Winter Lush Haul

One of the best things about after-Christmas sales, is the fact that Lush sell all of their well-loved Christmas products at half the usual price. Boom. Walking in with a 'just buy everything you see' head and leaving with bags full of deliciously-scented bath goodies is definitely one of the high points of a shopping trip. I just love a good wander around a Lush store, and find it extremely hard to contain myself as I swoon over the endless tables of wonderfully appealing and colourful bath bombs. Its just one big ol' bath bonanza. I recently took a trip to Lush and left with a rather weighty bag of wonders and excitement. In other words, I bought a heck of a lot of bath bombs, and struggled to practically drag the over-loaded bag out of the shop. I'll just leave you to picture that for a moment...

Anyway, I thought you might be interested in having a little nosey at a few of the goodies I bought, so here we go - enjoy!

Ah, who knew one paper bag could behold so much magic.

Here, we have the Secret Santa Bath Ballistsic. I mean, just look at it. If that in itself isn't enough to intrigue you into seeing what wonders this does to your bath, then I don't know what will. I am a little past the point of excited to drop this into my tub some night soon. 

Meet the Snow Fairy Sparkle Bar. A little cutie, isn't she? I must add, this is the creamiest, most moisturising thing ever. It literally melts in your hands - I cannot wait to let this work its wonders on my skin. It also smells just like snow fairy, so, a huge thumbs up on the scent front.

Ah, the Father Christmas Bath Ballistic. I have used this once before, and I adored it. All the colours of Christmas in one smiling Santa sphere - yes please. It also smells delicious, so, what's there not to love?

Next we have the Magic Wand Bubble Bar. Smells like a mix between Snow Fairy and Rock Star soap; fab-u-lous. It also comes with a little bell, so, if that would come of any use to you whilst taking a bath then - great. However, I can't see myself putting the bell to much use... But I am going to take much pleasure in swirling this beauty around my bath... Sounds odd - lets move on.

The Golden Wonder Bath Ballistic. A shimmery, glittery, golden spark of joy. A womdeful creation that has a scent that closely resembles Bucks Fizz. Bathing in a bath of bluey-green shimmery water sounds pretty good to me. Especially knowing your skin will have a lingering smell of fresh and tangy orange for the next few hours or so. 

I understand the Honey Bee Bath Ballistic is not a member of the festive line-up, and therefore was nkt in the sale. However, once I gave it a sniff, I couldn't resist picking one up to try for myself. Bearing in mind I hate honey, I was pleasantly surprised to find this bath bomb smelt nothing like honey, yet smelt fresh and delicious. Winner winner chicken dinner.

This next bath beauty intrigues me greatly, due to it's random spots of colour throughout the deliciously scented white bath bomb. Again, this Dragon's Egg Bath Ballistic was not in the sale, but once again just looked too good to leave behind. I am very excited to try this one out some time soon. 

This shimmery, sweet scenteted triangular beauty intrigued me greatly. I am aware of the love and appreciation this bath bomb receives from the beauty community, and couldn't resist purchasing one myself. It's scent resembles Snow Fairy, and it's pretty look intrigued me all too much. Yet another bath bomb to add to my basket. 

Bombardinoooooo! Just look at that iccle face! So cute. I think I have fallen in love with the adorable-ness of this little fella. I almost want to squeeze his little non-existent cheeks and give him a cuddle, but instead I might just swoon over his sweet and delicious scent and then dunk him in my bath. Sounds like a plan.

And that was the end of the damage I did in Lush. I mean, money damage. I didn't go knocking tables over or anything... Just to clear up any confusion there. I thoroughly enjoy picking out my fave bath bombs whilst in Lush, and know I will put them all to good use over the next few weeks. What are your favourite Lush products? Did you pick up any bargains in the sale? Thanks for reading!

Ps - this is officially my last post of 2013. I must admit I find this quite emotional actually... *wipes away tear* I would like to thank you for being so amazing to my blog and I in 2013, and I wish you all the best for 2014. I hope you all have a fabulous New Year and enjoy the celebrations. I shall speak to you next year! ;) See you in 2014 lovelies!

