Christmas Gift Guide - Luxury Edition Part 2: Gadgets and Electrical Beauty!

Christmas shopping can invariably lead to stress, headache, and panic (for the unprepared, last minute Larrys, like I am this year)… not to mention extremely painful feet and potential for mild assault from other keen shoppers if you’re braving the shops, rather than shopping online. Personally, I try to stick to buying online as much as I can, so as to avoid the physically painful part, at least.

Now I know there’s loads of gift guides floating around, but I firmly believe that you can never have too much inspiration if you’re truly stumped for things to buy – especially if like me, you have to buy both for the people who seemingly have everything, and also the people who actually want nothing (thanks dad… a jumper it is then, again); and so I’ve compiled a couple of guides for you covering a whole host of fabulous looking ‘stuff and things’ in the hope that I can maybe inspire you on the perfect gifts to buy for your nearest and dearest.

This guide focuses on luxurious and expensive products… my favourite. It was always going to be seriously difficult to keep the amount of ‘stuff and things’ that I want, errrr I mean that would be lovely for you to purchase for your loved ones to so few items – especially spanning so many categories such as gadgets, accessories, jewellery and more, and so I’ve split this particular guide into 3 posts for easier digestion!

And so without further ado, here’s a whole heap of fabulousness that I’d personally love to own/receive. I could probably have just called all these guides ‘Claire’s Wish Lists’ if I’m honest.

1. Alienware Area-51 Gaming PC £3,000 (or less, maybe) – If you’re anything like me, you put your computer through a lot of shit and expect it to deal with it all promptly, and without complaining. I actually have a top of the range gaming laptop, which doesn’t really do this at all, in fact it failed miserably on many counts – shame on you Samsung. So I think that any self-respecting fellow computer abuser would benefit greatly from a desktop system that could potentially put up with more being thrown at it, and be able to ‘man up’ through the tough times.

2. Pioneer CDJ 2000 Nexus & DJM 2000 Nexus Set £4,378 – Since being back in ‘clubber mode’ music has played an even larger part in my life, to the point that I rarely have the chance to catch up with any TV series that I enjoy as I’ve always got music on instead, errrk. Anyway, I’d pretty much do anything for this set up as this is the crème de la crème of DJ set ups; and just look how pretty they are – all the lovely lights… and there I go again with my magpie tendencies. Seriously though, this is a beast of a set up, as is reflected in the price; however if you have the money, then these would definitely be a present that wowed your recipient. Especially if it was me, ha.

3. Samsung Galaxy Note 4 £599 – I own the Note 3 and I love it, although I suffer with this expensive glitch within me that makes me feel like I NEED every new phone that comes out, ever. I don’t know what’s so addictive about getting a new phone, but I love it. And so I can’t wait for April when I can upgrade to this beauty… although I suspect that when the Galaxy S6 is released shortly after, I’ll want that too, and when the Note 5 comes out in September, I’ll also want that. Basically, I want the moon on a stick, and then some. I’m not even that materialistic as I put more value on relationships, memories and experiences… but that doesn’t stop me liking, and coveting lots of ‘stuff and things’ at the same time.

4. Caci Microlift ‘Personal Facial Toning System’ £350 – This claims to lift and tone the face and jawline, and reduce wrinkle depth by over 1/3. Well sign me up; I’m totally up for some of that action! I’d love to see how effective it is, and this is why it’s going straight on my wishlist.

5. Sqoom Skin Treatment Device £549 – This is something that caught my eye a couple of months ago due to the seemingly multitasking nature of it. The device is said to deep cleanse, massage, improve texture, wrinkles, acne and even skin conditions such as psoriasis, something that appeals to me on many levels as I’ve suffered with psoriasis for as long as I can remember, and I’m obviously not getting any younger, so the anti-aging claims also appeal to me greatly. I believe the gels that you can buy are what tackle each ‘problem’ rather than the device, but this is something I will actually be reviewing soon on here, so keep your eyes peeled for that one. Exciting, eh. ;-)

6. Philips Lumea Precision Plus (SC2006/11) IPL Hair Removal System £350 – Removing body hair is such a chore, right?! There has been an influx of at home laser/IPL devices in the last few years, giving us mere mortals the chance to lessen this chore, almost permanently (maintenance is needed as new follicles ‘wake up’ at different times) and save time in the future to boot (hurrah). I’ve heard nothing but good things from people who have used these devices, with time saved in getting ready and also things like no ingrown hairs, always being 'match fit' if you get my drift and suchlike. It’s miles cheaper than going to a salon, and can be done in the privacy of your own home, making it ultra-convenient too.

So just a handful of gadgets and electrical beauty products that could make a loved ones Christmas. Would any of these be on your wishlist? :-)

Part 3 coming soon...

