 4 different fragrances on the go at once, and as much as I love the original Cocoa Butter variant I love their festive scents. Unfortunately this fragrance didn't reappear in 2015, but it's one of my all time favourites. Couple a creamy vanilla scent with nutmeg, clove and cinnamon notes, and you've got a beautifully sweet, cake smelling body butter. A little of these butters goes a long way, and whilst they take a little while to absorb they really are a dry skin saviour.

2. Philip Kingsley Body Building Shampoo - 20ml

I was sent a kit a little while ago from the lovely people at Philip Kingsley that contained 3 of the best selling hair care products. The kit contained this lovely shampoo, that smelled gorgeous and that I really enjoyed using. You can read my full review here x

3. "OPI" Cuticle Revitalize Oil Pen - Rose

This is the second one of these cheapo potentially fake OPI, ebay cuticle oil pens that I've used up, and whilst I don't think they're the most moisturising product out there, they're cheap, and they're great for emergencies, travel or when you're on the go. The only thing that annoys me is that you can't get all of the product out of the pen but for a pound or so you can't argue.

4. The Body Shop Frosted Cranberry Body Polish - 75ml

Another festive fragrance from The Body Shop, and it's another one of my favourites Frosted Cranberry. I love this mouthwatering juicy fruit fragrance but I have to admit that I'm not really a fan of this particular product. It has quite a sticky, jam like texture, and the cranberry seed exfoliating particles for me just don't do it. The smell is lovely but the texture for me doesn't quite work.

5. May Beauty The Incredible Face Mask - 10ml

With changes in the weather, over indulgence, stress and being ill, over the last four weeks my skin has paid the price. I've dealt with pretty much everything from dry, red patches, to a horrid hormonal breakout. The breakout was the reason that I used this mask and it definitely seemed to have knocked it on the head. I'm really pleased that I bought myself some more of these for those spells when my skin just won't behave. You can read a full review of these masks here x

6. L'Occitane Foot Cream - 10ml

Apologies for the lack of picture but Mummy Lou threw the tube out before I'd had the chance to photograph it! This is a mini of one of my favourite foot creams of all time. I love the texture but what I love most about this is the smell. I'm not a huge fan of minty smelling foot products, so this lavender scented one fits the bill perfectly, and it makes it a perfect bedtime treat.This shea butter based cream also contains a little bit of mint that you can't really smell and arnica to make it a cooling and soothing essential for hot, dry and tired feet. I have quite a few foot products to use up but I will definitely consider purchasing the full 150ml size despite the £19 price tag.

7. Leighton Denny Slick Tips - 12ml

Apologies for the rubbish photograph, but the fact that I finished 2 cuticle products in January probably shows you just how dry my hands and cuticles have been. Created by celebrity manicurist Leighton Denny, you would expect this be a decent product and it is. It really helps moisturise and soothe dry, sore cuticles but the smell unfortunately doesn't rock my world, to me it smells like a combination of mint and lemongrass. I like it but there are products that I prefer so whilst I'll use up the other one that I have, I wouldn't go out of my way to repurchase.

On the whole I think this is a pretty decent start to the year x This month my aim is to use up a few skincare products and I'm also hoping to start working my way through a few make up items. Project 10 Pan is definitely still a possibility though so I might hold off on those till I make my mind up for definite ;) I'm also planning on having a little bit of a sort out of my bath and body products so hopefully I'll find a few more bits to use up. I know a lot of people start doing something similar in the new year so if you're trying to use up products or if you do a regular empties post or video then please leave me your links x

Isle Of Wolf Natural Perfumed Candle - Rose Absolute*

After another couple of lousy weeks in LouLouLand, I've been in serious need of a bit of a meditative and reflective time, so every night I've been lighting a candle and trying to use it as a tool for relaxation. Over the last few months I've been burning a lot of food, and spicy fragrances but I'm trying to switch it up a bit and look forward to the lighter nights and the spring. I already have a nice collection of fruit and floral scented candles but I decided to shake it up and try something new from My Pure.

I've tried a couple of candles from  Latvian brand Isle of Wolf now (read my reviews here and here) and I've grown to love their ethos, and their subtle and natural aromas so I decided to try another fragrance- this time I went for Rose Absolute.

Based near the shores of the Baltic Sea, this family company operates out of the historic Vilksala manor house. Vilksala literally translates as Isle Of Wolf, and the house and it's gardens provide inspiration for all of the candles that they produce.

Every candle is made by hand, using traditional methods, from 100% pure plant wax. All of the soy wax that they use is free from genetic modification and their naturally sourced cotton wicks are lead free, for a cleaner, safer, and more even burn. Their fragrances are also carefully sourced and they only use 100% natural aromas taken from both essential oils and plant extracts, and they are also suitable for vegans.

All of their candles have a 40 hour burn time and come boxed, and packaged in either a white or a black glass votive, in this case it's a black one which gives a very high end end sophisticated feel, and contrasts brilliantly with the creamy whiteness of the wax. The votive also comes with an attached cardboard coaster to protect your furniture from scratches and the heat which is a nice touch.

Think of a rose fragrance and you automatically think of that powdery, true English rose aroma, this though has a little bit more depth. The Isle Of Wold Rose Absolute scent is based on the fragrance of the Vilksala manor gardens, it's described as "the bursting ripe sweetness of rose flowers with fresh notes of red fruits and green leaves plus subtle touches of powder musk"

Fragrance is a hard thing to describe but for me I can definitely see where the official description is coming form. I definitely get a bit of the traditional rose scent but I also get a hint of maybe some green, herb notes, and a bit of geranium, with an almost sugary, powdery finish

This candle burns cleanly and evenly but for me it just doesn't seem to have as strong a fragrance throw as the previous Isle Of Wolf candles that I've tried. You can definitely smell it but this candle is really a one for a smaller room, such a bedroom or a bathroom, rather than my large open plan living room. If you like strong, heady fragranced candles then this one isn't for you but if you like a more subtle, intimate fragrance, with a high end interior magazine appearance then this candle could be right up your street. The Isle Of Wolf Natural Perfumed Candle in Rose Absolute retails at £15 from My Pure. Are you a fan of rose fragrances? Leave me a comment and let me know x

*Sample