If you're repping that single life like myself (or have just had enough of your other half) chances are you will be spending this Valentine's day with your girls, cue 'Galentines day' - I'll let Leslie take this one...

In celebration of the occasion, I've decided to put together a short but sweet gift guide for those girls out there looking to spend their hard earned dollar on their closest, dearest gal pals.

Give the gift of a great drink

Hendricks Gin 

Give the gift of clear skin

Drink-up Intensive Overnight Mask 

Give the gift of a pretty mug

Anthropologie gold monogram mug 

Give the gift of relaxation

Organdle candle 

Give the gift of scent

Chanel Chance perfume 

 Give the gift of beauty

Charlotte Tilbury Instant Look Palette 

Give the gift of a good nights sleep

Sleepy body lotion, Lush 

Give the gift of great wall art

Woman Illustration, Etsy 

Give the gift of a beautiful bracelet 

Rose Gold bracelet, Suffolk Parade 

Give the gift of a flawless base 

Real Technique brush sets 

Have a good one xxx

I was lucky enough to receive some goodies in the post a few weeks back by the lovely people at Harley Street Skincare, and after weeks of using the products, I thought I would do an honest review for you guys in case you were planning on checking the products out. They kindly sent the cleanser, anti-ageing serum, daily moisturiser, and the product I was really excited about, the pore minimising mask. I replaced my kiehl's skincare with these products with a view to seeing if they truly made a difference to my skin, and actually, I really do feel like certain products have helped my skin become much more smooth and hydrated. 

The first thing you notice as you apply the products is the amazing smell that accompanies the product, not a horrid perfumed scent but a fruity scent. I love to use the 2-in-1 cleanser in the morning as this is just so easy before I head out to work. I apply the milk like liquid all over a damp face, massage in circular motions then wash off with a flannel and my face feels squeaky clean, but not tight which a lot of cleansers seem to do, my skin feels soft and supple which I think is down the moisturizing milky consistency. After I apply my toner (currently using PIXI glow tonic, review here) I then apply the serum which is honestly divine to apply, it is like any other serum in terms of consistency, but a small amount seems to go along way, and what I love is how smooth and refined my skin looks and feels immediately after using this.

The daily moistener is also an extremely moisturizing cream which also includes an SPF which is always good especially in the winter sun, however as I do have oily skin I do find once I apply foundation I do have to use extra setting powder as this cream really does the job in terms of hydrating, but for me it’s just a little too oily, however still a great one for winter as the colder months seem to give me dryer areas on my chin and cheeks.

The one product that left me a tad disappointed was the pore minimizing mask, at one point I thought I had put the wrong product on my skin as the consistency was literally just like putting a day cream on the skin, the instructions read to literally apply the lotion and massage in a little, just like you would a mask to cleansed skin, which I did, however I didn’t feel anything was really happening, normally with these things you may feel a tingling sensation or some indication of something happening. When I washed the mask off, granted my skin felt tighter and brighter but I wouldn’t say I could physically see my pores looking refined, however, this may come with time after a few months of use – but to me, it was just like a moisturizing mask rather than a pore refining one.

Overall, I do think these products are lovely, and definitely leave your skin feeling nourished and refreshed, however I think for the slightly hefty price tags that come with them, it may be hard to see them compete with other big brands within a similar price tag – having said that, with these products being developed by skincare specialists, you do feel as though you hold a lot of trust in them. I do think my skin has benefitted from using these products, I’ve used them now for around 5/6 weeks and my skin does seem smoother and visibly brighter, so I would definitely recommend if you’re in the market for more high-end skincare.

Click here to check out the products

Unless you've been living under a rock these past few months, you will have heard about the phenomenon that is the Ordinary Skincare. The Ordinary has (and excuse my language here) quite literally, shat all over any other skincare brand on the market at the moment, purely for its offering of groundbreaking, clinical-like products, with skin-changing ingredients at ridiculously affordable prices.