This post originated at www.thebeautyscoop.co.uk

Christmas Gift Guide - Luxury Edition, Part 1: Handbags & Accessories!

Christmas shopping can invariably lead to stress, headache, and panic (for the unprepared, last minute Larrys, like I am this year)… not to mention extremely painful feet and potential for mild assault from other keen shoppers if you’re braving the shops, rather than shopping online. Personally, I try to stick to buying on the internet as much as I can, so as to avoid the physically painful part, at least.

Now I know there’s loads of gift guides floating around, but I firmly believe that you can never have too much inspiration if you’re truly stumped for things to buy – especially if like me, you have to buy both for the people who seemingly have everything, and also the people who actually want nothing (thanks dad… a jumper it is then, again); and so I’ve compiled a couple of guides for you covering a whole host of fabulous looking ‘stuff and things’ in the hope that I can maybe inspire you on the perfect gifts to buy for your nearest and dearest.

This guide focuses on luxurious and expensive products… my favourite. It was always going to be seriously difficult to keep the amount of ‘stuff and things’ that I want, errrr I mean that would be lovely for you to purchase for your loved ones to so few items – especially spanning so many categories such as gadgets, accessories, jewellery and more, and so I’ve split this particular guide into 3 posts for easier digestion!

And so without further ado, here’s a whole heap of fabulousness that I’d personally love to own/receive. I could probably have just called all these guides ‘Claire’s Wish Lists’ if I’m honest.

1. Michael Kors Selma Large Satchel Bag £315 – This stunning bag is definitely on my ‘most wanted’ list this Christmas, but alas I fear it’ll be a present that I’ll have to purchase for myself at some point in the New Year instead. I make no secret of my love for the colour pink, after finally realising that it is indeed my favourite colour (as opposed to pink, or purple) after only 33 years on this earth. I don’t really do favourites, due to my indecisive nature, and tendencies to like EVERYTHING, and lots of everything at that.

2. Dolce & Gabanna DG4192 Sunglasses in Bordeaux £125 – Now I’d usually go for sunglasses that were a bit bigger in size (hides more of my face, you see – ha) but the fact that these are sparkly just lured me in. I am SO easily won over when it comes to this stuff. SOLD… to the magpie named Claire.

3. Prada PR08OS Oversized Square Framed Sunglasses in Tortoiseshell £215 – Now these are more the kind of size I would normally go for, and I’m also partial to a bit of animal print, so these subtle tortoiseshell glasses are totally my kind of thing. I love the gold accent on the arm too, the shiny pleases me greatly.

4. Mulberry Alexa Polished Buffalo Satchel £1,100 – Who doesn’t want to own a Mulberry bag? I mean there must be some people, but there can’t actually be that many people who don’t secretly covet one of these beauties. The Alexa bag is probably one of the most well-known bags, and rightly so as it’s bloody lovely. I’d have one in multiple colours, just to sit and gaze at, mostly.

5. Mulberry Clemmie Embellished Satin Clutch £1,200 – Now put your hands up if you wouldn’t like to own a sparkly Mulberry bag. Holy macaroni, I love it. I don’t even care that it probably wouldn’t even fit half of my shit in it. I need it, give it to me now. Please. Thanks.

6. Saint Laurent ‘Monogramme’ Glitter Clutch £710 – I don’t know about you, but I’ll always call this brand Yves Saint Laurent, I mean why drop the Yves but then keep it in the iconic logo? It’s madness if you ask me. Anyway, this is another sparkly clutch that will no doubt hold about 0.01% of my ‘essentials’ on a night out, and again I don’t even care. It’s probably another item that I’ll just sit gazing at, and possibly stroking at home. I might even put it on a shelf as a display piece, ha.

7. Marc Jacobs Luna Messenger Bag in Orange £405 – This bright messenger bag stuck out to me during my massive window shopping session due to its vibrant orange colour. I’m a huge fan of bright colour, and whilst I still love muted, neutral shades too, I do lean more towards the bright. Even in autumn and winter. I’m especially a fan of orange with pink, which is a good job really, since those are the colours I currently sport in my hair. ;-) This bag looks perfect for everyday use, and I think it could even fit a great deal of my ‘stuff’ in it too – bonus.

8. Michael Kors Jetset Travel Chain Flap Over Purse in Gold £145 – There is probably no point in me ever owning this gorgeous metallic purse, owing to my utterly rubbish luck when it comes to not losing them lately. However, it doesn’t stop me wanting it all the same. I’m not sure if it’s more of a yellow gold in reality, but on my screen it looks like a rose gold, which I think I’d probably prefer. Stunning.

