Recent Happenings + Charlie Becomes a Real Dog

So far so chic

Pretty new hair thanks to Marie at Impression Hair Design, Stroud.

Charlie got a ball he can actually fit in his mouth and is keen on it. 

J took me for a surprise spa weekend at Wyck Hill House Hotel!

Review: Elie Saab Le Parfum

Every bit as beautiful as one of Elie Saab's ethereal evening dresses, the Lebanese designer's first perfume is called simply 'Elie Saab Le Parfum'. The 90ml bottle is satisfyingly heavy, with faceted glass and clear plastic lid. A very pretty addition to your dressing table...

The perfume is described as having top notes of orange blossom and middle notes of jasmine absolute and patchouli heart. The base notes are cedar accord and honey rose. On application, you first smell jasmine (a little too strongly for my taste – as I've mentioned before, I'm not keen on jasmine). Mingling with orange blossom and the warmth of cedar, the jasmine absolute creates a leathery, peachy finish that's strong yet delicate. My favourite thing about the scent is the soft, powdery drydown: it mingles perfectly with skin. You can't smell it on yourself after a while unless you put your wrist to your nose.

After the slightly overpowering first waft, Elie Saab Le Parfum is really rather lovely. What do you think ladies? Tempted to have a sniff?

Elie Saab Le Parfum is available at Escentual.com.

Smooth News: BIC Soleil 'Lady'

When it comes to razors I tend to go for no frills sensitive men's ones as they're cheap and have lots of blades to get the job done quickly. However, having tested the new BIC Soleil 'Lady' razors over the past month, I might have to rethink my hair removal options.

These razors have shaver grip technology to help prevent you from dropping them when your hands are wet from the shower or bath. They still have the multiple blades (three or four depending on which type you opt for) that you get from men's razors, but they come in bright, sunny colours and have a moisturising strip infused with aloe vera and vitamin e to help prevent irritation and razor burn. I took one 'Lady' razor on holiday with me and used it virtually every day for two weeks. I was beyond impressed that the lubricating strip didn't wear away or flake off in all that time. They usually only last about two days!

To celebrate the launch of the new range, BIC have created a Facebook page on which they'll be giving away a host of weekly prizes. They've already sent one lucky person on a trip to New York! To enter, simply 'Like' the BIC Facebook page and answer the weekly questions. The Facebook page is also the place to share beauty hints and tips. Visit facebook.com/BICSoleilJustLive to join the fun. You can even follow on Twitter: twitter.com/SoleilJustlive.

Suddenly shaving your legs seems a little less dull!

Sponsored Post

Kourtney Kardashian's ASOS Horse Print Dress

It's no big secret that I style stalk Kourtney Kardashian for outfit inspiration and often fancy the looks she puts together. I spotted a picture of her in this long-sleeved horse print dress and immediately started hunting for it. Kourtney occasionally wears high street pieces, usually from H&M, and happily on this occasion she's sporting a little ASOS. Kourtney's ASOS Pussybow Shirt Dress In Galloping Horse Print costs £40 and is available now. Don't mind if I do...

Review: Polaroid 'Spirit' Sunglasses

So far so chic

Much as I love my Mango cat eye sunglasses and Superdrug £5 'wayfarers' I must admit that I didn't feel either pair were protecting my eyes particularly well on holiday. I had a few headaches as a result of the sun's glare. I was therefore beyond thrilled when the PR at Polaroid asked if I'd like to try a pair of their polarized sunglasses.

These 'Spirit' glasses have two-tone plastic frames and polarized grey gradient lenses offering 100 per cent UV400 protection. I've never had sunglasses with polarized lenses before and wouldn't even know what they were had my boyfriend not gone on about his RayBans on holiday.

So what are polarized lenses? 'Visible light waves from the sun travel in all directions. When sunlight reflects off a horizontal surface, like a road or water, it becomes concentrated horizontally. This is known as glare. Vertical light is useful to the human eye but glare masks useful light, making it difficult and uncomfortable to see. Polarized sunglasses block glare and allow only vertical light to enter the eye.'

I love the shape of the frames and the graduated colour. No girl wants to sacrifice style for practicality! The fact these sunglasses are protecting my eyes and stopping sun-induced headaches is a welcome bonus! I like that they have only subtle branding on the arms of the glasses. Way more classy than gaudy logos. Considering the science behind them and the high quality of the lenses and frames I think they're also very good value. Polaroid 'Spirit' sunglasses cost £59 and are available here.