Christmas Gift Guide Beauty Lovers

Here's the one that I couldn't wait to share with you! If you're reading this blog (oh hi there!) chances are, like me, you're a bit of a beauty lover. Well, I've got some good news for you! This year the beauty gift sets are better than ever, it seems every brand is throwing together their best products to give you the perfect presents this Christmas. There's a LOT to get through, so I've chosen my absolute favourites to share with you in today's post.

For the drugstore beauty lover - you just can't go wrong with a gift set from L'Oreal. With a best-selling mascara, blush, eyeshadow palette and lippy, this set could make a perfect 'first time makeup' discovery kit, or a top up for any fan of the brand.

For the one that's impossible to buy for - she has it all, she loves her beauty products high end but you  never know what she will love. Sounds familiar? Then she will love you forever if you manage to get your hands on the Swarovski embellished Benefit They're Real mascara. Possibly the greatest mascara in the whole world, and now it has crystals on it. I mean, what more could a girl want?

For the one who loves to try new things - there are so many gift sets from Soap & Glory and this year they've stepped up their makeup game, bringing us crackers, box sets and more! If you're yet to try out their makeup range, then beware - these gift sets will have you hooked!

For the one who deserves a treat - these goodies are luxurious but seriously useful too! I've been wearing my Eylure Lash Edit lashes almost daily now, and these box sets make the perfect stocking filler (hint hint - I'm running out!). The lipstick lover will adore Clinique's new box set, with a lipstick for every day of the week, while Benefit beauty queens will marvel at the carousel style tin of the You're So Party set, as well as the full size treats (including best selling mascaras and bronzers) inside.

For the one who loves to discover new brands - if she hasn't heard of Pixi Beauty already, then she will love you for introducing her to these silky soft eyeliners or the mineral goodness of the powders from the contour kit. A brand that looks good and does good to the skin, the products are all the most beautiful quality and these gift sets make the perfect excuse to try out the brand.

And now for my Vlogmas giveaway! You can see all the prizes in action in today's Vlog, and enter here!

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Christmas with Clarins

Ok so the title of this post may not strictly be utterly correct, and I may be just teasing you and giving a glimpse into what is actually only going to be hitting the shelves in 2016, but I just couldn't resist showing you all the beautiful newness from Clarins. We all need something to look forward to during these chilly mornings and gloomy nights, and I for one am looking forward to getting back my glow. Yes, a holiday in the sun would be preferable, but thankfully the Clarins Spring Collection has everything we need to bring that radiance back into our complexions.

Starting with the lips, dry chapped lips can be quenched with the new Instant Light Lip Perfectors - I've been a fan of these since they came to my rescue during the coldest months last Winter - as the ingredients soften and protect as well as offering just a hint of beautiful colour. The new purple plum shade doesn't look as intense on the lip as it does in the tube, but offers a light wash of colour and just a hint of shine.

As for the lipsticks, Clarins is my go-to brand when I need a lippy that delivers serious colour, but also moisturisation for my lips. The new shades of Rouge Eclat offer exactly that - protecting lips and also working to minimize fine lines. If that's not enough, they also contain ingredients which actually battle against dehydration and boost collagen! All of this doesn't compromise on the appearance or lasting power of the lipsticks though, and I can confirm that after standing on the rugby pitch side lines for over 3 hours in the biting winds, my lippy remained in tact, and I didn't even find myself reaching for my trusty lip balm once inside!

Claris never fail to hit the nail on the head when it comes to eyeshadow palettes, I've become a collector of their small palettes, and their new rose-bronze compact is my favourite so far! The shades are so incredibly wearable, ranging from a light beige (perfect for the brow bone or inner corners) to deep velvety browns, all of which are superbly blendable - making for an easy smoky or natural eye look. I'm never a fan of the brushes that come with these palettes (Naked Smokey palette is an exception) and I'm not too blown away by the one in the Clarins palette. It's OK for emergencies but these eye shadows deserve a proper blending brush to bring out their beauty.


The four new shades of Ombre Iridescent eye shadows look just like little round candies, dotted around my makeup drawer - and as fun as they are to look at, they are to apply too. With a pearlescent finish, I still find the cream to powder formula rather mind-boggling. How can something so flat in the pot create such a pop of colour and luminous glow?! I'll never know, but boy do I love it!

Available online and in-store on January 10th.

Which is your favourite from the new Clarins Spring Makeup range?

xoxo

Christmas Gift Guide for Teens

It's time for another Christmas Gift Guide! This time, for the teens. Loads of these things would work perfectly for your best girlfriends as well as your neice, little sister, cousin etc! Kicking things off with some cute stocking fillers from Topshop such as these Sparkly Antlers - perfect for those festive house parties, gingerbread man socks, or festive stickers.