9. Michael Kors Dylan Baguette-Bezel Chronograph Watch (MK5412) in Rose Gold £279 – I love Michael Kors watches, in fact I just seem to love Michael Kors full stop; but in particular I love the watches. This rose gold sparkly affair is definitely on my ‘need to own’ list, since I can never have too many Michael Kors watches, especially if they have extra added sparkle to boot.

10. Michael Kors Stainless Steel Bracelet Watch (MK3359) £379 – Shut the front door, sparkle galore!! My magpie senses are on full alert for this watch (and the next couple also), as well they should be. Any watch that has this many crystals automatically gets put on my list of things I need, imagine all that sparkly goodness every time you checked the time?! I don’t think I’d ever be late again… ok; I might be but let’s not dwell on that part.

11. Michael Kors Kerry Gold Tone Pave Crystal Bracelet Watch (MK3360) £399 – This is the gold version of the previous watch, as obviously it’d be rude to have one without the other. I’m not one for favouritism; I’m not even one for favourites due to my indecisive nature – hence the length of these guides (wishlists, ha)!

12. Michael Kors Two Colour Zebra Print Bracelet Watch (MK3315) £279 – This watch combines my love of animal print with my love of sparkle. What’s not to love?! I want it, I need it… I know I can only wear one watch at a time, but I really don’t care. Can I make wearing two watches or more at once a ‘thing’? It should be when there’s this much Michael Kors goodness to be had.

I think it's quite obvious that I love Michael Kors, so sorry if it's a bit Kors heavy but I like what I like and I'm certain others would love to receive anything from these items too. :-)

Part 2 coming soon...

This post originated at www.thebeautyscoop.co.uk

Christmas Gift Guide - Winter Warmers!

Christmas shopping can invariably lead to stress, headache, and panic (for the unprepared last minute Larrys, like I am this year)… not to mention extremely painful feet and the potential for mild assault from other keen shoppers if you’re braving the shops, rather than shopping online. Personally, I try to stick to buying online as much as I can, so as to avoid the physically painful part, at least.

Now I know there’s loads of gift guides floating around, but I firmly believe that you can never have too much inspiration if you’re truly stumped for things to buy – especially if like me, you have to buy both for the people who seemingly have everything, and also the people who actually want nothing (thanks dad… a jumper it is then, again); and so I’m compiling a few guides for you covering a whole host of fabulous looking ‘stuff and things’ in the hope that I can maybe inspire you on the perfect gifts to buy for your nearest and dearest.

This guide focuses on products to purchase to keep your loved ones nice and toasty in the ‘weather ridden’ coldness that we call winter. I mean who doesn’t want to be warm, right?! So without further ado, here’s a whole heap of fabulousness that I’d personally love to own/receive. I could probably have just called all these guides ‘Claire's Wish Lists’ if I’m honest.

1. Ted Baker Prata Zip Front Cape in Taupe £249 – I’ve got a massive thing about capes at the moment and this one is just so chic that I just had to include it in this guide. It’s pricey-ish, but to me this is more of an investment piece that would see somebody through many seasons, complementing many outfits for a variety of occasions.

2. Ted Baker Riza Leather Biker Jacket in Grape £399 – This is a more casual option, but I love it all the same. I’m a big fan of the colour, the gold accenting and the quilting on the shoulders, as I’m also very partial to quilting… preferably on a Chanel bag, that I own (I don’t own one though *sob*). Again I feel this is another investment piece that will quite easily see you through the years.

3. New Look Black Tartan Check Reversible Oversized Scarf £14.99 – I’m loving the tartan trend that we’re seeing this season, it makes me think I should have kept my tartan trousers from the 90’s, although they were seriously unfashionable until this season… so probably best that I didn’t. This scarf combines the fabulous red tartan print with one of my other favourite prints, dogtooth/houndstooth. I adore it. I would wear this all day, every day, possibly even in bed. Love it.

4. New Look Parisian Blue Check Hooded Blanket Wrap £22.99 – If a scarf just doesn’t cut it for you, then this gorgeous blanket wrap should do the trick. I love the pattern, the style and that is has a hood to boot. Perfect.

5. Ruby & Ed Husky & Coyote Faux Fur Hand Muff, £34.00 – I have wanted a hand muff for ages, as I just don’t seem to get on with gloves, spending time taking them off, putting them back on, then off again and then invariably losing one, or both. These hand muffs/mufflers seem to be the answer to my problem, since they just hand around your neck and you can insert/withdraw your hands as needed without any extra effort. I’ve just realised I’m a lazy so and so when it comes to my hand warming needs, and an idiot that loses things. Wonderful, ha.

6. Ruby & Ed Brit Candy Hood in Burgundy, £99 – How comfy and warm does this bugger look? This looks ideal for the cold weather we have to put up in this wonderful country during the winter months. Plus my theory is that it wouldn’t ruin your hair as much as a normal hat would, due to it’s looser fit. Bonus, right?!

