Merry Christmas Everyone!

Hi guys hope everyone has an amazing Christmas! Enjoy the holidays and I'll be back very soon with some updates! I am off to Germany for New Year as well so will keep try to blog as much as I can! Thanks for all your kind words and support! xxxxxx

Cupid and Grace - perfect for hair lovers

If you are still looking for the perfect gift for a hair lover, then I have found the perfect site called Cupid and Grace that just sells hair products. Yes it is heaven and I want everything on there! I am a total hair junkie and am really impressed by the amount of professional hair brands that are on offer - Tigi, Keune (love their shine spray), Schwarzkopf and also electrical brands such as Babylis and GHD. They also offer loads of men's gift ideas as well - the Kent for Men Wet Styler I ordered for my boyfriend has been a real success for him and it only cost £7.95. I also ordered the much talked about Babylis Conical Wand in pink! for £28.95 which I can't wait to try out and review once my broken finger has healed. My order arrived really quickly and I was also emailed regularly about the status of my order, which is very reassuring especially this time of year! The packaging was also really nice and had a few personal touches inside the box - overall the service is excellent and much better it seems that bigger rivals HQ Hair which other bloggers seem to have issues with.

Don't worry you can also still order in time for Christmas up to 2pm on Wednesday 23rd December by choosing the next day delivery service at checkout!

Gadget gifts for him from Braun....ok one tested by me!

Hope you are enjoying the weekend and my gift guides so far! I have struggled so far to find presents for my Dad and Boyfriend, so thought I would write about two great Braun products that are currently half price or less in Boots, so are a bargain as well!

I was originally asked to review the new Braun Triumph 5000 Power toothbrush so wanted to try it out properly in order to give an accurate review. This latest toothbrush from Braun comes complete with a digital smart guide and has 8,800 rotations and 40,000 pulsations a minute. It also has 5 modes - daily, sensitive, deep clean, polish and massage mode, so you have plenty of options for dentist-clean teeth every morning. It is reduced to £62.50 in Boots at the moment and I must say I have always been sceptical of spending loads of money on a electric toothbrush but it is so worth it. I couldn't go back to a normal toothbrush now, as it leaves my teeth really clean and my dentist has even noticed as well. So an investment of £62.50 would definitely pay off in the future as you have healthier teeth and don't need as many fillings. My boyfriend has tried to steal this off me several times, so I know a lot of men would really love this as a gift!

For lazy men, I recommend the new Braun Series 3 wet n' dry shaver (£48.94), which has been designed with the Monday morning shave in mind! The foil head cuts long and short hairs in one stroke, reducing skin contact resulting in less skin aggravation. Plus it can be used in the shower apparently - just don't drop it on your foot. It also comes complete with a stylish travel bag and charging stand, so makes a nice gift as well and won't make your bathroom look messy!

Hope this is useful, it will certainly make the man in your life a lot happier than getting a pair of socks!!

Skincare gift ideas under £50

If you're still struggling to find a present for a female in your life, then I have found two fantastic gift sets for under £50 each, which is great value for products you get. Boots have had some amazing offers recently and their website even crashed yesterday thanks to all the people trying to buy the Soap and Glory Hat Box yesterday! My favourite offer though is the No7 Ultimate collection, which features the No7 skincare range in a beautiful tiered box with mirror. You get £133 worth skincare & cosmetic products for an amazing £40, including the gorgeous No7 Heavenly Mask and loads of eyeshadows and make-up brushes! For all the latest beauty offers it is worth checking out money-saving websites such as www.vouchercodes.co.uk, who has a good selection of make-up and beauty savings and you can find out about all the latest deals.

Nude have some gorgeous Christmas gifts, that have lovely festive packaging as well. Nude has pioneered the use of pre and probiotics in anti-ageing skincare and their Basically Nude Collection (£49) is a great introduction to the brand for brighter, younger looking skin. Advanced bioactives and probiotics work intelligently with the skin for visible results.This collection contains a daily regime of best sellers: 200ml Cleansing Facial Oil, 200ml Hydrating Water and limited edition sized 15ml Age Defence Moisturiser. Order by tomorrow evening to guarantee delivery in time for Christmas!

Gift Guide under £10

Hey guys - a short and sweet post this morning as I am worn out from all my present wrapping this evening! The snow has also seemed to have dried up which is very disappointing but am looking forward to a relaxing weekend. I hope you found my under £5 gift guide useful yesterday, well today I am writing about my best gifts for under £10 - let me know if you have found any better ones!

