Relaxing Christmas Treats From Lush

I know this is a little late to show you Christmas products, but if you happen to be in town doing some sales shopping over the next few days then it would be well worth your time popping into Lush for a couple of nice treats to finish your Christmas break off in style. 

We recently had a weekend away (more on that in another post) and as is traditional now for us, I stocked up on some lovely Lush bath stuffs to add to the general vibe of relaxation. 

First up is the Lush Melting Snowman Christmas Bath Melt. Fragranced with cinnamon, clove, patchouli, benzoin, lime and sweet wild orange oils, this actually smells amazing. A comforting Winter scent that is really good for your skin, as it also contains sweet almond oil, cocoa butter and Shea butter. When you drop it into your bath, the hot water melts those butters and oils, leaving your skin super soft and moisturised. Plus, he's super cute. This little guy is limited edition for Christmas, so pick him up while you still can!

Along with the bath melt, I added in the Fizzbanger bath bomb, there in the middle, which has a beautiful combination of toffee, apple and cinnamon, again a lovely Winter scent (although this isn't actually a limited Christmas edition, I just thought it went well with the snowman!). This is supposed to "Whizz, Bang, Pop!" but in reality it wasn't quite that dramatic, instead it gently broke down in the water, changing colour and emitting its lovely fragrance. It has got a little surprise in the middle, which you'll have to check for yourself! It contains Petitgrain, Ylang Ylang and Cinnamon Leaf oils. Fun fact too, this is inspired by Roald Dahl's book, the BFG!

Lastly, for the shower (although it can obviously be used in the bath too), I picked up a bottle of Rose Jam, brought back by popular demand by Lush. Containing vanilla pods, goji berry juice, argan oil, organic rose absolue and geranium and lemon oils, this is a heady mix of fruit, floral and Turkish delight that I could not stop smelling in the shop! It's a really unusual scent that both wakes me up in the shower and stays on my skin, without drying it out. 

There's lots of other lovely relaxing products in store and if you're feeling a bit of Christmas fatigue* then you'd definitely benefit from a nice soothing bath.

XX

*Caused by eating and drinking too much and staying up late to try and catch Santa out..that could just be me though.

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree..

I am all over the Christmas spirit this year. For me, it's the first time in the past few years that I've really been able to participate in the festivities and enjoy everything, so I'm making the most of it! I've bought my Santa slippers, my blood is 80% Starbucks Christmas coffee (Gingerbread mostly..nom) and the tree is up. I didn't write a post about our tree last year but I bought some quirky decorations this year and a few people have asked about them, so here they are!

(The first three are Paperchase decorations and are three for two in Arnotts)

That's right, it's a Flamingo. What your tree is probably missing. What has this got to do with Christmas, you may ask? Pretty sure there was a Flamingo present in the manger. Just saying.

Santa IS my hero, though. Look at him there, with his cape. Awesome.

Super glitzy white deer.

Geisha from the Carolyn Donnelly collection in Dunnes

Vintage style deer from the Carolyn Donnelly collection, Dunnes.

These guys are just a big box set of baubles (available in different colours) from Penneys. Super cheap but look how glisten-y!

These aren't new but are my favourites so I thought I'd pop them up anyway. That's a mini snowman snowglobe from my sister, a special couples decoration from my sister-in-law and a little pig-fairy from my mum.

Ah look at her there, in all her tacky glory.

Have you found any cute/quirky decorations anywhere or are you steadfastly avoiding all things tacky?

XX

Beauty & General Fancy Goods Christmas Gift Guide 2013

So you've seen my Stocking Filler and my Book gift guides and I wouldn't be much of a beauty blogger/hoarder of fancy goods if I didn't do a gift guide for those too, so here goes. A lot of the brands I've mentioned below have whole ranges of Christmas sets out so what I've shown represents that really- there's plenty more to choose from if you click into the links. 