7. AX Paris Aztec Multi Coloured Printed Cape £19.99 (down from £35) – Another cape, but this time with an Aztec print, which is equally as fabulous as the tartan, but slightly different styling. I’m mad on capes at the moment, can you tell? Plus, it’s in the sale so it means you save some money to boot… or are able to purchase more, which is the route I usually take. ;-)

8. Boohoo Emily Parka with Fur Hood £45 – I adore this coat! The fur hood and the fluffy fleecy lining look like a cuddle in a coat. Plus, I like the more casual style of this for every day wear, and especially cold days where thinner coats just wouldn’t cut it in the keeping warm stakes. Perfect, I want it.

9. Berghaus Women’s Dovenby Fleece Pullover £45 – For the sportier types, this fleece top from Berghaus may just fit the bill. I’m a sucker for pink, hence that’s the colour I have posted, but actually I’d be happy to own these in all the colours available. They’re perfect for active types who are able to drag themselves out into the cold weather to go running, or something equally as horrifying when they could lovely and warm, sat indoors. ;-)

10. Berghaus Women’s Ramche Hyper Hydrodown Jacket £230 – Again, another one for the sportier, more active types… although I’d totally still wear this, and just pretend I was one of those kinds of people, ha. This loooovely bright pink coat looks like it will keep you warm without weighing you down, and will make sure you’re seen if you’re out running in the dark too – health and safety, guys. :-P

So there we have just a very small selection from a handful of websites (I could have gone overboard and listed about a thousand products, but I held back) to give you some inspiration when it comes to purchasing gifts for those, like me who never seem to have enough warm clothes when it gets to winter. I think my issue is that I just like purchasing dresses to go out partying in so that I don’t get seen in the same dress in clubs too often, oh well. ;-)

This post originated at www.thebeautyscoop.co.uk

Boots Star Gift of the Week - 17 Ultimate Collection!

With another week, comes another offer from Boots in their annual Star Gift of the Week event. This week we have a set from 17 cosmetics that looks great and is a snip at £17, down from £35.

The set even has some make-up brushes included too. Ok, so they may not be MAC quality (although I haven't seen/felt/used the set in any way, so you never know), but I'm betting they'll be fine for starting off/taking on your travels etc. The colours look lovely too, universally flattering, and easy to wear, don't you think?!

In the picture, the set has a Frontcover gift set feel about it, with the book format... this is both good and bad, as it's nice to have all the things you might use together in one set and is clearly a great gift option, but it's not all that practical in terms of taking it away with you due to the extra, quite unnecessary bulk - in my opinion, of course.

Contains:

    5 x Lip Gloss Godets (6.4g total),
    5 x Pressed Powder Eye Shadows (6.4g total),
    8 x Baked Powder Eye Shadows (5.7g total),
    Blusher,
    Bronzer Trio in Limited Edition Colours (8.2g total),
    Pot of Eye Liner in Black,
    Compact with Metallic Cream for Eyes, Lips and Cheeks,
    Limited Edition Mascara in Black,
    2 x Eye Pencils in Coffee and Black,
    17 Photo Flawless Skin Primer,
    Lash Curler,
    Pencil Sharpener,
    5 Piece Brush Kit,
    Hints and Tips from Makeup Artist Vanessa Guallar.

Not bad, eh?!

This post originated at www.thebeautyscoop.co.uk

Christmas Gift Guide: Valentino 'Valentina' Perfume!

It's Christmas Eve, oh my god, I actually cannot believe it's here already and will be gone even quicker than it arrived. I had so many more gift guides planned this year, but unfortunately postal and email issues, along with the fact that time has been going at least twice as quickly as it should have really kicked most of them to the kerb so I hope you have enjoyed the little gift ideas that I have managed to post up!

Perfume is always a sure fire hit in my Christmas stocking (I don't actually have a stocking, but it's better than saying in my Christmas carrier bag, or badly wrapped present as Mr Beauty Scoop has forgotten or rushed the wrapping lol), and I am sure many of you ladies feel the same?! Well, this fragrance is one of my new favourites.

For a start, the bottle is beautiful - a pleasure to place on my dressing table and one that stands out from a lot of my other perfumes (I own a lot). The floral decoration actually feels like very thin ceramic or porcelain - I actually thought that it could be plasticky or something before I got my hands on it, not even for any reason either lol.

Side view to show the floral decoration.

The notes in Valentina instantly caught my attention, here's the description that I was sent "Calabrian bergamot is a hymn to exuberance and freshness, shaken up by the insolence of white Alba truffles. In their trail, jasmine, Amalfi orange blossom and tuberose celebrate radiant beauty, while being offset by the rebellious delight of wild strawberries. Finally, the nobility of cedar is seduced by the captivating sensuality of amber" I thought these notes sounded like they'd be really lovely together... and they totally are. I absolutely adore the fragrance.

