Hi Everyone and Happy New Year!
How were the holidays? Mine were busy, lots of driving and visiting and of COURSE a sick child😷
So to kick off 2018 I am going to go through the beauty bits I got for Christmas - and as you will see I did well...! There's quite a lot of different bits and I couldn't really decide how to organise them so I have decided to break them down into who bought me what.
Parents
My Mom is a beauty lover like me, and also a lover of fashion - she is ALWAYS well-dressed and put together. And my Dad is a hairdresser who owns his own salon in Ireland (@frontpagehairwestport). So when they do presents, they do them well.
The 'big' present was (and this isn't make-up or skincare but I have to share it with you...!) a pair of...drumroll...Tom Ford sunglasses💓💓💓 I.Nearly.Died. I'm not often lost for words but this shut me up, if only for a couple of seconds😜 They are in the style B10 Donna and they are STUNNING. I've tried them on (multiple times, and I'm not ashamed to admit it...!) but with Paris going through crazy rain and windstorms at the moment I won't get the chance to wear them for a little while. If you read the blog or follow my IG you know I am a superfan of Tom Ford and everything he does so this was an amazing gift.
Then was a gorgeous sparkly Next cosmetics bag filled with goodies - when my other half and brother saw the bag they literally said 'If you were a bag you would be that exact bag'😂
Inside was:
Sarah Chapman
Merry § Bright Cracker - My parents were in London back in October and Mom went to the Sarah Chapman clinic for a facial. I'm not going to lie here, she didn't rate it as the best she had ever had. They did a peel and dermaroller and she had peeling for about a week after. Even after the peeling had finished she said that she preferred the facials she gets regularly at one of the hotels in our hometown . I also had a facial there last year and it was fab, the lovely lady even threaded my eyebrows and they have never looked so good. The products they use are from Comfort Zone which is a gorgeous Italian spa brand that you can find on Feelunique.com. I had prior experience with them as I had a facial in the Castlecourt Hotel and Spa and they use the same products. I remember in particular a gorgeous spray toner and a lovely scrub.
But I digress...!
In the SC cracker are two minis - Overnight Facial and Hydration Booster.
The Overnight Facial (containing, among other lovely ingredients, Coenzyme Q10* and Vitamin A) is pretty magical stuff, people. As you can imagine Christmas involves a fair amount of wine and drinks and one night I used this and woke up the next day to smooth, bright skin as opposed to the papery, grey mask I usually get after a night on the wine. The Hydration Booster (Hyaluronic Acid, Rose extract) is a lovely watery serum that you can use alone or mix into other skincare, and does exactly what it says.
*Coenzyme Q10 - helps to protect the skin against photo-ageing (exposure to sun) and acts as an antioxidant
Superfacialist
Vitamin C + Brighten Skin Renew Cleansing Oil - I have been after this cleanser for AGES. It's available in Boots at home but alas, we don't have Boots in France and I'm unwilling to pay extortionate shipping fees. The woman behind the brand is Una Brennan, who I believe is Irish. However as my Mom pointed out, it seems like she may have sold the brand as her name no longer appears on the packaging and as I will mention in a minute, I've found something that I wouldn't expect any acclaimed facialist to include in their ingredients.
Back to the oil, which comes in a 200ml bottle, is yellow in colour and claims to be lightweight and treat the skin with Vitamin C, E and various plant-based oils. I haven't used it yet but when I do I will do a full post.
Hyaluronic Acid Firming Intense Facial Serum - 30ml, lightweight gel texture. The scent is slightly similar to L'Oreal Hydra Genius Aloe Water (which I reviewed here in my Hyaluronic Acid post), but not as strong. I have been using this and I like. When I have more thoughts I'll let you know.
Hyaluronic Acid Firming Daily Brightening Cleanser - This is the product that makes me want to investigate whether Una Brennan has sold her brand. The second ingredient is SLS (which I talked about in my Favourite Cleansers post here) and it's a bit surprising. While a lot of beauty gurus and editors don't have a problem with SLS, many do and I'm seeing a growing trend of people looking for SLS free products. While I'm not a fan of it and would prefer to buy SLS free products, I have used this cleanser and do like it. So if SLS doesn't bother you and you like a bit of foam, you will like this.
Clarins
Beauty Flash Balm - I have had this before and really like it. There is a knack to using it - you have to smooth it onto the skin instead of rubbing it like you would a moisturiser to stop the balling that some people get when using it. If you're tired or a bit dull this, either alone or under make-up, perks up your face and makes you look like you've had a good nights sleep.
Gentle Refiner - This is a new one for me, but seeing as it's Clarins I'll probably like it. I haven't used it yet but when I do you will know about it!
Soap § Glory
Radiance Boosting Mask and Puffy Eye Attack Under Eye Brightening Hydrogel Patches.
Haven't tried either of these before but I've had success with S§G masks in the past so am excited to use these!
