OPI Terribly Nice Christmas Collection RRP £16.90 per polish 15ml

 

This Christmas OPI are treating us to spectrum of shimmering colours ranging from pure, sweet nudes to dark and mysterious charcoals. There is a polish to suit every skin tone, personality and event. 

Before I begin to show you the amazing, shimmering colours I will tell you that each polish is 15ml. Give up to 11 days wear, has a gel like formula without the damage that gels cause and need no curing. In fact 1 coat is all you need for a decent coverage. They dry quickly and so you can be out the door in less than 5 minutes from application. The colour removes easily with nail varnish remover.

Hot & Coaled

This gorgeous deep ‘galaxy’ glitter is shot through with chunky particles of blue and pink, on a deep, black, sky background. You only need 1 coat to glam up for nails, and this colour looks amazing on toes, especially with black open sandals.

Yay or Neigh

A classy, fine, silver glitter that’s embedded into a mid grey base. Packed full of glitter, this one can be worn with 1 coat for a sheer, metallic neutral or with a couple of layers for full on wow factor. 

Let’s Scrooge

An enchanting forest green, that has a mythical and ethereal shimmer to it. Fine, dusty teal and turquoise shimmers melts into the green, given it a 2 tone look that epitomises the deepest, multi-faceted, emerald gemstone.

Bark and Bite

This charcoal, black is ‘Marcasite’, a deep, granite black given depth with shimmering gunmetal particles. It’s not only eye catching, but gives any outfit that edge.

Shaking My Sugarplums

A soft, pretty muted purple, that has a background of fine lilac, pink shimmer. The metallic colour is unusual and sure to draw complimentary comments, with its Amethyst jewel tones. 

It’s a Wonderful Spice

Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Gingerbread sums up this shimmering colour. It’s flattering against all skin tones, is from the darker nude library and sparkles with specks of silver. 

Five Golden Flings

A taupe, neutral brown is given a Christmas makeover with specs of golden shimmers in different hues. Making this a 3 dimensional colour, it looks stunning with just 1 coat or with 2. Such is the sparkle, your nails gleam and reflect under the lights. 

Rebel With a Clause

This is your true Christmas red. It’s the red that suits everyone as has neutral undertones and so will suit warm and cool skin tones. It is glamour, class and a bold invitation to party nails. 

Chill ‘Em With Kindness

My daughter snapped this up as soon as she saw it. It’s frosty, icy white looks amazing on hands and toes, and it has that dancing, baby pink shimmer that gives it a 3d pearl effect, like mermaid scales it’s delicately pretty.

Salty Sweet Nothings 

1 coat is all you need to give a nude, peach frosting to your hands. It can be applied alone or over another colour to give any nail colour that cosmic shine. Like all the shimmers, 1 coat dried in less than a few minutes, ideal when you’re short on time. 

Put On Something Ice

A chunky, lilac glitter that needs only 1 coat for dazzling, mirror ball nails. With a metallic lilac base, the larger, silver particles really give your nails that wow factor.

Hot Toddy Naughty

Finally, this beautiful, deep Espresso is a classy update on the dark reds we see at Christmas. It has swirls of marbled silver that give it that metallic hue.

The colours are all stunning and it’s hard to choose just 1. The lighter shimmers can all be layered over other colours to give a multi-faceted dimension. They’re ‘Infinite Shine’ and give nails that glossy sheen, to put you in the Christmas Spirit. You can purchase at OPI online or by clicking the link HERE

Gold Collagen® Scalp Revival Serum 100ml RRP £26

I’ve been writing a lot about hair loss recently, whether it’s due to menopause, illness, stress, age or hormones. One thing that I have reiterated to readers is that when it comes to prevention and cure, then treatments must be focussed on the scalp. Whilst many people seem to buy ‘thickening’ shampoos etc, the work always begins at the scalp. Therefore it makes sense to use and spend your money on scalp products.

You also need to give it time, and this is where thickening products do come into their uses. Whilst waiting for the foundations to begin, you can superficially use products to make your hair look thicker and have more volume in the meantime. With this serum, you do need to use for 14 days before you should start to see a difference and within 30 days you will see a difference. 