My first thoughts when I actually smelled the perfume was that it reminded me of Nina Ricci's Premier Jour (even though I don't think they share many of the same notes - from what I can tell they only share vanilla and amber), but my mind changed when it settled as it started to then remind me slightly of Hugo Boss, Deep Red perfume with a touch of Armani Code too, that also share a few notes with it; thankfully it's not exactly like any of these, as I own (and love) all three of them.

I actually cannot stop smelling my wrist whilst I wear this perfume, I can't get enough of it and I've had compliments on it whenever I have worn it. Yet again, my mum is coveting a bottle for herself - her birthday is in February so maybe she'll get lucky for it. :-)

I think this perfume would be perfect for any occasion, day or evening and also for any season as the different elements of the notes keep it from being too floral/sweet (summery) or woody/spicy (wintery)!

Since it is Christmas Eve, I thought I should write about something that you could actually rush out and buy right now, and this is available now from most department stores (I've seen it on Debenhams, Selfridges and John Lewis websites, so I expect it to be in stores too) and also online if you can wait until after Christmas. x

Christmas Gift Guide - Last Minute Gifts From Boots!

If you're not very organised for Christmas and have pretty much missed all the last delivery dates for online purchases, then this little gift guide could hopefully give you a little help and save you from turning up empty handed on Christmas morning!

I think that Boots is a great place to visit for this last minute gift grabbing, as not only do they stock their usual fabulous cosmetics and fragrances (and more, but let's keep this beauty related) but they also have a plethora of Christmas gifts available at varying price points. Here's a selection of my favourite from this year's gift selection:

FrontCover:

Packing Case is a lovely little set from FrontCover that contains everything that they think you need for a weekend away; including 4 fine line baked powder eyeshadows, 4 fine line baked cheek colours, double ended black mascara/sealer, mini black kohl pencil with smudger, double ended suit-all lip stain and iridescent gloss, translucent pressed powder, mini tweezers, cheek brush and double ended eye applicator! Now that's quite a lot for the £18 that it costs... and that's without including it in the current 3 for 2 offer - bargain. I'll be posting swatches of these later today.


No7:

No7 Liplicious Library (£16 and included in 3 for 2 offer) - 5, 5ml No7 lipglosses in shades Marshmallow, Angel Cake, Caramel, Sweet Peaches and Sherbet Twist for £16 (also on 3 for 2 currently)! Perfect for the pouts of your loved one(s) and the colour selection is great too - there's a gloss for almost every occasion in there.

17:

17 Large Eye Palette (£10 and in 3 for 2 offer): - A great palette containing both day and night appropriate shades all in a slim case (not always a fan of cardboard casing, but a lot of brands are using it these days, so I won't moan about it throughout as that would get tedious)! The DAY shades included in the set are: Limited Edition Green, Medium Purple, Light Pink, Orange and Pink and the NIGHT shades include - Limited Edition Bronze, Dark Purple, Grey, Light Blue, Dark Blue (5g of each selection, 10g total). I had swatched these, but the photographs broke somehow - will try to redo on another post as soon as possible.


Strictly Come Dancing:

The Eye Colour Collection (£16 and included in 3 for 2 offer) - I think this set encompasses everything that Christmas is, shimmer, shine and glitter with double ended eyeliners (including glitter options), gold, silver and bronze chunky pencils, mascara and normal eyeliner pencils too. Again, a lot of the swatch photographs I took are with the ones that broke,but I did salvage this one from the chunky pencils.

Strictly Latin Lookbook (£10, and also included in the 3 for 2 offer): Another multi product gift set, containing eyeshadow, pressed powder, and lip glosses. I love that this comes with a pull out section with hints and tips on how to get the look. Bargain.

PR Samples - Views and extensive last minute gift shopping knowledge are my own!

Chistmas Gift Guide: Jonathan Ward Candle - The Gypsy (From The Russia Collection)!

I love a good candle, especially through the dark and cold winter months where all I ever want to do is snuggle down with a duvet with a beautiful candle burning in the background (well, we don't have a log fire so candle fire is the best we can do)!

This candle by Jonathan Ward, London fits the bill perfectly as it looks stunning (that red and gold packaging is screaming Christmas to me - in a VERY classy way) and smells good enough to wear as a personal fragrance.

The Jonathan Ward website says:

A deeply sensual Gypsy inspired floral with notes of Carnation, Sandalwood, Rose, Jasmine, Ylang Ylang, Bergamot, Patchouli, Amber, Cedarwood.

Housed in a Ruby red collectable glass and complete with a signature printed box.

