What I Got For Christmas

For Christmas this year, we knew most of the presents we were getting from one another in my family. It wasn't as 'exciting', but we all received things we really wanted this way. I decided to choose things I wouldn't normally buy myself. For example, I couldn't justify buying the Topshop Dressing Gown (so soft!), Lush's Ro's Argan Body Conditioner (love, but expensive) or Lindt Lindor Maxi Ball for myself, so asked my parents for them. They also bought me Lush's Montalbano and Braziliant Shampoo Bars, Accessorize Koala Slippers, and a tin of sweets (mostly for the tin to store my baking bits in!).

From my sister, I received the Clintons Heart Print Diary (great quality pages), Paperchase List Book and Pen (love the print), battenberg shaped tin with recipe notes (we used to eat these on the way home from school - makes me feel sick just thinking about it now!), Next Apricot Blossom LED Candles, Next Apricot Blossom Reed Diffuser (had the smaller one previously and loved it), a pretty Next glass for milkshakes, and some sweet treats.

I just wanted to show you the things I chose, instead of everything I received. I had to include the Debenhams Fox Slippers my friend got me, though, because they're so cute!

I hope you had a good Christmas!

Boots Star Gift - No7 Ultimate Collection

The last Star Gift leading up to Christmas is the No7 Ultimate Collection. It's better than half price at £37, down from £75. They've annoyingly increased the price from last year, but you still get £124.45 worth (the box says 'over £130 worth', but I've worked it out to be £124.45). I bought this for the Protect and Perfect Intense creams, which are £23 and £24 on their own. I'm also intrigued to try the rest of the contents in the smaller box. I'm thinking about leaving the products in the larger box and giving as a present, possibly for Mother's Day.

In the No7 Ultimate Collection, you receive:

Protect and Perfect Intense Day Cream - £23

Protect and Perfect Intense Night Cream - £24

Protect and Perfect Intense Hand Cream - £10.50

Beautiful Skin Dry Skin Rescue - £12

Lovely Lashes Mascara in Black - £12.95

BB Lips Beauty Balm in Ballerina - £9

Blissful Body Wash - £7.50

Beautiful Skin Cleansing Lotion - £9.50

Sumptuous Bath Soak - £7.50

Completely Quenched Body Lotion - £8.50

I think this would make a great last minute Christmas gift, especially because it's packaged so beautifully. Or you can buy it for yourself, like I did!

Foundation (No7 Beautifully Matte and Stay Perfect)

2014 has been the year I've started wearing foundation. Before, I just used concealer because I didn't like the way foundation looked on my skin, or the colour selections available. I would have continued doing so, but as well as using it on blemishes and under my eyes, I started using it on the rosy bottoms of my cheeks and my nose where there's so many freckles that it's a couple shades darker than the rest of my face. I thought it'd be more cost effective to just buy a foundation.

I bought the No7 Beautifully Matte (£13.50) and Stay Perfect (£14.50) foundations because I had a Boots employee voucher. I wouldn't have bought them if it wasn't for this, but now that I've used them, I'd buy them again. I have the lightest shade (Calico) in both of these, and although I think it's still one shade too dark for me, my sister insists it looks fine. It's also lighter than most other highstreet foundations I've seen. Although the Stay Perfect packaging looks more appealing, with its glass bottle, the Beautifully Matte one is definitely more practical, pushing the product up so none is wasted. Aside from this, they're very similar, in terms of formulation. The Beautifully Matte one is ever so slightly more matte (hence the name), but that's it. They both have a medium to full coverage, don't feel heavy or look cakey, and have an SPF of 15. They don't keep my oily complexion at bay all day, though, even with a primer and powder, so I have to use shine absorbing sheets half way through to help control this.

I would absolutely love for them to bring out a lighter shade, but for now, these are doing a great job, and have converted me to foundation. I would love to try some others, though, so let me know your recommendations (especially if you're as pale as me!).

Sheer, Berry Lips

Although I'm not one to adhere to seasonal shades, I do find myself gravitating towards berry lip products more in the winter months. A lot of people prefer their lighter, summer shades to be glossy, and darker, winter shades to be matte, but I've been liking something in between. You see, I'm still dipping my toes into the darker shades water, and I feel like the shades above are perfect for that introduction. 

The No7 BB Lips Beauty Balm in Berry Rose (£9) and Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Stick in Raplumsel (£8) are both incredibly balmy, which is why I love them so much. They also fade well, are quick and easy to reapply, and your lips don't have to be in perfect condition for them to look good. All of these aspects make up for the fact that they don't last as long as a heavier lip product would. The other shades I have of these are also some of my favourites, so I'd definitely recommend looking out for the ranges on your next shopping trip.

What kind of lip products do you see yourself gravitating towards in the colder months?

The Body Shop Hand Creams (Including New Christmas Scents, Frosted Cranberry and Vanilla Brulee)

My hands go through a lot more now that I've left uni and started work, so I've found a new appreciation for hand cream. The ones from Figs & Rouge are some of my favourites, but I'm really liking these from The Body Shop. 

Like the Figs & Rouge ones, they're not greasy in the slightest, but still leave your hands feeling moisturised. Unsurprisingly, I bought the Mango one first, which smells just as good as the other products in the range. Then, after smelling the new Christmas scents, I decided to buy two out of three of the hand creams available. Frosted Cranberry smells like the old Cranberry Joy range, and has a beautiful, crisp berry scent. Vanilla Brulee was a pleasant surprise, smelling exactly like the name suggests. I was expecting a simple, been-done vanilla scent that just had a fancy name. It really does smell like a dessert, though. Glazed Apple is the other seasonal scent, and although I like it, I'd prefer a crisp apple fragrance over the sweet one it has.

They're £3.50 for 30ml, but I've never paid more than £2.10 because of the offers and codes they always have going on. Still more than your standard tube of hand cream, but they're worth it for the scents alone! They're also perfect handbag size.

Have you tried The Body Shop's hand creams? Or smelt the new Christmas scents yet?