We all know a tween who is obsessed with Zoella! And this box set is the top of lots of Christmas wish lists, so snap it up before it's gone! Currently available in Superdrug and online, this is the best of the YouTuber beauty sets!

We all know a girl who loves to give herself the perfect at home manicure, and Essie have the most beautiful gift sets. Their glitter polishes also make super stocking fillers!

And for the beauty queen, some of my favourite gift sets include the contour kit and eye crayon sets from Pixi, as well as Soap & Glory's legendary sets, packed with favourites!

If you can get your hands on the limited edition They're Real mascara with Swarovski crystals, you'll forever be known as the greatest gift giver! Sparkle and serious lashes - you can't go wrong!

Are any of these on your Christmas Wishlist?

xoxo

The Suede Dress

Suede is undoubtedly my texture of the season, so a suede dress is a must-have in any winter wardrobe. I'm currently obsessing over this chic little number from ASOS - the classic colour, the shift silhouette, the fit = everything you could need in a wardrobe staple for Winter. I adore how minimal it looks, so easy to create an effortlessly chic look, but I also imagine I'll get plenty of wear out of this when the temperature drops, i'm thinking over thick woollen tights, under sumptuous fur coats, and layered with a scarf, hat and boots.

Speaking of boots, how fabulous are these grey suede OTKs from Ted & Muffy? They've helped me to transition my Summer outfits to Winter ensembles, I love them over bare legs, tights and trousers too.

In this look I dared to go bare, adding my Chloe Faye dupe to give a swinging sixties vibe to my new favourite OOTD!

Scroll down for more details and links!

xoxo

Shop My Suede Dress Favourites

Shop My Over Knee Boots Favourites

Necklace by Swarovski   |    Ring by Pandora  

Photographed by the lovely Jay McLoughlin on the Olympus Pen E PL 7, using the 45mm Lens.

xoxo

5 Easy Tips to Keep you Feeling Fab this Winter!

Freezing cold temperatures? Check! Grey miserable skies? Check! Feeling a bit sorry for yourself?! Check! Well, not for long. It may be gloomy outside but there are some super easy changes you can add into your daily routine to make sure you are feeling super sassy throughout the winter months.

These are some of my favourite things to do when the temperature drops - they involve just a little bit of self care and pampering, and a whole lot of goodness for taking care of yourself outside and in.

Firstly, winter colds are rubbish! We definitely want to do all we can to avoid them, and a lovely treat which makes your room smell heavenly but also helps to ward off any incoming infections (or unblock and stuffy noses if you're already there) is the Eucalpytus Oil from Neals Yard Remedies. I blend this in with other essential oils the moment I detect a cold is on it's way - as the scent is known for it's decongesting properties.

It's best to avoid catching a cold in there first place, so to give myself a fighting chance, I give my immune system a helping hand by slurping on an Actimel every morning. The delicious little pots contain Vitamins B6 and D which are the ones you need to care for your immune system, helping you keep colds at bay. A healthy breakfast is hugely important to keeping us healthy and some of favourite tasty and nutritious breakfasts include Yogurt with fruit and honey, poached eggs on rye bread our sourdough, or even smoked salmon when I'm feeling fancy!

Winter months call for a step up in your pamper routine, and your skin is craving a little extra love and care so I make sure my products have extra nourishing ingredients in them at this time of year. Currently I've been slathering on the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Intensive Body Treatment before bed, it completely saturates the skin with hydration so you can bid farewell to dry flaky skin, and also relieve any dry areas like elbows or knees (and randomly for, my shins?!) with a luxurious treat. For my lips I use the matching lip balm, which sorts out any dryness or chapped lips while I snooze.

One not to be overlooked, is sleep itself! When our bodies are well rested, our immune system is much better at fighting off any lurgies, so it's important to get enough of it! I am a long-term fan of the ThisWorks Sleep Plus pillow spray, Charlie mists our pillows every evening to help us drift off into a deep slumber. 

Keep yourself warm! It sounds silly and obvious but how often do you leave the house without a hat/scarf/gloves!! By treating yourself to some luxurious layers you won't want to let yourself get chilly - and at the moment I am loving bobble hats! The top one was a gift from Elizabeth Arden and it's by Helen Moore, while the bottom one with the sparkly bits is from a local seller in Surrey.

What are your top tips for feeling fab in Winter?

xoxo

Christmas Gift Guide : For the Ladies!