Simply apply before bedtime, as this is when our body works to regenerate and renew growth. Separate your hair into a few sections, to expose your scalp and apply one pipette to each section. Finally massage the product into the scalp, there is no need to rinse. 

This is a ‘serum’ product so it’s not sticky and absorbs immediately, therefore there won’t be any product left on your pillow, and nor will your hair feel greasy as it goes just onto the scalp.

So what exactly is in this to make it worth your money, ingredients include:-

• Hydrolyzed Soy Protein - this plant based protein helps prevent hair breakage and makes hair more resilient to environmental aggressors such as wind, UV rays and heat. It also helps strengthen hair and protects it from chemicals and heat appliances. It smooths the cuticle and adds shine, whilst eliminating frizz.
• Hydrolyzed Keratin - the building block to stronger hair. This large protein molecule is able to penetrate deep into the hair cuticle, and moisturises from within. Hair grows through more resilient, and so this ingredient is ideal for those prone to frizz or with limp hair. 
• Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans - a humectant, so draws in moisture and keeps hair more elastic making it stronger and less prone to breakage. 
• Faex Extract - an extract of yeast, this extract is able to mimic the effect of animal derived collagen. It’s full of B vitamins and helps stimulate hair growth and nourish the scalp.
• Vitis Vinifera Leaf Extract - aka Vine Grape, it’s conditioning, acts as a humectant and gives hair shine.
• Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil - anti-inflammatory and ideal for flaking, itchy scalp conditions such as eczema. Also has anti-oxidants that help protect against hair loss.

If you know the recipient well (enough so they’re not offended),  then this would make a great present - especially if they’re going through menopause or suffering with hair loss. You can purchase directly from Gold Collagen online or  by clicking the link HERE

The Organic Pharmacy Ultimate Natural Skin Brush £20 & Detox Body Oil £36.95 Review

 

This year give yourself the gift of beautiful skin with The Organic Pharmacy Ultimate Natural Skin Brush £20.  As we have left the warmer months sadly behind us, it’s all too easy now to hide away under layers of baggy jumpers however, it’s important for our mind and well-being, to give ourselves some pampering time, and what better way than to have smoother, softer and firmer skin.

Of course, skin brushing is not just about softer skin, it’s the ultimate Ayurvedic detox and cellulite ritual.   Just a couple of times a week, for a few minutes is all you need to improve your circulation, stimulate your lymphatic system, remove toxins and give you softer skin. 

The standard technique of body brushing is to use short strokes, starting from the soles of your feet and working towards your heart. There is a diagram on the back of the box, there is also the option to have a long handle for your back and should you struggle to reach down. 

Of course, naturally brushing the skin exfoliates and gets rid of dead flaky cells, as well as opening the pores to allow toxins to escape, which can help prevent colds etc. It also gives a sense of well-being and the motion of the massage can help reduce the appearance of fatty, dimpled skin. 

You don’t have to body brush on dry skin, you can also brush after the shower on damp skin to give a more thorough exfoliation. Also the moisture can help make the movement easier if you find your skin is too sensitive. It can also be paired with an oil such as The Organic Pharmacy Detox Body Oil 100ml £36.95. 

Just a few drops of this divine oil, helps tone and stimulate circulation to really give your body a thorough detox. The oil contains several invigorating ingredients to not only increase blood circulation but to  rejuvenate and energise the mind, as well as leaving the skin baby soft. Such ingredients include:-

• Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil - rich in vitamin E, helps reduce inflammation and skin conditions such as acne. 
• Rosa Canina Fruit Oil - aka Rosehip, full of fatty acids that moisturise and nourish dry skin. 
• Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil - anti-inflammatory and can help ease skin conditions such as eczema and rosacea. It also contains B vitamins that are skin repairing.
• Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract - calming and soothing, helps relieve any skin irritation and itching. 

Then active toning, stimulating and rejuvenating ingredients such as Carrot Seed Oil, Grapefruit Oil, Eucalyptus Oil, Fennel Oil, Juniper and Rosemary Oil. These all work in harmony to invigorate and detoxify the body and tighten loose sagging skin. The Oils also work to give clarity and clear a foggy mind.