I have to actually give my friend the credit for this one, as she introduced me to the line long before it stormed the beauty & blogging industry, and on her recommendation (and a big old google search on the each of the products) I made my first pretty hefty order. See below

A bit more about the brand:

The Ordinary is an evolving collection of treatments offering familiar, effective clinical technologies positioned to raise pricing and communication integrity in skincare. The brand was created to celebrate integrity in its most humble and true form. Its offering is pioneering, not in the familiar technologies it uses, but in its honesty and integrity. The Ordinary is born to disallow commodity to be disguised as ingenuity. The Ordinary is "Clinical formulations with integrity".

The Ordinary is a brand from DECIEM. We are an umbrella of brands focused on advanced functional beauty. Our team is specialized in materials chemistry and biochemistry, and we have brought pioneering innovation in skincare through our core brands, Hylamide and NIOD.

DECIEM does not test on animals and does not pay others to do so. For this reason, none of our brands are sold in mainland China since such sales require animal testing for registration purposes.

My 5 Faves:

1. Natural moisturisng factors & HA

What is it & what does it do?

Natural Moisturizing Factors (NMF) are elements that keep the outer layer of the skin protected and well-hydrated. NMF are made up of multiple amino acids, fatty acids, triglycerides, urea, ceramides, phospholipids, glycerin, saccharides, sodium PCA, hyaluronic acid and many other compounds that are naturally present in the skin. This formula offers non-greasy hydration that acts as a direct topical supplement of impaired NMF components. It offers immediate hydration and lasting results with continued use.

My thoughts:
This moisturiser doesn’t have any flashiness to it, it doesn’t anti-age or minimize pores, but it does what it’s supposed to do REALLY well – and that’s moisturise. It has a thicker consistency, yet goes onto the skin really nicely and doesn’t feel sticky at all. It’s also a great base for makeup as I find it gives your skin a lovely dewy and healthy look and doesn’t feel tight or dry at all.

2.  AHA 30% & BHA 2% Peeling solution

What is it & what does it do?

With 30% Alpha Hydroxyl Acid, the AHA peel exfoliate the skin's topmost surface for a brighter and more even appearance. This combined 32% AHA/BHA solution offers deeper exfoliation to help fight visible blemishes and for improved skin radiance. The formula also improves the appearance of skin texture and reduces the look of fine lines with continued use. 

My thoughts: 
This product is bloody amazing, as an acidic facial peel it is not for the faint-hearted (or those with sensitive skin) It goes on like actual blood, and tingles a little once first applied, but I like that as you can feel it working. Once taken off your skin looks and feels squeaky clean and it really does feel as though it’s taken a layer of your dead skin cells off.

3. Salicylic Acid 2% Solution

What is it & what does it do?

Salicylic Acid is a beta hydroxyl acid that exfoliates the skin. This 2% treatment solution helps exfoliate the inside walls of pores to fight the appearance of blemishes and for better visible skin clarity with continued use. 

My thoughts: 
This product is supposed to target problem skin such as clogged pores and acne, and it is probably one of the only products I've ever found that actually does this. I know many others that swear by this genius product also, you should use it sparingly as it is quite a strong acid, so I tend to mainly dot it on my problem areas of an evening a few times a week when I feel I need it.

4. Hyaluronic acid

What is it & what does it do?

Hyaluronic Acid (HA) can attract up to 1,000 times its weight in water. The molecular size of HA determines its depth of delivery in the skin. This formulation combines low-, medium- and high-molecular weight HA, as well as a next-generation HA crosspolymer at a combined concentration of 2% for multi-depth hydration. This formula uses three forms of HA with varying molecular weights, as well as an HA crosspolymer, to offer multi-depth hydration and visible plumping without drawing water out of the skin solely to improve temporary surface hydration.

My thoughts: 
I absolutely swear by this product. With Hyaluronic acid being everywhere ATM it was no surprise that I jumped on the bandwagon, it really just hydrates and leaves your skin feeling and looking so supple and plump – and for the price its an absolute gem of a product.

5. 100% Cold pressed rose-hip oil 

What is it & what does it do?
This formulation uses 100% pure Rosehip Seed Oil that is both cold-pressed and organic. Rosehip Seed Oil is rich in linoleic acid, linolenic acid and pro-vitamin A, all of which degrade when the oil extraction process involves heat. While cold-pressed extraction is complex, it preserves all of the quality of this important oil which has been shown to reduce signs of photo-ageing and many other skin conditions. 