December the first means it's time to unleash the festivity here on Fashion Mumblr! I know, I know, you've already seen my guide to creating THE BEST Christmas table and also my Perfume Gift Guide, but today I'm kicking off a whole month of festive goodness with an absolute whopper of a gift guide. Yep, it's my gift guide for girls! Or, for the ladies... ooh la la.

As a beauty lover, naturally these gifts are pretty much all beauty related, but if that's not your thing then don't worry, there's more non-beauty guides coming your way very soon.

Firstly, kicking things off with my absolute favourite of all the gifts. The Clarisonic Mia 2 - Keith Haring design edition. I told you how much I'm obsessed with this in my gift guide video - and seriously, it's life changing. OK, perhaps that's a slight over-exaggeration but honestly this device is the queen of cleansing devices. It's the equivalent of a Hoover in the vacuum cleaner world and the Jacuzzi in the hot tub world -  you get my point. Using a Clarisonic is a game changer within your skincare routine and this limited design by Keith Haring with it's adorable sketch and matching travel case makes it the perfect gift.

Ah yes, here's another one that you simply can't go wrong with. A Jo Malone London candle is on every girls Christmas Wishlist, and Pomegranate Noir is the most loved fragrance. A luxurious treat which looks (and smells) fabulous in any home, and if you visit the Regent Street Boutique on selected dates you can even have the box personalised or sketched like my London themed box above. 

As for gift sets, this year there are just so many to choose from! I also spoke about these in my Christmas Gift Guide video, starting with the Neal's Yard Remedies Beauty Sleep Kit. Containing a range of calming organic products to help you drift off at night AND wake up with silky-smooth skin, it's a great gift for the one that's too busy to stop and take care of herself, and deserves a seriously relaxing gift. 

The Caudalie Vine Body Luxury Set is another super indulgent gift, of all their gift sets this year (of which there are quite a few!) this one is my fave, the products are rich and indulgent with a heavenly scent, and they are perfect for treating dry skin, or skin that just needs some deep nourishment in the cooler months. Ideal also if you are treating someone who is about to head away for some Winter Sun, as the ingredients make for an ultra-luxurious after-sun treatment!

Clarins gift sets are always such incredible value, and you make a super saving on the individual value of the products. I chose from a huge range, and picked the Skincare Heroes as the one for this guide, as it features all of my absolute fave pieces, all in this beautiful wash bag. The Gentle Foaming Cleanser is also perfect for using with Clarisonic devices, while the Beauty Flash Balm is a cult favourite. I love treating myself to a pamper night with the Exfoliating Body Scrub followed by the Moisture Rich Body Lotion - and this kit contains them all!

The Omorovicza Introductory Set is a great way for beauty junkies to discover the brand, or top up on their favourites if they're already a fan. Containing the cult favourites including the Deep Cleansing Mask - with Hungarians Moor Mud which pulls all the impurities out of the skin, and the Queen of Hungary Mist - not only delivering moisture but also minerals which have anti-aging benefits for the skin. There's also a Thermal Cleansing Balm which I'm yet to try but have heard about it's greatness, as well as the cleansing foam and balancing moisturiser.

Another one which you can not go wrong with is a set from The Body Shop. I mean, who wouldn't want to open up this heavenly scented gift box, stuffed full of delicious strawberry pampering pieces! Presented in a gorgeous festive box, the Feel So Good gift set contains the Strawberry Shower Gel and Body Polish, a bar of Strawberry Soap, a bath lily and a scrumptious body butter. Plus, for every kit sold, The Body Shop help bring clean water to a family in Ethiopia.

Another one which I chatted about in my Gift Guide video, the SmoothSkin Gold IPL kit is a perfect gift for anyone who loves an at-home beauty treatment, or has considered getting IPL at a salon. It's the speediest kit on the market, and your whole body can be treated in 20 minutes. It's also best to start IPL in Winter when skin isn't as exposed to the sun, so the lucky recipient will be hair-free in time for Summer!

And finally, one which again you can't go wrong with - the Red Carpet Manicure Gel Polish Pro Kit. Now with a gorgeous gold lamp, this kit means that you can give yourself a Gel Manicure at home - aka saving tons of money from salon trips! It's incredibly easy to give yourself a manicure which will  last 2-3 weeks with this kit, and it contains everything you need for your first manicure (and taking it off!) so perfect for the manicure lover, or the one that spends half her pay-cheque in the salon!

Will you be treating anyone to these gifts this Christmas? What's on your wishlist?

xoxo