Beauty Gift Ideas for Christmas | Part Two | Sephora!

Oh it's all about Christmas at Sephora today loves!

In October this year, I was kindly invited to attend the Sephora Holiday Showcase for 2015. Needless to say, it was such a lovely morning, and I had the opportunity to view some of the holiday gifts sets that would be available for Christmas 2015, and to chat to some of the brands founders and representatives. A wonderful opportunity for which I am very grateful.

I'd love to share with you a couple of beauty gift ideas that tickle my fancy from Sephora, so grab yourself a cuppa/wine/eggnog and read on!

Aromatherapy Associates London - The Star
Revive Morning Bath and Shower Oil RRP $22.00 AUD.

So far I have had three baths with this gorgeous Aromatherapy Associates oil, and I'm now trying to save it for special occasions! Every wonderful thing you hear about these beautiful oils is absolutely true. Packaged ready to gift in a beautiful star ornament, I think this would make such a lovely gift!

You can see in the photographs below a couple of the other Aromatherapy Associates Christmas gifts sets that are available... these might just be on my wish list! Imagine opening these on Christmas morning...

Tarte Deluxe Amazonian Butter Lipstick set   RRP $27.00 AUD

This set of four mini lipsticks from Tarte is just beautiful. The Tarte Deluxe Amazonian Butter Lipstick set features a range of shades from neutral to rosey tones, and one deeper berry shade, perfect for the holiday season. The texture of the Butter lipsticks is as you would imagine by the title, smooth and moisturising and they feel just lovely on the lips. A gorgeous affordable gift! 

Stunning Tarte Holiday Gifts Sets!!
Back Left - Tarte Lips for Days Lipsurgence 5 colour set  $46.00 AUD.
Middle - Tarte Light of the Party gift set  $79.00 AUD.

Tarte Bling it On Blush Palette $59.00 AUD 

I have been dreaming about this palette since the Sephora Holiday Showcase event! 

Have you picked up this palette yet? Feel free to enable me! Don't the words "limited edition" strike fear into the beauty lover's heart?!!

Formula X is looking after your nails this Christmas with some gorgeous gift sets!

Formula X The Look CLIX two piece gift sets retail for $13.00 AUD.

Formula X The Happy Hour CLIX four piece sets retail for $22.00 AUD.

Both sets are great value, and are perfect for travel!

However, I have my eye on that stunning rose gold packaging at the back... that my friends is Formula X "Alchemy" and she will most definitely need to find a home at The Beauty Vine HQ! I believe she might be a limited edition for Christmas, and she will set you back $17.00 AUD.

Skincare can be tricky to gift to someone, but these next two brands are absolutely worth considering in my opinion. 

Edible Beauty is fairly new to me, and I had the pleasure of meeting naturopath and nutritionist Anna Mitsios, the founder of Edible Beauty at the Sephora Holiday Showcase. 

"The Edible Beauty Australia product range includes luxurious "edible" toxin-free skin care and therapeutic Beauty Teas made with organic and wildcrafted ingredients...if it's not good enough to eat you will not find it in our products"

Anna smoothed, spritzed and massaged almost every product onto my hands and face that morning, and kindly gifted me a deluxe sample size of the Belle Frais Cleansing Milk to try. I fell in love with it immediately, and have since purchased the full size, a hefty 200ml which retails for $45.00 AUD. The cleanser is lightweight, whisks away makeup with ease, smells beautifully citrusy, and is the most refreshing cream cleanser I have ever tried. Highly recommend.

This set above is the Edible Beauty on the Fly - Core 4 Travel Kit and retails for $73.00 AUD. Now, I have not tried all of the products in this gift set, however judging by my love of the cleanser I have no doubt that they too are just as beautiful. I will certainly be exploring this brand more in the new year, and will keep you updated!

I had the absolute pleasure of bumping into the man himself, Ole Henrikson, during my very first visit to Sephora in February of this year. I took a big deep brave breathe, introduced myself, and had the opportunity to ask him for some recommendations. I was already a huge fan of the Pure Truth Melting Gel Cleanser ( holy grail ) so I decided to purchase, on Ole's recommendation, the Three Little Wonders kit. This is the same kit pictured above, which also contains a complimentary African Red Tea foaming cleanser. 