1) Dove Beautiful Secrets Gift Bag Set containing Body Wash 250ml, Body Lotion 250ml & Shower Puff (£6.99). Dove have a great Christmas gift selection this year and all the gifts look beautiful and are great value for money. For under £7 in the Beautiful Secrets Gift Bag Set, you get a stylish gift bag filled with Dove essentials to help hydrate and nourish skin and make skin amazingly soft - love this!

2)The Johnson’s Travel Treats Gift Set (£5.99) contains four essential, moisturising products in a convenient 50ml travel size so you can take them as part of your hand luggage - genius! This set consists of Johnson’s Holiday Skin gently tanning moisturiser, plus 3 Johnson’s 24 Hour Moisture products - Extra Rich Body Wash (2) and Extra Rich Body Lotion. Perfect for travel-loving friends or even somebody who isn't sure what they want, as they are 'trial' sizes.

3) Play.com have literally everything on their site - so if you are stuck for ideas have a browse there! I plan to order some more presents for my boyfriend today as they will deliver in time for Christmas if you order today. I got my Dad the Wallace and Gromit Complete Collection for £8.99 which he will LOVE! Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of Wallace and Gromit the creators have specially re-mastered all four of their smashing half hour specials.

Last minute gift guide - under £5

As it is one week until Christmas I thought I would put together some last minute gift guides for everyone who is struggling for ideas. I love shopping for gifts so much and would happily shop all day to help someone out! Shame I have to work right up until Christmas Eve...Anyway all my Christmas shopping is done thanks to a great shopping trip to Gunwharf Quay in Portsmouth but I thought I'd share with you some of my gift ideas. First up today are gifts under £5, perfect Secret Santa presents.

1) Galaxy Mistletoe Kisses (£3.99) These gorgeous limited-edition treats consist of heaveny Galaxy chocolate, with an indulgent mousse and caramel centre. Perfect for sharing with a loved one or all to yourself!

2) Nivea Glamorous Gloss (£3.99) contains ultra shine pigments and exotic scents, brings dazzling shine to your lips and provides long lasting moisturisation and care. A perfect stocking filler for your mum or sister!

3) Simple Kind To Lips Essential Lip Balm SPF 15 (£2.49) isn't actually available until January 2010 (sorry!) but I was kindly sent a sample to review and it would make a perfect post x-mas stocking filler for under £3! It contains active ingredients and vitamin goodness, including Glycerin and Shea Butter to give long lasting daily care.

I hope you find it useful - good luck with all your last minute shopping! Tomorrow I will have gifts under £10 for you! Let me know if you have found other fab bargains for under £5.

Sparkly Christmas make-up!

I am really excited that Christmas is only one week away! I hope you are enjoying the party season, I have had two great parties and though I'd reveal my top-three party make-up items!

1) Urban Decay Complexion Primer Potion (£15.00) is an amazing primer that a lot of have bloggers have recommended and it totally lives up to that reputation. This lightweight, oil-free, paraben-free formula includes Matrixyl 3000 which reduces the appearance of wrinkles. It also leaves your skin incredibly soft like moisturiser, which means your foundation will apply smoothly, evenly, and last longer! I recommend this product for complexions that need moisture, not oily types as it may leave your skin too shiny.

2)Sleek Illuminating Powder (£5.99) is one of Sleek's latest products, that absords excess oils, has SPF15 and contains jojoba to give a light velvety powder. It's available in four shades to suit all skin tones and also contains shimmer in it to brighten up your skin and leave a light glow. It's a perfect touch-up to your look after a busy day in the office before the office party.

3) I love love love the new myface Blingtone Single Eye Shadows (£9.78), which are ultra-modern and deliver super-chic, shimmery glamour. I love Purple Haze, which is a deep purple and extremely shimmery - perfect for Christmas parties. They are also on offer for 2 for £15 in Boots at the moment.

Viktor and Rolf Flowerbomb Extreme

If you looking for a strong fragrance for the evenings, then you must try out the new Flowerbomb Extreme EDP from Viktor and Rolf. I first read about it on Lolipop26's blog and knew I had to have it! Flowerbomb is my all time favourite perfume and has been for the past few years when nobody knew about it! It is also Cheryl Cole's favourite perfume too! The Extreme EDP is a sensual, more Oriental version of Flowerbomb that is perfect for Christmas parties. It isn't cheap at around £55 for 50ml but it lasts all day which isn't the case for most perfumes. Add to your Christmas list now!!