❤️

Magnificent Monday #3 | Being Kind to Others

It's that time of the week again, where I try my best to give you a positive kickstart to your week,  before leaving you to have a little ponder about how to make the most out of the seven days ahead of you. Today's topic is 'Being Kind to Others'. 

Now, I understand the title makes it seem pretty vague, and something like you would learn in a health & social lesson in pre-school, but I promise you that it is one of the most important Magnificent Monday's I shall write. 

One of the many quotes I like to live by is 'Treat others how you wish to be treated yourself'. I honestly think it is of such importance to be kind to others. Whether it be complimenting their outfit, telling them how lovely they are, or simply just smiling at them. You have no idea how one little kind word or warming smile can impact someone elses day. You never know, your compliments on their hair or their outfit may help them gain a little more confidence and help them progress past their insecurities. Whilst at the time, a little compliment or two seems like nothing, to them, it could really change their whole day. Maybe they are having a generally poopy day, and needed something to cheer them up. Or maybe, someone has been not so nice to them, and they need a few compliments to boost their confidence again. Always remember that words of kindness stay with someone for ever, no matter how little. 

Being kind to someone is a wonderful feeling. After every act of kindness you do, you will feel better about yourself. Nobody values how truly amazing kindness is. The person offering the kindess and the person accepting the kindness will each feel so much happier after an exchange of kindess - no matter how little. So always remember not to necassarily expect it back. Just because you complimented somebody, don't wait around all your life to receive it back. Giving isn't about receiving back. Kindness should be something you voluntarily desire to give, and if you are being kind and expecting a whole lot of kindness back - then the kindness you originally gave will seem insincere. Give kindess because you want to, not because you want good things to happen to you in return. Be kind - not selfish. 

When you think about it, you could either say nothing at all to someone, or you could say something nice. For the small ammount of effort it requires to be kind, it will make a huge difference. Similarly, if you don't have anything nice to say - don't say anything at all. After all, that negativity you are enforcing will help nobody, and will only downgrade yourself and how people view you as a person. 

Being kind isn't all about compliments, it can just be pure kindness. Like helping someone out a little when they need, or sharing with them, or just having a friendly conversation or a giggle with them. This theme fits fits in nicely with the  new year actually. If you're stuck for a new years resolution, then why not make your resolution to be kinder to others. I'm not saying you have to go completely out of your way to let someone know you like their coat or something like that, just make a little more effort to be kind, and remember to only ever speak words of kindness. After all, negative words aren't going to help anyone become a better person, and are pointless, really. Just be kind - always. Smile, compliment, share, help, build new friendships, care for others, offer words of wisdom. Do what ever you can to spread kindness.

Go through this week (and the rest of your life, for that matter) with kindness at the front of your mind - always be thinking about ways you can be kind. 

All images: Google Images

Thank you for reading lovelies

❤️

Lush Lip Saviours

Ah, Winter. Known for it's tendancy to whip away our lips natural moisture. Not always the most pleasant feeling, is it? Having dry and chapped lips. But, not to worry, the trusty ol' shop know as Lush has once again come to the rescue. With a glorious line of heaven-like lip products on offer to us, Lush have got me all in a daze at how amazing their lip products really are. Possibly even earning the 'lip saviours' title. Enjoy as I take you through my lipcare routine, using all Lush lip products. 

Exfoliating is highly important when trying to keep lips moisturised, however, unfortunately, this crucial step is often over-looked. Never under-estimate the importance of exfoliating, whether it be exfoliating your lips, skin, body - it's a must. Lush lip scrubs exfoliate the lips wonderfully. The gentle sugar particles remove all of the unwanted, dead skin cells, whilst the natural oils replenish and rejuvinate the healthy skin underneath. My two favourites are the Bubblegum flavour, and the Santa one - if you feel like actung upon your inner festivity, or for Christmas time, obviously. Each taste delicious, also, I might add. After taking a small amount on your finger and scrubbing gently on each of your lips, you are able to lick off the excess sugar, or, just wipe it away with a tissue - whatever floats your boat. I love these lip scrubs, and would highly recommend you give these a try. I believe they also have a mint and and a popcorn flavor on offer, so if either of those are more up your street, then maybe give them a try. Priced at around the £5 mark, you definitely can't go wrong with giving these little pots of joy a try, and they will last you forever. 

