Focus on: NEOM Organics

I have long been a fan of Harrogate-based NEOM organics and recently my sister and I bought our mum a hamper of NEOM treats to unwind for her birthday. 

My absolute favourite product to date has been the Sicilian Lemon and Fresh Basil Scented Travel Candle, £16. A great product to take away on holiday with you, the scent takes minutes to fill the room and make you feel at home, while stimulating a tired and busy mind. I find it very quickly reenergises me. 

NEOM organics have recently undergone a rebrand, with new packaging and a refresh of their website, focusing on the natural elements of the products. I love the new look products with wooden lids and thick cardboard boxes that feel indulgent to open. Inside they say 'Scent to make you feel good'.

In the midst of wedding planning, I was delighted to trial their new Time to Unwind Bath Foam, £22, which is a pure blend of 12 botanical extracts handpicked from around the world - recommended as a great product to de-stress and unwind, exactly what I was hoping to do. 

The second I opened the box I could smell the gorgeous infusion of Guaiacwood oil, which comes from a tree called palo santo originally used to help meditation, mixed with rose and bluebell which helps to make you focus and reminds me of walks through the woods. 

Containing absolutely no sodium lauryl sulphate, the Bath Foam doesn't dry you out and it is packed with soothing marshmallow, aloe leaf, coconut and sweet almond to nourish and protect the skin. The ingredients are good enough to eat!

Next on my list to try is their Great Day Body Scrub, £34, from the Make you Happy range, which recently featured in STYLIST. The scrub is infused with wild mint and mandarin for a rejuvenating post-summer pick me up designed to help you de-stress and give you a boost. I love body scrubs and this one looks nice and textured to slough away dry skin,

See more of the product range on NEOM Organic's Instagram page.

And head to NEOM Organics for 15% off your first shop.

T.A x

Wedding Beauty: Night Skincare

Night time skincare is something I have never really considered to date but I now realise it is the optimum time for skin to recover from the day. 

I tried Kiehl's Iconic Midnight Recovery Concentrate, £36, which sells one a minute globally (!) and contains over 9 botanical oils including Omega 3, 6 and 9, helping skin to repair and replenish overnight. 

While we sleep, it is the perfect time for skin to rejuvenate and recover given that there are less environmental aggressors, allowing your skin to rest. Night time is when skin is naturally programmed to best absorb active ingredients, this usually happens between midnight and 4am. 

The best thing for me about this midnight elixir is the heavenly lavender scent and its lightness. Only two drops are recommended to cover your face and the oil doesn't feel sticky or heavy on your skin. Instead it glides on and is instantly absorbed into the skin. The small bottle will last ages and is perfect for slipping into your hand luggage when travelling. 

T.A. x

Stylish Brides: Fearne Cotton

Fearne Cotton married in Richmond with a ceremony at The Orangery in Kew.

Follow Fearne Cotton on Twitter

T.A. x

Wedding Beauty: Dry Skin

I have always had extremely dry skin, which is not something you want to worry about on your wedding day. For a long time now, I have been seeking a remedy for keratosis pilaris (red bumps on the top of your arms) and have tried a lot of different products. 

Three great products I have recently tried include…

Kiehl's Gently Exfoliating Body Scrub (comes in Lavender and Grapefruit)

This exfoliating scrub has a great texture and really does get rid of dry skin, removing nasty bumps and smoothing the surface. With water, the scrub quickly forms a lather and you don't need to use much for a noticeable result. I am using the lavender scrub and it smells fresh and uplifting - perfect for a morning shower. 

Caudalie Vine Body Butter 

This is an intensely moisturising body butter that smells divine, from their new Vinosource range. I am a huge fan of  Caudalie products and use their Divine Oil regularly (another great product to combat dry skin). This hydrates and smooths the skin and works best straight after showering to lock in the moisture. 

Groovy Food Virgin Coconut Oil

This is an unusual choice of moisturiser and I decided to try it having read it as a suggested treatment for KP on a beauty blog. Available at Waitrose, this coconut oil is something I originally used in the kitchen but decided to try it one day as a moisturiser after showering. The results are instant and it smells delicious!

My search still continues for a remedy, but these products are certainly improving the condition of my skin.

Wedding Tips: Chanel's new bridal beauty service

A new bespoke beauty service is launching at Chanel's Covent Garden and Bond Street stores this week. 

For £90, brides-to-be can choose up to three bridal services from a choice of make up, fragrance or skincare consultations, led by Chanel's experts. 