The Three Little Wonders set retails for $95.00 AUD.

This kit will give you everything you need for both your morning and evening skincare routine. The Truth Serum Collagen Booster is used in the morning after cleansing, and provides the skin with hefty dose of Vitamin C to brighten and protect, along with soothing green tea extract to calm and soothe. Follow this with the Sheer Transformation moisturiser, which is just beautiful. Perfectly lightweight and refreshing, it absorbs immediately and provides a lovely base for your makeup. Those with combo/oily skin will appreciate it's lovely light texture, whilst still providing excellent hydration for the skin. The Invigorating Night Treatment is your evening serum, promoting cell turnover, and assisting in improving skin tone and the minimisation of pores thanks to it's cocktail of glycolic, lactic and citric acids. Even though it is quite active, it is also very gentle, I have not experienced any irritation whatsoever, just a healthy glow. Love Ole... such a lovely man!

On the same day that I purchased the Ole Henrikson skin care, I also purchased this gorgeous IT Cosmetics Je Ne Sais Quoi lip duo. It was in the Isle of Doom... you know that part just before the checkout where you are tempted with little minis and little kits of all these very cute and lovely things that maybe need to come home with you??

I'm happy to report that I have enjoyed them both very much, and was pleased to see that they were included as one of the IT Cosmetics Christmas Gift Sets.

Like the entire IT Cosmetics range, these two lip products are full of fabulous ingredients that provide skin care benefits, plumping and nourishing the lips every time you wear them!

The Je Ne Sais Quoi lipstick and lipgloss are self adjusting, and give a mid-toned pink flush to my lips. Undoubtedly, one of the most comfortable lip products I have used to date. They just feel so good!!!!

The IT Cosmetics Je Ne Sais Quoi gift set will set you back $42.00 AUD.

IT Cosmetics also have another gift set that is one my wish list this Christmas, The Naturally Pretty palette with the Hello Lashes Mascara ( one of my faves ), which also retails for $42.00. It contains 7 beautiful eyeshadow shades, and a mini Hello Lashes Mascara. It looks beautiful, and I am yet to try any of IT Cosmetics eye shadows!

It Cosmetics IT GIRL Christmas Gift Sets RRP $42.00 AUD.

Elizabeth And James Nirvana Black Body Oil... utterly lush.

The Elizabeth And James Nirvana fragrances are loved by many, and for good reason. They are just beautiful!

I like the White, but I LOVE the Black. 

Sephora have some beautiful Elizabeth And James Nirvana gifts for Christmas. 

The cute little ornament gifts below contain a 7ml rollerball, and would make the perfect affordable little gift at only $12.00 each. So gorgeous!!

If you have a little more to spend, go for the Elizabeth And James Nirvana Gift Set. It contains a 30ml Eau de Parfum, Perfume oil, and a mini rollerball, and retails for $75.00 AUD.

Did I mention that I love the Black?... 

Elizabeth And James Nirvana White...

Elizabeth And James Nirvana Black... it's my jam.

An epic display at the Holiday Showcase of all the gorgeous Sephora Christmas Gift sets!!

Spear Brilliant Beauty Box  RRP $64.00 AUD.

Sephora Let it Snow Velvety Body Moituriser  RRP $22.00 AUD.
Sephora Impeccable Bun set  RRP $18.00 AUD.

Two lovely gift options from the Sephora brand, the Let it Snow body moisturiser is beautiful, and smells gorgeous too! It has a slightly sweet, clean and powdery scent and is nourishing without feeling heavy or greasy on the skin... gorgeous.

The Impeccable Bun set is a brilliant idea, and gives you everything you need for a rockin' top knot or killer side bun. The perfect stocking filler!

Sephora Color Around the World Face and Eye Palette Collection  RRP $22.00 AUD.

The Sephora Color Around the World gift set would make a gorgeous gift for either the makeup lover or the makeup newby.

