Christmas Gift Ideas #3 - Winter Makeup Collections & Some Lovely Bits

One of things I love about this time of year is the release of the gorgeous Winter makeup collections. There are so many pretty products that catch my eye for one reason or another and I'm always drawn towards them like a magpie. There's definitely been a good few stand out products for me which I'll tell you all about in due course throughout this post. Alot of budget beauty brands, MUA in particular, have stepped up their game as of late and have come out with gorgeous affordable palettes aswell. I thought I'd show you a few that I think would make amazing Christmas gifts, if I seen any of these under my tree this year I'd be seriously delighted.

As you can see from the picture above I've gone back to my all background for a while. The lighting is terrible at the moment considering it's so ridiculously dull and miserable in Dublin at the moment. Three luxury brands that have really hit the nail on the head this year are Clarins, Lancome and Giorgio Armani. The latter came out with the new Eyes to Kill Eyeshadow Quad. I have the gorgeous Terra Sienna to show you all, this contains four beautiful neutral shades. All the shadows are highly pigmented and really soft so they apply like a dream. There's two shimmer and two matte shades which is a good balance there. I'm in love with the packaging, it's super sleek and shiny. As it's on the expensive side it wouldn't be something I'd bring on a night out with me. I think this would be a perfect gift for a close friend or family member. If a neutral eye isn't their thing there's another eight different shade selections to choose from so you'll definitely find something to suit your tastes. The Eyes to Kill Quads are in the brands permanent line so they'll still be there even if you have to wait til after Christmas. I'm going to do a full review post on this eyeshadow quad as I've been using it a tonne lately. One collection that alot of bloggers are talking about this year is the Odyssey collection from Clarins. Two complete stand out products are the Face palette and Eye palette, just look at that packaging alone. It's definitely one of those palettes that when you finish up you want to hold on to the case, how could you get rid of it it's way too pretty. I'm in love with this collection it's beyond amazing. The eyeshadow palette contains the usual three neutral shades but alongside it is this gorgeous gold leaf shade which I immediately fell in love with. It makes this different to other palettes I own, I could see someone use this all year round as the colours are so wearable. The look could be instantly glammed up using the gold leaf shade on the lid. Again this would make such a lovely gift, both products look so elegant and luxurious, it's different to all the other makeup brand offerings this year. Lastly is some bits from Lancome's Winter Collection. As these are all individual pieces I think these would make gorgeous extras e.g stocking fillers, if you wanted to spend that little bit more on someone. With lovely eyeshadows, nail polish and pigments that come in different shades your sure to find something that catches your eye. If I had to choose one product from this collection I'd go for the Ombre Hypnose Mono eyeshadow . The sparkly gold glitter packaging is super Christmassy just what you need for this time of year me thinks. The shade I got to try is Fil D'Argent which is a shimmery taupe shade that is super wearable. All three shadows from the collection from what I've seen in store are neutral so whatever one you get for that special someone they'll certainly love.

Being a student myself, I sometimes find it hard to fork out on extravagant gifts for everyone.When I'm picking up small presents for a Kris Kindle or a friend, I look no further than Catrice, Essence and MUA. The latter is pretty hard to come by in Ireland unless you live beside a Superdrug which I don't. If you do manage to find yourself near a Superdrug I'd definitely recommend picking up a couple of MUA palettes. These are brilliant and for £4 they'd make amazing stocking fillers indeed. My favourites of the bunch are the Heaven & Earth and Undressed palette. Both contain neutral shades that would take you straight from day to night. I love wearing a natural eye look on a regular so of course these would be straight down my street. If your looking for a palette for someone who would like a variety of different shades, you should try to get your hands on the Artiste Collection palette which is the latest addition to the range. Not only does this include eyeshadows, it also comes with two blushes, bronzer and highlighter. As all these palettes are super affordable, I wouldn't be too worried about losing one of them on a night out either as they are easily replaced. I bought the Heaven & Earth palette in Manchester during the Summer and I literally used it everyday along with the Undressed palette. Essence have also brought out some really nice Winter Hand Creams this month, unfortunately I didn't picture them above.. They all come in yummy hot drinks scent, my favourite being Caramel Hot Chocolate. At the recent Dublin blogger meetup I let everyone try this and it got thumbs up all around. I bought all three scents in Penneys, I think the guy at the till thought I was a complete nut job buying three hand creams. They were only €1.49 each which is an amazing bargain. I've heard that Essence isn't available in the UK which is such a shame as it's a great brand with some great products at a affordable price. I may stick up a post on these soon as I love the packaging and there such lovely hand creams too.

