Christmas 2019

I’ve been an absolute cliche for the last few weeks, completely dumbfounded by the arrival of Christmas – it’s going to be 2020 soon, how is that even possible? This year has absolutely flown by! I normally make quite a big fuss of Christmas on the blog, with all sorts of gift guides and Christmassy bits and bobs, but this year I’ve aggregated the whole lot into one big post.  I realise 23rd December is a somewhat late arrival when it comes to sharing my thoughts on gift ideas, but there is still time to shop, plus there are many of you who won’t be giving their gifts until after Christmas…plus, this’ll give you a little insight into some of the bits that might make it into the Christmas sales, so it’s still a worthy post! I’ve convinced myself, how about you…?

I’m starting with the pricier items, as these are the gifts that you want to treat someone special to.  I’ve got a bit of skincare, a bit of make-up and some QVC UK exclusives.  I was a bit undecided about whether to include QVC UK items in a post so close to Christmas, but for those who won’t be giving their gifts on the day itself, there are some stars to be found.

I’ve already shared the love for the IT Cosmetics IT Girl Beauty Book here (£49.96 here – link), and I am so happy they still have it in stock as it is such a treat, and one of those gifts that really does generate excitement to anyone who loves their make-up.  You get a bit of everything, including a full eye palette, concealer, powder, bronzer, lipsticks…and loads more, all wrapped-up in the handiest of travel packs.

I had to include the Lancome L’Absolu Rouge Lip Palette (currently reduced to £30 here – link) because…well, look at it! Although don’t look at it too close as it’s already taken some serious abuse, since it’s the perfect size for travel, so it slots beautifully into my handbag.  Containing an impressive array of both colours and textures, check out my full review here to find out exactly why this would make the perfect gift.

Ecooking are an exciting skincare brand with a real focus on clean beauty.  The Ecooking Start Set with Cleansing Gel (£36 here – link) is not only a fantastic introduction to the range, its also an amazing travel set, so great for anyone with holiday plans – I actually took a lot of Ecooking minis away on my last holiday and they travel really well.

My love for Omorovicza really does know no limits; whenever my skin is struggling, the first thing I do is dig out the Thermal Cleansing Balm of Joy, so a gift set from Omorovicza sits pretty high on my want list, and a great one is the Mud Detox Collection (£70 here – link) because it contains a great selection of products that all give you that home-spa feel: you get deluxe minis of the Revitalizing Scalp Mask, Refining Facial Polisher and two of my absolute favourites, the aforementioned Thermal Cleansing Balm and the Deep Cleansing Mask.

Let’s be honest, few things are quite as fancy as a Molton Brown gift set, right? So this 4 Piece Luxurious Gift Collection (£48 here – link) will really hit the ‘wow’ spot if you’re looking to a very good impression.  There are two varieties available – Fresh or Warm – I think the Fresh colours are more appealing but the Warm fragrances do it for me; Warm is the set above, and it contains four products: 2 full sized body washes, 1 mini body wash and 1 hand wash.

Bee Yu are a range that are very new to me, but I love the concept of a natural yet potent range of skincare that harnesses the many benefits that our amazing bees have to offer, with ingredients such as Bee Venom, Manuka Honey and Royal Jelly.  The Complete Bee Yu Natural Skincare Collection Christmas Gift Set (£140 here – link) lets you try the whole range with a saving of £100 if you purchased the products individually.

I’m quietly obsessed with Rejuvenated and I have a strange relationship with the brand, as I desperately want to fill my life with all their products (I know so many people who take their products and rave about them) but I have a pill phobia! I’m genuinely working on it in the hopes that I’ll eventually be able to add some Rejuvenated to my life.  In the meantime, check out the Repair and Perfect Set (£59.95 here – link) that contains both the Skin Perfecting Complex and the H30 Night Repair (especially a fan of the concept behind a night time supplement – it’s such a great idea) in a handy little tin.

I decided to dedicate a little section all to Real Techniques, because all beauty lovers always need a little more Real Techniques in their lives, especially as they always do the most amazing range of gifts, for all budgets and needs, so here’s a trio to get you in the mood:

The Real Techniques Metallic Dimension set (£21.99 here – link) contains four full-sized brushes alongside a mixing palette for creating bespoke looks.

The Real Techniques Luminous set (£14.99 here – link) is my favourite of the collections, as it contains three brushes that includes my favourite – 402, that you can use for pretty much everything – as well as a pouch for storing.

Finally, the Mini Powder Ornament (£5.99 here – link) is so cute! There are a few ornaments to chose from, and I love the idea of having a bit of Real Techniques hanging from my tree.

Next up are the mid range goodies, with a mix of beauty gifts that allow you to still get all the brownie points without spending a fortune.

Delilah are one of those brands that do not get enough credit, as I’ve loved everything I’ve ever used from them, and I think the Delilah Holiday Highlights Collection (£34 here – link) is a perfect present for the beauty lover who has everything – as this is a gorgeous little set that’s all about creating that natural luminosity with as few products as possible.

I’m surprised by how keen I am on the Laura Ashley Relax and Renew set (£12.80 here – link) but I think it’s because it’s the sort of set that really encourages a session of pampering, thanks to the inclusion of bath foam, soap flowers and a mist to set the tone, and really help you unwind; such a lovely set at a great price.

Super cuteness up next thanks to the Too Faced Gingerbread Bronzed and Kissed (£36 here – link) contains a coordinated duo of bronzer and lipstick that match the gingerbread man make-up pouch – this is the perfect example of the sort of gift that will put a smile on any beauty-lover’s face.

The Kat Von D Big Saintly Lashes (£37 here – link) is a really unique pairing of mascara and fragrance – isn’t that fantastic? I would never think to put those two together in a gift set – the mascara is awesome and the fragrance is gorgeous too, making this a fab little set all round.

Finally I have a few stocking fillers and budget goodies that are great for making little gestures, as well filling stockings (funny that!) and these are also often great for hanging on the tree, since they’re dinky!

I have a couple of Kat Von D bits, starting with the Love Big or Go Home Cracker (£20 here – link) which contains a mini mascara and liquid lipstick.  My favourite of the duo is the Everlasting Mini Liquid Lipstick Set (£13.99 here – link) which is such a great gift, with a decent selection of colours in cute mini form.

Floral Street have the most beautiful shop in Covent Garden, so if you have time and you’re in London then you could pop in and pick up some of their Christmas gifts, such as one of their Christmas Baubles (£24 here – link) or a couple of their Travel Fragrances (£24 each here – link) but if it were me, I”d probably go for one of their gorgeous candles.

My final three products include the Laura Ashley Timeless Treasures Collection (£8.50 here – link) for some budget-friendly treat time, the dinkiest Too Faced Pretty Little Present (£14 here – link) that contains a mini mascara and lipgloss and the ideal present to finish with, the Bach Enjoy the Moment (£10 here – link) trio of soothing flower remedies.

So there we have it! That’s a loooot of Christmas in post, I’m sure you’ll agree…Have an amazing Christmas and see you in 2020! xx

Disclaimer: PR Sample and Affiliate links – I have not been paid for this feature.