The four gorgeous palettes contain shades for the face and eyes, and take you on a journey around some of the world's major cities and their colour inspirations... Paris, New York, Rome and Rio.

Each palette has sturdy cardboard packing, and contains a mirror, and some instructions for placement of the shades. The packaging is gorgeous, with each palette featuring art work particular to each city and its unmistakable landmarks.

The overall quality of these palettes is excellent. There are a couple of shades that don't have particularly good colour pay-off, but that is in no way a deal breaker in my opinion.

For $22.00 AUD, I think you absolutely need to pick this up!!

Sephora Color Around the World Collection - Paris.

Sephora Color Around the World Collection - Paris.
 Swatches from the bottom - Blush, Pink Macaron, Rooftop, Jazz Club, Perfecto, Pearl.

Paris is your smokey eye palette, I love the shade Jazz Club, a beautiful cool toned taupe, and the blush Pink Macaron is a really pretty peachy pink.

Sephora Color Around the World Collection - New York.

Sephora Color Around the World Collection - New York
Swatches from the bottom - Blush Romantic Date, City Trench, Hot Mocha, Peanut Butter, Trick or Treat.

Love this one. Love. The only slightly disappointing shade in this palette is the blush... it's not terrible, but it is a little dry and powdery, and does not adhere well to the skin ( apologies for that part of the photograph being out of focus! ).

The eyeshadows are gorgeous, my favourites are Hot Mocha and Peanut Butter. 

Sephora Color Around the World Collection - Rome

Sephora Color Around the World Collection - Rome
Swatches from the bottom - Blush Gelato, Panettone, Caffe, Romantico, Tiramisu.

The Rome palette is pretty consistent in terms of pigmentation and colour pay-off. A great warm neutral palette with a very pretty blush. Love.

Sephora Color Around the World Collection - Rio

Sephora Color Around the World collection - Rio

Rio's blush is more of a light glowy bronzer, though it is very smooth and blends nicely. The two light matte eyeshadow shades are good. Aqua, the beautiful blue needs to be built up, and would benefit from a primer underneath it. The gold in this palette Tropical Bird is disappointing. I found it very hard to do a decent swatch because it just kept falling off my skin. It would still look pretty, but you will likely get more glitter than gold on your eyes.

Overall, I think this is an absolutely brilliant, affordable gift set! Apart from a couple of misses, I absolutely love it, and the little palettes are perfect to pop into your makeup bag, or to take on holidays.



So that wraps up Part Two of my Christmas beauty gift ideas loves! I hope you enjoyed it and maybe got some ideas for your family and friends ( and maybe you *wink* ).



Do tell me what is on your Christmas Wish List?




Thanks so much for stopping by!




Blessings,




Lou xx

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Current Evening Skincare Routine

I thought I would share my current evening skincare routine with you today. I have been using this combination of products consistently for about a month, and have seen some really fantastic changes in my skin. I have spoken about a couple of these products previously, and others are fairly new to me. These products have worked so well for me, that I am slightly anxious about changing anything. I cannot recall the last time I felt this way about a group of products, and though I still have many other product and brands loves, (and holy grail products), this combination has made my skin balanced, calm and just generally happy.

As a self confessed skincare junkie, I am always trying new products. I can't help myself really... everything about skincare and skincare products intrigues me. Now that I am on the other side of 40, I am certainly noticing more fine lines, wrinkles and general signs of ageing creeping up on me. Having said that, it really is just a part of life. You cannot stop ageing...time marches on folks, let me tell you. Aside from protecting your skin from the sun, and your genetic predisposition, your skin will eventually show signs of ageing. 

Thankfully for me, along with getting older, comes a little more life experience, a little more gratitude, and a wider, clearer view of what really is important. I have so many stretch marks on my stomach from my four pregnancies, my skin is so stretched and it really doesn't look pleasant at all, but they are my mummy scars. I would not be without them. They tell a story, just like the wrinkles around my eyes and mouth from smiling, and the frown lines between my eyes and on my forehead from thinking, questioning and learning about life. 

