Christmas Reviews and Sales

Now that Christmas is over and the subsequent sales are under way, I thought I would share a few of my favourite beauty treats that are currently available for great prices.

Emma Hardie's 'The Midas Touch Tutorial Box' is a product design marvel. It comes with video screen, which shows tutorials. Yes, of course it's unique and eye catching, especially as there are buttons to press to select the tutorials, but the tutorials are really interesting and show the different ways to use the products, even down to the way to use the muslin cloth with the lines of the face. By doing it in the suggested way, the face immediately looks more toned and tight. It reminds me of the way the face looks after a facial. Actually, the music and soft spoken instructions make the whole experience very spa like! 

The products are gorgeous and include Moringa Cleansing Balm (see review), which is the best cleansing product that I have used to date. Dry skin is transformed and makeup is quickly removed.

I am yet to try the Midas Touch Serum and Age Support Face Cream but the Serum tutorial made it look like some kind of skin medication, where it is strategically placed on specific points of the face, so I'm excited to work that one out!  

The Midas Touch Box is £99 and an online exclusive. However, in the sale, Feel Unique are offering the Morninga Cleansing Balm for £32.30 and the Midas Touch Box for £69.30 

www.feelunique.com 

Space NK is one of my favourite shops and their gift boxes are a lovely present. However, in the 50% off sale, the products are even better! REN, Aromatherapy Associates, By Terry, Diptyque and others are included. Hurrah! 

www.uk.spacenk.com 

Debenhams are also doing some amazing perfume deals, especially perfume gift sets. Soft, floral scents, such as Marc Jacobs Daisy collections, Thierry Mugler, Jimmy Choo and Gucci are all down in price. It is also doing some amazing makeup deals, including Urban Decay and YSL. 

www.debenhams.com 

Amazon are doing deals left right and centre. This Christmas seemed to be the year of the watches in our house and I am particularly fond of the Daniel Wellington collection. I like the masculine, no nonsense design, which doesn't look overly manly for women, with a classic design. 

The watches have gone down from £159 to approximately £78, so it's an amazing time to nab a good deal. 

www.amazon.co.uk 

Happy shopping everyone! 

Happy Christmas!

Continuing our 20 year tradition, Jen and I spent Christmas Eve together, with plenty of food, drink and friends. Eating to the point of a food coma was on the agenda and with Christmas jumpers on, we were thoroughly festive!

So, from us, Happy Christmas everyone and thank you for reading our ramblings this year! Xxx 

Last minute beauty gifts!

With only three days to go until Christmas here is a very last-minute beauty gift guide. Everything is under £100 and available on Net-A-Porter. Best of all if you get your orders in by 3pm they will be delivered the next day!

Clockwise from top left:
• SMITH & CULT Nail polish in Lover's Creep, £19
• NAILS INC Nail polish in Belgrave Square, £14
• TOM FORD BEAUTY Lips & Boys lipstick in Tony 72, £27
• BURBERRY BEAUTY Warm Glow Bronzer, £31
• AERIN Large gold-toned hairbrush, £66
• BY TERRY Baume De Rose Nutri-Couleur in Cherry Bomb, £36
• DIPTYQUE Set of three 70g candles, £60
• HOURGLASS Ambient lighting Edit £65

www.net-a-porter.com/Giftshop

REN Flash Rinse 1 Minute Facial

At my work's Christmas shindig, I received a lovely gift in the form of a REN facial. Whilst the bakers of the group were ooing and ahhing over cupcake stands (to be fair, they were very pretty), I stared lovingly at a product that I knew my skin desperately needed. Needless to say, it hasn't disappointed.

PROS:

• Vitamin C is activated when combined with water. You are advised to apply in circular motions but I've slapped it on and it still does the job. 

• I can genuinely see results after use. My skin was smoother and more plumped. My makeup applied beautifully after using it. 

• Like all REN products, the facial doesn't contain any parabens, mineral oil or sulphates (plus other unnecessary ingredients).

• It's quick to use. Bung it on for a minute, hence the name, and wash it off. Done. 

• You can literally feel dead skin cells being removed... I'm not sure if that's what it is but it feels as if you can, which then leaves skin silky and smooth. It is as if a serum is on your face. 

• It can be used on arms and décolletage. I often experience redness on the arms and it toned that down after one use. It is also delicate enough to be used on the chest area. 

• It has visibly reduced the lines on my forehead. Hallelujah!  

CONS:

• The product springs out of the tube a bit too easily! You can often waste product. 

