Beauty Gift Ideas for Christmas! | Part One | Nuxe, Clinique, MOR, Nude By Nature

Hello Loves!

I have the first instalment of The Beauty Vine's Christmas Beauty gift ideas for you today!

I believe the four beauty gift sets below represent great value for money, without breaking the bank. Christmas time can be so expensive... and it seems to be more so every year! I often browse all the top beauty websites at this time of the year and just ogle at all of the stunning gift sets... it's so hard not to want them all!!

I have owned and loved most of these of the products mentioned in the past, with the exception of the odd few, and would not hesitate to recommend them to you. All of the gift sets I mention today are under $60 AUD, and come beautifully presented, ready for you to gift to your loved ones.

Let's go Christmas beauty shopping!

Every beauty lover needs to own a bottle of NUXE Huile Prodigieuse. It is a must have in my book. This multi-purpose dry oil is one of those cult beauty products that deserves a place on everyone's vanity. This gift set is the Love From Paris Coffret, and contains a 50ml bottle of the iconic oil in a limited edition bottle design, 10ml deluxe mini of the Huile Prodigieuse Golden OR, a gorgeous Huile Prodigieuse scented candle which smells exactly like the oil, and a 40ml Creme Prodigieuse moisturiser. 

The NUXE Huile Prodigieuse oil is a lightweight, fast absorbing oil that has an unmistakable fragrance. To me, it is warm, sweet, earthy and comforting. My favourite way to use it is as an all over body oil straight after a relaxing bath. Once I have applied it all over, I will take a few extra drops and massage it into my hands and cuticles... whatever is left on my hands I will run through the ends of my hair. You can also get a gorgeous glow by tapping a tiny amount onto the high points of your face,  or try smoothing it over your decolletage and the tops of your shoulders before a night out... your skin will glow, and you will smell delicious. I promise!

I believe I paid just under $40 when I repurchased a 50ml bottle of Huile Prodigieuse about 3 months ago, so this gift set is brilliant value for money at $39.95 AUD for four stunning products. Adore.

I must admit, it has been a year or two since Clinique's Moisture Surge was in my skincare rotation, however, it is one of those products that can slip easily into your regime. The refreshing gel texture is just gorgeous for the warmer months when you are wanting hydration minus the heaviness of a regular moisturiser, and its fragrance free formula is designed to be ideal for all skin types. I have not had the best experience with Clinique's Three Step products, however, Moisture Surge, and their Take The Day Off ranges are brilliant, as is their range of sun protection. 

The Clinique Moisture Favourites gift set contains Moisture Surge 50ml ( full size ), Moisture Surge Overnight Mask 30ml, All About Eyes 7ml ( full size is 15ml ) and Chubby Stick Baby Tint in Budding Blossom, which looks to be a beautiful soft, sheer pink. 

All About Eyes is a lovely emollient eye cream, which I have enjoyed in the past. It is soothing and hydrating, and a little bit goes a long way. I have not tried the Moisture Surge Overnight Mask, but do let me know if you have, and if you like it?!

This gift set retails for $60 AUD, again... brilliant value considering the full size of the Moisture Surge retails for  $60 AUD on its own. 

Oh my... MOR Marshmallow... there are no words to describe how bloody amazing this stuff smells. Seriously, I have never received so many compliments, nor had so many people ask what perfume I am wearing... it really is THAT GOOD!

You just cannot go past this So Smitten With You gift set, presented in a beautifully designed, sturdy metal keepsake box containing a 9ml perfume oil roller ball, 50ml Hand Cream, and gorgeous triple- milled soap, presented in its own gorgeous little tin... swoon. A perfect gift for the young, or the young at heart, this retails for a very reasonable $29.95 AUD. Buy one for yourself while you're at it! Soooooo deliciously good!

One of the many great value gift sets on offer from the well known Australian Mineral Makeup brand Nude by Nature, the Bronzed Beauty gift set contains the limited edition Pressed Matte Bronzer and Cashmere Pressed Blush duo in a slimline palette, accompanied by a beautiful double ended contouring brush. Both the bronzer and blush are a whopping 8g's of product each, likely to last you a good while indeed! The formula is beautiful... smooth, velvety soft, and the powders blend beautifully into the skin. Whilst they both look a little warm and ruddy in the pan, on the skin they are very natural, and will complement many skin tones, bringing a glowing warmth to the skin without a hint of orange. Love. 

You can see from the swatches above that the powders have a finish which is not totally matte...both shades have a very subtle sheen, which contributes to their beautiful glow on the skin. 

