What I Got For Christmas 2015

So I see a lot of bloggers and vloggers posting about what they got for Christmas and I find them to be such interesting posts. I really love seeing what non-beauty-obsessives buy for bloggers and vloggers for Christmas (and birthdays) so I figured I'd share. The typical disclaimer - This is not to show off, there's people in the world that get less than this but there's people that get more as well, this is just for those who might be interested.

So I still get spoilt by my parents at Christmas, even though I'm 23, I still live at home and I have siblings that are way younger than me and I think my parents just like to treat us all (I spoil them back, don't worry!). The créme-de-la-créme this year had to be a Tom Ford Eye Colour Quad in "Sahara Haze". It's neautral grey/cream/black tones wt a beautiful glitter top coat shade and it's just the perfect smokey eye palette. I'd actually go there and spend the £64 to own some more of these. Lush.

Another luxe beauty gift from the parents was Charlotte Tilbury's The Gift Of Goddess Skin gift set. This contains minis of her Wonderglow, the Goddess Skin Clay Mask and the famous Magic Cream. I haven't tried the Wonderglow and if I'm honest the Clay Mask doesn't seem too different to a standard clay mask but the Magic Cream is my new favourite. Will be buying a full size once I run out.

As for the other bits from the rents: I'll be doing a review of Sali Hughes Pretty Honest once I've read it, the Clarins Christmas Treat set was a cute little stocking stuffer with a mini Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector and a mascara and it's making me want to pick up everything in the "Instant Light" collection. I got a Babyliss Diamond Dryer hairdryer which is just such a luxury after having put up up with a broken hairdryer for the longest time (I'm so pants at choosing hair tools so my mum always comes to the rescue). And there's always the random bits: Some folding ballet flats for nights out, a Maybelline nail polish set and some matts for the floor of my car (I'm sure there'll be more on that once I actually pass my driving test...).

My sisters got me a little candle set and a cushion for my room that says "Oh! Wake Up" in white letter on the blue cushion and I love it. The cover is nicely made and the actual cushion is really nice and puffy.

My boyfriend and I don't go too crazy with each other at Christmas. This year he got me the Tata Harper Glow on Demand gift set and it's amazing. I've tried both of the cleansers and the Hydrating Floral Essence and I love all 3, can't wait to try the mask. I see a Cult Beauty order to stock up on these on the horizon. He also got me the cute fuzzy socks in the picture, he knows me well.

The boyfriends mother (there should be a title for that) got me a mini fragrance sampler set with scents by Jennifer Lopez, Paul Smith and Jimmy Choo. She also picked me up a chocolate handbag (which I'm slowly making my way through as I type this post).

My Secret Santa at work got me the Soap & Glory Bright & Bubbly set which contains minis of their Clean on Me Shower Gel, the Righteous Butter, the Hand Food and the Scrub of Your Life as well a body puff, none of which will be going to waste. He also got me a Twister Lolly air freshener for my car (and I know you're not supposed to know who your Secret Santa is, but it was a bit obvious this year. Thanks Chris!).

My auntie got me the Avon Far Away gift set, which contains a perfume, a body spray and a deodorant in the "Far Away" scent, which is actually really nice. I'm a bit rubbish with fragrance but I really like this one for a day-to-day scent (or any other occasion where it would be a bit ridiculous to be wearing Diptique or Viktor and Rolf).

Finally, my Uncle, Nana and Grandad all gave me money for the boxing day sales which I spent in the Birchbox shop - I picked up the Rituals Sakura Gift Set after testing some of the range and seeing a similar set that my mum had been gifted, and the Aromatherapy Associates Ultimate Bath Jewels, which didn't make it onto my Christmas list because I knew I'd find them somewhere for less than full price. Birchbox did a £10 off with a £50 spend and I had £10 in Birchbox points to spend so I managed to bag the set for £38 - bargain.