However, that being said, I still want my skin to look nice... I still want my skin to be free of acne, and I still care about how my complexion looks, and I want it to look it's best!

It may seem like a lot of products and steps, and it probably is! My evening routine is one of my favourite times of the day. My children are asleep, my husband is happily holding the TV remote, and I can enjoy a nice warm shower and look after my skin without having to talk to anyone...silence is golden folks, I'm here to tell you! As much as I enjoy applying my makeup, I think I might enjoy taking it off even more. I do all of my cleansing steps in the shower. It just works for me that way. I am not suggesting you need to do all of these things either, but I enjoy the process...it makes me happy!

Let's go then!

Yep...it takes a whole bowl!

Cleansing...

Ole Henrikson pure truth melting cleanser  is a beautiful cleanser that I purchased whilst in New York last year. The tub in the picture above is in fact almost empty, and I have just repurchased another. It goes on the skin as a thick, smooth gel, and as you massage it in, it melts into an oil. It is the most beautiful texture, feels beautiful on the skin, and removes all of my makeup, leaving my skin feeling amazing. It has a beautiful citrus scent, which I love, and it has not caused me any irritation. 

I use it as I would a cleansing oil, straight onto dry skin. You can emulsify it with a little water, and it turns into more of a milky consistency, but I prefer not too. I enjoy the slip and texture of the oil on my skin. Once you emulsify it, you loose that slip.
If the thought of using an oil cleanser scares you a little, you need to try this. It leaves absolutely no oily residue on the skin. After a nice massage, I then remove it with a clean face washer/flannel. The trusty face washer is the only skincare 'tool' you will find in my bathroom. I have a huge pile of them, and I use a clean one every day. I have not tried a clarisonic, or any other cleansing devices as yet. I am happy with my flannels so far! I like to spend a few more dollars and get the nice, soft thick ones, as they hold the warmth of the water beautifully.

One pump of Go-To Properly Clean is my second cleanse. I am a fan of the double cleansing method, and it has worked well for my skin for the better part of two years now. Properly Clean is a gentle, lightweight, fluffy mousse cleanser that I love. I have reviewed it in full here. It smells heavenly, feels beautiful, and rinses away perfectly. I am coming to the end of this bottle too, and shall be repurchasing it very soon. Why does all the good stuff run out at the same time!!??

One of the more recent editions to my night time routine has been the Exfoliator from Indeed Labs. Gifted to me for trial purposes, I have indeed been trialling it ( excuse the pun ) and I love it. It follows a similar concept as the much talked about Daily Microfoliant from Dermalogica ( which I have not tried ), in that it dispenses as a powder, that you then mixed with water to create a thick, soft foam. Containing rice bran powder, hyaluronic acid, and some trusty fruit enzymes, this leaves my skin feeling smooth and generally looking clearer and brighter. I tap a small amount into the palm of my hand, mix it really well with a little bit of water for about 10 seconds between my palms until it resembles a soft foam, and then apply it to my face, avoiding the eye area. I don't really massage it in, I just softly move it around my face with my fingertips for about a minute... I prefer to let those lovely fruit enzymes do all the exfoliating. I find it to be very gentle, it rinses away beautifully, and leaves my skin feeling so soft and just lovely. Worthy of note, the price point is certainly a little friendlier than the afore mentioned... you're welcome.

Hydrating...

Antipodes Ananda Antioxidant Rich Gentle Toner is my first layer of hydration after I step out of the shower. This is my second bottle. Definitely a hydrating mist rather than a traditional "toner", I spritz my face like a mad woman, breathe in the beautiful, subtle bulgarian rose scent, and then pressed it into my skin with the palms of my hands. Glorious. I also love the People for Plants hydrating mist, and the Sukin Hydrating Mist if you are looking for a slightly less expensive alternative.