Ciara Daly My Hero Brush
I hadn't heard of @ciaradalymua make-up tools, so I was intrigued when I opened this. It's very small, comes with a plastic protection net and is extremely handy for travel. I'm a huge fan of Marc Jacobs The Face III but after using this 3 or 4 times I have to say - I love it. I don't want to say too much until I've used it a bit more as I want to do a full review, but it's so easy to use and gives a flawless finish, while getting into all of the nooks and crannies of the face due to the flexibility of the bristles. I may be on to a winner here...! And of course, as Ciara is Irish like me I'm extra happy to have this!
Brother
My brother and I have this great thing whereby we just tell each other what to get the other for Christmas. When I saw that the Soap § Glory Spa of Wonder set was on sale at Boots for €35 when it had been €80 I sent him a message with a link and a plea😂 We're moving into our house sometime in the coming weeks/months (God knows, we have workers in who were supposed to start on 18th Dec but they showed up on the 2nd January full of excuses about the flu. Anyone who has renovated/built a house will understand...!) and I wanted some nice bathroom products. I don't have a picture of it as A) Bro had to take it out of the massive box as he travels lightly😂 and B) it's currently in a box at the new house so I don't crack and break them out before I'm in the new bathroom😂 There are upwards of 10 products, some that I've used before and some I haven't, and when I've used them I'll blog about it.
In-Laws
Going to lump all of these in together or we'll be here until 2019...!
Nocibe is a French beauty store and aswell as selling Clarins, Dior etc. they have their own line. My sister-in-law got me their LED light travel mirror that comes with a set of mini brushes and their All in One Nude Palette which contains 16 nude shadows and two blushes. She also got me a Lancome set that contains their Hypnose Drama mascara (I'll do a review when I've used it a bit more) a liner and a mini eye make-up remover.
My lovely MIL and FIL know that I'm into beauty and they went to my MIL's favourite beauty store, Yves Rocher who do lovely plant-based cosmetics (I'm a fan of some of their cleansers and they have lovely body care). They got me a 40 colour eyeshadow palette which I'm really interested to try as it's made in France and the formula is YR's signature plant-based one.
Best Friend
Last, but certainly not least! If you follow the blog or my IG you know that the best friend slays when it comes to gifts. This Christmas she got me my absolute favourite lipstick in the world which I recently ran out of, Tom Ford Casablanca. It is the most gorgeous pinky plum and the formula is long-lasting perfection. I also got Victorias Secret Body mist, PJ's and a Debela 18 palette - a brand I had never heard of but these shadows are stunning.
So there we have it, Christmas Beauty Haul in full! A lot of the products are new to me and I'm looking forward to reviewing them when I've had the chance to test everything.
What's the best thing you got this Christmas?
Happy New Year again, everyone!
A x
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How were the holidays? Mine were busy, lots of driving and visiting and of COURSE a sick child😷
So to kick off 2018 I am going to go through the beauty bits I got for Christmas - and as you will see I did well...! There's quite a lot of different bits and I couldn't really decide how to organise them so I have decided to break them down into who bought me what.
Parents
My Mom is a beauty lover like me, and also a lover of fashion - she is ALWAYS well-dressed and put together. And my Dad is a hairdresser who owns his own salon in Ireland (@frontpagehairwestport). So when they do presents, they do them well.
The 'big' present was (and this isn't make-up or skincare but I have to share it with you...!) a pair of...drumroll...Tom Ford sunglasses💓💓💓 I.Nearly.Died. I'm not often lost for words but this shut me up, if only for a couple of seconds😜 They are in the style B10 Donna and they are STUNNING. I've tried them on (multiple times, and I'm not ashamed to admit it...!) but with Paris going through crazy rain and windstorms at the moment I won't get the chance to wear them for a little while. If you read the blog or follow my IG you know I am a superfan of Tom Ford and everything he does so this was an amazing gift.
Then was a gorgeous sparkly Next cosmetics bag filled with goodies - when my other half and brother saw the bag they literally said 'If you were a bag you would be that exact bag'😂
Inside was:
Sarah Chapman
Merry § Bright Cracker - My parents were in London back in October and Mom went to the Sarah Chapman clinic for a facial. I'm not going to lie here, she didn't rate it as the best she had ever had. They did a peel and dermaroller and she had peeling for about a week after. Even after the peeling had finished she said that she preferred the facials she gets regularly at one of the hotels in our hometown . I also had a facial there last year and it was fab, the lovely lady even threaded my eyebrows and they have never looked so good. The products they use are from Comfort Zone which is a gorgeous Italian spa brand that you can find on Feelunique.com. I had prior experience with them as I had a facial in the Castlecourt Hotel and Spa and they use the same products. I remember in particular a gorgeous spray toner and a lovely scrub.
But I digress...!
In the SC cracker are two minis - Overnight Facial and Hydration Booster.
