Luxury Gift Guide for Her.

Going from being a full-time student to having a close-to-minimum-wage paid job means that luxury items and high-end brands rarely appear in my wardrobe or on my dressing table, except around birthdays and Christmas time when one or two extravagancies sneak their way on to my wishlist, or on the odd occasion that I receive especially good payslip. I believe that everybody deserves a little bit of luxury in their lives, whether it be emptying the penny jar to buy that Michael Kors purse you've had your eye on or treating someone special to a bottle of their favourite eau de parfum, so I decided to put together a little gift guide including some of the luxury items that I have been lucky enough to add to my collection.

 

 

My favourite thing to accessorize an outfit with is a statement watch, and the first designer piece I ever received was my beloved tortoiseshell Michael Kors watch (£185) from my dad one Christmas around the time when MK was all the rage. Both my Michael Kors watch and my rose gold Tommy Hilfiger* (£140) number have gotten so much wear over the past couple of years, a special wrist piece is definitely the perfect gift for any punctual fashionista.

 

 

I'm not a huge beauty fanatic so drugstore brands usually see fit for my daily winged eyeliner needs and the occasional red lip, however I do have a couple of high-end palettes tucked away in my makeup drawer for special occasions. The NARS Virtual Domination Cheek palette (£45.00) and the infamous Naked 3 palette by Urban Decay (£38.00) have been two very welcome pieces in my collection recently as they allow me to experiment with different looks without splashing too much cash, plus they last for ages. My two Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution lipsticks were extremely generous gifts from my grandparents last Christmas, and at £23 a pop they only get used on very special occasions as I'm terrified of ruining the bullet (this is exactly why I don't buy high-end makeup...)! They do look beautiful sat on my dresser in all their rose-gold glory though, right? (Shades Glastonberry and Bond Girl respectively, incase you wondered).

 

 

Buying luxury gifts doesn't necessarily mean forking out hundreds of pounds. This Ted Baker brogue notebook* (£11.04) and outdoors wood pen* (£16.99) set looks high-end with its intricate detailing and gold hardwear (the notebook features gold-edged pages and beautiful parrot-print endpapers also) but doesn't boast the designer price tag, and Flamingo Gifts stock them in plenty of colours and styles suitable for both men and women (plus lots of other fun, nice and quirky gifts- their website has fast become one of my favourite online stores for scoping out unique and affordable presents).

 

Perfumes have always been one of my favourites to give and receive as they are so personal to the recipient. I fell in love with my all-time favourite Freak by Illamasqua eau de parfum when I received the smaller 30ml bottle (£34.00) for Christmas two years ago. After using it sparingly over the next year, I finally bit the bullet and snapped up the 75ml bottle (£59.00) in Illamasqua's crazy end-of-season sale last month for an amazing 60% off, so it's worth keeping an eye out for super deals before you splurge.

 

One thing you can't go wrong with when buying for even the fussiest lady is jewellery. I recently discovered JewelStreet, a huge online marketplace stocking men and women's jewellery from over 250 designers, including Sari Jules, from whom I picked up these gorgeous 14 carat gold-filled statement earrings* (£59). They also stock designs by a few award winning online boutiques, including Sara Gunn and one of my most favourite jewellery designers, Jana Reindhart, who makes luxury gold and silver pieces in cute designs inspired by wildlife and her childhood, like this Hummingbird ring (£89) which I also have in my collection.

I think it's every girl's dream to one day have the likes of Christian Louboutin or Jimmy Choo sitting in her shoe closet, and I was lucky enough to receive my very first pair of designer footwear from Harvey Nichols in the form of these butterfly print espadrilles by Valentino* (£285) last week. Just look at that packaging! Valentino also have a whole collection of pieces in the same butterfly print, including this clutch bag which I have somewhat fallen for, and you can find all of them plus lots of studded designer goodness by searching for Valentino over at Harvey Nichols.

 

 

What is your favourite luxury purchase/ what's on your wishlist?

 

 

Frances x

*DISCLOSURE: Starred items are PR samples.



Beauty: Poize Salon, Liverpool.