"Your wedding day is your time to be in the spotlight. Wedding make-up is about looking like yourself at your most beautiful. Every bride-to-be knows the key to a successful wedding is preparation. And that includes planning your skincare, make-up and fragrance ahead of time so that you can relax in the knowledge that you will look your absolute best on your special day" - Chanel. 

Chanel.com

Follow Chanel on Twitter

In The News: Mila Kunis for Gemfields

Gemfields, the world’s leading supplier of responsibly sourced coloured gemstones, has unveiled its second advertising campaign, Beauty by nature, featuring global ambassador Mila Kunis who is captured in these shots by Peter Lindbergh.

I love Gemfields as a brand and think their imagery and campaigns are always beautifully executed. 

This video takes a look behind the scenes of the shoot with Kunis in Zambia, which I visited recently. Travel posts coming up soon...

Hair: The Only Way is Up!

Neat, easy and fresh for Spring.

Catwalk report: molten metals

Fendi SS12

Giles SS12

Sportmax

Topshop Unique

For Spring/Summer 2012 the catwalks were awash with molten metals and strong pastel hues. I love the gold leaf effect used on hair and eyes. 

Incorporate metallics in a more subtle way with these amazing Revlon glitter nail polishes, available at Boots.

Do or Don't: Kate Bosworth's Dip Dye Hair

Thoughts?

Beauty notebook: Mac Studio Sculpt

I have just invested in a brand new tube of MAC Studio Sculpt foundation on recommendation from my model friend (apparently they use it on her shoots). My make-up artist friend also uses this product on her clients and there is a reason for this. Lighter than the Studio Fix foundation by MAC, which prides itself on longlasting, thicker coverage, Studio Sculpt blends beautifully into the skin giving it a gummy sheen but not a powdery effect.

I opted for NC20 which is a nice light colour for skin not yet touched by summer. NC stands for Neutral Cool and NW is Neutral Warm. NC is best for warm skin (those with blue-green veins) and NW suits cool skin tones (those with purple-blue veins). Cool balances warm skin tones and warm flatters cool skin tones.

At £23 a pop, the foundation is not cheap, but it is worth every penny. Previously a huge fan of Chanel Vitalumiere foundation (I blogged about this here), I have downgraded price-wise and am not disappointed. 

Sand in my suit

Bought this new OPI 'Sand in my suit' nail varnish today because I thought it looked like a good nude for summer, it has a slight shimmer. I really like OPI  products and this was on sale! What do you think of OPI as a beauty brand? 

Blake Lively goes Redhead

A big change from her usual long blonde wavy hair, Blake Lively debuts her new, red hair...

What do you think?

Un grand changement de ses cheveux naturels, Blake Lively montre ses nouveaux cheveux rouges...

Qu-est ce que vous en pensez?

Neon nails

Take it to your nails. Illamasqua nail varnish in Gamma (below) and Chanel vernis in Orange Fizz (above).

Plaits and twists

Mid-March I always ridiculously fast-forward to Summer time...wishful thinking, they call it. It's a time of transition and therefore requires changeover hair. Something a bit playful, a bit summery (without totally heading for beachy waves): plaits and twists. So easy to do and they always look extremely feminine and very pretty. My favourite is this top one, it's a bit Heidi with a touch of practicality. Bring on Summer!

And my attempt to recreate a rather DIY version of the top one! Sorry for the fuzzy iPhone pic...

Powder Puff.

Source: Anita Darling

What a beautiful bottle for Viktor and Rolf's Limited Edition Flower Bomb perfume.

Quelle jolie bouteille pour la série limitée de l'eau de parfum Flower Bomb de Viktor and Rolf!

Star-studded.

Source: LE Fashion

Shorty.

My favourites of Kate Moss

Am getting my hair cropped tomorrow! Feel like a change...


(I did it - felt liberating!!)

Lip Service.

Revlon's New Colourburst Lipstick with 'Elasticolour technology'.

This lipstick comes in 12 different catwalk-worthy shades and instantly updates a natural face of make-up. On offer currently in Boots, I'm tempted to get them all! My favourite is Plum, the fifth one.

Make like you've just gorged on a handful of raspberries and blackberries and paint your lips in a shade of berry. It doesn't matter which, as long as it has purple undertones. 

The best colour to choose is one to two colours darker than natural lip colour according to Bobbi Brown, prestigious make-up artist.

Chloé used berry stained lips to accompany their A/W 2008 catwalk and it's come full circle.

And Dior did berry, vampire-bitten lips this A/W 2010.