the christmas gift guide | last minute ideas

I had planned to split my Christmas gift guides up into four different posts but unfortunately as I've been very ill and in hospital in the lead up to the festive period I've only just managed to be well enough to put this post together. Even though it's super last minute, I hope you find it useful and that some of the ideas come in handy if you're stuck for inspiration. Most websites are still offering delivery in time for Christmas so there's no need to panic if you haven't got everything sorted yet either. 

| Korres Beautiful Blooms | £18
| Party Survival Kit | £19

Korres always have wonderful gift sets filled with both mini and full sized products, I'm yet to come across a product of theirs that I haven't absolutely loved. Check out their shower gels if you haven't already, they come in beautiful scents and are super soft on the skin too.

-    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -

| Ren Moroccan Rose Otto Gift Set | £17

If you know of anyone who loves the scent of rose then you absolutely must consider giving them this as a gift, included is a bath oil, body wash and lotion, all in mini sizes making them ideal to have a try with. 

-    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -

| Percy & Reed Voluptuous Volume | £15

I'm yet to ever try a product from Percy & Reed *shock horror* so can't wait to give this little set a go. Packaging wise, it's definitely one of the best looking sets that I've come across so far. 

-    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -

| The Body Shop Jingle Gels Sleigh | £8

I can't resist products that already come wrapped up sweetly in Christmas themed packaging, it's definitely half the charm of a gift set. The Body Shop are also making a donation to the charity War Child for every gift purchased, have a browse on their website for more information.

-    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -

| Caudalie Hand Cream Trio | £11

Who doesn't love a good hand cream? Caudalie have it covered with this box that includes not one but three different versions to find your favourite from. You could open up the set and wrap each hand cream up separately for different people and keep one back for yourself too.

-    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -

| Lanolips Artists Tin | £15

Giving the gift of skincare to help with parched and dry skin in the wintertime tends to be my line of thinking when it comes to Christmas time, this little tin by Lanolips includes two products to do just that; a multipurpose balm and an intense hand balm for protection and hydration to comfort very dry hands.

-    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -

| Tweezerman Holly Mirror and Tweezer Duo | £24

Being an absolute sucker for pretty packaging and also a firm fan of Tweezerman, I swooned big time when this arrived through my door. The zoomy mirrors are super handy and mean that you can get precise as possible with plucking and they're great to help with eyeliner application too. 

-    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -

| Bare Minerals Kissing Booth | £24

I'm not typically a gloss girl but love the look of this set from Bare Minerals, it includes pretty much every shade of gloss that you should ever desire all in mini sizes. 

-    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -

| Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Crayon Set | £16

This Soap & Glory set is a great alternative to the Nars Lip Pencil Coffret that I featured in my previous gift guide. Included are bright pink, baby pink and berry shades that are all full sized and would be a lovely addition to anyone's lip product collection. 

-    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -

| & Other Stories Fragrance | £26 each

I'm absolutely obsessed with these scents from & other stories, Punk Bouquet being my favourite of the bunch. They are all individual to anything else you can find in a perfume shop by mainstream brands and have their own unique flare, making them the perfect alternative gift. 

-    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -

| Burt's Bees a Bit of Burt's Bees | £6
| The Collectable Decoration | £6

A little set from Burt's Bees makes an idea stocking filler for any beauty lover, there's not a person around who won't be in need of a good lip balm and cuticle cream around this cold time of year. 

-    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -

I have another Christmas themed post or two coming up in the next few days, keep a look out!

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.

the body shop hemp hand protector

This hand cream has been one of my favourites for many years, and I was actually first introduced to it by Mum who was using it religiously from around eight years ago until now. If there's one thing that she's an expert on regarding beauty products then it's hand cream, and I know that if she recommends one then it's good stuff. Thankfully I now have my own tube so I can stop pinching hers and have tried it out properly for myself. The product is very thick so you only need to squeeze a small amount out of the tube, it almost feels as luxurious as a mask. Although it's thick it does sink into the skin with ease and doesn't leave a greasy feeling, the smell is also really nice and fresh but not overpowering. I do get very dry hands in the Winter and this cream definitely keeps them soft and moisturised if applied daily, a big winner in my book and definitely has 'holy grail' status in the hand cream category. It's one of their best sellers for a reason!

THE BODY SHOP HEMP HAND PROTECTOR - £5

the body shop sale - more bargains!

I couldn't resist popping into The Body Shop the other day after seeing posters plastered all over the windows reading 'sale'. I have been after another body butter after I got the shea body butter free with Marie Claire magazine, and have been loving it all month. The full sized body butters are usually £12.50, which is a bit much if you ask me. So I was really happy when I found an almond scented full sized one reduced to just £5. I also picked up a few more really good bargains..

Almond Body Butter - Reduced from £12.50 to £5

Almond Shower Gel - Reduced from £6 to £3

Silver Glitter Liquid Eyeliner - Reduced from £10 to £1!