The Luxe List Beauty Gift Guide (Beauty Gifts £35+)

For the final instalment of my 2015 Beauty Christmas Gift Guide is the expensive stuff. Some of these are tried and tested favourites and some have found a spot on my own personal Christmas wish list, but all of them are lovely so lets have a look.

Since I've mentioned them in every single gift guide this year (and will probably do the same next year - just saying) I'll start with the Luxe List gift from Aromatherapy Associates. Their Ultimate Bath Jewels is currently available in Space NK and on Cult Beauty and at £58, it's actually a pretty good deal. You get 10, 9ml, bottles of their bath oils and it's a great selection that includes all of my favourites: "Deep Relax", "De-Stress Mind", "Revive Morning" and "Support Breathe".

For the skincare lover in your life, the Tata Harper Glow On Demand kit looks lovely. At £36 it only just priced itself out of my last gift guide post so I had to mention it here. It has 4 great deluxe 15ml samples of products I've been itching to get my hands on for months: Regenerating Cleanser, Purifying Cleanser, Resurfacing Mask and Hydrating Floral Essence and contains a sample of their lip product too.

While the Nars one Shocking Moment Cheek Palette isn't strictly speaking a Christmas release, it would still make a great gift. For £45 you get 4 blush shades, a contour and highlight duo and a full sized Laguna Bronzer, all packaged up in a nice sturdy palette with a big mirror. If you want to see me full review of this one it's here: Clicky Link.

I love the Ambré Vanillé scent in Laura Merciers body products so when I saw the Sweet Temptations Luxe Body Collection, I got a little excited. For £49 you get the shower gel, body cream, honey bath and the fragrance in a pretty presentation box. The set also comes in the Almond Coconut Milk fragrance.

If you want to go to town giving someone the gift of absolute relaxation, then look no further than the Therapie Luxury Kit. At £108 it's the most expensive gifting option I'm mentioning in this post but it comes with 3 full sized Therapie products, the Hymalayan Detox Salts, the Equilibrium Bath & Shower Essence and the Uplifting Joie Bath Infusion, all of which would make nice stand-alone luxe gifts at £37, £40 and £48 respectively.

Another set on my skincare radar this Christmas is the Sarah Chapman Skinesis Facial-In-A-Box. I can see this being a great option for the girl who loves a good pampering. The set includes a 15ml Ultimate Cleanse, one of her Cleansing Mitts, 2 of the 3D Moisture Infusion Masks, 5ml of the Eye Recovery and 5ml of the Overnight Facial. I like that this is effectively an entire routine in a box from cleanse to treatment.

Diptyque seem to have launched a special edition of their Do Son Eau De Parfum for the Holiday season. Space NK have an online exclusive full size version of this fragrance for £75 in a beautiful bottle (linked). Alternatively, you can pick up the regular version for £90 in store.

The Lust List eyeshadow palette was a tough choice, and an honourable mention needs to go to the Charlotte Tilbury Colour-Coded Eyeshadow Palettes. At £38 per quad they're pretty and would make a lovely gift, but when it comes to money-no-object gift giving I figured I had to give it to the Tom Ford Eye Colour Quads. At £64 a piece they're a pricey purchase but they practically ooze luxury and would make a perfect little treasure for the makeup lover in your life. I have my eye on the shade "Orchid Haze" in particular.

I've been a big fan of Omorovicza's skincare products for a while now and their Introductory Kit is a really nice collection of some of their best products. For £59 you get a 15ml Thermal Cleansing Balm, a 30ml Cleansing Foam, a 30ml Queen Of Hungary Mist, and 20ml Balancing Moisturiser and a 15ml Deep Cleansing Mask. It's a really luxe line of skincare but I've enjoyed everything I've tried from them in the past and a lot of the thing in this kit are things I like to have in my lineup.

And finally, the luxe candle. I had to include this one because I gifted it to my mum last year and she loved it: it's the Jo Malone Home Candle, one of these will set you back £42 but the burn time is great and they kick up so much scent. I'm pretty sure it's available in all of the fragrances that Jo Malone stocks and for the candle loving recipient I can see this going down well.