Top

Pretty Big Butterflies

Family, Food & Plus Size Fashion Blog

What is a Design Your Own Perfume Experience Really Like?

What’s always on your gift list at some point through the year? I can almost guarantee that it’s perfume. Well, it is for me anyway. I don’t tend to buy myself perfume but I always have a list as long as my arm of the ones that I want. But imagines if you could basically be a superstar for a day and make your own perfume. I literally mean, mixing scents together to find the one that really floats your boat. A one of a kind, unique fragrance. What if I said you even get to name it and it will be available to buy online. Crazy huh? Sounds a bit like the life of Rita Ora or David Beckham. Well not anymore! Last week I had a brilliant afternoon with BuyaGift and The Perfume Studio at the Hilton Kensington where I made my own perfume and then devoured afternoon tea! It’s the Design Your Own Perfume Platinum Experience which you can buy for yourself or a friend too. It was a lovely afternoon. Something I’ve never done before and didn’t really know what to expect. I don’t want to ruin it for you by going into detail so I’ll just give you a brief overview of the afternoon.

What is a Design Your Own Perfume Experience Really Like?

How to make your own perfume

Firstly, you meet a master perfumer who knows everything there is to know about fragrance. They run you through a little history about perfume making and how it all works. You’ll be surprised at how much you DIDN’T know about perfume! Then you’re given 21 scent blends to smell on little sticks. It’s harder than it sounds. We were taught how to maneuver the sticks to make the scent different. There was a mixture of base, middle and top notes, the aim of the game is to choose at least one of each and have a play around until you find a smell that you love. In between the blends, we all had a little bag of coffee beans that refreshes the scent palatte so it didn’t all turn into one big fragrance. It’s really interesting how mixing different blends together can create something so different.

Design Your Own Perfume Experience from BuyaGift

unique gifts for christmas = pretty big butterflies

We also got given a 20ml purse spray in a gift box, and an e-certificate of authenticity to show that my perfume is registered. I called my unique fragrance Cameo after my eldest son. I think it’s a great name for a perfume! Obviously, I’m biased. I’d love to know what you’d call yours!

Sometimes it can be so hard to find the right present for someone. There seems so much pressure these days to get something Instagram worthy, to make memories, be fun, cool, different. It’s hard to think of a different gift every year that will blow their socks off. So something like a perfume making class is perfect. It’s unique, fun and because you get to take the perfume home, it’s a gift that keeps on giving! Every time they spray that perfume they’ll think of the wonderful class they had! That’s what I’ve been doing over the past few days.

afternoon tea with buy a gift

Design Your Own Fragrance gift sets giveaway

If you fancy making your own perfume at home, you can do that too! The Perfume Studio offer these gorgeous Design your own fragrance gift boxes. Each box includes 1 x Beautiful Glass 30ml Dressing Table Atomiser, 6 x Pipettes, 6 x Scent Strips and 1 x Easy to follow Instruction Booklet. Each box is £49 but guess what? The Perfume Studio is giving YOU the chance to win a gift box! All you have to do is enter via the Rafflecopter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

How to Choose the Perfect Fragrance for Work

If you work around other people, your choice of fragrance is just as important as the clothes you wear to work. In fact, sometimes it’s even more important! If you are looking for the perfect fragrance for work, consider the following advice.

Find Your Signature Fragrance

Before going any further, the one thing you should do is find what is often referred to as your ‘signature fragrance.’ This is something that embodies who you are as a person but also something that wears well on you. Have you ever noticed that some people can wear a certain fragrance well while that very same perfume smells hideous on you? Did you know that your body chemistry affects how fragrances react on your body? Just like some lipsticks get ultra-red on you but remain cocoa on others, the same thing happens with fragrances, so choose yours wisely based on your body chemistry!

Wear Something Light

How many times have you been seated at a restaurant when a guest at a nearby table has applied cologne so strong it gags you? This is a common occurrence, and if you don’t want to be spoken to by your superiors and shunned by your coworkers, always keep your fragrance light. This isn’t always referring to the actual scent but often it’s all about how much you apply. A single dab behind each ear is probably sufficient as well as a light dab on the inside of each wrist. There is no need to spray your entire body. Not only is that a waste of a fine perfume, but it becomes obnoxious as well.

Dealing with Allergies and Sensitivities

Can you remember the last time you visited your doctor or walked through a hospital? There are signs everywhere about refraining from wearing scents because so many people are sensitive to them or have allergies. Actually, you can get away with wearing fragrance if you choose wisely and apply it sparingly. The one thing to remember is that cheap perfumes have so many chemical additives that these are what most people react to! Try a high-quality designer perfume and use it sparingly. Yes, they do cost more but you can find really trendy, top shelf perfumes at a fragrance outlet online. As a rule of thumb, if you can’t wear a fine perfume, it’s better to wear nothing at all.

