A Fairytale Escape

This week I had the absolute pleasure of staying at the exquisite Jack Sparrow House in St. Keverne, Cornwall for a couple days. It was a getaway I had been looking forward to for a while, mostly because the reason behind the trip was to celebrate the boyfriend's birthday, but it really exceeded any expectations I had by a million times over. Located on the Northeastern part of the Lizard peninsula in Cornwall, this little house is a beautiful creation by the very talented Jonathan Melville-Smith of Outlandish Holidays.

With camping a regular venture and a hotel room not really the kind of place I was after for this adventure, I began looking into unique places to stay in. Jonathan's website came up on Google and I am so, so glad I had a quick peruse. I saw a few shots of the Jack Sparrow House and fell in love.

If you're after a quiet, cosy and romantic spot where you've got cooking and bathroom facilities, beautiful coastal views and an array of stunning beaches nearby - this is the place for you. It's a small cottage with a downstairs kitchenette and seating area, toilet and a ladder up to a cosy double bed. The best bot was the amazing shower in a converted horse box!

Exceptional love and care has been given to every detail in this home and you can feel the presence of so many happy people who have stayed there before you. A nice touch is the little 'memories' book on the table when you walk in. I really enjoyed reading about everyone's experiences there over the years. i left one of my own.

See my pictures below and I'm sure you'll understand what I mean. If you're looking to surprise a special someone or get away for a couple days of much needed R&R, I cannot recommend this place enough!
 

 
 
 

Origins GinZing

Ohhhhh it's a good range; in fact one of my favourites from Origins. I've used the GinZing Eye Cream for years, as well as the mascara since it was released 2 years ago. I had just run out of my day cream and so I felt the time had come to try the moisturiser. What really shoved me into a concrete decision was a great little Extra-Zing EnergiZing Kit that I spotted while perusing the website. For the price of the moisturiser alone (£23), you get to also try a 5ml pot of the GinZing Eye cream and a 'Try Me' sized version of the mascara. BARG!
If you've not tried the mascara, you can check out my review here. The eye cream is fantastic; it has a real luminosity to it which does a fantastic job at diffusing the light under the eyes. It doesn't cover dark circles per se, but it does make them appear less dark. It's a definite must for me! It has caffeine included, as well as Panax Ginseng to help reduce puffiness and brighten up that delicate area. The full-size version of this is a 15ml pot, but I personally find 5ml lasts me over 6 months... in fact probably closer to a year! You only need a little, after all.

Now onto the latest bad boy - the GinZing Energy-boosting moisturizer. This is a glorious 50ml pot of citrusy wonder! It's a very light gel-cream texture, similar to the Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins Mega-Bright Skin Illuminating Moisturizer or the Make a Difference Plus Rejuvenating Treatment, if you've tried either of those. I wouldn't say it was rich enough for dry skin, or even normal skin that suffers from quite a bit of dehydration in the winter months, but for oily-normal skin (in the summer/warmer climates), this is perfect! It packs quite a punch for being so light-weight, yet absorbs quickly, brightens the skin, smells lovely and light and offers a great base under make-up. Again, Ginseng and coffee beans do their magic and brighten up a dull complexion.

At the starting price of the Origins Moisturiser range, this is aimed at the younger market. If you don't need anything radical, but a bit of luminosity and want to look after your skin, you can't go wrong with this kit. Also available from Boots. It would make a great gift too!


Looking for a good eye SPF?

I've got you covered! I was thinking pretty recently about the importance of protecting the eye area when you're whipping out your daily sunscreen and it occurred to me that aside from my sunglasses, I didn't have anything to really do the job! I don't particularly want to put my face SPF's around my eye in case of stinging/greasiness/puffiness, but I want SOMETHING to protect me if I don't want my sunglasses on. In walks an absolute babe of a solution:



At about £2.50 from Boots (and currently on offer for 2 for £4) you cannot turn away from this beaut. If you don't have any particular issues with your eye area and just want daily protection, this is a must. It isn't particularly hydrating and I can't see it doing a whole lot if you're looking for visible changes or miracles, but it will protect you from UV rays...and to me that's the best thing you could do to for any aging qualms! Perfect for young skin, easy on the wallet and easily accessible. This is one of my best finds for a long time.

Anyone got any other eye creams with an SPF that they adore? I'd love to know!

Carnica Bees Honey & Beeswax Lip balm

Carnica Bees is a gorgeous little British cosmetic company specialising in natural products based on the glorious substances that bees produce - beeswax and honey!

If there's one thing I've learned in my cosmetic quest over the years, it is that it is always better to keep things simple. The product in question today is exactly that and I'm wonderfully pleased with this little gem - now an staple resident in my handbag.


Ingredients: Sweet Almond Oil, Jojoba Oil, Beeswax, Honey.

Can you get anymore natural?

It is lovely and hydrating without being glossy, fragrance free and a great base under makeup too. Can't get enough! And at £3.25 it is a total bargain. Go go go!