Another Last Minute Christmas Gift Guide

You might have seen my last minute beauty lovers Christmas gift guide last week and this week I have another instalment! This time I thought I would include some non-beauty related items as well in case you need some inspo! 

I have a thing about pyjamas, especially at Christmas, and it’s always a tradition to get a new pair every year. This year, I asked my mum for some silk (read: satin because silk is too expensive!) pyjamas and I know I got them because I tried on a couple of sizes to see which fit best! I fell in love with the Chelsea Peers Zebra print set but the Bluebella Giraffe set came a close second! Sadly these both seem to be out of stock now but they felt so luxurious I knew I wanted to get my aunt a similar pair so I went with the Marks & Spencer Satin Butterfly print pyjama set which I love and I hope she does aswell! 

To go with my new pyjamas I also asked for a sturdy pair of slippers as mine are threadbare and again I’ve spoiled the surprise because my mum wated me to check these fitted too – the Next Suede Mule Slippers! I’ve borrowed them for the photo but I won’t get them to Christmas Day! Even though I only wore them to check the size I know I will love these, the heel is so thick and they feel so comfortable! They are very Ugg like but without having to spend the same amount of money! 

I’ve kindly been sent the Sand&Sky Purify and Glow Kit* and I cannot wait to try the products out - it’s a brand I’ve seen all over Instagram and it’s got great reviews to go with its beautiful pink aesthetic! They are an Australian cruelty free brand that use Aussie botanicals in their products and this set includes the Australian Pink Clay mask (with the cutest mini mask brush), the Enzyme Powder Polish (that turns pink on activation with water!) and the Emu Apple Dreamy Glow Drops in a handy pink cosmetic bag. It’s also available from Cult Beauty and I’m sure these products will be in future blog posts once I’ve had a chance to test them properly! The Dreamy Glow Drops are calling my name and this set would be perfect for a skincare obsessive! 

I’ve also picked up a Lanolips Rose Intense hand cream for my aunt as at the minute with sanitising, hydration is important and I hope she likes this one! I haven’t tried it before but I am enjoying the other products I have picked up from Lanolips recently! 

 

Candles are also a gift I love to receive and thought I can’t quite justify the price of a Diptyque or Overose, I love the selection TK Maxx and Homesence has and picked up this DW Home candle in the scent of sea salt and driftwood to gift to my aunt! I’ve had other scents myself before and they last long, burn evenly and fill the room with scent! 

The Emma Hardie Essential Luxury Collection has been tempting me for weeks but if you want to gift something smaller, the Moringa Cleansing Balm is always a good shout! I don’t know anyone who has used this that doesn’t like it! It’s luxurious, removes makeup with ease and feels so hydrating! 

 

Most of the presents I’ve got for my mum revolve around makeup and skincare and I’ll probably do a separate Instagram post of those but for now, another crowd favourite I think makes a great present - the Laura Mercier Translucent Loose setting powder and puff (I think I somehow managed to order the old packaging oops!) I’m a long term fan of this and so is my mum, its mattifying but not cakey and not flat! She has been wanting the puff for a while so I picked up the set as it’s expensive on its own! 

Finally, I also picked up some sweets to add as little extras for some people. One of my friends got me a giant jar from a different company for my birthday and it was such a treat and since Christmas is the season for overindulgence I thought I would do the same but with smaller packs! The Little Candy Box Company was the first company that came up when I searched and I am super happy with them, delivery was quick, packaged well and most importantly the sweets taste good (obviously I got some for myself too!)

 

And that concludes my extra little gift guide! I hope it’s helped if you still have some people to buy for! I really need to finish off my presents this week, some things are taking so long to arrive I don’t want to leave it any longer! Let me know if you have picked up any similar presents for your friends and family! 

 

*denotes a PR sample that was sent to me. All opinions are my own. See my full disclosure here. 