Working in a restaurant, neatly manicured and polished nails are a luxury that I don't get to enjoy very often, so during my month off in January, I decided it was time to treat my phalanges to a little TLC. I was invited along to Poize Salon, a fairly new hair and beauty salon on Liverpool's West Derby Road, a short taxi journey away from city centre.

 

Decorated with a black and hot pink colour scheme and plenty of baroque print, faux fur and sparkly ornaments, Poize Salon would give any scouse bird's parlour a run for it's money. In for a full pampering experience, customers are relieved of their coats and bags and offered a beverage upon arrival, and whilst I was feeling particularly sensible this day and settled for an Americano, you can  also opt for a cheeky glass of wine.

 

Steph looked after me and my nails for the duration of my appointment at Poize, and although she complimented me on my natural nails and advised me against cutting them down and covering them up with acrylics, she was more than happy to oblige. Steph is a super talented nail technician, and although I was rather taken by some of the designs on display plus the candy-themed talons she was modelling on her own fingers, I decided to go for a classic, natural-looking tip with a rhinestone accent nail*. The whole process took around an hour-and-a-half, with Steph chatting away to me throughout, except for a ten-minute period of silence when all her concentration was placed in to making sure the acrylic was painted perfectly on to my nails.

Poize Salon don't only offer a range of manicures including acrylics and gels, you can visit them for haircuts and beauty makeovers as well as spray tans and waxing. They also host pamper parties for all ages if you fancy treating yourself and a few friends. Although their website is currently under construction, you can find more information on their Facebook page or follow them on Twitter.

What do you think of the new Poize salon?

Frances x

*DISCLOSURE: Poize kindly invited me to enjoy a treatment at their salon free of charge. All opinions are 100% honest and my own. 

Event: #FDXMasParty, Fragrance Direct.

Last night marked the beginning of all the Christmas festivities in the Blogosphere, with Fragrance Direct's Christmas Party at All Star Lanes in Manchester Deansgate. With Christmas decorations, Christmas crackers containing little surprise samples from Fragrance Direct's range and lots of amazing cocktails and food (including mini burgers, corndogs and breaded parcels of macaroni cheese- yes, you read that right), it was everything that a Christmas party should be; not to mention the strong waft of perfume we were greeted with when we entered the room, from the display table of Fragrance Direct's featured perfumes for the festive period. After a spritz of a few bottles it was decided that YSL's Black Opium, Valentina by Valentino and Lola by Marc Jacobs (mainly because of that beautiful bottle) were the firm favourites. As the event took place in All Star Lanes, of course we had a couple of lanes booked to show off our bowling skills, which seemed to progressively get worse as each glass of prosecco was consumed (though it was already established a long time ago that I am shockingly bad at bowling anyway, nor do I look good in those sexy silver bowling shoes).

Not only do Fragrance Direct stock perfumes, but they have also branched out into makeup, haircare and bath & body products, and us lucky bloggers were sent home from the event with a Christmas goodie bag filled with treats from the likes of Ciate, Fashionista, Essie and Schwarzkopf to name a few. Thanks for an amazing evening, Fragrance Direct! :)

Do you have any perfumes on your Christmas wishlist this year?

Frances x

Wishlist: Beauty.

NARS Virtual Domination Cheek Palette: £45

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipsticks in Bond Girl & Glastonberry: £23 each

MAC Lipsticks in Brave, Twig & Velvet Teddy: £15.50 each

Urban Decay Naked 3 Eyeshadow Palette: £37

Considering that francescassandra.com first started out as a beauty blog, I'm not a makeup obsessive at all. I only wear a full face of makeup when I know that I am going to be out and about for the entire day, and I like to stick to what I know which is usually my wallet-friendly Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer and Maybelline gel eyeliner. I rarely blow my budget experimenting with new brands or splurging on the latest product hypes, however, I am a sucker for having a bit of luxury in my makeup drawer every once in a while and Christmas is usually my opportunity to get my hands on one or two pieces from the high-end Christmas releases.

On the top of my list is the Virtual Domination Cheek Palette from NARS. After missing out on the highly-sought-after Guy Bourdin release last year, I have been keeping my eye on SpaceNK like a hawk and I'm glad to see that they have brought out a palette that is equally as beautiful this year. I have also been lusting over Charlotte Tilbury's Matte Revolution lipsticks since they were released a couple of months ago, but even in all their rose gold glory, their £23 price tag hasn't been justifiable.

