Christmas Gift Guide- Makeup Edition

I love makeup and I love to receive makeup as gifts regardless of the occasion. I think buying makeup as a Christmas Gift is less tricky compared to buying skincare or even fragrance. Furthermore, there are amazing makeup gift sets that offer a variety of products to suit many people. I have put together a little makeup gift guide just for makeup. They are high quality makeup products and I am sure you will love them. Right let's dive in...

Stila Makeup* //Link //from £14
I have always heard about Stila and possibly tried one or two products previously but I believe that I discovered the brand fully this year. I am so glad I did because they have such amazing products, great quality and are innovative. Till date, I have never seen any other Liquid Glitter Eyeshadow that comes close to their Stila Glitter & Glow Liquid Eyeshadows*//£23. They are absolutely stunning and I have written about them here. For Christmas they have some great Gift Sets including the Stila Star Studded 8 All Day Liquid Lipsticks*//£45 which I adore. In this set, you get 8 liquid lipsticks which are super cute with an amazing shade range.  I love the Stay All Day Foundation & Concealer*//£29.50 which comes in a lovely packaging which fits with the festive season. The foundation has a concealer on top and a foundation underneath so you are getting two products in one. I love the Stila All Day Eyeliner*//£14.50 which is everyone's favourite because it really does last all day. I am such a huge fan of their newly launched Stila One Step Primer*//£24 which is very refreshing on the skin and keeps my makeup intact all day.





All the shades in this set are so wearable and I have been wearing them everyday since I got them. I also finally got my hands on the Written in the Stars Glitter Eyeshadow Set// £25 and I am so obsessed with it.  I purchased it from Marks & Spencer so if you missed out on it, I will recommend checking out M&S.

Fenty Beauty //Link // from £16
It will be an absolute crime for me not to mention Fenty Beauty which, in my opinion, was the brand that broke the makeup world's internet (and still breaking it). I have not been excited for any makeup brand as much as the Fenty Beauty. I know everyone is tired of hearing this about them but they launched 40 foundation shades in their first launch so I will forever sing their praises. I already have a full review of all the products I purchased from them over here so pop over for a read. My top recommendations as gifts will be their Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation //£26, Match Stix //from £21 and Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter Duos //£26. I heard their brushes are amazing too and I am looking to pick up a few.





For their holiday collection, they launched their Galaxy range which I am absolutely in love with. I picked up their Eyeshadow Palette and the Lipstick. I feel like I want to get more lipsticks and lip glosses too. They have maintained such high quality and I am getting ready to order from their new lipstick range launching on the 26th Dec 2017.
P.S. I am actually working that day so I may have to get on that website in the morning on my way to work.(**sad times**)



Eyeshadow Palettes //from £30
I think one of the easiest makeup products to buy as gifts are eyeshadow palettes. There are various types of eyeshadow palettes including neutral,warm, cool, glitter, etc and it will depend on what your loved one prefers or you may even want them to try something new. Many brands have launched eyeshadow palette especially in the past year. I don't have all the launches but I have a few which I thought will make stunning gifts. The first is the Urban Decay Naked Heat Palette //£39.50 which I am absolutely in love with. I am wearing it as I type this and I have been wearing it at least once or twice a week since I got it. It is the eyeshadow palette I was praying that Urban Decay will make and they eventually did. It has gorgeous brown shades, copper, rose gold, burgundy, smoky brown, etc. If you have a loved one that loves warm palettes, they will absolutely adore this palette.



The second palette is the Stila Eyes are the Window Palette (Mind)*//£30 and it is a recent addition to my collection. It is a mixture of a warm and neutral palette and it is excellent for beginners or for anyone who loves simple makeup. It has many matte shades which is very appealing to me and I love that the fall out is minimal. The last palette is the Fenty Beauty Galaxy Eyeshadow Palette //£39 which is for the adventurous makeup lover. It is a full on glitter palette so it will be perfect for the party season too (and New Year's Eve, too). The packaging is absolutely stunning and it is just one of those palettes that will be a collector's item for me.