The routine doesn't stop here, as the fresh skin on the lips now needs to be further moisturised and cared for. To do this, Lush have a great range of creamy lip balms on offer. I use the 'Honey Trap' flavour, and adore it greatly. Although I'm not totaly mad about the taste/scent, I am mad about the creamy and moisturising texture of the lip balm, and am in love with how soft my lips feel after application. It lasts forever on my lips, and leaves them feeling soft even when it has worn off. Take a look at each of the lip balms they have on offer, and choose threbkne that is right for you. A high recommendation by me, these little pots of wonder are. I tell you, splashing out a (possibly considered pricey) amount of around £5 for this magical product will not be an action you regret.

I am delighted that I was lucky enough to receive these products as Christmas gifts this year, and am so very glad I have them to help my lips throughout the colder season. 

Head on over to the Lush website for a further insight into the wonders they have on offer, and for further descriptions/ingredients lists etc. 

I know I will be using the products mentioned religiously throughout the colder months, and hopefully I have helped you decide what line up of lipcare wonders you need on your team to face the Winter season. Let me know your favourite lip products in the comments below.

Speak soon! 

❤️

Gingerbread House Fun

After receiving a 'build your own gingerbread house' kit for Christmas, my fingers were itching to get building, icing, and of course - blogging. After all, bloggers will blog about anything and everything so long as they have a camera and an idea or two. I have been longing after building a gingerbread house for yonks now, so I was highly thrilled to unveil this little kit from beneath the wrapping paper. Putting it all together was a fun experience, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. In the end, I was left with a rather colourful, sweet-smothered, yet tasty looking little house - a perfect home for any young gingerbread family. Here are a few snaps of the process and the finished master piece, enjoy!

So there we have it. My gingerbread house building experience in photos. I hope you enjoyed this fun little post - have you ever built a gingerbread house? Have I spraked your imagination to go and build one yourself? Let me know in the comments, or send me pictures! 

Twitter: @molliejessblog

Instagram: @mollie_jess

Speak soon lovelies! 

❤️

Merry Christmas Everyone!

It's here! Today is the day. I hope you are all having a lovely Christmas, was Santa good to you? I know he was an awfully kind chappy to me this year, and brought me lots of lovely goodies. I just wanted to quickly pop up a little post, wishing you all a very Merry Christmas. Hopefully your day has been as joyous and fun as it should. I thought it would be nice to share with you all a few snaps from my Christmas Day - so here you go. Merry Christmas one and all, from my family to yours. 

I spent Christmas day at my Grandma and Grandad's house, with my family. I adore my Grandma and Grandad's Christmas decorations, they do a wonderful job of capturing the festivity of the season. 

My Grandma sets up a little nativity scene beneath her Christmas tree each and every year. I love it and have always enjoyed looking at it since I was little.

Obviously, what would Christmas day be without a Christmas dinner!?

So there you have it - a tiny snippet into the festivities of my Christmas day. Treasure the time you are able to spend with your families today, be grateful, joyous, and enjoy yourselves. Eat plenty of choccies and keep your heart full of love, light, and joy. Pray for those who aren't as fortunate this Christmas time, stay gracious and appreciative. All in all, I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas day, and may the celebrations continue throughout the next few days. Hopefully you have all made exciting plans for the New Year, too. Speak to you soon, and a last bug Merry Christmas to you all! 

❤️❄️❤️

Winterlicious Treats #2 | Warm & Creamy Vanilla Milk

It's time for post number 2 of my Winterlicious Treats series! The inspiration behind this cosy beverage came about after picking up a bottle of Starbucks vanilla syrup the other day. As well as tasting lovely mixed into hot chocolate, this heavenly syrup also transforms a mug of plain hot milk into something of a tasty miracle. Obviously, it is only fair to share it with my lovely blog readers, so, lets get to it!

1 | Gather your ingredients

You will need: 

Milk, Vanilla syrup, whipped cream & a mug of your choice*

*Whilst my mug looks as though it is made from glass, I can guarantee it is in fact NOT made of glass, but pyrex. Do not attempt to put hot liquids into glass containers, as it will not end well, just wanted to clear that up! 

