Stocking Stuffers – Over $50

When you are truly out to spoil someone and delight with exceptional stocking stuffers, I have options for those too! Here’s a round up of some fantastic products that I would LOVE to receive myself (hint hint).

stocking-stuffers-over-50-final-final

1. Tweezerman Rose Gold Love Story Gift Set S$65 – Tweezerman make some of the best grooming tools. This LE holiday set comes with a tweezer, lash curler and a tussled pouch all in luxurious rose gold!

2. Sephora Favourites Glow For It Kit S$55 – Filled with plenty of options to illuminate this festive season, the Glow For It Kit carries some of the best/latest highlighters. Great value for money as well!

3. Stila Highlight Trio (around S$50) – The only link I could find online that ships worldwide was on BeautyBay. Sephora Singapore carries this too but in store.

By far one of the most beautiful highlighters i’ve seen this Christmas and the quality is AMAZING! The formula is a soft bouncy one, totally unexpected as I had mistaken it for a baked version (hard pressed as the Chanel eyeshadows) but then….. a quick swatch ….. and the rest was history.

4. Film Noir Nights Lipstick & Eyeliner Set £35 – This brand new lipstick shade Opium Noir is only available as a box set for now. Order directly from Charlotte Tilbury.

5. Diptyque Sapin 70g approx. S$75 – Each Christmas Diptyque comes out with a trio of holiday scents. The special edition packaging is just hard to resist and any candle lover (or anyone with a home really!!) would love to have the scent of pine wafting through their living room this season. Available at Escentials Paragon & Tangs. Also available at Space NK and major department stores worldwide.

6. Kikki K Candles S$49.50 – So it seems I missed one amazing gift that should have made it to the under $50 pile. No worries, i’m gonna sneak it in here! These candles in metal jars need to be on your shopping list! Available in three versions, gold, rose gold & silver.

7. Smythson Leather Note Books $62 – I picked out this beautiful leather note book in a festive cheery green! Possibly the most stylish book to keep ones grocery list in. Order from Net-a-Porter.

8. Jo Malone Holiday Bon Bon (approx. S$75) – Filled with useful Jo Malone minis, this little bon bon was one of the best gifts I received last year. This years contents are the same but in a different mix of scents. A gift you can be sure gets used up 😉

9.  Bbrowbar Brow Kit $51 – Everyone needs a nifty little brow kit in a stylish case! And this one is just the perfect set. Comes with a tweezer, brow scissors, spooley and brow gel. I need one for myself too!

10. Slip Silk Eye Mask $42 – A luxury eye mask for that jet setting friend. These ones by Slip are soo soft and fit comfortably ensuring you get good nights rest. Also available in several other colours. I picked up the one in pink and I love it to bits!

11. Origins Mask Marvels S$68 – Origins masks are some of the best out there. And this year for the holidays they’ve put together a kit with their best sellers along with the newly released Maskimizer (mask primer). A great value set filled with essentials.

Available at Origins Boutiques.

12. Bobbi Brown Party to Go Eye & Lip Palette S$63 – One of my favourite sets from this years holiday gifting goodies! There’s 4 eyeshadows and a mini lipstick included here to create a quick party look in a matter of minutes. For more gifting options from Bobbi, check out this post.

Have you already started on your shopping or a last minute shopper? Let me know in the comments along with any great finds you’ve snagged this year.

Thank you for reading ❤

 

Summer Dreams

So it’s finally summer! Armed with two beach vacations under my belt, I believe I am ready to dish my list of essentials for a sunny getaway.

Here’s the round up.

Summer makeup essentials

 

If you hadn’t noticed already, I am a huge fan of bronzing.

Personally I don’t think pasty white legs or face for that matter looks very beach worthy. So for a skin safe option (Cos nobody wants to run the risk of getting skin cancer), I like to pack a bronzer or two. Golden and glowy, the safe way.

 

Bronzer Chanel favourites Les Beiges

The two I have been loving the most so far are my Chanel Les Beiges in No. 02 that came out this summer and this older LE version which I have been enjoying as a blush. It’s actually the ideal mix of corally pink bronze that mimics the natural light rosiness you get on the high points of your face after a good day in the sun. (I like to use the top three stripes, as it’s the darkest and suits my current NC 35 skin well)

So to talk more about the Les Beiges No. 02 since it’s still available…

This is a very light bronzer to add just a hint of warmth to your face. I usually use the top two stripes. And the top most stripe (which is the lightest) contains a very light shimmer and imparts a radiant glow (You can use it alone as a subtle highlighter). The last stripe if used by itself is great as a summer blusher or defining your cheekbone a bit more for a soft contoured look.

Bottom line, it’s a very finely milled luxurious product that’s of good quality. I highly recommend it.

   Next up, I want to share something i’ve been loving for a while now, not only is it conveniently packaged for travel. It’s also a quality product that works!

The Cle de Peau Concealer.

Cle de peau concealer

Needs no introduction, and is indispensable for covering up any blemishes or dark under eyes circles.

I usually don’t wear foundation while on vacay as I like my makeup fresh and light and this is perfect for covering up the nasty little blemishes that may pop up and evens out the complexion. If your budget permits, it’s worth picking up!

 

 

Chanel cream blush intonation   Another summer favourite are cream blushes. They are perfect for adding colour without the powdery feel. And usually longer wearing and budge proof compared to their powder counterparts.

My personal favourites are coral blushes, and Chanel Intonation is the perfect bright coral to rock with your freshly acquired tan. It’s super easy to apply (I just use fingers FYI ) and get a believable, natural flush every time. Just make sure you pat and blend well so that you don’t end up with a harsh streak of blush across your cheek.