Many of the ingredients are organic and are clinically proven to work. You can purchase The Organic Pharmacy Ultimate Natural Skin Brush at Debenhams or by clicking the link HERE and the Detox Body Oil at Selfridges or by clicking the link HERE

Farmacy Plump & Shine Lip Smoothie Duo RRP £27

 

I love a plumping lip gloss however, I love them even more when they’re treating the lips to an abundance of vitamins and peptides to make them kiss worthy. During the cold weather we often find our lips are flaky, chapped and sore, they dry out due to central heating and environmental aggressors (such as wind, sun etc). To keep them soft and kissable this winter, the Lip Smoothie Duo from Farmacy is the perfect combination for treating lips, whilst making them look juicy!

First impressions always count - the box has a cute ‘gift recipient’ card on top, and inside the recipient will find an ‘Apple’ Smoothie and ‘Mango’ Smoothie pots. Aside from smelling utterly scrumptious, these pots of dewy goodness have an abundance of vitamins, oils and extracts to help keep lips in tip top condition. Such ingredients include:-

• Mangifera Indica (Mango) Seed Butter - provides a protective barrier to help combat wind, sun etc. Helps soothe dry, chapped lips. 
• Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax - this wax won’t clog your pores, it’s incredibly soothing and moisturising. 
• Brassica Campestris/Aleurites Fordi Oil - derived from Tung wood and Rapeseed oil, this ingredient helps condition lips, incredibly nourishing. 
• Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter - rich in fatty acids, helps moisturise and protect the lips from UV rays. 
• Pyres Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract - gives great protection against weather elements, due to the strong levels of antioxidants. 
• Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract - antiseptic and anti-fungal, this extract from the Neem leaf will help ward off cold sores and give lips protection from inflammation. 
• Lactic Acid - smooths lips by lightly exfoliating, so helps prevent and get rid of flakiness. 
• Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil - with vitamins A, C and E Sunflower is an excellent oil to help protect lips, prevent chapping and repairing dryness.
• Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Leaf Extract - helps blood circulation, giving a plumper pout. 

The lip treatment itself is a very sheer, highly glossed ‘smoothie’. It can be applied alone (as in the photo below), on top of a lip pencil to give a coloured gloss, or on top of matte lipstick. Personally, I like to outline and fill in my lips with pencil then pop this on for shine. 

Ideal to keep in your handbag, car, next to your computer etc. These make a great gift, albeit I would be inclined to split the gift and keep one for yourself! 

The brand is passionate about sustainability and eco friendly packaging. However, they also make a pledge to donate 3 million meals to families in need in 2023, as well as up-cycling food waste from landfills!

Available to purchase from Feel Unique or directly by clicking the link HERE

Ghost The Fragrance 30ml & Votive Candle Gift Set RRP £29

 

For Christmas Ghost Fragrances have launched several gifts, combining their perfumes alongside miniature treats. I was sent the original Ghost The Fragrance 30ml fragrances that includes a beautiful 50g candle. This makes for excellent value for money as the candle is essentially free!

The gift is presented in a beautiful, marbled, pink and blue tin (you can use it for storing makeup/cotton wool etc after). The mirrored Votive Candle, one it has been lit and run out, can also be used for storing smaller items such as hair bands. It’s definitely dressing table worthy - or simply put a small tea light in and keep reusing! 

The fragrance is made up of floral and fruity accords, that include:-

🥀 top notes of Rose and Jasmine, soft feminine florals that are romantic and dreamy.

🍑 middle notes of playful Peach, warm and nurturing Vanilla settling into softly seductive Amber.

🌲soft woody notes of Sandalwood and mysterious Musk, give an alluring and powdery base.

The slimline bottle is easy to fit into a handbag, and its sleek contemporary design fits well with the fragrance itself.

The Votive Candle shimmers with a metallic night scene set on a mirrored base, and has the same notes as the perfume. The 50g candle once lit scents the whole house out, giving it that nurturing Christmas cosiness. This makes a wonderful gift for a special lady. 

You can purchase from Superdrug online or by clicking the link HERE - right now there are huge savings to be made and it’s currently being sold for £23.20 - stocks won’t last though!