What products have caught your eye from the 2012 Winter collections?

Laura<3

Christmas Gift Ideas #2 - Custom Gift Boxes

When picking a Christmas gift for somebody, the list of possible gifts you could get them is endless. I always find that I'm torn between two or three gifts that I know the person in question would love. Instead of forking out a tonnes of money I've found myself in recent years building up little gift bags for people. I always think they work really well, last year I put together a small custom gift bag for my sister, Lisa that she loved. She still always carries around the makeup bag with her essentials in it, I'm glad to know that the gift is something that she loved and is well used. I've decided to do the same this year for a couple of people. I usually start by buying a makeup bag from Penneys/Marks & Spencers. This year I've decided to do something a little different and use a gift box instead. These are so easy to come across, I know they do really nice ones in Next and Paperchase which are worth having a look at.

Here is a little gift box I made up to show you guys, you can add more or less depending on how much you want to spend. I'm buying small gifts for people this year as opposed to spending alot as I feel you always put more thought into things and it's a personal. One of the gifts (can you guess which one?) above are actually for one of my family members I hope she's not reading this now. I'm in love with the Soap & Glory eyeshadow palette, they haven't brought out something like this before and the shade range is gorgeous. With a price under the €25 mark, I'm half tempted to go out and buy one myself soon as they are not too expensive either. I think this would be a lovely gift even by itself all wrapped up! Another gift I think anyone would be happy with in a gift box would be The Body Shop body butters. If you can get your hands on the miniature body butters, they would fit in really nicely to any gift box. My favourites at the moment are Chocomania, Vanilla Bliss and their Mango scents. I find these are super moisturising which is much needed for this time of the year. Lastly I decided to feature two haircare products as I think they can be looked at this time of the year. I like nothing more than getting new haircare goodies as my gruaig can look a complete and utter mess at the best of times. Both products are from John Frieda which is brand that I've really grown to like over the past while. They have some lovely gems in their range, in particular their Full Repair Perfect Ends Sheer Mist, Straight Fixation Smoothing Creme and the Anything Volume Refresher. The latter is brilliant for giving your hair that extra boost and it works really well as a dry shampoo. I've been using the Frizz Ease Straight Fixation Smoothing Creme, before I blow-dry my hair as it contains a heat protectant. This stuff leaves my hair looking lovely and smooth with not a bit of frizz in sight so it does exactly what it says on the tin. One gift that I haven't pictured above but I think would be a lovely addition to just about any gift box is a Yankee Candle. They have such a wonderful range of Christmas scents which I love. My favourite at the moment being Christmas Cookie, it smells heavenly. I always stock up on plenty before they sell out. Again this is just an example of what I'd put into a gift box for someone. There is no right or wrong way to do it people. Once all the goodies are wrapped up I think this would make an amazing gift. I love opening presents like this at Christmas as you get such a big surprise.

What do you think of this idea? Will you be doing it for anyone special this year?

Laura<3

Christmas Gift Ideas #1 - Skincare & Body

I'm a bit late starting my Christmas series this year but better late than never I guess. I really enjoyed doing these kind of posts last year which I thought you guys enjoyed so I wanted to do the same for this Christmas. My first part in this series is going to show some skincare and body products. I feel alot of brands bring out gorgeous sets this time of the year so it would be a shame if I didn't mention them I think. I know skincare can be a bit of a messy gift to get someone as everyone has different skin types so you may not necessarily know what to get them. I've made two skincare suggestions that I think would make a nice gift this Christmas so I had to give them a mention.

First off is Lush's Let The Good Times Roll Cleanser which is a new addition to their Limited Edition festive collection. This was always going to be a winner for me as it smells like cinnamon which I adore! For €7.95, this exfoliating cleanser would make a super stocking filler to go with other small gifts. With such a small tub some of you may think that you don't get much product but seriously a little goes a long way. This cleanser may not look too appeal in the tube, it reminds me of cake mix but it works amazingly well. I know I'll be picking up another one before Christmas comes and goes.