£32 for 75ml 

www.uk.spacenk.com

Kure Bazaar Nail Polish

Kure Bazaar calls themselves an eco-trendy company and considering the range of colours, the lack of chemicals and the detoxing properties within the polish, it seems fair enough.

The packaging is sturdy, sleek and classy. The range of colours is extensive but to get all wintery, I picked out the deep, shimmery purple called 'Catwalk'.

The varnish applied smoothly and although I did two coats, one would have been enough. The shimmer-ness made the nails look super duper glossy but it wasn't too much. 

Although I used O.P.I's Drip Dry drying drops, the product dried quickly. Despite wearing a base and top coat, several nails chipped after two days. I'm going to try the other shades to see if they do the same.

If you are someone who is conscious about the chemicals in products, changes their nail colour every few days or wants something that strengthens the nails, whilst wearing some colour, then this brand is definitely for you. I love that they use ingredients such as wheat, cotton and wood pulp to regenerate the nail. My only complaint is that for the price (£15 for 10ml), I would expect the colour to last for several days. 

I am going to try the rose gold colour and fingers crossed, it will last a little longer!

www.kurebazaar.com 

www.amazon.co.uk (Good bargains: £7/8 per 10ml bottle.)

www.naturisimo.com (Free glass nail file with any £30 purchase.)

Too Faced Spring 2016 collection

No sooner have I got my head around the fact that yes, it is December, and yes Christmas is well and truly on its way... than spring collections start to appearing! And this is one we have been definitely been waiting for.

Here at YBBF we are a big fan of the Too Faced Chocolate eye shadow palette, not only for the excellent quality of the eye-shadows but also for its delicious chocolate scent! So we are very happy to announce its follow-up that launches today as part of the Too Faced spring 2016 collection.

The Chocolate Bon Bons palette is £35 and contains 16 shades in a range of matte and shimmers. These are mostly very wearable everyday neutrals but there are a few candy-inspired brights thrown in for good measure. Best of all it boasts the same chocolaty fragrance as its predecessor!

Other highlights from the collection include the Love Flush Blush Wardrobe and the Mr. Right Perfect Powder Brush. Although I can't vouch for this brush's performance just yet, if it's half as impressive as the design I will be a very happy bunny.

In case you needed any further persuasion to do a little Christmas shopping, Too Faced now ship directly to the UK from their website. This makes life a lot easier as you can check out all the prices in pounds too. Too Faced also receive huge brownie points for the fact that all of their products are cruelty free.

Happy shopping!

For the full collection visit www.toofaced.com/new-collections

Allergen Free Brownies

Namaste Foods Brownie Mix is free from 8 main allergens, including wheat, gluten, soy, dairy, peanuts, sugar and others. With seven ingredients in the packet and only requiring the baker to add eggs/flax eggs and oil, it sounded like my cup of tea. 

It was easy and quick to mix and didn't require any baking gadgets. However, the taste is truly amazing. The gooey middle and firm crust made it taste just like a real brownie! Actually, it tasted better. I got my fiancé (which in itself sounds like baking term) to taste it, as he usually turns up his nose at my healthy style/alternative snacks and he loved them. High praise indeed!

They only downside is the price. It costs £15.86 for 850g. To buy but with postage and packaging, it totals £26.27. That's a steep price considering that will produce 12 medium sized brownies. However, for me, something that is allergy friendly and tastes really good is worth the money. Anyone who spends any time in a supermarket's 'free from' aisle will know the expense, but for people who prefer not to be bloated/icky over Christmas or for those who are genuine allergic to the most common ingredients, it's worth buying. This is one of the best 'free from' foods I've ever eaten. So much so, I am going to ask Santa to buy me another packet. Hopefully the price won't deter him! 

www.amazon.co.uk 

The return of Tom Ford's Lips & Boys collection

Here's a little treat for all the Tom Ford lipstick fans out there... The designer has launched a new limited edition collection of mini lipsticks named after the men he admires most. Alongside 25 returning boys from last year's collection, this year sees the arrival of 25 new shades, including Rocco, Joaquin, Eddie and Drake.

Some of last year's collection in the classic TF packaging

They might be smaller than the standard Tom Ford lipsticks but they have the same beautiful packaging, making them ideal for fitting in those ridiculously small clutch bags that are synonymous with the holiday season. The collection launched exclusively at Selfridges on Friday and is now available at all Tom Ford counters. The image below offers a sneak peak at some of the shades available, but from true reds to subtle nudes, I assure you there is a boy to suit everyone...

£27 / $37 dollars each
See all the shades at www.tomford.com/lips-and-boys/