2 | Heat the milk & pour into mug

I chose to heat my milk in the microwave oven, however if you would prefer to heat it on the stove, that is also fine, and probably works better! I poured my milk into a jug, and heated it for around 1 minute 40 seconds. Please do ensure your mug/jug/etc is microwave safe!

Then pour the milk into your mug.

3 | Add the vanilla syrup

Depending on how Vanilla-ish you want your drink to taste, add the appropriate amount of vanilla syrup  using a teaspoon. Stirr it well.

4 | Add the whipped cream

Pretty self-explanatory really. Just pile up that cream as much as you want!

5 | Finishing touches

This part is completely optional, but if you want to give your drink a little finishing touch, then you can add flavoured sprinkles of your choice. Using vanilla sprinkles would make sense, however I chose to use chocolate. You could also use cinnamon, or any other topping of your choice.

6 | Sit back, relax & enjoy!

Why not pop on a festive film, grab some chocolate and enjoy your drink in front of the fire, in true Christmas spirit!

Such a simple recipe, yet such an amazingly good drink. Give it a try, and send me pictures! 

Instagram: @mollie_jess

Twitter: @molliejessblog

Lastly, I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas. Thank you for all being so lovely, may all your Christmas wishes come true. Have a good one! 

Thanks for reading!

❄️❤️❄️

Magnificent Monday #2 | Gratitude & Appreciation

Why hello there Magnificent Monday post number two, it is lovely to see you. You may recall my introduction to this series back at the start of November, however, since then, there has been no sign of another Magnificent Monday post. The only reason for this is that I had other posts planned that I wanted to upload, and therefore Magnificent Monday posts were pushed to the back of the queue. However, the series is back. Bigger, better, and stronger than ever. Well, not really, it's just back. Now that I have had a few weeks to ponder about this series, I have been able to plan out a few episodes in advance. I thorougly enjoy writing these topical posts, as I like to have a change from the regular beauty posts. Today's topic links with a rather exciting celebration that will be upon us in only 2 days time... Christmas! The topic is Being grateful & appreciative.

Whilst it seems completely obvious, being grateful for what you have is a very, very important factor in life. Whether it be thanking your mum for making such a delicious lunch, or thanking your Auntie for that lovely birthday gift, or even thanking a stranger for holding open the door for you. There are so many oppurtunities to be grateful in life, yet sometimes, saying a simple 'thank you' appears to be difficult for too many people. Many people have the tendancy to expect the basics, and desire the luxuries. By this, I mean many people have everything they could possibly need; food, running water, a family, a roof over their heads, clean clothes, yet they don't bother to take a moment and be thankful for all of these luxuries. Even though they may not seem to be luxuries, they really are. Many people see the importance and luxury in the flash items, such as designer gear, new phones, expensive clothes etc. Whilst there is no problem with owning swish items, it is important that we do not show dissatisfaction or annoyance at the fact we don't always get what we want. Instead of complaining about the things you aren't able to have, just take a moment and be thankful for all you have. Just keep it in mind roughout each day you live, that being thankful for what you have will allow you to seek pleasure in the small things, and will allow you to appreciate every little thing you have in life. 

I guess the moral of the post is, that showing thanks and appreciation is highly important. There's no need to throw a surprise party for someone everytime you thank them, or to hold a passionate speech everytime you appreciate something, just stay humble, and take time to think to yourself about how lucky you really are. Seek pleasure in the small things, and whilst these small things may seem like such basics to you, keep it in mind that you are lucky to have them, and be thankful for them. 

The majority of you reading this post are likely to receive some lovely gifts on Wednesday morning, so ensure you are thankful for them all. But most of all, remember the true meaning and morals of Christmas. A celebration of love, light, family & friends. Don't let yourself get caught up in the materialistic side of things, and appreciate the time you spend with your loved ones this Christmas. Be thankful for the fact you are able to spend time with them. And whilst you tuck into your Turkey with all the trimmings, think about how lucky you are to have such a luxury, and be thankful. 

Keep your heart full of gratitude, thanks, and love. Stay humble, and smile. For the love and times of laughter you have, are greater than anything you could ever possibly need or want.

All images: Google Images

Thank you for reading everyone!