My other skincare selection is from Liz Earle and it's their 24 Days of Liz Earle Advent Calendar. Alot of the brands products make up my daily skincare routine. I love their Cleanse & Polish and Skin Repair Light Moisturiser, I always make sure that I'm stocked up on both these products. Their new beauty range has been much talked about this year and the range definitely contains some must try products like their Signature Foundation and Natural Glow Bronzer. This gorgeous gift set is on the pricier side of things at €120.50/£100 but saying that I think this would make a truly lovely gift. First of the advent calendar itself is enormous, I love how it opens up like a big book. On the run up to Christmas under each door is a gorgeous mini treat. This would be perfect for someone who is maybe new to Liz Earle or hasn't tried too many products. With this set they'll definitely get a feel for the brand, how could you not with twenty four miniatures. These little treats would also be great for post Christmas holidays as they are the perfect size for travelling. There's a great selection in this advent calendar from haircare to bodycare to skincare etc. Liz Earle always run brilliant offers in the weeks coming up to Christmas, there always worth having a look at too. I've opened up door #1 just to show you how big the products are, I decided not to open up all the doors as I didn't want to ruin the surprise just in case one of you get this for Christmas.

Next is a favourite among alot of bloggers, The Body Shop. They've gone all out their seasonal  range this year, I was lucky to go along to their Christmas launch back in October where I got a sneak peak of their festive collection. There are three seasonal scents to choose from Cranberry Joy, Ginger Sparkle and Vanilla Bliss. My favourite scent out of the bunch is the latter, it's not artifical smelling in the slightest and has a gorgeous sweet scent. Vanilla Bliss doesn't only come in a body butter, you can get it in a shower gel, lip balm, body polish etc. Stay clear of the shimmer body lotion though as it leaves you totally sparkly, unless you like the Edward Cullen then you go right ahead and pick it up! If you're looking for something for a friend or a kris kindle gift look no further than this gorgeous gift set, shaped as lollipop how can you go wrong. It contains five of their  popular body butters that are sure to be a hit with just about anyone. The packaging definitely did it for me with this one and for €25.50 you can't really go wrong. To celebrate Black Friday tomorrow, The Body Shop is offering 30% off all their products in store for tomorrow only. It's the perfect time to get some Christmas presents sorted and to also treat yourself. My Nanna loves the Ginger Sparkle hand cream in particular so I may pick her up some more bits in the same scent for Christmas.

Another brand I have alot of time for is Korres, I am a huge fan of their amazing lip butters. Every Christmas they bring out really nice gift sets which contain lovely products and this year is no different. I have two to show you, one for the guys and one for the girls. For the latter, there's the Fig Collection gift set which contains a full sized shower gel and body butter. At first I wasn't too gone of the scent but I actually rather like it now. I find both products to be super moisturising so they'd be perfect for people with dry skin. The body butter sinks into the skin quickly so there's so messing around. Korres products contain alot of natural ingredients which it always states on their packaging. They don't contain any nasties like silicones, parabens etc. I love the body butter packaging as it reminds me of toothpaste so it's definitely more hygienic than sticking your hand in a tub. This personally doesn't bother me but I know it's a issue for some people. Now one for the man in your life the Korres Men's Vetiver Collection contain a full sized Aftershave Balm and Shower Gel in the same scent. This time last year my brother reviewed the Vetiver Root Green Tea Cedarwood Eau de Toilette here on my blog and he loved it. Being the exact same scent as the two products in this gift set, of course it was inevitable that he'd like this too. He described this as a great one for everyday and for the men who like musky scents.

For great gift sets for any ages look no further than Lush. A brand that I always come back to, I love getting their products as Christmas gifts myself. All their festive sets cater for different price points, so there'll be certainly something to suit your budget. All the products are packaged in lovely Christmas wrapping paper so they make the perfect gift. Alot of their sets use to contain a mixture of bath and shower products. A shame for people like me who don't have the latter in their house. This year is different though and I've found that alot more sets contain just shower products. Two sets that caught my eye are Winter Wishes and Snow Fairy, isn't the packaging beautiful? I'm going to do a full review post on both of these to show you what's inside.