Danielle xx

 

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Last Minute Beauty Lover’s Christmas Gift Guide

Morning all! I thought today I would do a run-down of my favourite Christmas beauty sets and products for this year! Now I’m not going to lie, these are all for moi. With my birthday in November and obviously Christmas in December along with some Black Friday sales, I have taken “treat yo self” to a whole new level (actually probably just the same level as every other year lol). I don’t get beauty presents from my family especially my mum as apparently I already have enough (no idea where she gets that impression…) so I like to pick up a few things for myself as you will see here and I’ve kindly been sent a few too so hopefully if you have any last minute gift giving to do you will get some ideas! 

First up, the Rituals Ritual of Sakura Renewing Ritual set and this is actually one I gifted to my aunt last year! I have only tried the shower foam before but have went through a few bottles of it so thought I would grab this bigger set when it was on offer as I really like the scent, it’s lightweight and non-offensive and the products are so luxurious! Sticking with bodycare, I couldn’t resist the OUAI Melrose Place bodycare set. I am completely in love with this scent and have almost made my way through the full size perfume. It’s the same scent as the scalp and body scrub and it’s all I wear these days so it was a no brainer to get the matching body cream! Another one perfect for someone who enjoys their scents! I was also recently sent the Dermalogica Body Glow To Go* which is a mini roll on of their phyto replenish body oil. It’s a blend of antioxidant rich and nourishing skin oils and has a really lovely subtle citrus scent. The roll on makes it so easy to apply and the oil sinks in so quickly and feels beautiful, I think it’s the perfect gift to encourage some pampering! 

I’ve been loving my Lanolips 101 ointment recently and my mum is a big fan of their Everywhere Multi Cream so I thought I would grab this Lanolips Winter Skin Essentials set to try a bit more from the brand. I haven’t given them a go yet but they are great sizes and whose skin doesn’t need some extra TLC in the winter? For the last few years I have also taken the opportunity to stock up on my beloved Dr Jart Ceramidin cream with the All Thanks to Cera set! This is probably my favourite face moisturiser out of all the ones I have tried and I talked about it a bit more here but again I think if you know anyone struggling with dry winter skin this would be a lifesaver! 

Last year I got the Olaplex Holiday Hair Fix Set (big red bow – you know the one!) and whilst I enjoyed it, No 3 is where it’s at for me. When I saw they were releasing a companion primer in the form of Olaplex No 0 I treated myself to the Intensive Bond Building Hair Treatment Kit to make sure my hair gets the attention it needs! I’ve only used it a few times but so far so good and if you know anyone with damaged hair either of these would make the perfect gift! I am obsessed with my silk pillowcases but I’ve only got a couple and whilst I could sleep on  a “normal” pillowcase while they are in the wash I don’t want to! The Kitsch Satin Pillowcase is a lot more affordable than silk so I am excited to see if they feel just as cooling and leave me with frizz free hair and hopefully less wrinkles too! I got a Slip silk scrunchie quite a few months back in a GWP with Cult Beauty and I became obsessed. I don’t ever want to use another bobble ever again so I snagged this cute Slip Scrunchie Bauble to ensure I don’t have to! It comes in and out of stock all the time but is well worth looking out for and if buying as a gift, you could split the four scrunchies up and gift to multiple people! One of my friends also bought a set a few months ago after hearing me talk so much about how much I love mine and she is a big fan too!

Another beauty tool I was excited to receive was the Tweezerman Winter Wonderland Micro Mini Tweezer Set*! As a huge fan of Tweezerman (I’ve had my OG pair for over five years – check out this post from the archives!) I was excited to see their Christmas sets of which they have nine for this year! This Winter Wonderland set is perfect for on the go and I am excited to finally have a pair of the pointed tweezers for stubborn, fine hair! They are just as good as the full size and pull from the root! I am a sucker for a practical present and these are just that but super cute too! They would make the best stocking filler! Around Black Friday, I like to do my yearly stock up of Beautyblenders as the price for one of these could make your eyes water. They are however my favourite foundation application tool and I can’t be without one. I think they are 100% worth the investment especially if you look after them as they can last a long time. I do like to snag them when there is a discount though and I thought I’d go ahead and pick up the three pack Rosie Posie set this year in these cute colours! My mum is a big fan of Beautyblender too and I’ve picked her up a different set for Christmas! 