The limited edition Dual Ended Contouring brush is made from synthetic fibres, and is beautifully soft, whilst still being dense enough to buff the powders well into the skin. The quality is consistent with the other brushes that I own from Nude by Nature, which I would highly recommend. Love.

I purchased the NUXE Love From Paris Coffret, the Clinique Moisture Favourites, and the MOR Marshmallow So Smitten With You gift sets from Adore Beauty. 

I have been an Adore Beauty customer for a couple of years now, I love their customer service, and that they offer free shipping Australia wide. Not sponsored incase you were wondering, just sharing a great company!

The Nude By Nature Bronzed Beauty  set was gifted to me for review, you can find Nude by Nature at Priceline Pharmacy's, Target, or online here.

I have another couple of Christmas Beauty Gift Ideas posts coming up so stay tuned loves!

Do tell me what is on your Christmas Beauty Wishlist? I'd love to know... I'm nosey like that!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Blessings,

Lou xx 

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Currently Loving | The Glowy Blush Edit

I have a thing for blush. I love how it instantly brightens my whole face. It is a step in my daily makeup routine that I never miss. Ever. If I did, I'd feel like I had forgotten to put my knickers on.

Having spent the last few months experimenting with contouring and highlighting, and using three different products on my cheeks, I was recently inspired to pair it back to one product... a glowing blush. One sweep, one product, glowing cheeks. Yes please.

I have managed to edit my favourites down to a mere eight ( only eight Lou? ), and thought I would share some swatches with you today. They all have some degree of sheen or shimmer, without being glittery. I have a fairly even mix of both affordable and high end options. Most of these shades have enough depth to also add a little dimension to your cheekbones, and enough glow to negate the need for a separate highlighter. 

A bowl full of blush... heavenly.

Milani Baked Powder Blush   Berry Amore

Swatches from Left - SAVVY by DB Silky Pink,  Physician's Formula Happy Booster Blush in Rose,
 Milani Luminoso,  Milani Berry Amore,
Benefit Rockateur,  Nude By Nature Virgin Blush,  NARS Lovejoy,  HOURGLASS Mood Exposure.

Swatches from Left - SAVVY by DB Silky Pink,  Physician's Formula Happy Booster Blush in Rose,
 MILANI Luminoso,  MILANI Berry Amore,
Benefit Rockateur,  Nude By Nature Virgin Blush,  NARS Lovejoy,  HOURGLASS Mood Exposure.

SAVVY by DB, available nationally in Priceline Pharmacies, make some really lovely affordable blushes. Silky Pink is a beautiful mauve toned pink, with a subtle gold sheen. Very pigmented and very soft, definitely tap off your brush with this one. Love.

PHYSICIANS FORMULA Happy Booster Glow and Mood Boosting Blush in Rose is a true pink, with a lovely sheen. I can't really comment on the mood boosting claims, all of the blushes in this post boost my mood! This one screams Spring to me. So pretty and youthful! 

MILANI BAKED BLUSH in Luminoso receives accolades from Beauty bloggers and vloggers across the globe. It really is the perfect, glowy peach toned blush. If you don't have it...you need it.

MILANI BAKED BLUSH in Berry Amore is probably in my top five all time favourite blushes. To me, it is a beautiful rosy, warm neutral blush, that has the loveliest finish on the skin. Again, if you don't have it... you need it!

BENEFIT Rockateur is the only Benefit boxed blush that I own. I purchased mine from Adore Beauty last year, and immediately fell in blush-love. The formula is incredibly smooth and silky, it just glides onto the skin, and has very pretty pink reflect. It is in fact, very similar in tone to Milani's Berry Amore, just a touch lighter. I have put each of the shades on my cheeks, and could see very little difference at all... just sayin'...

NUDE BY NATURE Mineral Blush in Virgin Blush is also similar to Benefit Rockateur and Milani Berry Amore, just a touch less pink I feel. Equally as gorgeous, and Aussie to boot. Have a swatch next time you are in Priceline or Target... she is just lovely.

NARS Lovejoy is such a stunning blush that I have previously dedicated an entire post to her. Not one of the NARS blushes that you hear a lot of people talking about, but beautiful none the less. You can see how she differs from the other neutrals to the left, I think with more of an earthy, terracotta undertone, but still rosy, with a beautiful gold reflect. Don't be worried by the rather strong and intimidating heavy swatch, this blush has a sheer, but buildable formula. If you are in the market for a high end blush, I cannot recommend this one enough!

