Let's face it, glamour has taken on a whole other meaning now and has done so for the past decade.  However, if we take it at face value it literally means 'an attractive or exciting quality that makes certain people or things seem appealing'.  Nothing to be misconstrued there, right? Wrong.  Because over time we seem to be turning our backs on this word, which is a massive shame imo because it pretty much sums up what we all love so much.  The enchantment, the magic, the 'magpie effect' (simply put: attracted to shiny things).  So, with the festive season upon us and sparkles making an entrance left, right and centre, it's time to preach a little about the beauty of being glamorous!  The true meaning of the word, that is...

Life has been pretty great recently, particularly due to a fair bit of travelling (and with plenty more around the corner - keep your eyes peeled over on my Instagram via @aglassofice!).  To celebrate the start of this exciting time of year, I booked an overnight stay at Ston Easton Park Hotel about a month ago to relax, unwind and soak up the picturesque surroundings.  The spectacular South East room was my home for the evening and came complete with countryside views, an abundance of cushions and plenty of space.  Located just outside of Bath, the countryside hotel is a luxurious, pet-friendly hotel with a (well deserved) award-winning fine dining restaurant and 36 acres of grounds.  After parking up and being greeted at the front door by the resident Cocker Spaniel, it was time to relax...

So, about a month ago, Dermalogica selected some of their products best suited to my skin type (and concerns).  These perfectly-packaged products then made their way over to me and I've been using them on the daily since.  The question is, how have they been performing?  The very first thing to mention is my absolute trust in Dermalogica.  Having experienced acne on-and-off while growing up, I've always been wary of how often I switch up my skincare regime and just which products I'm experimenting with.  And yet... I've never had any concerns with trying anything and everything by Dermalogica, which speaks volumes, no?  Anyway, speaking as a woman in her mid-twenties, I'm looking to maintain my skin's bounce, improve the glow and keep away those pesky breakouts.  If you can relate and are nodding with me in agreement right now, read on...

You could mistake these photos for having been taken in the height of summer, because hello bare shoulders.  But that's the thing about the festive season and all of the celebrations that come with it; for some reason they make us (feel) invincible.  No need for coats, goodbye comfortable footwear and hello goosebumps.  Because if you can't dress OTT at this time of year, when can you?  And besides, there's a reason we cherrypicked that drop dead gorgeous floor-sweeping gown, or embellished mini... to show it off!  I've brainstormed a few ways in which we can add a little flamboyance to our festive party looks this season and so if you're looking to steal the show and do so wearing six inch stilettos and glitter on your eyelids, read on...

Oh yes, the time has come to mention... the festive season!  I can no longer contain my excitement; I've just come home from a 'turning on the lights' event, the festive tunes are playing on a loop and, uh, is that a golden tree I spy in this shoot?  Christmas gifting is one of the first things that occur to me when getting into the spirit of the season, and so following on from my Luxury Christmas Gift Guide (which can also be found via the bar at the very top of my blog), I've searched high and low for five fabulous brands to consider gifting this Christmas, with an ethical and eco-friendly theme in mind to gather some good karma in time for the New Year ahead!

My Sundays usually consist of lounging around and eating my bodyweight in food, and so (with pleasure) I broke with tradition this past weekend by heading into the countryside to the utterly beautiful Four Seasons Hotel Hampshire for a special bride to be afternoon tea event.  Am I a bride to be?  Uh, no.  However, I'm an advocate of all things romantic, whimsical and delicate.  And so just what better way to immerse myself in all of the above, than to walk through a path of striking blossom trees and lanterns to a sea of soft, feminine hues?!  Imagine this: towering golden cakes, bridal gowns sweeping up and down the catwalk, live acoustic guitar and more scones than humanly possible to consume...

Okay, so let's get one thing straight: all women are feminine.  But only some of us are attracted to a fashion, an aesthetic, that is also feminine.  That's not right, and that's not wrong.   Admittedly, 'power dressing' is a strange term, and yet it truly does perfectly describe the goal at hand: to dress up in a way that says, 'I'm here, I'm confident and my intentions are powerful.'  So, with all that said, if you also feel as though you can't concentrate unless you're wearing heels, read on for a few tips on how to power dress while still staying true to your personal, feminine style!  Warning: don't read on if you don't have access to any kind of store right now, you will want to whip out your card details...

Ooh, so a few weeks ago this absolute dream of a palette arrived on my doorstep.  Twelve shades, four looks.  The ultimate palette for transforming your appearance from morning to night.  I've mentioned once or twice here on A Glass Of Ice that I haven't experimented very much with eyeshadows.  My usual go-to routine for both daytime and the evening goes as follows: conceal dark circles, apply white liner to my lower lash line, draw feline flicks and then go to town with the mascara.  The problem with this is that when looking at my eyes, there's no real way of distinguishing between a morning meeting and a special night out.  And that's where this dreamy new Limited Edition release by Charlotte Tilbury comes into play in the form of the NEW Stars In Your Eyes Palette...

As a general rule, the word 'obsession' tends to have a pretty negative connotation.  It's seen as excessive and all-consuming.  But it's also obsession that has led to some of the greatest stories, careers and relationships in the world, right?  I've been thinking lately about how some of the best and most exciting aspects of my life so far have come from borderline obsession and well, I'm pretty curious to learn about how others feel on the topic now.  Ooh, let's discuss...