the christmas gift guide: safe bets

Slight change of plan with the Christmas gift guides. I won't bore you all on the details but life got in the way and I highly apologise as I was so looking forward to getting these up in plenty of time this year. I'm really hoping there are some of you who are as last minute as I am and will still get some good use out of my last few gift guides, and if not, perhaps just treat yourself to some of them. I was slightly tempted to just round the remaining guides all up in one post, but as I'd put so much effort into the price ranges for each gift guide I'm going to stick to my original plan. This means my next post will be purse friendly ideas and will be going up tomorrow, followed by stocking fillers on Saturday.

I've themed this post as safe bets since each product has a mid-range price point, can be relied upon to make almost anyone feel over the moon and all of which still have delivery in time for Christmas.

Label.m Fashion Fix Nouveau Knot Gift Set (£26) | Personally, I'm a firm believer that haircare is far too overlooked when it comes to gift giving. I'm not a big spender in the hair department or particularly creative with my barnet meaning I would certainly love to receive a how-to kit such as this. Included is everything you will need to create the look on front of the box, which is a concept I am so very impressed by. 

Nuxe Prodigieux Set (£30) | In the way of skincare, I'm a huge advocate of French pharmacy brands. So much so that I could happily never use anything else. Nuxe is high up there on my list of top rated and I genuinely urge the lot of you to have a look at their products if you haven't already. This set is ideal to try out a few of their bestsellers, and of course includes a pretty little candle too. I'd also like to give this set a high five for the wonderful packaging.

Clinique Days of the Week Lipsticks (£35) | Who said a girl can have too many lipsticks? I love the concept of this set from Clinique, a new lipstick shade to try out each day of the week would be a great gift for anyone wanting to revamp their lipstick collection. Or a sneaky treat for a lipstick obsessive. 

Clarins Festive Eye Palette (£35) | This year I'm going to give out some luxury hampers filled with beauty treats which is where palettes like this and lone products that aren't part of a set come in perfectly. I'm not a huge fan of the packaging of this palette but I'm pleased to report that the shades inside more than make up for that.  

Charlotte Tilbury Mini Lipstick Charms (£29)  | I've gone through all these years of beauty blogging without trying out a single Charlotte Tilbury product (shame on me), until these arrived through the door. This is one of my favourite gift ideas and is something I'd be over the moon to find under the tree. For those of you who like to treat yourself at Christmas, don't we all, this is a great option to try out a few shades of Charlotte Tilbury lipsticks before investing in a full sized version.  

Green and Spring Indulging Home Candle (£29) | I have been on the search for the ultimate Spa scented candle to light up whilst I dive into a warm bubble bath, and this my friends, is it. The candle has such a relaxing, gentle yet uplifting scent which I dare anyone to say they aren't a fan of. 

the christmas gift guide | part three

I hope you are all enjoying my Christmas gift guides so far, the day itself is creeping closer and closer as always and I'm hoping that I'm not the only one with most of my gift buying still to do! I'm going to try to squeeze one last post in after this for all you last minute shoppers, I also have a great guide coming up for my lifestyle blog too.

Lauren's Way Tan Teasers - £19.95: I'm a big fan of Lauren's Way tanning products and I love this cute set filled with mini versions of the most popular products along with a tanning mitt. It's an ideal set to introduce someone to tanning products with or for a fake tan pro to use the minis as travel versions.

& Other Stories Cotton Care Gift Set - £40: For a larger skincare gift these & Other Stories products come presented in a chic white gift box which even includes a cotton towel. I've had a go with the Body Lotion which smells divine and gives the skin a lovely silky sheen. I absolutely adore this set and how the understated packaging looks so on-trend in my bathroom, definitely a big thumbs up. 

Sanctuary Weekend Get-Away Collection - £18: This is a wonderful little gift set for anyone on a budget yet still wanting to give a luxurious gift, it's perfect to give a friend who loves a good old pamper session. Sanctuary also have a 3-for-2 offer on their website at the moment so keep that in mind if you have lots of people to buy for! 

Burt's Bees Tips and Toes kit - £14.99 & Kissable Colour Set - £11.99: Burt's Bees always have wonderful gift sets around this time of year and these two are certainly no exception. If you are to be a bit cheeky and treat yourself to something then make it the kissable colour set, the luxury lip balms give a hint of colour which make a great (and more hydrating) alternative to lipstick.

Eve Lom Kiss Mix Star - £16: This is one of my favourite ever lip balms, it's super hydrating and leaves a minty fresh flavour on the lips that lasts really well. Given it's on the pricey side but you won't find anyone who wouldn't love this as a gift.

Nuxe Travel Kit - £9.90: I've already mentioned this Nuxe set many times on my blog before but wanted to give it a feature in my gift guide as I think it's such a fabulous set, plus it's at such a great price too!