HOURGLASS Ambient Lighting Blush Mood Exposure is probably best captured in the last of my swatch photographs. The perfect neutral, glowy blush. Do forgive me for using a much overused term, but the glow from this blush truly makes your cheeks look "lit from within". Absolutely worth the splurge! I purchased mine from Mecca Maxima last year, and I am itching to add more shades to my collection. If you like neutral blush shades, this is an absolute must have!

What are your favourite go-to blushes? Do you prefer a matte finish, or do you like a little bit of glow like me? Do leave a comment below if you would like to!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Blessings!

Lou xo

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Nude by Nature Pressed Mineral Foundation | Natural Glowing Makeup

I have been a fan of Nude By Nature Loose Mineral Powder Foundation for around 3 years. I have always found their mineral powders to have really nice coverage along with a matte finish, which my oily/combo skin certainly appreciates. 

I enjoy using mineral powder foundations alone in summer, straight over the top of a lightweight sunscreen. I am typically a fan of medium coverage liquid foundations, and love adding a thin layer of mineral powder over the top to bump up the coverage when I feel like I need it. The Nude By Nature Loose Mineral Veil has been one of my favourite loose setting powders over the years.

Nude By Nature Pressed Mineral Powder Foundation RRP $39.95

In March this year, the Australian mineral makeup brand released their brand new Pressed Mineral Cover Foundation, and I was itching to give it a go! To my delight and surprise, I was invited to the Nude By Nature pop-up store in Westfield Sydney,  during the week that the Pressed Mineral Cover Foundation launched. I was booked in to have my makeup done by none other than Maria Yousif, whom I can tell you is just as beautiful on the inside, as she is on the outside! I certainly felt less than glamorous standing next to her, and if you follow her on Instagram, you will know what I am talking about!! Here is a photograph below from the evening...

Maria and Me!
Image courtesy of SweatyBetty PR.

I have been gifted some products to show you today, alongside those are products that I have purchased myself. Prior to the launch of the new Pressed Powder Foundation range, I had just purchased a value set from Nude By Nature's online store, and will share a link to that below, as I feel it represents great value!

If you would like to hear my thoughts on the new Pressed Mineral Foundation, and see my natural makeup look using lots of lovely products, then do read on!...

Nude By Nature Pressed Mineral Powder Foundation RRP $39.95

I have been really enjoying this mineral foundation. At the event, I was gifted the pressed foundation in the shade light/medium. I can use both the medium, or the light medium in the loose powders, but the pressed powders do seem to run a little deeper, and a little warmer shade wise. The light/medium was just a little too deep/warm for me to get away with, so I popped in to my local Priceline and purchased the light shade, which matches me really nicely.  Do swatch the powders in store if you can, and really blend it in to your skin to get the best match.

The Pressed Mineral Foundation is creamy, blends beautifully, and gives a really lovely satin/matte finish to the skin. Not a hint of shimmer or sparkle, my skin just looks healthy and natural. I certainly don't feel any product on face, it is perfectly lightweight. Nude By Nature describe this as a medium to full coverage foundation, and I have found the coverage to be closer to medium on my skin. The coverage of foundations in general is quite subjective... what may be full coverage for some people may only be light for others, it depends entirely on exactly what you have to cover up! I have a lot to cover up...acne scarring, blemishes, and a decent amount of pigmentation thanks to four pregnancies and some sun damage. On a daily basis, medium coverage is completely fine by me, and what I typically prefer. This mineral foundation really does have a beautiful skin like finish, and is unlike any other mineral foundation I have tried in the past. Love.

Nude By Nature Airbrush Mineral Primer RRP $29.95 AUD
 Soft Focus Liquid Mineral Illuminator  RRP $21.95 AUD.

I pulled these two products from my collection to show you, and though I don't use them on a daily basis, they are lovely products. The Airbrush Mineral Primer is very lightweight, but also quite nourishing and very protective, and can be a little heavy on my oily/combo skin to use every day. Of late, with the weather being so cold and my skin looking a little dull, I have been experimenting. I mix in some of the Soft Focus Illuminator with the Airbrush Primer to make my own custom glow-boosting primer. I have a heavy swatch of this in the photograph below. Blended well, and patted gently onto the skin in a thin layer works best for me. The mineral foundation buffs over it really nicely, and you can see the subtle glow of the skin peaking through it....love this little combo!