Ingredients:

Amber, Cedar Wood, Jasmine, Patchouli, Rose, Sandalwood, Bergamot, Carnation, Ylang Ylang

The scent of this candle is stunning, and has a very unique scent to it - I really don't think that there's anything I can compare it to, but I will say that it has the perfect mix of floral and warmer notes to my nose,and they keep it from being too seasonal - I'd happily burn this candle at any time of the year.

As expected, the scent is also very strong and you get a great scent throw from the candle in the room without it even being lit, I love this as it's not always practical to burn a candle if you're not going to be in long enough to appreciate it, so this still gives you some enjoyment from the candle.

Even Chloe wanted to smell it.

I'm never disappointed with Jonathan Ward candles, I know that what I am getting is a completely luxurious and well made candle that smells divine, and will burn cleanly and evenly, and for a decent amount of time too. I really do feel that you get what you pay for with a JW Candle, and actually, when I have broken it down before they don't work out that expensive if you think of how much it costs per hour or use.

For instance, this candle is available in both medium and large sizes at £25 and £35 respectively and the medium candle has a 30 hour burn time which equates to 83p per hour whilst the large burns for 45 hours which equates to about 78p per hour- not that much in the grand scheme of things, it's not even minimum wage! In fact, one hours burning cost would probably just about buy you a bottle of water which may last about the same amount of time, or less.

I'm pretty sure there are many others like myself, who at Christmas would love the treat of a very special and very posh candle, something they may not buy themselves as it is quite a luxury item, but still very affordable in gifting terms, I feel.

To view the rest of the collection, or to purchase this one please do visit the Jonathan Ward website (you might also want to check out his other candles whilst you're there)!

PR Sample - Views are my own!

Wahanda Launches Personal Gift Finder!

If you're stuck for what to buy for your loved ones this Christmas (and let's face it, it's not far away now) then maybe Wahanda could be your new best friend, as they launched a personal gift finder gadget a short while back!

Some people are just difficult to buy for, don't you think? I find male reatives extremely difficult to buy for at Christmas as my dad never wants anything when you ask him (even though he knows we're always going to buy him something, so he may as well just tell us the kinds of things he wants to make it easier for us), and my brother in law generally just buys what he wants, as and when he wants it... plus his birthday is on New Years Eve so there's double presents to find for him in a short space of time - pain in the bottom.

So this seems like quite a good idea, especially for my brother in law who is a bit more prone to a bit of grooming and such like than my father, and I decided to give it a whirl to see what it suggested for said brother in law.

It's quite simple, nothing too in depth - a few simple options to choose based on gender and personality traits with options to narrow your search further within those results. For my brother in law, I chose Male (obviously) and well groomed (ish, haha) and I got results offering spa days and treatments, gym packages, hairdressing, manicures, waxing and more... so there is a plethora of options available.

It's not perfect, I think it could be a bit easier to narrow your search by area (there's a map, but I'd prefer to just type in the area if I am honest) but it looks like a great place to start if you're struggling, or if you know somebody who might like something from there instead of being given a pile of stuff that may just get stuffed in the back of their wardrobe!

Boots 'Kiss Me Quick' Lollypop Face Cloth!

I love that this face cloth is fashioned into a lollypop, and actually it must look fairly realistic as Mr Beauty Scoop thought it was a lolly when he glanced at it!! It's a quirky little stocking filler that costs £3.50 from Boots.

I do have a couple of niggles though, and I'm hoping that these were a one off on this particular cloth. The first issue was where the lolly stick had been stuck onto the cloth, as when I pulled it off, it actually pulled some of the thread with it, so just take care when doing this if you do get one.

Secondly, where the plastic kimble tag had gone through the cloth to hold it into the lolly shape created holes that whilst fairly small, were still quite evident.

Finally, there were a few more imperfections like more pulling and also a bit of irregularity in the pink sections of the cloth where it appears patchy.

However, all that being said, I'd still be happy to receive one on Christmas day as the cloth does what it needs to and is soft on the skin too (I'm just being a bit picky with the comments above). Not to mention the novelty fun factor in receiving one of these (and it's also great for those on diets who are trying to avoid real lollies) so not bad for just £3.50!

I found it rather funny when I looked at the care instructions and it instructs to 'sponge clean only' haha... have a look below!

Gift Idea: Soap & Glory - Whirly Girl!

I'm a big fan of Soap & Glory products, they're girly and their body products smell GREAT (I know this is personal preference, but I happen to love the smell of their Righteous Butter etc)! I always receive a bit of S&G for Christmas as stocking filler fodder, which I'm always happy to receive too!

The Whirly Girl gift set is a bit different to the usual items I receive as I usually get their bath and body products, so it was actually really nice to try out a couple of their other products. I was particularly impressed with the 'Arch De Triumph' pencil that is double-ended and used to fill in brows and highlight underneath them too.