Nourish Argan Beauty Collection - £24.95: When this set from Nourish arrived through the door I have to admit that I swooned like a madwoman, the products are just set out so beautifully and the packaging has such a luxury meets Christmas feel. I've already had a try of the Argan Skin Rescue Oil and for that alone this set is an absolute must-have, the products each have a gold, frankincense and myrrh theme too.

the christmas gift guide | part one

My favourite perk of running a beauty blog has always been when Christmas time rolls around and I get to feature lots of lovely gift ideas, I'm one of those people who absolutely loves giving gifts so putting together gift guides is always so exciting for me. This year I've been a busy bee sourcing lots of fancy gifts for all different budgets and tastes, hopefully if you are stuck for ideas this should help you out! 

Nuxe Christmas Prodigieuse Gift Set - £24: This set definitely wins the prize for the best packaging, I get a real Christmassy feel just looking at it. Nuxe is one of my favourite skincare brands and this set is filled with some fab products totalling to a value worth double what the set actually costs.

Real Techniques Duo-Fiber Collection £23.99 & Expert Face Brush - £9.99: These brush sets are perfect stocking fillers, I'm such a fan of all the Real Techniques brushes that I've tried to far and love that they are much for affordable than Mac.

Ted Baker Holy Smoke Candle Set - £15: Who doesn't love candles to warm up the house in the Winter time? I really like the girly yet sophisticated feel to these and think they easily look like a much more expensive pair.

Korres Fig Showergel - £6.40, Bobbi Brown High Shimmer Lipgloss - £18, & Tweezerman Magnifying Mirror - £16: These are all great additions to fill up a stocking or gift box. I love the Korres shower gel as it has such a warming sweet scent, the lipglosses are great too as they just look so Christmassy and glittery, and for a gift that you know will get a whole lot of use then check out the Tweezerman mirror. 

Lush The Christmas Penguin - £2.95, Candy Mountain - £2.65 & The Melting Snowman - £2.25: Lush bath bombs and bubble bars are a fail-safe option when it comes to gift giving, they are fairly inexpensive meaning you can pop a couple in a gift box to fill empty space or even just treat yourself with a few. Warm bubbly baths are by far my favourite thing around Christmas time!

Estee Lauder Zodiac Powder Compact - £38.50: I'm utterly in love with this precious little powder compact, even more so due to the fact it has a different design depending on your star sign. It feels so expensive and luxurious that I don't think I can ever bring myself to use it, but if you are a collector of make up then it's a must-have.

There are probably going to be around three more gift guides so keep a lookout for them all!

nuxe travel kit

Whilst in Paris last July I picked up many skincare treats, but my favourite brand discovery whilst I was out there was without a doubt Nuxe. I picked up three of these travel kit sets as they were so cheap (I think around £6) as I knew they would make great gifts, they are also a great way for me to try out the products and of course are perfect to use whilst on-the-go. It just so happens that I have become a big fan of all of the products included in the set to the point I'm hoping to buy a full size of each at some point, so all in all I'd highly recommend checking out the set, especially as it's at such a  great price online over here too.

Products included:  

NUXE Eau Démaquillante Micellaire Micellar Cleansing Water 35ml
NUXE Nuxellence Jeunesse 15ml
NUXE Huile Prodigieuse Multi-Usage Dry Oil 10ml
NUXE Reve de Miel Creme Mains et Ongles Hand and Nail Cream 15ml

NUXE BODY Gel Douche Fondant Fondant Shower Gel 30ml

NUXE TRAVEL KIT - £9.90

nuxe huile prodigieuse golden shimmer dry oil

The days are getting warmer which means that if you are anything like me you will be out in the garden trying to catch a tan in the first rays of sunshine. However since my skin is currently looking rather pale and lack lustre thanks to the Winter months it needs a little helping hand before I manage to get a proper tan. I don't like to sunbathe if I'm wearing fake tan as I don't like the heavy feeling on my skin and ending up with patchy sun tan lines so at the moment I've been opting for this Nuxe dry oil with built in shimmer particles. I love how it gives my pale looking skin a natural looking radiance and also keeps my skin feeling moisturised in the hot weather, it's definitely become a favourite product of mine. The bottle has a spray pump meaning that the oil is sprayed in a fine mist onto your skin so you don't even have to rub it in. The smell is really lovely too and reminds me of being on holiday somehow, it's fairly delicate as to not clash with perfume though. All in all I seriously recommend investing in a bottle, if it looks this good on pale skin I can't wait to match it with a tan!

NUXE HUILE PRODIGIEUSE GOLDEN SHIMMER DRY OIL 100ML - £37

bedtime beauty: current favourites #1

I've seen many a beauty blogger write posts on what's included in their night time skincare routine and as I've really gotten into treating my skin lately I couldn't resist sharing my current favourites with you all.

MANUKA DOCTOR APINOURISH RESTORING NIGHT CREAM - I've been using this religiously pretty much every night now for a couple of weeks and it's become a real favourite of mine. It's a beautifully soft yet rich cream with no greasy residue whatsoever, my skin soaks it straight up and has been loving me for using it. My skin is starting to look much more radiant and feels more hydrated which I'm so pleased about. It has a subtle scent of honey too which I absolutely adore. Review here.