By Terry Ombre Black Star //Link //£29
While we are still on eyeshadows, I know some people prefer one wash wonders like cream eyeshadows. I prefer them too especially when I am in a hurry and have very little or no time to blend everything. One of the best cream eyeshadows I have ever tried are the By Terry Ombre Blackstar Cream Eyeshadows which are absolutely stunning. Everything from their packaging down to the quality of the products is high quality and delivers excellent results. There is a good range of shades to choose from but my all time favourite shades are Misty Rock, Bronze Moon, Ombre Mecure, etc. They fit well into my usual everyday kind of shades and I know they will make excellent gifts. There is a gift set has 3 Ombre Black Stars beautifully packaged. You make slight savings buying in this set however each of the product is 1.64g while the full size is 2g.



Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette //Link // £69
I just absolutely love this palette and have got so much use from it. I actually got this as a Christmas gift from the man almost two years ago and it has worked so well for me. I have not made any significant dent in it because I use it lightly and you really do need a small amount for every use. Hourglass have released various versions of this palette but one thing remains the same- the quality is impeccable. I think receiving this palette as a Christmas gift will melt any makeup lover's heart (I know mine did the moment I unboxed it). The gold design always draws at my heart strings and it really goes well with the festive season. I don't think the one I have in this picture is still available but I have linked very similar ones above.




Marc Jacobs Buffing Foundation Brush (The Face III) //Link //£37
This was another semi-impulse purchase I made this year but I have no regrets at all. I popped into Harrods to buy the Re(marc)able Full Coverage Foundation. The sales associate used this brush to apply the foundation and I was complete sold. I have to say that the Marc Jacobs brushes are so well made and I think they are worth the price. I love the beautiful outer packaging of the brush and I know it will make a great Christmas gift. The brush in itself is stunning and I have not had any shedding, colour discoloration or loss of shape since I got it. It works so well with other foundations too which is great.



Beauty Blenders // Link //from £16
I already featured a few of these beauty blenders in my Stocking Fillers Christmas Gift Guide but I am more than happy to include them again. I have had so many amazing Beauty Blender sets over the past year and I have enjoyed every single one of them. I still maintain that the Beauty Blenders are the bets compared to any other beauty sponges I have tried (and believe me,  have tried quite a few). They are so bouncy, greater quality and softer. There are so many great sets out there that will make amazing gifts including their Summer Fling Set*//£40 and the All About Face Set*//£35. I am also a big fan of their Liquid Beauty Blender Cleanser//£15 which works great at keeping the beauty blenders clean. I believe you can also get a gift set which contains the beauty blenders and liquid cleanser. If you are on a budget but still want to get something nice, I suggest trying out the Beauty Blender Pro Black//£16 which looks less messy after it it has been used. It is easier to clean and black always looks classy.


I hope you enjoyed this post and my previous Christmas Gift Guide covers everything else from Beauty (Luxury Beauty edition) so make sure you check it out here. My final Christmas Gift Guide will be up this week so keep an eye out for that post too...x
*PR sample + Affiliate links used, see my full disclaimer here.

Christmas Gift Guide- The Luxury Beauty Edition

Tis' the season for Christmas Gift Guides and this particular one is my favourite to write because it involves products and brands I absolutely love. Some of them are my holy grail products that I would be more than happy to unwrap for Christmas and others are new brands I have grown to love. As it is a luxury beauty edition, some of the products are expensive while others are affordable. Hope you enjoy this post and get some inspiration for gift ideas for loved ones or a wish list for yourself. Right let's get started.....


