FESTIVE ’14

Festive ’14: Emma So Natural and Glove Your Body

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Support your local artisan/provider!
EMMA SO NATURAL
Handmade in Ireland, Emma’s So Natural line incorporates wax tart melts and small travel candles in tins, but for me, it’s alllll about the tumbler candles.

Made from soy wax as opposed to paraffin, these last longer as they burn more slowly, and they are cleaner and greener, too. Essential oils provide the scent, and you can choose from seven. There are also seasonal choices, including Wonderland, a mix of pine, eucalyptus and benzoin.

Last shipping day by courier is the 22nd!

GLOVE
Gotta use a glove to apply the fake tan — I do know that many prefer the bare hands, but: no. Glove Your Body’s offering looks more like a plush toy than a tanning mitt, and its many features — you’d be surprised that a self-tan accessory would have more than one feature — makes it easier to spread the product around, ensuring that your tan is more even and natural-looking.

Feature One: the obviously plush surface, which helps contain the tan. Whenever I use a sponge mitt, I find that the liquid can roll all over the surface, making it hard to manage. Definitely not a problem here.
Feature Two: Inside, there are finger-holders, like in a baseball mitt, meaning that it’s not going to slip and slide all over the place.
GLOVE YOUR BODY inside
Feature Three: An opposable thumb! I had no idea that it would come in so handy! Why? I just feel like I’ve got better control of the whole process because my thumb is free.
Feature Four: Machine washable!

All in all, if you are a serial tanner, this is the Pro Mitt. And it feel really nice, too.

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Emma’s So Natural tumbler candles, €18.50; 2-pack, €35; emmas.ie

Glove Your Body, €19.99; http://www.gloveyourbody.com

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Festive ’14: LUSH

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12 DAYS OF CHRISTMASI’m going to be honest: I’m keeping Lush’s 12 Days Of Christmas for my very own self. It is full of the brand’s top seasonal offerings, and everything in there will last well into next year.

There are so so many stunningly packaged parcels on hand at your local Lush, quite literally something for everyone, all along the spectrum of price. It’s like the Beauty Division of Santa’s Workshop all up in there.

LUSH assortment

Amazing! I gotta say, though, that I am the ultimate fan I know of the Lush line, of their bath additives specifically — I wrote ‘addictives’ three times! — and I’ll put these to good use. If you know someone like me, then you will not go wrong with this one.

The box itself is gorge, and is shaped like a storybook. Here’s what’s inside.

LUSH 12 DAYS inside

Faves: top left, the Snow Angel Bath Melt; second row, all the way right, Hot Toddy Shower Gel; third row left, Golden Wonder Bath Bomb; third row all the way right, Lord Of Misrule Bath Bomb; bottom right, Karma Soap.

I am willing to be beguiled by the others, which include Holly Golighty Bubble Bar (top right) and… all the rest.

Here’s to fragrant bathing in 2015!

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€64/£49.95/$99.95 << There are a few substitutions in the American box, FYI

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Festive ’14: Bulldog

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I HEART THINGS IN TINS.
BULLDOG
I think dudes like tins, too? And you will A) like the Bulldog price point, which is a snip for all these full-sized samples; and B) love the results when your dude uses these.

I also heart the design of these tubes, as they are not black and silver. Now, there’s plenty of men’s products that come in black and silver that I adore {or: j’adore, as Chanel Allure Sport falls into the category}, but these are refreshingly white and clean, and won’t make your bath look like a James Bond film has exploded.

This is pretty much a clean, manly face in a bucket: serum, face wash, shave balm and moisturiser. The only thing wanting is the exfoliant, which is terrific — I know because I used it myself when the brand first landed on Irish shores.

There are other gifts to choose from, but this one is the best!

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Bulldog Limited Edition Expert Skincare Set, €25.50

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Festive ’14: Benefit

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Love the look of this year’s gifts from Benefit, who do such a good line in same. BENEFIT
Clockwise from left: Fun-size Flirts, with handbag portions of the brand’s most-loved, best-selling cosmetics; Sweet Tintations, two pairs of the tint paris of lip balm and stain; and Cheeky Sweet Spot, for the gal who who can’t get enough of Benefit’s blushers, they are all here in one place.COMPLEXIONS GIFT SET

They’ve also got their b.right skincare all in one clever tin. Complexion Confections contains a POREfessional mini, an Instant Comeback Facial Serum mini, Triple Performing Facial Emulsion and It’s Potent Eye Cream. This particular set makes the best use of the tin it comes in, as some of the other sets don’t fill them as nicely as this one does. Love the tin just for itself, nothing like a good tin.

And here’s the full effect of all the gifts in one place, thanks to Debenhams.
BENE GIFTS
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Fun-size Flirts €43/£29.50
Sweet Tintations €29.50/£19.50
Cheeky Sweet Spot €43/£29.50
Complexion Confections €43/£39.50

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Festive ’14: A Boots Miscellany

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‘Miscellany’ sounds so… miscellaneous, but I mean it in the best possible sense, because where else can you go to find a whole bunch of stuff that is beautifully packaged and priced for every level of necessity?
SOAP MOLTON L'OREAL

From left: Soap & Glory Kiss Much, €6.50, a lovely lip balm that comes in a bauble; speaking of baubles, Molton Brown’s offering is filled with Black Pepper soap, €12; and L’Oreal Professional’s Christmas Cracker Absolut Repair Lipidium, €8.49 has healthy sized samples of the hair treats inside.

I could have gone on and on — there is so much in Boots, including their own No 7 line, I could wander all daydreamy amidst their aisles for hours. Shopping for others, of course! {Uh huh.}

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Festive ’14: The Body Shop

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BODY SHOP
Love the packaging and equally love the contents: The Body Shop have put together an assortment of vanilla brulée scented goodies, including the trend-setting body butter. This is Joy; you could equally choose Love (frosted cranberry) or Peace (glazed apple).

And what’s with the schoolbook vibe?

Bring harmony to the world with this inspiring Schoolbook of Joy. Proudly made by our Community Fair Trade supplier in Nepal, and full of some of the world’s finest ethically sourced ingredients, this gift has been hand-crafted in book-shaped packaging in honour of our Children in Education initiative with War Child.

I love the gifts that give and give!

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€23: includes body butter 50ml; shower gel 60ml; lip balm 20ml; heart soap 25g

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Festive ’14: Here We Go!

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What few standards I have, I stick with, one being: no mention of The Christmas until after Thanksgiving. So Happy Black Friday, everyone: let the gift shopping begin.

FESTIVE 14!Let’s try that again: let the gift shopping begin!

I’ve got a load of ideas for lady-beauty prezzies, and even some stuff for dudes, that won’t tax your pocket or your brain. In the best possible sense, of course.

Gift packages have improved enormously over the past few years, and many of my favourite products are being presented beautifully this season. I’ve been shooting {‘shooting’} them this morning, and in a fit of meta-tasticness, above please find the pre-shoot non-styling.

I’ll have offerings from The Body Shop, Lush, Bulldog, Roger & Gallet and more, including some Guaranteed Irish products. Stay tuned!

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