1. Nars "At First Sight" Eye and Cheek Palette, €49.00, HERE. I have been lusting after a Nars palette all year and finally picked myself up "Voulez Vous Coucher Avec Moi, Ce Soir?" (Jeez Nars, get shorter names already) just last week, which I didn't want to show you here as it's almost sold out and I thought that would be cruel. This one looks quite similar (in that they both contain 2 blushes and 4 eyeshadows) but if that's not your bag the Nars eu site have a whole section online for their Christmas gifts and you can always brave the braying mob that is Brown Thomas if you want to check them out in real life instead. Nars is a delightful gift to give as it's high end and not as ubiquitous as the likes of Mac etc.
2. Laura Mercier Souffle Body Creme Sampler Collection, €60, HERE. So here's the deal with LM. They make bath and body products that smell so unbelievably delicious you will want to lick your own arm in public...and we all know that that's socially unacceptable, right?! Nonetheless, I think these are worth both the price and the potential risk of lunacy once it's on your skin. Aside from smelling amazing, they also are great moisturisers. I can never decide which is my favourite but luckily, this set comes with 4 to try; Almond coconut milk, Ambre Vanille, Creme de Pistache and Creme Brûlée. Mmmm.
3. Bobbi Brown Lip Gloss Trio, €37, HERE. BB have some seriously stunning Christmas sets out this year; great palettes and this lip gloss trio, which all look very wearable. A good option for a more mature lady as BB tends to veer on the neutral, classy side (all I can hear is Ron Burgundy in my head whenever I say 'classy' now).
4. Benefit "Primed for Lovin'", €60.96, HERE. Benefit always bring out a lot of Christmas sets and although this looks very pretty, I do also think it's a tad over priced. I would recommend shopping around; I've seen decent offers for Benefit sets in pharmacies and different websites (including asos) so it's definitely worth a bit of research. Benefit make good quality make up in pretty packaging- generally a good crowd pleaser.
5. Lush "Wow!", £129.95, HERE. Containing an absolutely outstanding 32 Lush products, this is for serious hardcore fans of the brand or for those who really, really love taking baths (although it also contains lip scrub, lip tint, shower gel and body lotions as well as bath bombs, bath melts etc). I've seen it in real life and it is quite large; it'd make a real statement sitting under the tree, that's for sure!
6. Urban Decay Naked 3, approx €44, not available in Ireland until Dec 16th. Yes, the highly anticipated Naked 3 palette will be out soon and will no doubt sell out immediately. You may wonder if you really need another one but the rose-gold hues of this look rather beautiful. For a full review of these, check out these posts from my fellow Irish bloggers Make Up Monster and Lovely Girlie Bits.
7. Andrea Garland Lip Balm Necklace, HERE. I actually also spotted this on Make Up Monster and while there are other options available in the range, this one has been reduced from €46.58 to €36.99 and is very pretty. Garland is an aromatherapist who handcrafts these quirky items of jewellery, containing hidden lip balms enriched with Shea butter and almond oils. Lovely.
8. Urban Decay Black Market 24/7 glide-on pencil set, €32.51, HERE. I only recently bought one of the eye pencils from UD and fell a bit in love with it; they're long-lasting, smudge easily on application but then stay put and come in a great range of shades. This is a limited edition set of 6 and would be perfect for UD junkies or indeed any make-up lovers. 
9. Cocoa Brown kit, €19.99, available in Tesco. I've gone on at length in the past about Cocoa Brown (the brand that finally turned me back to the tan side) and so I'm very happy to see they have this gift set out for Christmas containing all of the current CB products, for only €19.99. I've used them all and can highly recommend this one. 

10. Antique Flower Statement necklace, €32, HERE. Big, mad collar necklaces aren't going anywhere and nor should they; they're super versatile and can make anything look stylish. There's only a limited number of these ones still available but you could also check out Ever Ours, Etsy, Accessorize or Ebay.
11. Marc by Marc Jacobs Rose Gold Watch, €313.71, HERE. Just if you happen to have 300 quid lying around. Pretty though, non?
12. Ceramic Rabbit ring dish, €15.70, HERE. Gather around and hear my tale of woe. So, every time I go to put on hand cream, moisturise my face, do my nails or put on fake tan, I remove my engagement and wedding rings. I often then promptly lose them and make panicky sounds only dogs can hear. That happens on I'd say, oh, at least a bi-weekly basis. This then, is a necessity for every home. Of course, it helps that it's rabbit shaped. 
13. Cath Kidston Penguin PJ's, £50 HERE. That's right, these probably are the world's cutest PJ's. 100% cotton, vintage style with a drawstring and a little pocket. Also, and I don't want to alarm you..but there's a matching penguin hot water bottle and wash bag. I know. Amazing.

14. Rosalie Red Dressing gown, £54.00, HERE. I went on at length in THIS POST about these stunning vintage-style floral dressing gowns from Good Morning Beautiful and I think one of these would be a lovely treat to wake up to under the tree on Christmas day (you could obviously then wear it all morning while you eat chocolates and drink Baileys...no? Just me?)

15. Pop Striped Gloves, €19.90, HERE. Gloves are a no-brainer. Penneys always have some nice ones (as they do for slippers) or you could try Asos.

C'est ça. Let me know in the comments if you'll be picking any of these up for your loved ones or indeed if you're hoping Santy brings something here for yourself!

XX

Christmas From Lush! | Santa's Lip Scrub

I mentioned this lovely little lip scrub in my Secret Santa/Stocking Filler gift guide and ended up picking one up for myself at a recent Lush event (more of that in another post!). I've been using the Lush Mint Julips Lip Scrub (review HERE) for the last year and loved it so when I heard that Lush have a limited edition cola-flavoured scrub out for Christmas, I was all over that. 

I've been using this for about a week now and I'm really liking it, mostly because of the amazing scent. It's like satisfying a craving for haribo without the additional hyperglycaemia. Yay!