Lastly, I decided I would finally buy a full size Becca Backlight Priming Filter Value Kit. I always seem to have this in my makeup stash and have been through about 3 or 4 minis over the years as it’s a regular in GWP’s and I really like it! When my skin was oily it never made it look greasy but always gave it a little somthin’ somethin’ as I do love a matte foundation and they can tend to look a little flat and I am hoping it will work its magic now my skin is a lot drier than normal! I love that it’s got a mini in there too so I will see if I can find a new home for that too!

I hope that’s given you some inspiration if you are doing any last minute shopping for a beauty obsessed individual! I could write posts and posts about the gift sets out this year and I just love seeing what brands come up with! Saying that though, I will be glad when the madness of Christmas calms down and I can get back on my try not to buy as I find it so hard at this time of year with so much temptation! Do you have any beauty products or gift sets on your Christmas list? Let me know which ones! 

 

*denotes a PR sample that was sent to me. All opinions are my own. See my full disclosure here. 

Danielle xx

 

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Last Minute Beauty Lovers Christmas Gift Guide

It’s nearly Christmas, woohoo! I for one am counting down the days to getting off work and relaxing for a couple of weeks! I thought I’d put together a quick gift guide today for anyone who still has some last minute shopping or ordering to do! Heads up though – I’m a little last minute too so some of these sets are out of stock but there are a lot similar available!

Makeup

Smashbox Light it Up: Lipstick and Mattifier Set £25 and Smashbox Light it Up: LA Lights Blush Mega Palette £39

I've got a whole review on these two limited edition sets here but in short, I absolutely love them and they are perfect for anyone looking to start or expand their makeup collection! Both sets are beautiful quality and contain enough shades for everyone to do their makeup for the next year! I have to say I particularly love the blush palette and have been neglecting my other blushes since I got it and while I love the lipstick set too there are other longer lasting lipsticks on the market but for such a wide range of shades (doubled with the mattifier!) it’s a great price!

Charlotte Tilbury Hot Lips in Liv it Up £23

I think a luxe lipstick is a perfect Christmas gift – it’s not something you buy yourself every day and it’s that bit more special when you use it! This is my second CT lipstick and I absolutely love the K.I.S.S.I.N.G. formula! There are so many shades to choose from and I can’t imagine anyone who wouldn’t be happy to see one of these under the tree! Unlike the Smashbox lipsticks, these are super long lasting!

Skincare

Emma Hardie Amazing Face Starter Kit £25

I picked this up for my mum for Christmas from Cult Beauty but Emma Hardie is available in loads of stores now! My mum loves this cleanser but uses it sparingly as it’s expensive so I thought I’d get her this set so she can try the face cream too! I've also noticed they have changed the lid to a sturdier one now – I always used to split the old plastic one so I’m glad to see this!

Pixi Gift of Glow £30

I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw this set on Marks & Spencer a few weeks ago and still can’t believe it was only £30! It is ridiculously good value for some cult Pixi favourites! I absolutely love the Glow Tonic and Glow Mud Cleanser already so I am glad to have backups. I have also been meaning to try the Rose Oil Blend for ages and so far so good, it’s a lot lighter than something like the Trilogy Rosehip oil but is lovely all the same! I haven’t tried the wipes yet and I don’t use wipes that often anyway but do like to have some to hand so they will come in useful!

This would make an amazing starter set for someone looking to get into skincare but because I am so unorganised it’s out of stock L Pixi have a few other sets on Cult Beauty and Marks and Spencer but I also think any of their single items would be a gorgeous present as the products are such high quality and so effective!

