You know how getting ready is sometimes almost as good as going out? Well, I sort of think that shopping for Christmas is a little bit similar. Y'know, with the exception of the whole RUNNING AROUND IN A PANIC not knowing who to get what and when. Just thinking about it gives me the urge to drown my sorrows in mulled wine.

This will sound seriously mental but... I had my first Mince Pie of the year the other day. Yup. Christmas, in October. But the festive season isn't that far away you know. Xmas lights are up on Oxford Street. Christmas gift ranges are in store. Can't escape it, CHRISTMAS 2015 IS COMING.

And as quickly as it came, Christmas is now over for another year! What did you all get up to?  I went for the usual massive family gathering and boy, do we Chinese know how to EAT. 

HAPPY CHRISTMAS ONE AND ALL!

Do you know a beauty fan who already has a beauty collection bursting at the seams? Think you have everything you might possibly ever need? Well think again.

Can you believe it's mid December already?! CHRISTMAS IS NEXT WEEK. I am so behind on my present buying and decorating but there is one thing which I'm bang up to date on.... My Selfridges Beauty Advent Calendar!!

A few months ago I excitedly bought the Selfridges Advent Calendar in a fit of "oh my god if I don't buy it now it will sell out" panic. (See this post for more panic and purchasing satisfaction)

12 days and 12 windows later, I knew I had made the right decision. Of the 12 beauty treats so far, I loved 11 of them. Here's the lowdown on what was behind those windows - you can judge whether you'll buy one next year!

On the first day of Christmas my Selfridges Calendar gave to me... (don't worry, I won't do this for every day)




Day 2 - a big improvement, it was the Kiehl's Ultra Facial cleanser - a gentle liquid gel cleanser made from a sugar derived foaming agent. It reminds me of the Korres White Tea Gel Cleanser - lovely texture, I would buy this full size but I'm not itching to get it just yet.


Lancome Renergie Multi-Lift, oooooh. I'm not one for anti ageing creams yet - this ones going to my mum (and she loved it!) If you want to keep it, you can use it on your neck to start.



Another cute perfume sample - La Vie Est Belle - aka the Julia Roberts one. It smells really nice, I wouldn't mind getting this full size! The bottle is adorable too - I love these sample sizes, they're perfect for putting in your handbag for a daytime freshen up!





There is SO much Lancome in this calendar. And I ain't complaining! A mini sample of the Lancome Hypnose Drama mascara - I'm a huge mascara fan and I will try any and every brand out there!


 Finally - ending my 12 days with a GREAT sample - the Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate aka the best facial oil ever. Super light and easily absorbed - I would DEFINITELY (all capitals) buy a full size version of this!



So there we go, a quick round up of my first 12 days of christmas beauty! 

I cannot wait until for the next 12!!

Tried any of these bad boys? Which ones do you like the look of?



By Zoe Dubs
xXXXx

Hi team! I have been fantastically busy this week with work and Xmas festivities and blogging has taken a little breather. Can you believe it's December already?!  I have bought zero presents so far and not even put my tree up - so much to do!! How far have you got?!

Today's blog post is a collection of my favourite fragrance bottles, spotted at The Perfume Shop Christmas preview.

I don't know about you guys, but I'm a sucker for picking perfume based on a beautiful bottle. I know it should be about the scent, but sometimes I just want that bottle on my dresser! If only more of them were refillable!

I'm so excited about this post!! First and foremost - it's about Benefit makeup and secondly, it's about a LOT of Benefit makeup.

The Benefit blushers have been cult collectables for me ever since the first box of Dandelion landed in my lap aged 14. However, at £24 a pop, it's not cheap to collect them all.

Today's product solves that exact "i want them all, don't make me choose one" problem. It's the Benefit Cheeky Sweet Spot xmas special! Finally, 6 of their best selling blushers have all moved in under the same roof and quite literally - because the tin is a cute little house!!

I'm not a big fan of advance Christmas shopping to be honest. It feels like December is ages away and I'm still clinging onto Autumn despite the sudden drop in temperature this week. That said - there is one product which definitely can NOT wait until December and that my friends, is the Selfridges Beauty Advent Calendar.

Beauty Advent Calendar? Eh? Also known as the BEST concept ever, you get a little beauty treat behind each window instead of musty tasting chocolate. (ahhh who am I kidding, there's something special about the taste of cheap advent chocolate!)

Sorry for the silence this week Face Value Friends, it's been a hectic one at work. I'm talking 13 hour days and multiple KFC visits. THANK GOD FOR THE WEEKEND (she says whilst eating more chicken)

 Fortunately, during this busy time, my nails proved to be one less thing to worry about because I've been wearing a pair of fantastic Ted Baker nail wraps which lasted all week! Boom.

I was never a fan of nail wraps before - I couldn't apply them properly, I ended up with bubbles underneath and then they would just peel off leaving a sticky mess, beauty booo! 

HOWEVER. Times change! Armed with a decent set of wraps and some better know-how (which I'm going to share with you, obvs!) these Ted Baker nail wraps stayed on for a full 5 days without chips, peeling or any issues!

Let's have a look shall we?

Can you believe its the end of September already? Although summer is barely over, the preparations for Christmas are well underway and today a post is a sneak preview of an amazing Benefit Christmas gift set at Boots.

Christmas at Boots has taken on a luxury feel this year. Forget about your Jamies Wok set and novelty oven gloves, this year I'm seeing some fabulous sets from my favourite brands - think Liz Earle, Ciate, Ted Baker and of course - Benefit Cosmetics.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!!!!

 So it's Christmas morning and you want to race downstairs to crack open the Bucks Fizz, start ripping open presents and hug everyone/everything.

But wait. If it's anything like my household, there's going to be cameras and Instagramming and all sorts of need-to-capture-this-moment-forever stuff. And with any sort of photo, your face needs to be prepared!

But you haven't got all morning have you? It's CHRISTMAS after all. But you need to save some face before you head into the fray - what should you do?

One week of December done, three office Xmas lunches demolished, two festive parties attended and I am officially IN THE MOOD for Christmas. Where's the Michael Buble Xmas CD - it's time!

And what better way to liven up the sea of winter black-and-grey in the office than with a festive coloured dress?




Colour is sometimes a tricky decision when it comes to office-wear. Jewel-tones look amazing but going too bold with your business casual can end up with you standing out like a brassy bauble.

Aren't they adorable??! A great array of shapes, sizes, scents and shimmers. Which one do you like the best?

The festive adverts are on TV,  the department store Christmas windows have been revealed - I know it's only November but I've decided to embrace the fact that Christmas is just around the corner. Hooray!

Obviously you'll know Christmas is here when the Coca Cola advert is on TV but by then Christmas shopping should be in full flow, much like the mulled wine in my house.

So to help you kick off your preparations, I've selected a few frankly awesome gifts from the Boots Christmas range. You know I love presents! Feel free to pass this page onto your chief present buyer and say "JUST GET ME THESE LOVE, THANKS"

Earlier this month I attended a breakfast with Selfridges and their lovely team to discuss their Christmas plans. And BOOM. The BIG plans for the windows have now been revealed, the Christmas Emporiums have been opened and The One-And-Only giftshop is ready to be discovered! Christmas has arrived!

During the breakfast we did a little gift-card lucky dip - and holy smokes - I actually won something! I never win anything normally - raffles, scratchcards, Monopoly, rock-paper-scissors - it just doesn't happen a lot for me.

So now, the hard part - what to spend my gift card on?? And of course - pay day is just a sniff away, I'm pretty sure I will end up coming out with more than my bank balance bargained for!