For eyes, the obvious. Water proof mascara.

It’s a must have for keeping your eyes looking defined and wide open. I usually never wear waterproof mascara, but always pick one up during the summer months specially for hitting the beach. One of the best out there are by Helena Rubinstein. Her line of mascaras are HG material. And I love them. They last all day and are budge proof.

Another eye essential is colourful bright eye liner. Somehow every year this trend keeps coming back and I really love it.

It’s a great way to add a fun touch of colour to define your eyes and draw attention to them. For waterproof versions, the Stila ones are great and they come in a load of gorgeous colours. My current favourite is this pretty, light blue liquid liner I packed last weekend for my trip to Krabi.

Nars Stila Helena Rubinstein eye makeup Kauai

So eye shadow is not something i’d consider a summer vacation staple. But if there was one eyeshadow I recommend you take on your beach vacay, it’s Kauai.

Kauai was a LE duo that came out this spring and if you didn’t pick it up.. ooops! you missed out on something amazing! The gold and purple combo is soo buttery smooth and the pigmentation was out of this world. It is by far my favourite Nars duo ever. The gold in this is perfect for a wash of colour and I paired it with this pretty aqua blue YSL liner from Summer 2014 for a quick eye makeup look.

The purple shade was great for night time, and creates a very fresh smoky look when paired with the gold.

So if you didn’t get a hold of this, I highly recommend you check out the Nars duos that came out for summer this year. Do not miss out! (The green/lavender version is stunning for those who are bolder with their eye makeup, and the pigmentation was excellent!)

Now onto Lips!

So I packed a few bright lipsticks, but none of them ended up being used! But guess what I did use everyday as my go-to lip colour?

This new lip tint by Clio!

 

 

 

Clio gelpresso lip tint

It was an unexpected find while on a routine visit to the drug stores. I love that it’s quite moist on the lips and feels feather light and undetectable due to it’s watery texture. This is one of my top favourite products this summer and very budget friendly, and I highly recommend it.

Lastly here are some new summer fragrances that I have been enjoying.

Below is a lovely little travel set of Guerlain EDT’s that released for summer in the DF. It comes with 4 fragrances that are light and fresh.

The Manderine Basilic was my favourite and has a very uplifting effect. Perfect for a quick splash in the mornings to wake up the senses before heading out.

 

Guerlain EDT Summer perfume

 

 

Also another great makeup bag essential I chanced upon is this gel type perfume by L’occitane.  I love the convenience of this type of packaging as its’ spill proof and great for mid day touch ups.

Plus the gel is quite interesting so it caught my eye! haha I just had to have it.

The fragrance is very fresh and slightly sweet. And if you are someone who like more feminine scents, this one’s for you!

Loccitane red cherry gel perfume

 

So that’s what I have been enjoying this summer. Of course if I find more interesting summer goodies i’d be sure to keep you informed. But for now, these get my stamp of approval as they are of excellent quality and travel friendly.

 

Thank you for reading.

Wishing you a fab week ahead!

 

The art of stocking stuffing

If you are like me and start off real early buying Christmas gifts and then are scrambling around mere days before ‘the day’ looking for stocking stuffers, this post is for you!

Here’s a little guide,

a. Stocking stuffers should ideally be exactly what they sound like – small enough to go into a stocking! 

b. No need to go all extravagant (unless that’s your thing of course!) as they are just the little extras.

*Talking bout extravagant stocking stuffers I heard that there is stocking stuffer sized YSL Youth liberator serum that had come out specially for Christmas! Lmfao

c. The more the merrier! Don’t skimp, it’s the holidays! I personally love receiving a tonne of little gifts!

d. Try to take advantage of sales and other year end deals that most stores offer. Since you’ll be buying so many gifts, overall you do save a substantial sum if you shop smart.

Now on to a few stocking stuffers I managed to get my hands on, mostly from the Sephora 20% sale in Singapore.

 

Stila- Colour me Glossy lip glaze set

stila stocking stuffer idea

This Stila lip gloss set was made for stocking stuffing, it contains three individually packed gloss sets. There’s even a label to write recipient names! Now that’s smart marketing.

 

Shu Uemura S Curler, Lip & Cheek Fun-tasy

shu uemura lash culer cheek tint

Adore this cute lash curler and lip/cheek tint from the Shu Uemura 6 Heart Princess holiday release, it’s a fun little addition to any gift pile. And it’s always a plus when the packaging is cute, or even better, Christmassy! This collections packaging is decorated with a Christmas tree of hearts!

 

Benefit Double the Real mascara duo set

benefit they're real mascara

I always feel that gifts such as lipsticks can be tricky if you don’t really know a persons taste in makeup, but things like mascaras you really cant go wrong with, they only come in a very few shades and everyone is usually happy with black!

This set is extra special cos it comes with a mini mascara too, and it’s free! Perfect for anyones makeup bag.

 

Benefit  Crescent Row Eau de Toilette miniatures set

   benefit perfume miniature

Lastly this very cute perfume set, a Christmas gift sent by the very kind folk at Benefit, I had never seen it before, I believe it’s part of the holiday sets they had come out with this year. But it’s truly another awesome idea for stocking stuffers! It consists of 4 mini eau de toilette bottles and matching little boxes, the packaging is to die for and let’s not even get started on the names of these perfumes cos they are ridiculously cute! I think ‘Ring my Bella’ is my favourite, and it’s going straight into my makeup bag 😛

 

So that’s my little list of finds, hope is was of some help and eased your holiday gift shopping trauma at least a bit.

Wishing you a great week ahead,

xx, Michelle.