The Overnight Facial (containing, among other lovely ingredients, Coenzyme Q10* and Vitamin A) is pretty magical stuff, people. As you can imagine Christmas involves a fair amount of wine and drinks and one night I used this and woke up the next day to smooth, bright skin as opposed to the papery, grey mask I usually get after a night on the wine. The Hydration Booster (Hyaluronic Acid, Rose extract) is a lovely watery serum that you can use alone or mix into other skincare, and does exactly what it says.
 |
| That cosmetics case...! Photo doesn't do it justice. |
*Coenzyme Q10 - helps to protect the skin against photo-ageing (exposure to sun) and acts as an antioxidant
Superfacialist
Vitamin C + Brighten Skin Renew Cleansing Oil - I have been after this cleanser for AGES. It's available in Boots at home but alas, we don't have Boots in France and I'm unwilling to pay extortionate shipping fees. The woman behind the brand is Una Brennan, who I believe is Irish. However as my Mom pointed out, it seems like she may have sold the brand as her name no longer appears on the packaging and as I will mention in a minute, I've found something that I wouldn't expect any acclaimed facialist to include in their ingredients.
Back to the oil, which comes in a 200ml bottle, is yellow in colour and claims to be lightweight and treat the skin with Vitamin C, E and various plant-based oils. I haven't used it yet but when I do I will do a full post.
Hyaluronic Acid Firming Intense Facial Serum - 30ml, lightweight gel texture. The scent is slightly similar to L'Oreal Hydra Genius Aloe Water (which I reviewed here in my Hyaluronic Acid post), but not as strong. I have been using this and I like. When I have more thoughts I'll let you know.
Hyaluronic Acid Firming Daily Brightening Cleanser - This is the product that makes me want to investigate whether Una Brennan has sold her brand. The second ingredient is SLS (which I talked about in my Favourite Cleansers post here) and it's a bit surprising. While a lot of beauty gurus and editors don't have a problem with SLS, many do and I'm seeing a growing trend of people looking for SLS free products. While I'm not a fan of it and would prefer to buy SLS free products, I have used this cleanser and do like it. So if SLS doesn't bother you and you like a bit of foam, you will like this.
Clarins
Beauty Flash Balm - I have had this before and really like it. There is a knack to using it - you have to smooth it onto the skin instead of rubbing it like you would a moisturiser to stop the balling that some people get when using it. If you're tired or a bit dull this, either alone or under make-up, perks up your face and makes you look like you've had a good nights sleep.
Gentle Refiner - This is a new one for me, but seeing as it's Clarins I'll probably like it. I haven't used it yet but when I do you will know about it!
Soap § Glory
Radiance Boosting Mask and Puffy Eye Attack Under Eye Brightening Hydrogel Patches.
Haven't tried either of these before but I've had success with S§G masks in the past so am excited to use these!
Ciara Daly My Hero Brush
I hadn't heard of @ciaradalymua make-up tools, so I was intrigued when I opened this. It's very small, comes with a plastic protection net and is extremely handy for travel. I'm a huge fan of Marc Jacobs The Face III but after using this 3 or 4 times I have to say - I love it. I don't want to say too much until I've used it a bit more as I want to do a full review, but it's so easy to use and gives a flawless finish, while getting into all of the nooks and crannies of the face due to the flexibility of the bristles. I may be on to a winner here...! And of course, as Ciara is Irish like me I'm extra happy to have this!
Brother
My brother and I have this great thing whereby we just tell each other what to get the other for Christmas. When I saw that the Soap § Glory Spa of Wonder set was on sale at Boots for €35 when it had been €80 I sent him a message with a link and a plea😂 We're moving into our house sometime in the coming weeks/months (God knows, we have workers in who were supposed to start on 18th Dec but they showed up on the 2nd January full of excuses about the flu. Anyone who has renovated/built a house will understand...!) and I wanted some nice bathroom products. I don't have a picture of it as A) Bro had to take it out of the massive box as he travels lightly😂 and B) it's currently in a box at the new house so I don't crack and break them out before I'm in the new bathroom😂 There are upwards of 10 products, some that I've used before and some I haven't, and when I've used them I'll blog about it.
In-Laws
Going to lump all of these in together or we'll be here until 2019...!
Nocibe is a French beauty store and aswell as selling Clarins, Dior etc. they have their own line. My sister-in-law got me their LED light travel mirror that comes with a set of mini brushes and their All in One Nude Palette which contains 16 nude shadows and two blushes. She also got me a Lancome set that contains their Hypnose Drama mascara (I'll do a review when I've used it a bit more) a liner and a mini eye make-up remover.
My lovely MIL and FIL know that I'm into beauty and they went to my MIL's favourite beauty store, Yves Rocher who do lovely plant-based cosmetics (I'm a fan of some of their cleansers and they have lovely body care). They got me a 40 colour eyeshadow palette which I'm really interested to try as it's made in France and the formula is YR's signature plant-based one.
 |
| Can't find the Lancome liner and make-up remover...they're either in a box or in this mess...! |
Best Friend
Last, but certainly not least! If you follow the blog or my IG you know that the best friend slays when it comes to gifts. This Christmas she got me my absolute favourite lipstick in the world which I recently ran out of, Tom Ford Casablanca. It is the most gorgeous pinky plum and the formula is long-lasting perfection. I also got Victorias Secret Body mist, PJ's and a Debela 18 palette - a brand I had never heard of but these shadows are stunning.
So there we have it, Christmas Beauty Haul in full! A lot of the products are new to me and I'm looking forward to reviewing them when I've had the chance to test everything.
What's the best thing you got this Christmas?
Happy New Year again, everyone!
A x
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