A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

If you’re still searching for a perfect gift for that more discerning member of the family *cough* (Mum) *cough*, you should point your browser in the direction of Timothy Han, purveyor of luxury candles.

Free from petrochemicals, genetically modified ingredients, herbicides or pesticides – these all-natural fragrant fancies are made from a carefully-chosen blend of pure essential oils, with no chemical additives or boosters.

I love the sound of Tobacco & Jasmine which ticks all the right boxes for a classy winter-warmer without going down the traditional gourmand route for Christmas home-scenting.

Each candle is hand-blended with a soy base and offers around 50 hours of burn time.  Luxury rarely comes cheap, and these are reassuringly expensive – at least, enough to keep you in the good books for a little while longer!

Timothy Han Candles are available to purchase online at www.timothyhan.com, priced at £38 each.

It strikes me that there’s a certain amount of appreciation for baked goods amongst beauty fans.  Cookies, cupcakes, muffins, cake-mix licked straight from the bowl… we’re just not fussy.  Perhaps it’s because we’re so finely attuned to appreciating the finer luxuries in life, or maybe we’re just a little big piggy – whatever the reason – I’m pretty sure you’re gonna get as excited as I have about today’s Christmas Gifting pick.

Let’s have a look at what we’ve got here…

~ A reusable and very practical cookie tin in which we can hide our multiple stashes of Fox’s Crinkle Crunch.  Don’t look at me like that.

~ A full-size tube of Hand Food™ hand cream which I blogged about back in June (and like very much)

~ A full-size maple-scented The Breakfast Scrub sugar body smoother.  Maple scented… excuse me while I make noises that a doughnut-spying Homer would be proud of hearing.

~ Finally, a squee-cute APRON!!!  OMG!!!  A Soap & Glory apron!

There is nothing about this gift set that I dislike and if Mr. L is reading this… (a.) please can you logon and change our Tesco delivery time to an evening slot and (b.) buy me this, kthanksbai.

The Soap & Glory Yum at Heart Christmas Gift Set is priced at a very reasonable (imo) £16 and available instore and online at Boots.  You should also know that this is included in the current 3for2 offer.

Do you suffer from an incurably sweet tooth too?

Whenever I look at a Philosopy Christmas Gift Set, it reminds me of exactly how I want my Christmases to look.  Sure, it’s a little bit (a lot) twee and there’s enough glitter involved to get your local drag queen banging down your door, but c’mon.  It’s CHRISTMAS!!!!! (nearly).

The Philosophy Jolly Jubilee set comprises two items:

Holly Jolly Shampoo, Shower Gel and Bubble Bath (120ml)
Crisp Berry Lip Shine (15ml)

This would make a perfect Secret Santa gift with the wrapping already done for you courtesy of a cute red velvet bow and beautifully designed tin in which the products sit.  Priced at £16 and available instore and online from John Lewis & Selfridges.

Do you like Philosophy gift sets or are their idealized Christmas scenes a little too much cuteness for you to bear?!

The U.S. have always been big on their Christmas ad extravaganzas but historically, in the UK… the only way we could tell that it was Christmas in ad-land was when we heard the opening words…  “It’s a magical place, we’re on our way there…” Extra points if you can guess the ad.

Today, things have changed and some of my favourite ads of recent years have been the Christmas specials from companies including John Lewis, M&S, Sainsburys (maybe not Iceland though eh?)

Some of the cutest in recent years have come from Boots and this year’s is no exception.  I was treated to a sneak preview on Tuesday night and it gave me that teeny little thrill down the back of the neck that reminds you CHRISTMAS IS COMING!!

You can experience the same thrill TONIGHT when The Girls go undercover in an attempt to put Christmas on the map in a big way.  The brand new Boots Christmas 2011 ad will be debuting at 8.15pm with a sixty second slot on ITV and Channel 4 during Emmerdale and Beeny’s Restoration Nightmares.  My Dad fancies Beeny.  Sorry, not relevant.

Anyway, my lips have been sealed shut and I’m not allowed to reveal more about the ad but it is a Christmas cutie… don’t tell anyone I’ve shown you the still, I may have to kill you.  Or The Girls may have to kill me, either way, it wouldn’t be very Christmas-sy.

In the spirit of all things horribly commercial (geddit?), what are your favourite Christmas Ads?

Following on from last week’s FrontCover set, this week’s Star Gift of the Week at Boots is a Ted Baker Make It Big Vanity Case, picture below:

Until Thursday, 3rd November – the set will be priced at only £19 (regularly £40) and includes:

Butterfly Wings Body Wash (250ml)
Butterfly Wings Body Lotion (200ml)
Butterfly Wings Body Spray (150ml)
Butterfly Wings Body Scrub (300ml)
Origami Bath Foam (250ml)
Origami Body Souffle (300ml)
Origami Body Spray (150ml)

For a closer look at the actual case… you can watch the short video below:

Ted Baker Make It Big Vanity Case is available online and instore at Boots priced at £19.00, though be aware that the GotW’s usually sell out online fairly rapidly.

Perfume ‘jewellery’ has been big news for some time now and will again be found on many wishlists this Christmas.  I spotted this Chloé Solid Perfume Necklace at a recent press day and made a bee-line for it because I loved the simplicity of the design.  There was a release last year that did the blog rounds, it was a solid perfume ring that was hugely OTT and possibly, the ugliest thing I’d laid eyes on.

This, is a little more understated…

The Chloé Solid Perfume Necklace contains the brand’s signature scent and will be available from all Chloé stockists from the 21st September 2011 with an RRP of £45.00/€56.30

Are you a fan of solid fragrance turned into jewellery?

We’ve got a bit of a mish-mash here so bear with me.  You’re looking at a selection of Paul & Joe goodies from both their Fall 2011 Manhattan collection AND a few bits from the upcoming Holiday/Christmas 2011 collection.  ‘Citing!

These five sparkly polishes are Holiday/Christmas releases (I couldn’t see the Fall polishes on the stand).  We’re looking at glitter people.  Jewel toned glitters and I have NO idea what that green is all about.  It’s reminded me to take nail wheels with me for swatching next time.  Stupid blogger.

On the left, we have the new finishing powder which will be available in SIX shades from the 5th August.  In the middle… yeah, let’s take a moment over that green again.  And over on the right are the eyeshadows and lipsticks from the Fall Manhattan Collection.

Moving on…

I got a bit hung up on the polishes…  “Holidays are coming, holidays are coming….”

See on the shelf behind?  The palette and cardboard boxes with ribbons?   That’s Holiday… and it’s a bit special because the palette is customisable and the little boxes are for hanging on the Xmas tree!!  They contain single eyeshadows that can be bought for the refillable palette!

OK, just one last look at those polishes….

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What do you think?  Sophisticated Fall and a Sparkly Xmas?  Sounds good to me.