Haircare

OUAI Volume Kit £40

I fell in love with the OUAI haircare range earlier this year when I was sent the repair range as well as some styling products and as I’m nearly out of the shampoo I though I would treat myself to one of these holiday kits. Never did I think I would be so “into” a haircare range but I am completely in love with OUAI and its scent! They do these sets in a few different styles so as well as Volume there is Repair and Curl but be quick as most are out of stock (sorry)! OUAI is available from Cult Beauty, Space NK, Harvey Nichols, Selfridges as well as others!

Stocking Fillers

Bee Good Hand and Lip Treats £10

I've never tried this brand myself before but I've read good reviews and picked up a couple of these sets in the Black Friday sales from Look Fantastic for a few of my aunts. It contains a good size hand cream and lip balm and I think it’s a lovely little treat for someone and I know I always like to have both of these types of products in my handbag so think they make a nice little gift or stocking filler!

So there we have the world’s worst gift guide where almost everything is out of stock! None the less, if you do still have some gifts to get I hope you got some inspiration! I hope you all have a lovely Christmas and I'll be back with another post on Boxing Day! 

What have you got on your Christmas list this year?

Danielle xx

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Smashbox Light it Up Christmas Sets – Lipsticks and Blush

Blush and lipstick are kinda my thing so when spotted these on Instagram I knew they would have to be mine! I love Smashbox eyeshadows and their contour powder but haven’t tried anything from their lipstick range or the blushes so these two sets are perfect to try the formula out or just add to your collection!

They have collaborated with California neon artist Meryl Pataky to bring these limited edition sets out and each is housed in a neon plastic container. I originally thought this was a drawer but it’s a container with a lid that's really hard wearing and bright and perfect for makeup storage! You can see the Neon packaging a little better in this Instagram photo!

Smashbox Light it Up: Lipstick and Mattifier Set £25

I actually first saw this while I was having my yearly flick though the Boots Christmas book and swiftly added it to my list then got it for my birthday a few weeks ago! I've wanted to try the Be Legendary lipsticks for ages now but a full size is £17.50 and I wasn’t completely sure what shade I wanted so this seemed like the perfect way to try the formula and a few different shades! I also think its great value – a full size lipstick is 3g but there are 6 minis in this set at 2.4g each as well as a Insta-Matte Lipstick Transformer. The 6 shades included are all in the cream formulation and the shades are Famous (a nude), Primrose (a perfect pinky nude daily type shade for me), Fig (a plum great for this time of year), Legendary (a bright red), Tabloid (a purple) and Inspiration (a bright pink).

Smashbox Be Legendary crema lipsticks in Famous, Fig and Primrose

I’ve only tried half of the shades as the last three I mentioned aren’t shades I go for normally and I might actually just sell them but I’m really enjoying the three I have been wearing, especially Primrose! I have found that these creams aren’t as long lasting as say the Charlotte Tilbury KISSING lipsticks which is a little disappointing as the full size are still quite a high price point but overall I do really like them. They feel very moisturising and give a good amount of pigment. Plus the addition of the Insta-Matte Lipstick Transformer to put over the top giving you a velvety matte finish is a nice touch although the matte does still transfer a little!

Smashbox Light it Up: LA Lights Blush Mega Palette £39

I tried and I tried to resist this palette but when a 15% off email fell into my inbox I gave in and boy am I glad I did! First off, I love the matte black plastic packaging with the red edging and the huge mirror inside. The closure is not the most secure – it’s not magnetic and doesn’t snap but I still think it would be safe enough to travel with. Inside are 9 pans of blush, bronzer and highlight – 6 mattes and 3 shimmers. The top row sticks to coral shades and the second row covers berry shades then down the way are the rich shades, true shades and the right hand side of the palette is the highlight side.