The Clothes Show Live Birmingham

Last Saturday I went to the Clothes Show Live in Birmingham, which was amazing but very busy as you can see from my photos! As you may have heard on Twitter I have broken my fingers playing netball so am finding it really hard to type and write at the moment so it will be a brief review and lots of photos instead!

The show was excellent (despite a very rude steward who worked at the NEC making us move seats mid-show!) and was set to a Winter Wonderland theme, which included a lot of half-naked, yummy men to the delight of the screaming girls in the crowd. My favourite area of the show was the Pink Zone, which was where all the beauty stands where. I particularly enjoyed seeing Tara Smith styling a competition winner's hair and offering her expert tips. Jeff Brazier was also there for Reveal Magazine, although they were not giving away or selling copies of the magazine… weird! I also love the Jelly Pong Pong goodie bag that were £12, which is a great way to try out new products at a much cheaper price! I was gutted that All Saints weren’t there as I got some good bargains last time, maybe they will be back next year! I got some really nice clothes in the Purple Zone, which was so busy all day with people everywhere – I think that they let too many people into the show as I don’t remember previous years being so busy. The Clothes Show in London was so much nicer and quieter, cooler and in an excellent venue unlike the NEC which I dislike more and more every year!

Anyway I managed to get some nice, individual presents for Christmas and recommend anyone who loves bargain fashion and beauty buys to visit in London next year (4^th – 6^th June 2010) or Birmingham (3^rd – 8^th December 2010).

Xmas ideas for your man!

Hope everyone is having a nice weekend! I went to the Clothes Show in Birmingham with my Mum and sister yesterday so have been recovering from that as it was soooo busy and very tiring! Photos and blog post to follow tomorrow... Anyway I have been trying to sort out all my Christmas presents and have found it really hard this year to come up with ideas for the guys in my life! My boyfriend is a big skincare junkie and loves products from Lab Series, especially the Invigorating Face Scrub which is his favourite product for smooth skin. I came across this fab Christmas Set for £34.26, which saves £20 if you bought the items separately! The starter kit contains the cult products in the Lab Series product line which are essential shaving items - the face scrub, face wash and SPF15 defence lotion which all smell gorgeous, so should please any man and is great value!

What are you getting your man for Christmas?

Lovely Lancôme goodies

I was very lucky to be sent some lovely cult products from Lancôme to try out, which I have been properly testing for a month or so. I am a huge fan of Lancôme products, thanks to my mum always having the latest products on her dressing table - sorry Mum! She swears by their skincare products in particular, so we were especially excited to try out the new GÉNIFIQUE which has taken the beauty world by storm!

Génifique’s innovative new formula stimulates the skin's surface and leaves your skin extremely soft when used morning and evening. I really recommend using as a serum under your make-up as it makes a great base. It is pricey though, with the cheapest bottle at £52.50 but you get what you pay for with skincare and it is worth it for the unique benefits.

Carrying on with the theme of innovative technology, I also tried the revolutionary ÔSCILLATION mascara which caused quite a stir when it launched in the US last year, thanks to the fact it vibrates and provides 7000 oscillations per minute! It is a fab mascara which actually lengthens the shortest of lashes and the vibrating technique makes it a lot easier to separate lashes – I love it. Again it is pricey at £28 but considering the cheaper mass-market alternative from Maybelline costs £15 it isn’t bad value if you can afford it.

Finally I am sure you need any introduction to Juicy Tubes, they are the cult lipglosses are more affordable at £14.50! I love how gorgeous they taste, as well as giving you really sheer coverage that isn’t too OTT. I tried Sorbet de framboise, which surprisingly (!) tastes like raspberry and gives lips a pinky sheer look. There are lots of different types of Juicy Tubes available now; I love the look of the pure range, which contains 100% organic oil.

I hope you find my review useful, as I don’t often see many reviews of Lancôme products on many blogs. I have really enjoyed trying out the products and have been impressed with the quality, which isn’t always guaranteed with premium brands. I would definitely re-purchase the items if I had the money available at the time! I look forward to hopefully trying out some of the new releases for Christmas and reporting back!