Review: Jewel Candle

Jewel Candle | Sweet Cupcake: £24.95*

Now, it's no secret that I love having a nicely scented candle burning away in my bedroom, and I'm not one to say no to pretty jewellery either. Watching Elle (AllThatGlitters21) on YouTube a few years ago I came across her video about a company called Diamond Candle, which sells candles with a piece of jewellery hidden inside from the value of $10 to $5,000 (?!). I was so intrigued by the concept but just as disappointed when I found out that the company was US only, and alas, I forgot all about it until a couple of weeks ago when the UK-based Jewel Candle rekindled my excitement and offered to send me one of their handmade candles to review.

The concept of Jewel Candle is very similar to Diamond Candle, each candle has hidden inside a pair of earrings or a ring valued between £10-£250, that can only be revealed once the wax has burned down. Jewel Candles are available in a whole range of scents including rose, watermelon (yum!) and passion fruit. I selected the Sweet Cupcake scent as I am a sucker for vanilla-based fragrances and I can gladly report that the fragrance payoff is amazing; when I light this candle, it is a matter of minutes before my room is filled with the (slightly sickly) scent of freshly baked cupcakes. The Jewel Candle website states that your jewellery will be exposed within 10-15 hours of burn time, and it was around 11 hours before I saw the glimmer of heat-resistant foil peeking out from the melted wax. I rescued the package with a pair of tweezers and unwrapped it to find the sparkler pictured above hidden inside.

Admittedly, when I first received my candle I was skeptical about the quality of the jewellery and half expected it to be tacky and not at all to my taste, so I was quite pleasantly surprised when I saw how pretty and well-polished my ring was. Jewel Candle guarantees that all their jewellery is made from 925 sterling silver and you can take your piece to your local jewelers to determine its exact value. Unfortunately, if you opt for a candle containing a ring, you won't know if your ring will fit you until you retrieve it from the wax, however Jewel Candle rings range from a K to a Q and can be re-sized by your jeweler if required.

I absolutely love the concept of these candles and I think they would make a fabulous gift for birthdays, anniversaries and holidays. At £24.95 for a ring candle (the earring candles are a bit cheaper at £16.95 as they are a little smaller), they seem a little pricey, but considering each candle burns for between 130-150 hours PLUS you get a special surprise inside, I think they are well worth it.

If you do fancy treating yourself or a loved one to a Jewel Candle, the lovely Jewel Candle team have provided me with a discount code that will give you 20% off your order. Just enter 'frances20' at the checkout to take advantage... Hurry though, the code expires on September 31, 2014! If you would like to see more of what Jewel Candle has to offer, you can visit their website here and their Facebook page here.

Have you tried a Jewel Candle? Did you find out the value of your jewellery?

Frances x

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

What I'm Currently Loving: Music

So, I originally didn't have a blog post planned for today but I have been lay in bed watching music videos for the past couple of hours (I know, I am the epitome of wild, I know how to spend my Saturday nights) and I got the urge to write something, so this is a bit of a spontaneous one.

Something that I haven't spoken about much on my blog is music, which is strange as it has been one of the loves of my life since the age of twelve or thirteen, when I watched School of Rock for the first time. I begged my dad to buy me a bass guitar (I was far too hipster at this age to go for something mainstream like the guitar) and I decided I was going to be a rock star one day. Whilst I am still working on that dream ( ;) ), I have taught myself how to play the bass and the guitar (I would learn every instrument if I could; I would LOVE to be able to play the piano and the cajon), sang in the shower (and whilst tidying my room, and whilst stuck in traffic in the car, etc, etc, there may even be cringey clips of me singing floating around on the internet, but we'll save that for another day) a lot and developed an undying passion for attending concerts and festivals. 

Not a day goes by where I don't listen to music, and one of my favourite things to do is scour the "browse" and "discover" tabs on Spotify for new, budding artists, the current most popular songs and the golden oldies that I had forgotten about. I am an open-minded person when it comes to music; there isn't a genre that I don't like and I don't have a favourite either. It is all down to opinion, of course, but I define a "good" song by the way it makes me feel, whether it's an upbeat melody that makes me want to move, a lyric that I relate to so much I could have written it myself, or the passion in the artist's voice that makes the hairs on my arms stand up. I have so much respect for artists who write their own material/ play their own instruments and I love analysing the meaning of songs.

So, since I am currently having a music video marathon, I thought I would leave you with a few (just a few, I could go on for days!) of my current favourite songs, artists and music videos at the moment, which I will no doubt have ruined for myself by this time next week from listening to them on repeat.

George Ezra- Budapest

Magic!- Rude

Michael Jackson- Slave To The Rhythm

Sia- Chandelier

Nico & Vinz- Am I Wrong

Kodaline- High Hopes

Kodaline- Love Like This

Thao with The Get Down Stay Down- When We Swam

Jagwar Ma- Uncertainty

I hope you love these songs as much as I do, and maybe you have discovered something new?

What are your favourite songs at the moment? I'd love to know!

Frances x

Outfit: Swinging Space Age?

Dress: C/O Wal G* | Shoes: Topshop via Outfit* | Necklace: Dorothy Perkins

I don't know if I feel more like Twiggy or one of The Jetsons (ahh, old school Cartoon Network/Hanna-Barbera, you were a gem!) in this sixties-meets-space oddity dress. Either way, I love the simple swing style of it which is so simple to throw on in the morning paired with the mesh cut outs on the sleeves that make it just that little bit special. Long sleeved yet light and airy, I see this becoming a transitional staple teamed with a white jacket and a beehive up-do (if there was one fashion era that I could go back to, it would definitely be the sixties) as we wave goodbye to the Summer in the next couple of months (and I was just getting used to the sun, booo).