That aside, it also actually works. The texture is more of a paste than the mint version so it requires a little bit of water to emulsify it on the lips and get the most out of it. For that reason alone, I probably prefer the mint one; it has a grittier texture and removes dried, flaky skin from the lips more efficiently than Santa's scrub does.

Having said that, I like this, it still actually does what it says on the pot and would make a lovely little stocking filler. As I mentioned in the gift guide, Lush also have a matching lip tint, if you wanted to add the two together to make a full gift. 

This is ideal for anyone who suffers from dry lips in Winter or those who like to rock a matte lipstick.

Santa's Lip Scrub is €7.20 and in store now. 

XX

Stocking Filler/Secret Santa Gift Guide

Before you start being all "but it's only November", I'll tell you that I've already started my Christmas shopping so really this is more of a help to myself in figuring out what to buy. If you start now you can avoid the horrors of town the week of Christmas where you'll encounter all the other last minuters, throwing money and random items at withered sales assistants. 

Here's a few stocking filler/secret Santa ideas. A lot of these could also be given as part of main gifts, and I'll be doing gift guides for bigger presents too so keep an eye out for that!

1. Dior Nail Glow, €21.15, HERE. This is a treatment nail varnish that makes pink pinker and brightens nail tips for the look of a French Manicure but without the hassle. I haven't tried this so it's not something I can recommend but I've seen very positive (and a couple of negative) reviews on this and while it could fall into the gimmick category, I think it sounds pretty interesting and not something you'd buy for yourself- always a winner when it comes to presents. Dior also do a lip version of this if you wanted to combine the two to make a whole gift.
2. At first glance, this battery powered Rabbit Night Light (£4.95, HERE) looks like a child's toy and fair enough if you think so but I actually have one of these and I love it! Mine sits atop a pile of books beside my bed usually and adds a nice kitsch touch that I'm very fond of. Plus, look how cute he is! Squee!
3. Yoda LED Key Light, £8.00, HERE. Who doesn't love Yoda though, all the same? Look at him there, in Lego form; useful and adorable. I also spotted a Darth Vader one on Urban Outfitters..if you got both they could fight each other in your handbag*...just a thought.
4. Fans of EOS lip spheres will appreciate this three-sphere lip balm set, designed to look like a bauble, containing pomegranate/raspberry, sweet mint and limited edition, vanilla bean. These things last forever and are super moisturising so you can't go wrong really. If you're ordering from Ireland, you can get this HERE on Selfridge's website and get it delivered using Parcel Motel if you have it (it's well worth setting up if you order from t'internet a lot). It's also available on eBay or you can get the individual ones on Cloud 10 Beauty. 
5. A Grumpy Cat iPhone cover..with glasses..and stripes? SOLD! £10, HERE. It's only for iPhone 4 but they actually have a good selection on that site for ones suitable for 4 & 5.
6. BFF's mug HERE, €15.00. This would be a lovely gift for your own bff!
7. Cath Kidston Little Birds Pocket Mirror, €4.04, HERE. Very pretty. Heads up too, there's a new Cath Kidston store opening on Grafton St before Christmas and you can always pick up some pressies in the one in Dundrum and the outlet store in Kildare village.
8. Zoo Animal Erasers, €8.00, HERE. I can see lovers of all things kitsch stationery loving these. Even if you don't use these, they'll look very cute on someones desk. You can also get these in Arnotts.
9. O.P.I. Mariah Carey Christmas Mini Set, €18.80, HERE. This is a bit pricey for a stocking filler and there are plenty of cheaper options out there for nail polish if you have a good scour but if you're looking for good quality, you can't go too far wrong with O.P.I plus those shades are perfect for A/W.
10. Rob Ryan A5 "I am The Notebook of...", €16.11, HERE. Rob Ryan makes beautifully printed cards, notebooks and homeware and any stationery lover will be delighted with this.
11. Original Bosco Mug, €12.00, HERE. I LOVE Hairy Baby and have a couple of their mugs and t shirts myself already. I've also bought this as a gift for someone this year- it's the perfect nostalgia-laden present for an Irish kid of a certain age! Gotta love Bosco.
12. Rose & Co Beauty Salve Collection x3, €13.48, HERE. These are great value. The set includes the original rose petal scent as well as vanilla and cherry kiss.
13. Cream Bead Pastel Embellished Necklace, £5.00, HERE.  Statement necklaces have been huge this year and aren't showing any signs of going away. This is perfect for a stocking filler but if you're looking for something a bit pricier, check out Zara or Accessorize.
14. Santa's lip Scrub, €7.20 (instore) HERE (online). You can also get a Santa Baby Lip Tint to go with this.
15. Pug Face Wash Bag, €17.00, HERE. My sister actually got a similar one in Avoca, if you're not shopping online. This would be a perfect gift on it's own if you were to get a few high street make-up bits and pieces to pop into it. Even if you don't have a pug, you'd surely still love this little guy! 

I hope I've helped with some ideas! Any of these making your own list for Santa?

*Yoda would obviously lose, unless he started rambling and confused Darth Vader to death.