I haven't been impressed by any of MAC's festive collections this year (how many shades of red and berry does a girl need?!), but Christmas is always a great time to stock up on a few of the trusty favourites. I am also admittedly probably one of the only girls who doesn't own one of the three Urban Decay Naked Palettes; I did own the second release but I sold it on after it sat unloved amongst my other eyeshadow palettes for the best part of a year, but I do think that Naked 3 has the most wearable selection of shades amongst the three.

Do you have any beauty products in your Christmas wishlist this year?

Frances x

Review: Long Hair, Don't Care.

I & K Clip In Straight Hair (Dark Brown) 22 inch: £72.99 @ Hairtrade* 

Are mirror selfies acceptable for a blog post? I hope so, as I was really lacking a photographer, the quick release plate for my tripod and a nice background to take photographs against today. Plus I cleaned my mirror especially.

Anyway. I go through phases with my hair a lot. Throughout my life I have experimented with different cuts, from the disastrous chin-length bob that had me sobbing for days, to waist-length locks that to be quite honest, I couldn't be bothered dragging a hairbrush through most of the time. I have never really been an extensions kind of girl; in all honesty the thought of wearing something that once belonged on somebody else's head for vanity purposes has never really sat well with me, but since I am going through one of those phases where my own hair isn't growing fast enough for my liking and I envy every single girl I see with huge, voluminous tresses, I thought I would give them a go.

These are the I&K Clip In Straight Hair Extensions from Hairtrade. The pack contains ten super soft clip in pieces of different sizes, allowing you to blend your extensions nicely with the thickness of your natural hair. They are made from 100% human hair, meaning that they can be cut, coloured and styled. As the layers in my hair are cut quite thick, I found that my extensions didn't blend very well when straight, but after curling them and teasing them in to my hair a little bit, I was left with hair fit for a Herbal Essences advert (and also a reminder of how much of a pain in the backside it is to style long hair).

Admittedly, upon trying out these hair extensions I have come to realise that they are just not for me, although I did have fun flicking my new long hair around for the above pictures. The hassle of clipping them in and trying to make them blend with my own hair is outweighed by my desire for an extra fifteen minutes in bed in the morning, and I just don't feel like myself with an extra wad of hair attached to my head. Plus I still feel quite uncomfortable with the fact that it was somebody else's hair, but each to their own. So, whilst I patiently wait for my own hair to grow out again, these will be put away and saved for very special occasions. However, if you are a regular user of hair extensions, I definitely recommend checking out Hairtrade, as they stock extensions in lots of colours, lengths and styles and they are of fabulous quality for the price!

Are you lusting over long locks?

Frances x

DISCLOSURE: PR sample. All opinions expressed are 100% honest and my own.

Review: Viva Urban Spa (Warrington)

If there's one thing that I excel at, it's being stressed and feeling run-down, and I often crave a moment away from reality to realign my chakras. I could have hugged Tanya through my laptop screen when she emailed me inviting me along to experience a spa day at the Village Urban Resort not far from where I live. After scouring their online price list I decided that I could do with a back, neck and shoulder massage, a manicure and also an eyebrow shaping, because let's face it, I'm lazy. I was also allowed to bring a friend to enjoy the experience with me (the perks of knowing Frances, eh?) and so I grabbed my good friend and gym buddy, Kayla, and we headed down to the hotel for a spot of pampering.

We were greeted by very friendly staff and handed a pair of fluffy white robes before being shown to the gym and pool area which we were free to use as we had arrived a little early. Admittedly, we spent so much time in the changing rooms trying to perfect our robe selfie that we only had time for a quick dip in the pool, but they also offer a fitness suite, jacuzzi, steam room and sauna.

When it was time for our treatments, Kayla and I were shown to the relaxation area where we were given a glass of water before being introduced to our therapists and taken to our separate treatment rooms, which were dimly lit with a calming-yet-modern purple colour scheme, cosily heated and smelled amazing with the scent of ESPA's essential oil-infused candles. My lovely therapist, Victoria, talked me through the treatments; first I was to enjoy an ESPA personalised upper body massage, followed by an ESPA facial and eyebrow shaping, and finishing off with a manicure and pedicure. Spoilt rotten!