I hope you enjoyed the first post in my Christmas series, I would love to know what you think. I'm going to put my next post up next week so keep an eye out. It won't be as long I just had alot to show you guys in this one.

Would you guys like to seen any of these products under your Christmas tree??

Laura
<3

Christmas Gift Ideas #9 - Books For Christmas

One present I get every year is a good book. I forever have my head in one so it's something I enjoy getting for Christmas. Everyones taste in what they read is different so I thought I'd make a quick list of books that I can see being popular this Christmas!!

The Hunger Games Trilogy By Suzanne Collins

There has been so much hype around the The Hunger Games trilogy throughout Twitter and the blogosphere. These best-selling books are already set to made into films with the first being released in March 2012. I actually ordered them off Amazon recently so I have yet to read them but from what I've heard so far there brilliant. The Hunger Games is aimed at Teen readers so I think this would be a great gift for brothers or sisters this Christmas.

Christmas Magic By Cathy Kelly
My boyfriend Paddy bought Christmas Magic for me and I love it. I think this would make such a nice present for someone this Christmas as it contains a festive collection of short stories. The cover is so gorgeous, pink and full of sparkle. This is definitely one for the Mothers! I'm giving this to my Mom after Christmas as she loves Cathy Kelly. I think this would be great for someone who doesn't have the time to sit down and read a full book.

I Heart Vegas By Lindsey Kelk
The fourth book in the I Heart series, I Heart Vegas is going to be great and is sure to have everyone in giggles. My dad bought me this on Saturday as an early Christmas present. I can't wait to start reading it. Anyone who likes Romantic novels will love this!! At the end of each book is a City guide which I love and is a sweet touch for those who like to travel.

Pretty Little Liars book series
There's ten books in the series, with the tenth book "Ruthless" being released just in time for Christmas. Anybody who watches Pretty Little Liars will love these!

All the books I've mentioned are available from all bookstores and on Amazon.com.

What books would you recommend this Christmas?

Laura<3

This comes to the end of my Christmas Gift Ideas series hope you found it helpful!

Christmas Gift Ideas #8 - Korres Men's Kit

Here's one for the man in your life. Korres Men's Kit contains four mini products from their men's range and comes in this stylish navy blue box. I know what some of you may be thinking "most men don't use skincare". Well most of the men in my life don't except my brother. This kit is different though as it contains essential products that men actually use on a regular basis like showergel and shave cream. Rest assured nothing will go to waste.

Each kit contains the following products....

Absinthe Men's Shave Cream 25ml "Heady shave cream for a close & smooth shave"

Marigold & Ginseng Aftershave Balm 25ml "A light-textured balm for aftershave care"

Cedar Showergel 50ml "An amalgam of earthy and forest tones"

Rice Proteins & Oligoelements Shampoo 50ml "Toning shampoo for fine and fragile hair"

What man wouldn't use these products?! It's a brilliant kit for a man who travels alot, I can certainly see my dad using something like this as it has everything he would need. No need to worry about travel restrictions either as they are all under 100ml. This kit is available all year round not just for Christmas so it would also be a nice birthday gift.

Korres Men's Kit retails for €12 (£10)  and is available to buy from House of Fraser or online.

Laura<3

Christmas Gift Ideas #7 - DVD Boxsets

 I love getting boxsets for Christmas and sitting down with my feet up on Stephen's Day watching a few episodes. Family Guy and The Simpsons boxsets are very popular in the McKenna household over Christmas. I don't think you can go wrong buying this for someone as a gift! I have some boxsets in mind that I'd love to get this Christmas (90210 Season 3 and Lie to Me Season 2 if anyone is reading this).

Some of my favourite TV shows, couldn't for the life of me find my Vampire Diaries or Private Practice DVD boxsets. They are both big favourites of mine too.

The best place to buy DVD boxsets in my opinion is HMV as you can always get them for such good bargains. It works out better price wise to purchase a old boxset in a series compared to a new one. New releases are always so expensive and sometimes overpriced. A boxset would make a great gift for anybody this Christmas, if like me they don't have the time to sit down and watch endless amounts of TV.