NUXE REVE DE MIEL LIP BALM - If you keep up with my blog regularly then you will already be aware just how much I love this lip balm, I've been putting it through it's paces for almost a year now and love it now more than ever. Review here.

AROMATHERAPY ASSOCIATES CANDLE - A relaxing candle is an absolute essential for me when it comes to winding down and getting ready for sleep, this one does the job beautifully and fills my whole room with a relaxing scent. It's nowhere near overpowering though and has the perfect balance to create a calming atmosphere.

ORIGINS BRIGHTER BY NATURE PEEL PADS - When my skin is in extra need of some looking after, usually after a long day of wearing make up, these peel pads are the perfect option to unclog my pores and give my skin a deep clean. Using these just before bed usually means that my skin looks more vibrant in the morning too which is great. Review here.

LANCÔME GÉNIFIQUE EYE SERUM - I've only just started using this eye serum so can't say as to how well it works but I've been loving how refreshing and soothing it feels on my eyes. I'm hoping that it will work well to lighter my under eye circles. I will have a review coming up soon. 

THE BODY SHOP HEMP HAND PROTECTOR - Bed time is great for applying hand cream as it means that it can get to work properly for all those hours that you are asleep and doesn't get washed off or rubbed away as it does in the day. I'm a huge fan of this one by The Body Shop as it really gives my hands the moisture that they need. Review here.

CAUDALIE BEAUTY EXLIR - I bought this product from Paris last Summer as I'd heard great things about it and it's ended up becoming a favourite skincare product of mine. It has a beautifully relaxing scent that calms my skin either throughout the day or just before bed. If my skin is ever stressed then it soothes any irritation, it sprays in a fine mist so is fuss free if I'm too tired to apply cream at night but want to look after my skin.

nuxe reve de miel lip balm

Another product that has recently taken the beauty world by storm and become a firm favourite amongst beauty writers is this lip balm by Nuxe. This is yet another product that I purchased after seeing it mentioned in one of Lisa Eldridge's videos and I picked up around four pots whilst in Paris as they were unbelievably cheap out there. When I first tried out the balm I instantly fell in love with the silky luxurious texture and how unlike every other lip balm it has a matte texture rather than gloss. I find it moisturises my lips perfectly and lasts literally hours before needing to be reapplied, if you apply it before bed it even stays on until morning and works at hydrating your lips overnight. I really can't recommend this product enough, it makes an amazing base for lipstick too as it's matte it primes the lips perfectly. I always carry a pot in my handbag and would hate to be without it, no other lip balm will ever match up.

NUXE REVE DE MIEL LIP BALM - £9.50

save 1/3 on french pharmacy brands!

I'm sure that most of you are already aware of my love for French skincare products, ever since I made a trip to Paris and picked up the bestsellers from a French pharmacy my skin has been literally flawless and blemish free. I have in-depth reviews of everything that I bought coming up shortly but for now this is just a quick post to let you all know that Escentual.com are offering a 1/3 discount off their French pharmacy brands, amazing! These products aren't easy to get hold of in this country as it is so I highly recommend getting a hold of a few products while they are on offer. 

My top picks that I've tried and tested are -

Nuxe Rêve de Miel Honey Lip Balm - RRP: £9.50 SALE: £6.27
- You simply need this lip balm in your life, I can honestly say that it is the best lip balm in the world. I have a review coming up shortly but in a few words, it's extremely moisturising yet has a matte finish and stays on your lips for hours.

 
Nuxe Rêve de Miel Hand and Nail Cream - RRP: £10.00 SALE: £6.00
- This has been one of my favourite hand creams for a while now, it feels silky smooth and sinks straight into the skin whilst smelling beautiful.

Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Multi-Usage Dry Oil Spray - RRP: £28.30 SALE: £18.68

Vichy Dermablend Corrective Foundation Stick - RRP: £19.00 Sale: £12.94
- Essentially this is just a really good concealer that covers all imperfections however it's best selling point is that it lasts all day with no need to re-apply.

Avene Cleanance Soapless Gel Cleanser 200ml - RRP: £8.25 SALE: £5.49

Vichy Normaderm Deep Cleansing Gel 200ml - RRP: £10.50 Sale: £6.93
- This cleansing gel is literally the softest on my skin that I've found so far, it has no nasties in and you only need to use a pea-sized amount for usage on your face and neck area.

Avene Thermale Spring Water Spray 300ml - RRP: £10.00 SALE: £6.66
- I've included the Avene facial spray in this list for obvious reasons, every beauty lover will have probably already tried it out but if not definitely get yourself a can. It's great for refreshing your skin and helping make up to last longer.

Klorane Oatmilk Shampoo 200ml - RRP: £6.00 SALE: £4.00

Escentual.com also have free shipping on all orders over £30, so now is most definitely the time to stock up on some French skincare!