I have been using this nonstop since I got it and I love it! Matte blushes are my favourite so they have been in constant rotation. The palette is classed as a blush, contour and highlight palette and I think Rich Bronze is just a tad warm to straight up contour with but it’s lovely to warm up the face. As usual, I haven’t used the highlighters much but they are very subtle and would do great as a bush topper if you wanted something on top of the matte blush!

All the blushes have the perfect amount of pigmentation and are easy to build up and they last all day on my skin. I think this palette is exclusive to the Smashbox website as it’s not on Boots and like I said they always have great offers on if you did want to treat yourself!

Overall, I think these are two perfect gift sets for anyone looking to expand or add to their lipstick or blush collection and I’m so happy to have them in my own collection! Have you tried anything from Smashbox before? What makeup sets have you got your eye on this Christmas?

Danielle xx

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What (Makeup) I got for Christmas 2015

Hi everyone! I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and got everything you wanted! I’ve just got a quick post today on the makeup I got for Christmas, I haven’t got a chance to use everything yet so I’ll hopefully do a few more posts in the New Year with swatches and reviews but here’s what I got!

I've had the Too Faced Melted Kisses and Sweet Cheeks set on my wish list for the longest time and I’m so glad I have it now! It includes three mini melted liquefied long wear lipsticks and three of their love flush blushes. The set includes the melted lipsticks in the shades Nude, Fig and Peony and the Love Flush blushes in the shades Love Hangover, Justify My Love and Your Love is King!

I also asked for the Zoeva Naturally Yours palette which is full of gorgeous neutral tones and has a mixture of mattes and shimmers! I know everyone seems to really love the Cocoa Blend palette but this one stood out to me more!

I then got a few Soap and Glory bits and pieces including the Perfect Ten eyeshadow palette and Well I’ll Be Glammed makeup set! As you will have seen from posts here and here, I’m no stranger to Soap and Glory makeup so when I saw this set with a few of my favourites like the Archery brow pencil and Solar Powder bronzer in, I asked for it too! There are a couple of products in it that I’ve tried in the past that I know I don’t like such as the blush which I get no colour payoff from and the mascara which does nothing for my lashes that I will probably pass on to other family members but I love everything else in the set and the brushes are so soft!

So that’s everything makeup related that I got for Christmas! I was also really lucky to receive some other lovely presents including a FitBit which I've wanted for ages! I’m hoping it will give me a bit of motivation to actually get fit! (I love seeing how many steps my iPhone counts in a day but I don’t have it on me all the time so hoping to see a lot more with this!)

You may also have seen a few bits I treated myself to for Christmas over on my Instagram and I may have been tempted by a few of the sales too so keep an eye on that if you want to see what else I treated myself to!

Let me know what you got for Christmas and if you found any bargains in the sales!  

Danielle xx

Two Limited Edition palettes/possible gift ideas!

Hi everyone, I have two recent additions to my makeup collection to share with you today that came about as a result of me treating myself after landing a new job and a birthday present from my mum!

The first one I got was the NARS One Shocking Moment palette and not having a huge amount of their face products apart from an older palette I bought in a blog sale, I thought I would treat myself to this one which is exclusive to Space NK in the UK!

l-r Paloma, Laguna, Robotic, Blasphemy, Luster, Dolce Vita

I was expecting this to be dearer but at £45 I decided to take the plunge and try it out and I’m so glad I did. I haven’t used Laguna much as I don’t bronze my face for the daytime but I love the Paloma contour duo (and the fact it has a matte highlight!) and it actually reminds me a little of the SEVENTEEN contour kit with the SEVENTEEN coming off a tad warmer when I swatched them, anyone else? The blushers are gorgeous, from left to right we have Robotic, Blasphemy, Luster and Dolce Vita which are all good sized pans and have lovely pigmentation. As I don’t have any single pan NARS blushers I can’t tell if there are any differences in pigmentation but I know sometimes people mention that the quality isn’t the same.