Ask a Friend for Their Opinion

As one final step to ensure you are choosing the best fragrance and wearing just the right amount, consult with a trusted friend or family member. Ask them to be honest with you when seeking their opinion. However, be ready to hear something you might not want to hear! Just because you think you smell fabulous, doesn’t mean others will have the same reaction, so get them to tell you what they are smelling. Are you wearing too much and does that particular scent smell good on you? Just remember that not everyone has the same taste in fragrances, so that should be considered when seeking their advice. By choosing a good product and applying a very small amount, you can probably get away with wearing just about anything at work. Just remember the old cliché – too much of a good thing is too much no matter how you look at it.

How We Improved Our Toddlers Eczema #OneTwoFreeYourSkin

When you’re a new parent…. scrap that. When you’re a parent full stop, it’s so hard to know what’s best for your child. It’s all a learning curve. However, there’s one thing for sure, when you find a hero product that works, you keep hold of it. No matter what. So far, in our 21 months of parenthood, one of our hero products is Epaderm.

How We Improved Our Toddlers Ezcema #OneTwoFreeYourSkin

When Cameo, our eldest was about 9 months old he started to get dry skin on his elbows and knees. Then, to cut a long story short, he became really poorly and his skin just flared up. It turned out that it was eczema. His skin had flared up tremendously by him being so unwell and it’s pretty much been there ever since. It varies from day to day depending on the weather, what he wears and even if he has a little cold or not. His arms have really improved and the eczema is hardly noticeable most days. His little legs have always been the worst. We ended up going to the doctors about it because he was constantly itching and his legs were turning into two little sore red poles. We even had to stop our swimming lessons because he skin was just becoming so bad.

Cameo had to have steroid cream and after going back to the doctors a few times I was adamant that he couldn’t just keep having steroid cream when it flared up. Being a new mum, all this was new to me! After a few trial and errors, the doctor actually recommended Epaderm and we got a prescription to try some. Honestly, it was and has been the only cream that has helped reduce the redness and soreness of his eczema long term. So much so, that over a year later we’re still using it and buying it ourselves!

Epaderm and certain skin conditions, such as dry skin, eczema and psoriasis - review

It’s really improved our toddler’s skin and generally, it’s still a bit red but not sore. (Unless he plays on grass where it tends to flare up a bit more) But compared to when we first started using it, his skin is so SO much better. I know it makes a difference because when we stop using it for a couple of days, Cameos’ skin starts flaring up again. It’s amazing how it improves and soothes. You just have to keep applying it and don’t give up.

For reference, there is an Epaderm Ointment too which is a bit like petroleum jelly but a little softer. It’s supposed to be the best but personally, the cream worked much better for us. We found it hydrated Cameos legs better and was a little less messy when he wanted to help cream himself. As you’d expect, it’s fragrance-free and isn’t sticky so we get Cameo dressed straight away. The only major difference is that the ointment can go in the bath and can be used as a skin cleanser. We used this when Cameos was really little and had really bad, dry skin. It worked well and now we can get away with just using this when his eczema really flares up. But on a day to day basis we use the cream.

How We Improved Our Toddlers Ezcema #OneTwoFreeYourSkin

It’s pretty obvious that Epaderm is a winner for us, isn’t it?. We use it every evening after bathtime, It’s become a part of our bedtime routine.  It works much better at night time because it has time to work while Cameo sleeps, instead of itching or rubbing etc. We probably use a bit more than we should because Cameo likes to get involved now and we even have a little song. I think by making it part of our routine and by making it fun and letting Cameo cream himself, it’s turned it into a game. Only today I was putting my foundation on and he went running around the house shouting MAMA CREAMING! It was hilarious! He is so used to being creamed now that whenever he sees someone putting something on their skin he’ll shout CREAMING! Bless him.

The things that helped us with controlling Cameo’s eczema are really simple to remember. We originally creamed him after every nappy change to keep the skin moisturised. Over time it has improved greatly. As I said above we just apply a generous amount all over his body at bedtime. If we notice a flare up, or if he has been playing in grass etc (which we know is a trigger for him) we’ll apply more throughout the day. If you’re not sure what makes your or your little one’s eczema or skin condition worse, Epaderm has a great tracker that could help you look a little more thoroughly at what it could be. You can find the tracker here. We did something like this which is why we realised grass and water were our main triggers for making his skin worse.

I’d always recommend Epaderm. We also have a 10 week old and even though he isn’t showing signs of dry skin or eczema just yet, we’re still using Epaderm on him after his bath. As I said, when you trust a brand that’s really helped your little one, you’ll always use it.

You can buy Epaderm from Amazon, Tesco, Boots, Superdrug and other high street chemists. Find out more about other peoples experience with Epaderm by using #OneTwoFreeYourSkin.