My thoughts:

Rose-hip oil is something I’ve always used on my skin for the last few years – its just a really great way to naturally re-hydrate the skin and target ageing. Using an oil on your skin at night every now and again really just gives it the nutrients it needs to remain youthful and glowing. This stuff is probably the best and cheapest I’ve used so far, and the fact its 100% pressed is so amazing.

You can order The Ordinary products here

PIXI by Petra is a skincare brand that is fairly new to the UK beauty industry, but over the past few months has taken it by storm. I think the first time I properly heard about them and grew my knowledge on the brand was when they launched their double cleanse cleanser in collaboration with the highly successful skincare blogger Caroline Hiron’s (I did actually give into the hype and buy this product, but I’ll save that review for another post) PIXI by Petra sets itself apart from other luxury skincare brands for having this sweet, almost quite millennial trademark feel to it, the packaging for one (which uses mainly a gold and pastel green palette) seems a little simple and drugstore- but I think that’s what makes it work. With its ethos being based around using natural ingredients, and giving its customers a ‘healthy and glowing’ complexion, proving quite similar to the likes of other natural skincare brands such as Liz Earle and Pai, its palpable that PIXI is just another breakthrough brand making full use of the ‘vegan and organic’ marketing angle.

Created over 10 years ago and launched in Soho, London, PIXI has a loyal worldwide following thanks to its pure, awakening & skin-loving products that create a naturally radiant "just had a good night's sleep" look. Passionate about skincare, Petra creates innovative formulations that are infused with botanicals and beneficial ingredients. Petra has real-world experience as a busy working mother of four, therefore PIXI is truly about multitasking, flaw-fixing, youth-enhancing products for women on-the-go with no time to spare.

It’s no secret that this youthful, ‘less is more’ look which is sweeping the runways and beauty industry is becoming more popular with everyday working women, thus skincare has become a vital step in one’s beauty regime. I for one much prefer spending my well-earned pennies investing in some high-end skincare as oppose to overpriced makeup. Just look at the likes of Models Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid, both are known for their glowing complexions and barely there makeup- which is seemingly why women are taking much more of an interest in their skin health – which is bloody fantastic if you ask me.

PIXI glow tonic is one of the brands best-selling products, so it was no big shock when I decided to invest in a tube after stumbling across their Carnaby street store ( If you haven’t visited- you must, its true skincare store heaven) this glow-giver brightens, tones and conditions your skin after cleansing. Enriched with 5% glycolic acid – a natural derivative of sugar cane, and member of the alpha-hydroxy acid family – this gentle, exfoliating formula dissolves the bonds binding dulling dead cells to skin’s surface, to reveal the ‘new’ healthy skin cells underneath. Victoria Secret model, Jordan Dunn is also apparently a huge fan of the product.

After about a week of use now, I must say I do quite enjoy sweeping the refreshing substance on my skin of a morning and evening, it has this incredible yet almost overpowering rose fragrance to it, and you really do feel that it is purifying your skin as well as giving your complexion an immediate glow.

It was actually this morning, when I parked myself down in front of my vanity mirror having just awoken and still a bit perplexed, I noticed my complexion. I was glowing. Now I understand that this could be down to all manner of things: the fact that I’m drinking 3 litres of water a day, exercising 4 times a week, or maybe it’s that green smoothie I had a few days prior, but it just seemed that this morning my imperfections and redness were less so, my wrinkles were diminished, and I just had a bit more of a youthful look about me.

I know many of you may be reading this and thinking this is utter rubbish, but I wouldn’t be writing it if it wasn’t true. It may not be down to the glow tonic, but I have a sneaky feeling, if this product is as good as they say, it might be. For £18.00 I rather think it’s quite a bargain, especially for the amount you receive. I can honestly say that I think this will become a strong contender in my toner cupboard, alongside my beloved LA Roche Posay clarifying toner and my Clinique toning lotion. I will definitely be checking out the rest of the PIXI products in the near future, not only do they seem to do what they say on the tin, but they also look fabulous on my vanity table.

Click here to buy the glow tonic.