What boxset do you hope to get under the tree this Christmas?

Laura<3

Christmas Gift Ideas #6 - Custom Gifts

Instead of buying someone one big gift why not buy an assortment of small gifts. That's exactly what I'm doing for my sister's present this year. It's something that you don't need to spend too much on as it's the thought that counts! My sister, Lisa loves getting glammed up for nights out so I decided to get her mainly beauty goodies.

I got this pink quilted cosmetic bag in Penneys/Primark a while ago so I don't know if they still have these in stock. Any bag will do though. I like this cosmetic bag as it's the perfect size for your handbag but also quite spacious.

The Body Shop 4-Step Smoky Eyes Palette in Golden Brown & NYX 5 Color Shadow Palette in I Dream of Jamaica

My sister is alot like me and regularly rocks a neutral eye look. I love these palettes as they both contain wearable shades that would take you from day to night. The Body Shop palette also comes with a eyeshadow brush and eye pencil which would make a great gift on it's own. 

OPI Minis in Russian Navy & Lincoln Park After Dark
My sister wears dark nail polishes all the time. I don't think I've ever seen her wear bright shades. I got these two gorgeous nail polishes in OPI's Best of the Best set. I already own Russian Navy and Lincoln Park After Dark so I decided to pop them in too.

 Charm Bracelet

Like a lot of  people out there my sister adores charm bracelets. I got this one from Accessorize and it's beautiful. With a tonne of charms from dices to wishing bones I think this would look nice with anything. I hope my sister likes it as much as I do!

This is everything I've got for my sister so far! I may pick up a nice mascara and some Soap & Glory products the next time I'm in town and pop them in too. I think a custom gift would be great for a family member, friend, boyfriend, girlfriend as you know there going to find something they'll absolutely love. Plus they'll know you put alot of though into their gift.

What do you think of this gift idea?

Laura<3

Christmas Gift Ideas #5 - Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Limited Edition

Another great Christmas present for family members, friends or a Secret Santa gift is Liz Earle's Award Winning Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser. Being Christmas time it comes in a limited edition festive canister. The design gives such a nice touch to the product and makes for such a lovely gift. The cleanser you receive is a 150ml so it's bigger in comparison to the regular size (100ml).

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish 150ml
1 Pure Muslin Cloth
Cleansing Guide

If your a beauty blogger you've probably heard alot about the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish. It's a holy grail cleanser for alot of people. I use this cleanser twice daily and it does wonders for my skin. You can check out my full review on the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish here. I've only read positive reviews on this product as it is perfect for all skin types.

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Limited Edition retails for €20.75 and is available to buy in Wilde & Green, Milltown or online.

I would like to share with everyone that Liz Earle have a fabulous offer on. If you spend €80 or more online, you receive the gorgeous Christmas gift below. Worth over €31 this set would be nice as a gift or even for a early Christmas Gift for yourself.

Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser 30ml and 1 Pure Muslin  Cloth
Instant Boost Skin Tonic 50ml
Skin Repair Moisturiser 15ml
Superskin Concentrate 2m
Superbalm 5g


This offer is running till Saturday 31st December 2011 and it's worth checking out as the products you get are great. If you have a holiday booked over the New Year these are also great for travelling.


Laura<3

Christmas Gift Ideas #4 - Michael Bublé Christmas

I love Michael Bublé so I was happy to see he had a new CD coming out just in time for Christmas. This CD contains lots of much loved Christmas classics including White Christmas and Silent Night. I bought this for my Mom as a part of her Christmas present this year. I have no worries that she will ever see this post as she's not computer literate. She is such a big fan of Michael Bublé and I know she'll love this. There are always festive songs playing in my house all through Christmas and having heard this CD I know everyone in my house will love listening to it too.

I bought the Michael Bublé Christmas Deluxe Edition which is exclusive to Brown Thomas and costs €17.99. The Deluxe CD contains fifteen songs with three bonus tracks and a 'Making Of'' DVD. It's also available to buy in HMV for around €14. I thought my Mom would love the DVD and extra songs so I forked out the extra €4 on the Deluxe Editon.