Serums
I love Serums because they contain very concentrated ingredients that pack a punch when it comes to delivery high quality results. There are various types of serums for different uses include hydrating, firming, brightening, hyper pigmentation, all rounders,etc. Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair*//£53 which has a huge cult following because it is an all rounder. It is hydrating and firming and works for many skin types especially for matured skin. Another all rounder serum is the Lancome Advanced Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate// £59 which is my all time favourite serum. It is hydrating, plumping, firming and keeps the skin youthful. For brightening, there are two options I love. The first is the Oskia Renaissance Bright Serum// £88 which I am currently trying out. It looks gorgeous and keeps my skin radiant. The Aveda Tulasara Bright Concentrate*//£45 is another incredible brightening serum that is made from predominantly natural ingredients and works for many skin types. For hyper pigmentation, my top serum has to be the Biologique Recherche Placenta Serum//£61. This is not the easiest to purchase but it is worth the hassle as it has worked incredibly well for my hyper pigmentation. For matured skin, I will suggest picking the REN Keep Young and Beautiful Serum //£46, Aveda Tulasara Firm Concentrate*//£45, Institut Esthederm Retinol Oil Serum*//£63 and Jurlique Herbal Recovery Advanced Serum*//£48 as they all help firm up the skin so they will make a perfect gift for mums, aunties or any friends hitting their 30's.




Cult 51 Skincare // Link // from £95 (Review)
I have already spoken about Cult 51 Skincare in a review here so I won't go into too much details. It is one skincare brand that really works for various skin conditions. I have almost all the products they make and I have absolutely enjoyed them. The Immediate Effect Serum* //£95 can be used both as a serum and as an eye serum. It really works for puffy eyes, dark circles, etc. The Day Cream//£100 and Night Cream*//£125 are cult favourites and with good reason. They leave the skin smooth and firm. I love that all their products are multi-tasking as they work as a serum, moisturiser, anti-ageing, primer, etc. The great thing is that their packaging looks great as a gift and I believe they offer gift wrapping/boxing with an added cost.



I noticed that they recently changed the packaging of their Day Cream (possibly their Night Cream too). I personally prefer the previous outer packaging (pictured above) which looked and felt more luxurious than the new one. I don't think it matters too much but the glass tubs are the same and the creams now come with a spatula which is great to have.


If you do not want to splash out on the full size but you wanted to still  treat a loved one, I recommend trying out the mini sizes of the Cult 51 Day Cream or Night Cream. I had the Day Cream Mini*//£40 which I completely finished and it prompted me to purchase the full size. It retails for £40 which is reasonable for the amount of product you get.



Jurlique Herbal Recovery Range* // Link  //Set for £89 (Review)
I am a big fan of the Jurlique Herbal Recovery range and I was kindly gifted some products a few months ago. Within the range, you get the Herbal Recovery Advanced Day Cream//£37*, Herbal Recovery Advanced Serum*//£48 and Herbal Recovery Advanced Eye Serum*//£47 . I think this is such an amazing set to gift anyone who loves skincare. I know they have some great Christmas Gift Sets where you get good value for your money. Their skincare is made from pure and natural ingredients infused with herbal plants and homeopathy. I love that they grow their own plants so they have greater control of what goes into each product!!



Murad Skincare Range*//Link // from £35 (Review)
I have also spoken about Murad Skincare here and it is a brand I absolutely love. I am sure everyone must have heard about Murad at some point because they make fantastic skincare products. They also have great Christmas sets where you can make some savings and get good value. I can't choose which products are my favourites because they all work so well. I will highly recommend checking them out especially the City Shield range*which is incredible.




Omorovicza Discovery Set // Link //£59
I am quite new to Omorovicza but I have not been disappointed at all. I got this Discovery Set a little while ago and I think it is really the best way to try the brand. Inside the set, you get a Cleansing Foam, Thermal Cleansing Balm, Deep Cleansing Mask, Balancing Moisturiser and the cult classic Queen of Hungary Mist. These products inside are not sample sizes rather they are generous deluxe sizes (15-30ml) and I think this set is worth the price. The best part was I also got a Gift with Purchase when I got mine and it had other products inside including a gorgeous blue pouch. I think this will make a great gift for anyone because the products inside work for all skin types and I have enjoyed them all.