My next step is to move straight onto the eyes, and the cooling metal ball and lightweight serum from the Puretopia Eye Rescue does the trick for me ( love this in the morning as well ). Vitamin E and Shea butter moisturise, whilst peptides and Vitamin C are said to reduce puffiness and brighten the eye area. I apply it along the orbital bone, starting in close to the nose and then out and up to my temple, and then pat it in with my fingertips. The tube is soft and pliable, so you just gently squeeze it to dispense a little of the serum onto the tip of the metal ball. Eye Rescue always makes my under eye area look refreshed and hydrated, without feeling too heavy or greasy. I haven't noticed a huge difference in the discolouration under my eyes ( about 6 weeks of sleep might help ) but my fine lines are certainly less noticeable!

The next lightweight layer is thanks to the Puretopia Essential Facial Serum. It feels amazingly light on the skin considering it consists of skin loving Argan, Rosehip, Seabuckthorn, Cranberry and Blackcurrent oils, along with Glycerin, and Shea butter. This product is a bit of a gem actually. As you can see in the photograph above, the Eye Rescue roller is on the left, and the Essential Facial Serum is on the right. Three small metal roller balls dispense a very light, buildable layer of serum onto your skin. Time can get away from me when I use this! It is just so lovely to roll all over your face! I try to encourage lymphatic drainage by working from the centre of my face outwards, and like to focus on my jaw line, as I am experiencing a bit of congestion around that area. The compact little bottle works  with gravity, so you just need to tip it up to dispense the serum as you go. I just use a very light layer underneath my new favourite treatment serum...

Treating, Protecting and Nourishing...

I first heard about the Olay Regenerist Luminous Daily Treatment serum when Ruth, from A Model Recommends, trialled it for Olay. She had very good things to say about it indeed, and I absolutely trust and value Ruth's opinion on skincare, so I picked it up during a recent sale at my local Priceline pharmacy.

When I was checking the ingredient list in store, I was very excited to see Niacinamide was the second ingredient. Niacinamide, also known as Vitamin B3, hydrates the skin, assists in cell turnover, improves skin elasticity, and helps to reduce hyperpgimentation. I adore this serum, and have definitely noticed that my skin tone is more even and looks brightened and refreshed in the four weeks I have been using it. I also feel that it has contributed to the fading of old acne scaring. Apologies for using this word again, but it is very lightweight, and absorbs quickly and easily into the skin. I have even been using my chemical exfoliants ( AHA's and BHA's ) considerably less often since I started using this serum. I'm absolutely impressed, and would highly recommend it. I haven't even felt the need to repurchase my Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair....now that's saying something folks.

Last, but certainly not least...the final layer...the final frontier...absolutely the last layer I promise... is Go-To Face Hero, one of the most deliciously gorgeous face oils I have ever used. I was lucky enough to have received an email two weeks prior to the official launch date, with an offer to make an early bird purchase....and purchase I did!

I could see a very noticeable difference in my skin after using this for two days! I left a comment for Zoe Foster Blake ( Go-To creator and all round fabulous woman ) on Instagram a month ago, saying that my skin was calm, happy and hydrated, and it has since stayed that way. I have also noticed a reduction in oil production, and almost no breakouts....yep, really! I'm thrilled to bits!

Face Hero contains a blend of 10 beautiful, skin loving oils, including Almond Oil, Jojoba Oil, Macadamia Oil, Brazil Nut Oil, Evening Primrose Oil, Buriti Oil, Arnica Oil, Rosehip Oil, Calendula Oil, and Kiwi Seed Oil. 

It has a beautiful, subtle, natural fragrance of Orange Blossom and Rose Gardenia. Not at all strong or overpowering, I can still smell the earthiness of the natural oils underneath. I smooth 4-5 drops over my face and neck, and chest area every night. It has a lovely, velvety consistency which my skin just drinks up. I cannot say enough good things about Face Hero... he truly is a little bit of magic to me!

Phew. You made it to the end...thank you! I'd love to know your favourite skincare products! Are you a skincare addict like me? Do leave a comment below if you would like to, and feel free to ask me any questions you may have and I'll do my best to answer them!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Blessings,

Lou xo

Disclaimer: Products from Indeed Labs and Puretopia were PR gifts. All other products were purchased/repurchased by me! Cheers, Lou xo

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