I think this CD would be a great stocking filler for just about anybody. Who couldn't love this man!!

Laura<3

Christmas Gift Ideas #3 - Christmas Candles

This time of year, it's become a tradition to have Christmas candles about my house this time of year. I always have a candle burning in my room, I find them so relaxing and they leave such a sweet aroma. I've already picked up a few for Christmas gifts as there are so many to choose from and they'll last for ages.

Here are two of my favourite Christmas Candles!

Christmas Cookie (Medium Jar) & Cinnamon & Sugar (Large Jar)

Both of these candles are from the Yankee Candle Company. They are my favourite Christmas scents by far. Cinnamon & Sugar is a lovely mixture of sugar and spice. I'm a fan of cinnamon scent so this was always going to be a winner with me. On the other hand Christmas Cookie is a really sweet vanilla scent that leaves the room smelling yummy! I bought the festive lid in the picture above separately. I think it gives a extra nice touch and apparently there said to make your candle burn better. Vanilla Cupcake is a good alternative to this scent if you can't find it instores.

Yankee Candles are available in a range of different sizes (tea lights, tumblers etc.) and price points. I bought both of these candles on special offer as the big candles can get expensive. Homestore + More actually have a great deal, all Yankee Candles are half price. This is such a good saving as the large jars are usually €26.50 and I got Cinnamon & Sugar for €13.35 which is a steal. I can see these candles selling out quickly as I don't think there is a better bargain out there at the moment.

What is your favourite Yankee Candle?

Laura<3

Christmas Gift Ideas #2 - Clarins All About Lips Set

This is my first ever purchase from Clarins. All About Lips Set is a present I could see girls loving this christmas. It contains four mini lip products that come in wearable shades.

All the products come in this gorgeous gold cosmetic bag which is big enough to store makeup brushes or some of your go-to products in your handbag.

Here are the lip products you get in the set:

Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector in 01 Rose Shimmer  & 03 Nude Shimmer

Clarins Colour Quench Lip Balm in 03 Candy Pink & 02 Peach Nectar

The Instant Light Natural Lip Perfectors have gotten rave reviews throughout the blogosphere so it's safe to say their brilliant. Rose Shimmer is the shade I've been using the most, it looks so nice on. I always have it in my bag. I hadn't heard much about the Colour Quench Lip Balms before I seen them in this set.These little gems are so moisturising, not sticky at all and smell like cherries (need I say more!) Clarins is a brand that I've never been drawn towards. After using this set I am going to try some more of their products in the future, Passion Face Palette I'm looking at you!


Clarins All About Lips Set retails for €20 (£17) and is available at counters and online.


What have you tried from Clarins?

Laura<3

Christmas Gift Ideas #1 - Korres Party Survival Kit

I started this series of posts to give you some gift ideas for Christmas. I know how hard it can be to pick out presents for family members and friends. I hope you find it helpful!

With Christmas party season, fast approaching I think the Korres Party Survival Kit is a great gift. This gorgeous gold box contains a selection of best-selling products that will come in handy after a night of partying.

Included in each kit are these lovely products:

Evening Primrose Eye Cream SPF6 5ml 
"Eye cream for the reduction of fine lines and dark circles"
Wild Rose 24hr Moisturiser SPF 6 10ml 
"24-hour moisturiser for normal and dry skin"
Guava Showergel 50ml
"Invigorating blend of tropical fruit"
Guava Body Butter 50ml 
"Extra moisturising cream for dry skin conditions"
Milk Proteins 3 in 1 Cleansing Emulsion 14ml 
"3 in 1 cleansing, tonic and eye makeup- removing emulsion"
Lemon Refreshing Chewing Gum


Korres Party Survival Kit would be such a nice gift for a friend or family member. I love how the products are the perfect size to pop into a handbag or for travelling abroad. If I had to pick my favourite products from the kit, it would be the Guava Little Showergel and Body Butter. This stuff smells so yummy and reminds me of holidays. It's very fruity, definitely a firm favourite of mine.

The Korres Party Survival Kit retails for €22 (£18) and is available to buy in House Of Fraser or online.


What do you think of the Korres Party Survival Kit?

Laura<3