L-R: Brow Pencil, Highlighter, Blended Highlighter

The brow pencil end was quite hard, but drew easily and the highlight end was creamy and smooth, again easy to use. I really like the pinky highlight shade, especially as it allows you to highlight without the use of shimmer - I feel this could be great for use on a wedding day, or other such day when you know you'll be photographed as I think it would react a lot better to flash photography!

The lipgloss is a light peachy pinky shade (Candy Gloss Pink) with lots of sparkle inside that claims to make your lips more full, and whilst I don't think it made my lips much, if any bigger, it did make them look smooth and plump - which could be partly due to the light reflection from the glossy and sparkly finish! The gloss does make your lips tingle, be warned that you will probably either love or hate this, personally I love it - I can't explain why, I just do!

The body spray is lovely, it's not the signature Soap & Glory scent to my nose, but not far off... it's sweet and fruity but with enough tang to stop it being sickly. It's also really strong in scent, meaning that you probably won't need to use as much each time you use it.

I haven't really given the lashes a proper testing out, mostly because I still can't really apply lashes all that well, and until I have perfected the art, there's probably not much point in me commenting to say if they're good or bad.

All in all, this is a lovely little set to give (or receive) as a Christmas present and everything I've come to expect (and love) from Soap & Glory. Available now for £20 at Boots, and is also available as part of the 3 for 2 offer, making it even better value.

PR Sample - Views are my own!

The Christmas Countdown Begins...

I can't believe it, it's actually December already(!), and that to me means that panic can now set in as Christmas is officially here (almost) and I need to get my skates on and get my gifts for people chosen, bought and then wrapped... the countdown is ON!

I'm sure many of you are also in the same predickydoodah* as me, especially if you also don't have a clue what to buy for your nearest and dearest. So with that in mind, I'll be doing a series of posts to try to help you pick some fabulous gifts for the special people in your life.

Another part of Christmas that I look forward to is partying and with that thought in mind, I'll also be showing you my favourite party season make-up, accessories and skincare to help get you through the festive season in style.

Finally, I'll also be throwing a couple of competitions into the mix, so don't forget to come back and check the site for those too!

*Mr Beauty Scoop insisted that I wrote this, instead of the more widely used word 'predicament' that I originally had typed out!

The Beauty Scoop Christmas Gift Guide 2010 - Part 1!

I don’t know about you, but I sometimes find myself at a loss as to what to buy my loved ones for Christmas. Now I know it’s the thought that counts, but I like buying gifts that are loved and actually used by the person I buy them for; not just given a polite acknowledgement and then stuffed to the back of the cupboard, waiting to be recycled into a present for somebody else because they secretly hate it!

I’ve decided to give a little run down of items, to suit all budgets that I think anybody would love to receive over Christmas; from stocking fillers to main presents I hope to give you a little inspiration from both the products that I have been using and loving and those that I would still love to receive in my present pile this Christmas!

Aveda have some utterly fabulous gifts available, and if you (or your intended recipient) haven’t had chance to try Aveda products then now is a great time to do so! Their Ritual of Repair gift set (£49) comes complete with Damage Remedy Shampoo, Conditioner, Intensive Treatment, Daily Hair Repair and Tagua Hair Band – it also has a £28 saving on the individual retail prices of the products included.

Burts Bees – Get lovely lips for kissing under the mistletoe with this fantastic Burt’s Bees ‘Lip Balm Tin Ornament’ (£9.99) that has 3 of their fabulous lip balms (Beeswax Lip Balm, Replenishing Lip Balm in Pomegranate and Honey Lip Balm) packaged in a metal tin that can be reused – so it’s also great for the environment too.

Clinique have a selection of gifts available, from candles to skincare, they’ve got it all. Two gifts of note (ie that I would love to receive) are:

Laser Focus Repair Gift Set (£50, shown above), a silver travel bag containing Repairwear Laser Focus Wrinkle & UV Damage Corrector (30ml), Youth Surge SPF 15 Age Decelerating Moisturiser (in dry/combination) 15ml and Repairwear Intensive Eye Cream 7ml.

Pretty Day Into Night Looks Gift Set (£38), a gorgeous pink bag containing a Round Compact with 4 Eyeshadows & 2 Powder Blush Shades, High Impact Mascara 4g in Black, Double-Ended Lipstick in Different Grape 1.3g/Long Last Glosswear SPF15 in Bamboo Pink 4.5ml, Cream Shaper For Eyes in Starry Plum 1.1g and All About Eyes 15ml.

Dermalogica products would be a lovely gift for anybody who likes to look after their skin as Dermalogica, in my opinion are still one of the best skin care brands around (I thoroughly recommend that you try their PreCleanse if nothing else as it's suitable for all skin types, review coming soon to the blog). You may not be able to keep this one a secret as a skin mapping session is always recommended to find out the best products for your skin but you could actually make that part of the present if you were to pay for a facial too.