Next up we have the Balm’s In the Balm of Your Hand palette featuring some of their most loved cheek eye and lip products! I’m a huge fan of the Balm, especially their blushers Frat Boy and Down Boy so when I started to see pictures of this palette floating about I knew it would be top of my wish list!

l-r Hot Mama, Instain in Argyle, Cabana Boy, Bahama Mama

The only duplicate I have in the palette is the Bahama Mama bronzer which I really like and also use for contouring! I’m loving Hot Mama and the Instain blush especially but need to find a softer brush to use with Cabana Boy as it’s so pigmented I put a little too much on and had to spend a little extra time blending it out! 

l-r Mia Moore, Caramel

I was more impressed than I expected to be with the lip products, I thought they would be sticky and hard to apply smoothly and it was only when I put How About them Apples in Caramel on my lips with my finger that I was won over by the gorgeous colour, easy application, no stickiness and comfortable feel! I haven’t tried it on my cheeks yet and probably won’t bother as I’m not a huge fan of cream blushers!

l-r Insane Jane, Mischevious Marissa, Sexy, Lead Zeppelin, Mary Lou Manizer

I’m enjoying using the much hyped Mary Lou Manizer (I don’t highlight often so a full size would be wasted on me) and with a light hand it’s easy to add a subtle sheen to my face.  The eyeshadows Sexy and Lead Zeppelin are unlike anything I have in my collection at the minute and although not normally shades I would go for on a day to day basis, the pigmentation is amazing and I can’t wait to wear them over Christmas! Mischievous Marissa is a lovely warm toned shimmer shade and Insane Jane is another shade that is more in my comfort zone.

I got my palette from Cloud10 beauty a few weeks ago (then gave it to my mum to wrap up for my birthday!). It was my first time ordering from the site but they had a 15% off offer on, great samples and the delivery was super quick! I've also seen it on asos.com for a lot cheaper but it’s out of stock at the minute and Debenhams have it too!

Overall, I’m super happy with both palettes and will get loads of wear out of them! They are definitely great for beauty lovers or for people wanting to try a few different things from a brand! Have you tried either of these palettes or anything from NARS or The Balm?

P.S. Sorry about the horrific state of my tan in these photos! I took these pictures just before I scrubbed it off!

Danielle xx

Soap and Glory Christmas Gift 2015 Wishlist

Too early?  I don’t know about you guys but the Boots Christmas book signals the start of the Christmas countdown for me and I love having a nosy through the gifts and picking out my favourites! Well, the Boots book isn’t actually out yet but after having a snoop on Soap and Glory’s website earlier to check out their new foundation (excited about this too FYI) I saw they had their Christmas gifts up! Now I am no stranger to Soap and Glory as you will have seen by various empties posts featuring their product’s and a few raves on their makeup here and here but I genuinely got a little too overexcited when I saw what they have planned for their Christmas gifts and decided to do a post!

I've picked out my favourite seven from the new releases so from top left clockwise we have the gorgeous Well I’ll be Glammed makeup set filled with cult favourite Solar Powder, Archery tint and pencil and Supercat eyeliner to name a few. Next up is a beautiful eye shadow palette that looks to have slightly different shades than last years (yet I need it too), The Perfect Ten. Heading to body care now, theres Soaper Star filled with body wash, moisturiser and more! Then there’s Winter Wonderhand, a set of three of S + G’s hand creams which I am obsessed with having in my handbag! Next up is The Wheel Deal filled with a full size body polish and 4 mini moisturisers! We then have Soaprise, a cracker set filled with minis of the range of body washes of which my favourites are Clean on Me and Clean Girls! Last but not least back to makeup for Time to Pink, another gorgeous set with a nail polish and Original Pink rollerball perfume too!

So those are my top picks and what I’ll be putting on my list this Christmas! Have you seen anything you like? Is anyone as obsessed with Soap and Glory as I sadly am?