I adore Nude By Nature brushes. I don't own any of their eye brushes, but I can certainly vouch for the face/complexion brushes. Great quality and beautifully soft, they buff and polish the mineral foundation into the skin really nicely. The double ended brush sitting in the front of this picture was a gift, and I LOVE it! The wider, flatter larger side is perfect for blush, bronzer, or powder, and the smaller, densely packed flat top brush is perfect for buffing in the mineral foundation around my nose, my chin and the middle of my forehead. It works beautifully to smooth the look of my large pores!

Nude By Nature Ultimate Nude Eye Shadow Palette   RRP  $ 24.95 AUD.

Aren't these colours beautiful? Who can resist such lovely neutral, earthy tones I ask you? I have swatches of these below, and they are smooth, creamy, pigmented and blend really nicely on the eyes. The packaging is sleek, streamlined and sophisticated. The middle shade, Latte, is a favourite shade of mine for a quick, easy one shadow look. It has a very subtle, pretty sheen to it. Beautiful!

Nude By Nature Mineral Eyeliner - Brown  RRP  $14.95 AUD.

The Mineral Eyeliner is a beautiful shade of brown that really makes my blues eyes pop. It is a true dark brown, not charcoal, not bronze. Whilst my oily eyelids prove to be a challenge for most eyeliners, I still find it to last quite well, only noticing a little bit of fading at the end of the day.

The Mineral Mascara has a drier formula, which I love, and the natural bristle wand does a nice job of providing both length and volume. A really nice, every day mascara. I do find that it transfers to my upper eyelid around halfway through the day, though many brands of mascara have the same effect on me. It really comes down to personal preference with mascara I find, as many brands perform differently for everyone.

Nude By Nature Mineral Mascara - Black - RRP  $17.95 AUD.

Nude By Nature Mineral Blush - Virgin  RRP $19.95 AUD.

Nude By Nature's Virgin blush is stunning. A beautiful rosy, neutral blush that gives your cheeks a gorgeous glow! In fact, it reminds me a little of Benefit's Rockateur boxed blush. Love. Highly recommend! When I feel like my skin is looking a little dull and tired, I will bring my blush forward, closer to the sides of my nose, and right on top of the apples of my cheeks. It always helps to make me look fresh and awake, even if I don't feel it!

As with any loose powder products that I own, I only pull back the plastic covering a little way, and then trim it with scissors to expose only the first row of holes ( as you can see in the photograph above ). It not only saves you from making a mess, it saves your product being wasted as well. You can tap the perfect amount out into the lid, without getting the product all over your bathroom, in your slippers, in your hair, on your toothbrush ... you get my point... just a handy tip I thought I would share!

Nude By Nature Natural Mineral Lipstick - Demure  RRP $17.95  AUD.

Enriched with Jojoba oil, Shea Butter and Vitamin E, this lipstick feels very comfortable on the lips. This shade, Demure, is a gorgeous rosy/mauve/neutral shade that is very flattering, and very on-trend.  It reminds me a little of MAC's Twig, I shall have to swatch them to compare! It is a beautiful shade that would complement any makeup look,  definitely one to check out next time you are in Priceline!

I have swatched the lipstick, blush, eyeshadow palette, and the mineral eyeliner for you below. You may notice that the lightest shade in the eyeshadow palette does not show up well on my skin, only because it is very similar to my colouring! Both photographs are taken in natural light. I am really impressed with the quality of these products!

Swatched in direct natural light.
L-R   Lipstick - Demure,  Blush - Virgin,
Ultimate Nude Eyeshadow Palette - Creme, Latte, Espresso
Mineral Eye Liner Waterproof - Brown.

Swatched in indirect natural light.

The products on my mug!

You can find Nude By Nature in Priceline pharmacies across Australia, and on Priceline's website. 

You can find the Nude By Nature website here, along with a more comprehensive list of stockists.

The value set that I mentioned earlier in the post can be viewed here, and is called the Bright, Nude and Cheeky gift set, and offers great value at $49.95 for over $120 worth of products. It contains the loose mineral powders, not the pressed version, however, if you are new to mineral makeup this is a set worth considering in my opinion! It also contains two exclusive products that are not sold outside of the kit, one of them being a rather delicious lemon lip scrub...

Are you a Nude By Nature fan? Have you tried the new Pressed Mineral Foundation?

Do let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Blessings!

Lou xo

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored, nor are there any affiliate links present. Thank you SweatyBetty PR for having me at the event, and thank you beautiful Maria for doing my makeup! Lou xo

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