 

*This post is part of an Epaderm competition. Everything I’ve said in this post is our true experience and opinion. 

 

 

 

 

Beauty Tips To Look Less Tired

I can’t even tell you how tired I am 95% of the time. With two kids under two getting any sleep is a bit of a miracle. What has been rather nice is that people have said I still look refreshed. I try not to laugh in their face, because you know, a compliment is a compliment. But I feel like I’m sleepwalking most of the time. I’m sure this is normal for mums. I mean when I was a teenager I could function normally on a couple of hours rest, let alone sleep.  These days I definitely give myself a little help when I’m out an about. Especially with makeup! That’s what it’s there for right? So, here are my beauty tips on how to look less tired than you feel.

Eye Creams

I’ve been trying to find the best eye cream for dark circles.  It’s all about experimenting to find what works best for you. So far it’s really helped in reducing those tired bags from under my eyes. There are loads available so it’s all about finding one that works for your skin tone. Using an eye cream is the foundation of any makeup routine to help you look bright and awake. It’s a great way of helping to repair the skin too. When you’re lacking in sleep your skin needs some TLC and using a daily eye cream is just the thing.

Bright Lip

I love a bright lip, tired or not! But it definitely helps draw attention to the mouth and away from tired eyes or dull skin. A lovely bright lip colour makes the face pop and brightens it up a bit. Stick one in your bag and apply it whenever you need a pick me up. I always opt for a red or coral. But any colour that catches your eye will do the trick.

Glow-Up

Add a skin illuminator or highlighter into your foundation. Just a few drops. You don’t want to look like a disco ball! By adding a drop or two to your normal foundation it will help give your skin a natural dewy glow with no extra time needed. This is the perfect way to stay your day looking fresh, even if you don’t feel it.

White Eyeliner

Don’t freak out! I’m not saying to apply a wing or anything like that! But adding a subtle white line as eyeliner will make your eyes look bright and awake. It won’t let you get away with sleeping at your desk but it will help with the day after the night before look.

Hydrating Mist

This is one of my absolute favourite things to use on a daily basis. A hydrating mist spray is perfect for everything from refreshing the face, set makeup and even to cool you down during the warmer weather. A spray of hydrating mist will instantly plump up the skin and keep that dewy look going throughout the day. It’s easy to do and takes 1 second. Winning!

What tips do you have to help beat that tiredness look? Obviously, more sleep should be number one, but we all know that’s almost impossible! Let me know in the comments below.

Beauty Tips And Tricks Every Mum Should Know

Let’s be honest. When you become a mum, any kind of ‘me time’ is almost non-existent. Put it this way. I put makeup on the other day and I’m sure my 20-month-old son didn’t recognise me! But it’s important that we find time to treat ourselves and make ourselves feel good. We can easily forget about ourselves when little ones and families are so demanding. So here are my beauty tips and tricks every mum should know. Because we’re all in it together right?

  1. Fake it

Ok, so let’s just throw it out there and say there is nothing wrong with faking it. Finding yourself a semi permanent makeup professional could be the time-saving trick you need. Think high definition brows, and a blush lip, without you even having to lift a finger. That’s the ‘just got out of bed’ look I don’t mind having. It’s all about doing what makes you feel good. For me, having my eyebrows neat and tidy is the one thing that makes me feel like I’ve got myself together.

  1. Gel Nails

If, like me, you hate having naked nails then always opt for gel polish. Whether you do it at home or in a salon. Gel polish is long lasting and is less likely to chip. There’s no point in using basic polish. After 2 baby baths, it’s almost gone and there’s nothing like chipped nail polish to make me feel rough around the edges.

  1. Dry Shampoo is your friend

So we all know that dry shampoo helps to get an extra day out of unwashed hair. But the best way to use it is to apply it before you go to bed. Yes! Put it on your roots at night, keep your hair down and in the morning your tossing and turning will turn your locks into clean looking super on trend bed hair! Winner!

  1. Easy Wave

If you need something doing with your hair in super quick time, this is my favourite trick. Brais dry hair into pigtails and run your straighteners over them a few times. It sounds crazy but it works. Leave the braids to cool down for a few seconds and then undo. Tada – wavy hair in a flash.

  1. Triangle Bags

We all need a little concealer under them tired eyes. It’s a mummy must have. But the secret for really helping those dark circles is to draw a triangle shape under the eye to brighten the area and not the usually curved stroke. It makes a massive difference and can make you look less tired in a second. Pass me the concealer now! If you need help getting your little one to sleep through the night this is a great article to read.

Those 5 tips should help you feel a little more you and a little less Mama, Mama, Mama! (As soon as they can say Mama they just don’t stop do they!) I wish you well on your beauty journey. If you have any time-saving tips and tricks then let me know in the comments below.