A Denman Brush (approximately £7) – If you want to give a gift that will just keep on giving then one of these bad boys would be great, they look fab and are built to last. There’s an assortment of great designs available (I’ve shown just a few of them here) and you just know they’ll be used as everybody brushes their hair, right?!

Elemis have a fabulous range of gift sets available, many of them offering a saving off the RRP of the individual products which is a winner to me. I especially like the Exotic Spa Secrets gift box (£49.50), which contains 3 full sized products including: Skin Nourishing Milk Bath, Exotic Frangipani Monoi Bath & Shower Cream and Exotic Frangipani Monoi Moisture Melt and offers a £38 saving from the usual retail price of each item. Other Elemis gift sets that are worth considering are: Elemis Skin Brilliance, Elemis Perfect Pro-Collagen and Elemis Timeless Radiance.

Front Cover Cosmetics have a selection of gift sets available but the one that stands right out for me is their Moonlit Metals set (£16, swatched here), as I think that the colours contained in it would suit most people -plus it also offers such fantastic value, is on trend and generally just looks like a nice present to give/receive (and is easy to wrap too)!

Molton Browns’ gifts are to die for. Their Treasure Island (£65) and Colour Purple (£42, shown above) gifts immediately caught my eye. The Treasure Island gift includes Heavenly Gingerlily Moisture Bath & Shower Gel, Body Cream, Shimmer Fragrance and Airlight. I haven’t had the pleasure of smelling this set but it sounds beautiful. The Colour Purple set contains Relaxing Yuan Zhi Bath & Shower Gel, Body Cream and Airlight - and might I add, smells divine.

No7 have some beautiful gifts and palettes available right now, I've recently swatched their Precious Metals Mini Nail Polish set (£8) here, and their Limited Edition MirrorBall Eye Palette (£12.50) here but there are so many other gorgeous gifts and fantastic products available (to suit all budgets) that I really do think that it's worth looking to the brand for both stocking fillers and main presents alike.

OPI's Burlesque range is causing quite a stir because it includes a great range of polishes, that all have a Christmassy feel (in my opinion) and I feel would be well received by most people as a gift for Christmas. If you didn’t want to buy them individually, there are gift sets available such as their Little Teasers Mini Lacquers Gift Set (available for around £12.15 online).

Better still QVC have a brilliant set available (shown above). For just £34.10 plus postage (this is an introductory price and could end anytime and go back to the usual price of £37.50) you can get a super gift box which includes: Original Nail Envy (15ml), Avoplex High Intensity Hand & Nail Cream (50ml), OPI Crystal Nail File, Bring on the Bling Lacquer (15ml), Tease-y Does It Lacquer (15ml), Let Me Entertain You Lacquer (15ml) and a mini cuticle stick. Bear in mind that the polishes alone usually retail for £9.95 each and you can see what good value this gift set is – and the person you’re buying for will think you’ve spent even more on them!

Perfumes or perfume gift sets are a safe bet for most people, I’m currently loving Paco Rabanne; in particular their ‘Lady Million’ and ‘Black XS’ fragrances. Other perfumes worth checking out are Viktor & Rolf’s ‘Flowerbomb’, Armani ‘Code’, Marc Jacobs ‘Daisy’ and/or ‘Lola’ and Nina Ricci’s ‘Nina’.

Talking of perfume, Penhaligon's have some beautiful gifts available (as well as some stunning standalone perfumes) a few gifts of note are: the Crystal ‘Bullet’ Atomiser (in Amethyst £120), the Ladies Fragrance collection (£32) which includes 5 miniature 5ml bottles in a lovely bow-topped gift box, and their Votive Candle Collection (£45) which includes 4 miniature (70g) scented glass candles.

Sisley has a fantastic new autumn/winter makeup collection that may just hold a few potential gifts within it. Shown above, the collection contains 10 pieces – all of which I’d be happy to own. If the makeup collection doesn’t grab you then maybe a piece of their award winning skincare range may be more to your taste? After all, who doesn’t want to take care of their skin?!

Sleek palettes (£5.99 each) are cheap in price but fantastic in quality, there’s also a decent amount of palettes for you to choose from so you can be sure there’ll be something there to suit anybody you’re buying for. They’re currently on 3 for 2 at Superdrug, making them even cheaper – in fact if you have a secret santa present to buy then this could be a perfect purchase – much better than socks anyway!

Urban Decay’s Naked Palette (around £27) is bound to be a hit, you can’t really go wrong with neutrals as they suit everybody and this palette is currently one of the best to be had.

Anyway, this rounds up my first gift guide - I hope you've found it useful and maybe solved a few gift dilemmas too!