 I've had these shoes for a few months now but they have remained neglected, deprived of sunlight in their box ever since- I don't hit the town in the evenings very much these days (ah, the joys of becoming a responsible adult!) and I tend to lean towards more comfortable options during the day (same applies). However, the large platform on these beauties make them super comfortable, so maybe I'll brave wearing them to a couple of events in the near future!

Do you go for comfort over style?

Frances x

*DISCLOSURE: Starred items are PR samples.

A more personal kind of blog post.

When I first started my blog, it was only for me. It was just me and my laptop in my little flat at University, writing about things that I love to pass time between lectures. I was just so fortunate enough that people found my blog and liked what they were reading, and over two years later I am still here, 2,000+ followers and over half a million views strong (thank you) and there's nothing I've been prouder of.

One thing that I miss, however, is the more personal aspect of my blog. Before it became more public and I started telling my friends and family about it, many a night was spent rambling through my fingertips about my deepest thoughts and dreams. In some ways I can be quite an introverted person (although I don't really consider myself an introvert); I don't open up to people easily and sadly, I've never had one of those friends who I can call at 2AM for a chat, or invite over at a moments notice, so to me, this was almost like the same thing.

This is why I want to introduce these more personal posts to my blog again; not too often, just whenever I feel like there's something I need to talk about, whether it be something that has happened in my life or something in the news. Lately, I've had a lot on my mind and nowhere to release it, resulting in sleepless nights and miserably slow days. Some of you might think, "but you just said you don't open up to people easily, so why are you writing on your blog which thousands of people might read?", haha. Here's the thing, I don't expect everybody to read these posts and I assume those who do will click because they are interested. One thing that scares me about talking to people about my problems/thoughts is the almost instantaneous reaction that they could give. I don't have to worry about that through my computer screen, but I can still take comfort in knowing that somebody has read what I have to say. That, and since I do have an audience, I like to hope with all of me that talking about some of the topics that I might cover may help somebody else. I know that I wouldn't be doing this without the encouragement from other blogs that I have read. 

Anyway, now that we've gotten all close and personal, I may as well give you a little insight in to myself. Throughout my life, particularly my teens and now my early adulthood, I have been a very anxious person and a massive worrier, whether it have something to do with trusting a person, what others think of me, where I am going in life or even whether that pain in my stomach could be something more serious. This anxiety is probably the thing that I hate the most about myself as, whilst I am usually good at ignoring and hiding it, it has often hindered my overall well-being and happiness. However it is something that I am working on every day. If you follow me on Instagram or my personal Twitter, you will have seen that I post a lot of quotes on there that I have come across which constantly inspire me to have a positive outlook on life, be the best person I can be, help others and quite frankly, just keep my shit together. So, I thought I would share a few of my favourite ones in this post for if anybody should need a pick-me-up (A lot of these have come from Regina Brett's column, "45 Life Lessons and 5 to grow on").

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Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

Forgive everyone everything.

Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.

Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Stay in touch with the people who will.

The desire to reach for the stars is ambitious. The desire to reach hearts is wise.

Follow your heart but take your brain with you.

When life presents you with the opportunity to grow together with someone, you must take it. 

What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other?

Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

The best is yet to come.

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Sorry for such a serious blog post on what I usually like to keep a happy and humorous blog, girls! I promise I'll be back to regular programming from my next post! :)

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.

Event: BANK Fashion Liverpool Relaunch with Michelle Keegan.

Yesterday afternoon I hopped on a train to a very rainy Liverpool for the #itsagirlthing relaunch of one of my favourite stores, BANK, which saw it become BANK's first women's only store. To be attending the launch was special guest Michelle Keegan, showing off her gorgeous new Lipsy Collection, and hundreds of her hardcore fans were already waiting outside the store when I arrived an hour before it was due to open to the public (turns out celebrity endorsements really work!).

Unfortunately, Friday evening traffic meant that Michelle was delayed by an hour, so I took this as an opportunity to check out the store, fill up on cake pops and prosecco and catch up with my fellow bloggers, Clare (tweet) and Nada (Nada Adelle). At first I thought it was a little odd that BANK were relaunching as a women's only store; surely that would halve their demographic of customers? However, after having a browse around, I realise that it has only made room for even more of their gorgeous women's items (that sunflower co-ord... Hello!) and the new layout of the store makes it easier to find each of the many brands that they stock, meaning us ladies are in for a much more pleasant shopping experience; guys don't care for it anyway, right?! ;)

Michelle finally arrived to the store at around 5:30PM, and the whole upper levels of Liverpool One were scattered full of people trying to get a glimpse of the action. She spent a while outside taking selfies and signing autographs for her devoted fans, many of whom were young girls who had been waiting at the barriers in the rain since between 7-9 in the morning (crazy!)! She then came back inside for a brief press photo call in front of her collection; a selection of dresses, jackets, tops and skirts which have been injected her personality and signature look, with elegant and tailored numbers including the sleek tuxedo suit that she was sporting to the event (LOVE).

Just before I had to dash, I was able to have a quick photo opportunity with Michelle and I can gladly report that she is super lovely and absolutely stunning... I have mega hair envy right now!

Were you at the BANK Liverpool launch? I would recommend checking it out if you're about! :)

Frances x