I hopped up on to the massage table and lay face down whilst Victoria dimmed the lights and turned on some relaxing music and suddenly I was away in some heavenly place for the next fifty minutes. My treatment consisted of a 25 minute back, neck and shoulder massage which eliminated the tension in my neck and spine, immediately followed by me flipping over and lying on my back for a twenty minute facial and scalp massage, during which Victoria treated my skin to a hydrating cleanse, a refining skin polish, an essential cleaning mask and a 24-hour replenishing moisturiser. I could have fallen asleep at this point, but my relaxation was soon slightly tarnished by having hot wax applied to and ripped from my eyebrows- the things us girls have to go through!

After this, Victoria led me out to select a shade from their huge collection of Jessica nail polishes whilst she set up a foot bath for my pedicure. I must say I feel sorry for spa therapists sometimes- as somebody who hates her feet, I usually avoid subjecting other people to them as I find them really gross, but Victoria seemed unfazed and told me they weren't bad at all as she massaged them with lotions and hacked away at them with a foot file. Barf. Once all twenty of my nails were perfectly filed, buffed and painted, I was led out again to meet Kayla in the relaxation area, admire her nail shade of choice and sip on another glass of water with no hurry to leave at all.

Our spa treatment was part of a package which meant we were also treated to a meal and a hotel room for the night. After our treatment, we checked in and went up to our room to find that the lovely ladies from the spa had spoiled us with a glass of champagne each (even though we were advised not to consume alcohol after our treatment- naughty!) and a little goodie bag filled with mini ESPA products and a Jessica nail polish!

With the hotel being a less than ten minute walk from Warrington town centre, Kayla and I wandered out for a while and shopped ourselves to exhaustion before heading back absolutely ravenous for our three-course-meal in the hotel's Verve Bar & Grill. We both ordered the same dishes; soup of the day to start, roast fillet of pollock for our main, and although we were both absolutely stuffed after the first two courses, we still managed to squeeze in a slice of Irish Cream & Chocolate Cheesecake- I mean, come on... when have I ever turned down cake?!

I would absolutely recommend a stay at a Village Urban Resort if you're looking for a relaxing night or two away with a friend or your other half. Over the Summer, Viva Urban Spas are also offering "speedy simultaneous treatments", which means you can get your facial and your manicure done at the same time, meaning you can still relax and have a bit of "me time" even if you're on a tight schedule. To find out if your nearest Village Urban Resort has a Viva Urban Spa, you can check the list here, and book a much-needed indulgent spa break package or individual treatments if you're just after a bit of after-work pampering!

Happy relaxing!

Have you ever visited a Viva Urban Spa?

Frances x

*DISCLOSURE: A huge thank you to Wildcard PR and Village Urban Resort Warrington, who provided me with this experience free of charge in return for a 100% honest review.

Event: FABB Liverpool.

After attending the amazing FABB Manchester event last Summer, I had been much anticipating Ray and Tor's return to the North West with high hopes that Liverpool would be their chosen city. It was safe to say I was quick to get my name on the list when they announced that they were indeed planning big things for the Merseyside bloggers, and that the stunning PanAm was their venue.

On Saturday I met up with some of my gorgeous blogging friends, Hannah, Zee and Suz and we headed on over to the Albert Dock for a quick lunch and met Carrie Anne and Roxanne before venturing over to PanAm. We were greeted by Ray and given our wristbands before being unleashed in to a room full of beauty/fashion brands, camera-clad bloggers and of course, what we all really go to these events for- cupcakes (is that just me?).

We were spoilt rotten as usual by the brands in attendance, including ESPA, Health Point LTD, Crystal Clear and my all-time favourites, Lush Spa Liverpool and Ark Clothing (who, after seeing their Hearts & Bows collection on the rails on Saturday, I have now compiled a wishlist longer than my arm for!), as well as a number of other brands who contributed to the generous goodie bags (Popchips and Benefit, I love you)! A huge thank you to Tor and Ray for planning yet another great event and I hope there is another one in the North West very soon! :)

Have you been to a FABB event?

Frances x