Eye Cream/Serum
Tired eyes are the bane of my many people's lives and I know many people will appreciate eye care skincare products as gifts. I have tried quite a few eye creams and serums but my favourite ones are what I have included in this post. The first is the Lancome Advanced Genifique Yeux Light Pearl//£47 which is a serum-eye cream hybrid and I absolutely love it. It works a treat at keeping my under eye plump, hydrated and prevents dark circles. It comes in a stunning bottle complete with a dropper/pipette also designed like a pearl. I know Lancome has many gift sets with this product in them. Another favourite is the Institut Esthderm Lift & Repair Eye Contour Lift Patches* //£53 which has been a life saver especially for days when I feel tired. The box contains 10 pairs of eye patches  which are so refreshing and keep my eyes hydrated. I save them mainly for pamper nights. This will make an incredible gift for anyone.




Fragrances
I have tried so many great fragrances this past year and I have written about them in various posts. I won't go into too much details about all the fragrances because I have full reviews here which I will link on here. Some of these fragrances include Roger & Gallet Fleur de Figuier* (£42 //Link //review), Lancome La Vie est Belle* (£75 //Link ), etc.  My current favourite fragrance is the Shay & Blue London Scarlet Lily* //£55. Shay & Blue London has been around for a good while and I have tried a few samples here and there. They recently launched some incredible scents and they are the perfect gift this season.



I am absolutely obsessed with the gift packaging as it is very high quality. If I received this for Christmas, I would be over the moon and I know that many people would love to receive this. When this arrived in the post, it indeed felt like Christmas. Scarlet Lily is described as a richly voluptuous floral scent for the 21st Century and I could not have explained that any better. Its  top ingredients include Lotus Blosson, Ariadne Lily, Ylang Ylang and Amber among other great ingredients. You can find out more about the fragrance here.



                                                         Beauty Tools //FOREO
I know I always talk about my FOREO beauty tools and it's just because they have made such a difference to my skin. I have had all these devices for close to two years and I use at least one FOREO product everyday yet they still look as good as new. I have kept all their outer packaging to store them when I move houses and that's why I still have them. I can't imagine anyone not appreciating receiving a FOREO product this Christmas. The great thing is there is something for all budgets. If you are on a strict budget, you can gift the Luna Play*//£29 which is the cutest thing ever. It is not rechargeable but it will last for 100 uses. Mine lasted way more than 100 uses so it is totally worth the price at £29. I believe they are also being sold in gift sets where you get a FOREO Issa,  Day and Night Cleanser. If you have a bit more to spend, I will recommend the Luna Mini 2*//£119  which is my regular one. It comes in different colours and it is the perfect fit for my hand, face and travelling. If you really want to go all out, I will suggest the FOREO Luna 2*//£169 and FOREO IRIS*//£119. I have written about all my FOREO devices over here. 




Body Care- Apple &Bears //Link //£34.95 (Review/Giveaway here)
I already spoke about Apple & Bears in this post so I will try not to be repetitive. The brand makes organic and natural body care products which are really lovely. I have tried their Honey & Hemp Luxury Gift Set and I have to say it is such a great gift for this season. It is well packaged and you don't need to faff around with too much wrapping. I have got a 15% discount code here- "FASHSTYLELIV15" and you can save some money. If you are looking to try it out for yourself, I have a Giveaway going on right now which you can enter here.




                                                           Candles
I think the best season for candles are definitely A/W and Christmas because candles make the house very cosy. For Christmas, candles add an extra festive feel to everything and I know many people will love to unwrap candles for Christmas. I always love Molton Brown candles because they smell so gorgeous and burn evenly as well. I have quite a collection of their candles and they last a good while. I adore their Christmas/Festive Candles which come in beautiful sets like the one above. My current favourite is the Delicious Rhubarb and Rose Candle* //£39 which will make a great gift for women and the Russian Leather Candle* //£45 will be the perfect gift for men. I had to include the Rathbornes Cedar, Cloves and Ambergris Candle* //£32 which is my  perfect festive candle because I always burn it around this season. It is such a lovely candle and will make a great gift for anyone including new home owners.
That's it for this Christmas Gift Guide. I have another one coming up in a few days and I hope you enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed writing them up.
*Gifted PR samples + Affiliate Links used, read my full disclaimer here