Beauty Advent Calendar Round Up Christmas 2014

Beauty advent calendars have been taking the beauty world by storm over the last few years and this year more brands than ever before have jumped on the festive band waggon. Forget counting down to Christmas with chocolates and simple illustrations, you can now pamper your way through to Christmas with a different beauty product every day! Fantastic, right?

The only hard part is deciding which one to go for! Thankfully I've compiled a list of all of the beauty advent calendars (that I'm aware of), and I'm here to share them all with you today. All eighteen of them!

This post is a bit of a long 'un, so grab yourself a cuppa and get comfortable for a few minutes.

NO 7 25 Days of Beauty Treats £35

Boots' iconic beauty brand No 7 launched their advent calendar '25 Days of Beauty Secrets' this week, so there's still time to get your hands on one. It contains a selection of make up and skin care products, and features a beauty quote behind every window. The set is worth £130 but retails for just £35! 

L'Occitane 13 Pampering Treats From Provence £45

L'Occitane are set to release their calendar '13 Pampering Treats From Provence' on November 3rd. As the name would suggest, it features 13 of their gorgeous lotions and potions to pamper yourself with this Christmas. I wish I had a spare £45 because I'd love to spend December pampering myself with a bit of L'Occitane!

Ciaté Mini Manor £49

The Ciaté Mini Mani Manor features twenty-four fantastic Ciaté nail polishes in a great selection of colours and finishes. I particularly love the packaging- it looks like a dolls house! It's available now from Selfridges and Ciate for £49, and you can read more about it in my here.

There are also Ciaté advent calendars from previous year's available here, and here at discounted prices!

You Beauty Advent Calendar £49.95

The You Beauty advent calendar features products from a variety of luxury brands including Benefit, Laura Mercier, Liz Earle, and Burt's Bees. Together, the contents are worth £240 so this calendar is a real bargain at just £49.95! Available now.

Lush 12 Days of Christmas £49.95

Okay, this one's not technically an advent calendar, but you could indulge in one festive Lush goody a day with the 12 Days of Christmas gift set (during the 12 days of Christmas, obviously).

Inside the beautiful story-book packaging are a selection of bath bombs, and melts, bubble bars, soaps, shower gels, and body lotions, including several items from their new festive collection. This one will set you back £49.95, and is in store now.

The Body Shop 24 Days of Joy £50

One of the most sought after beauty advent calendars is The Body Shop's offering '24 Days of Joy'. It features twenty-four Body Shop products, and a good mixture of old favourites and new additions. You can buy it from The Body Shop now for £50. I treated myself to this calendar this month, and can't wait to start opening the windows! You can read more about the calendar here and  get a sneak peek of mine here.

Elemis 12 Days of Beauty Gift Set £59.50

The Elemis 12 Days of Beauty calendar contains twelve luxury skin care treats including a cleansing balm, enzyme peel, shower gel and night cream. This set has a value of £113, but retails for just £59.50! Available to buy now.

Benefit Candy Coated Countdown

The most coveted advent calendar of all is probably The Benefit Candy-Coated Countdown calendar. It includes eighteen mini Benefit make up and skin care items, plus three hair accessory gifts, and three stationery items. It sold out almost instantly in the UK, but it's still available from Sephora here for $99, who ship to the UK and a handful of other countries.

Selfridges Enchanted Spells £85

Selfridges' Enchanted Spells advent calendar features twenty-four luxurious mini treats from some of the world's best luxury brands, including Lancome, Yves Saint Laurent, Kiehls, and Victor and Rolf. It retails for £85, but it's currently sold out online. It could be worth checking in store to find out if you can get your hands on one.

Liberty Beauty Advent Calendar £125

Iconic department store Liberty will be releasing their calendar in November, which will contain twenty-four luxury beauty gifts from brands like NARS, Laura Mercier, Kiehls and Ren for £125.

Jo Malone Advent Calendar £250

If you're looking to really spoil yourself or a loved one this Christmas, then the Jo Malone calendar might be the one for you. At £250 it's by far the most expensive beauty advent calendar this year but can you imagine how special it would be to indulge in luxurious fragrances and cosmetics every day during advent? If you buy it for a loved one I guarantee you'll be in their good books all month! Inside the calendar are twenty-four Jo Malone luxury fragrances and body creams. It's available from Harrods now (although I can't find a link), and available nationwide from November 10th.

American Advent Calendars

Tarte Petite Treats 12 Days of Tarte Deluxe Collection $37

Popular US beauty brand Tarte have released a twelve door calendar with a different make up or skin care item behind each one. This calendar is just $37 (about £23.15), but the contents have a value of $122 (£76.34)! 

QVC Beauty Christmas Advent Calendar $78.96

QVC have returned with a new calendar for 2014 with a different skin, hair, or fragrance product behind each window. Inside are twenty-four of their most popular beauty products from brands like L'Occitane, Bare Minerals, and Tarte. I've only found the American link for this advent calendar, so I'm not sure if there's a UK version this year. Does anybody know?

Less Popular Brands

W7 Count Down to Christmas £27.99

The W7 Countdown to Christmas advent calendar boasts twenty four cruelty-free make up products, including nail polishes, lip glosses, and eyeshadows. It costs a reasonable £29.95.

Boulevard de Beauté Cool Grey Advent Calendar £15.99

Boulevard de Beauté Cool Grey Advent Calendar from KTN Dr. Neuberger GmbH is a cosmetics calendar with a different make up product or accessory behind every door.

Marvellous Miniatures: 24 Days of Glamorous Nail Polishes £19.99

The Marvellous Miniatures advent calendar comprises of a different nail polish behind every window. From the stock photos, I'd say this calendar is aimed at young teens and tweens, but suitable for anybody who loves nail polishes. It costs £19.99 and is available now.

Beauty Advent Calendar £19.99

Another calendar aimed at a younger audience, this house-shaped advent calendar promises a different beauty treat behind each window, including lip glosses, nail varnishes, and blusher. It has an RRP of £19.99, and is available now.

And, finally,

Bath and Body Collection Advent Calendar £24.98

I discovered this Bath and Body Collection advent calendar on Amazon, and while I don't know much about it, I get the impression it's one of those cheap sets you find in the pharmacy and never touch. I apologise if I'm wrong! Inside are twenty-four bath and body gifts for women, and it retails for £24.98.

If you've made it to the end, thanks for sticking with me!

Will you be counting down to Christmas with a beauty advent calendar? 

Which one do you like the sound of best?

Wednesday Wish List: Lindy Bop Dresses

This week's wish list is dedicated entirely to Lindy Bop dresses. Twenty of them to be exact.

In the last week, there have been a couple of dozen new releases on the Lindy Bop website, and naturally, I have fallen in love with most of them. I think many of you will, too, which is why I've put this post together today.

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My main obsession right now is the Audrey Sumptuous Midnight Blue Velvet Party Dress (#2). It's absolutely gorgeous and I think it will make the perfect Christmas Day dress. If I manage to get my hands on the dress before it sells out, that's what I intend to wear it for. It would be great for Christmas parties, too. Just add a tulle petticoat, heels, and a lace shrug and you're ready to party!

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So, a little about Lindy Bop...

Lindy Bop are a brand who make the most beautiful vintage inspired dresses including swing, tea, and wiggle dresses, swing skirts, and petticoats. My personal favourite style is the 'Audrey' swing dress, of which I own four; a collection I started in July and have no intention of ending any time soon. I'm hooked!

The clothes are beautiful, and high-quality, and they're also extremely affordable. Probably the most affordable vintage inspired brand I've ever found, which is great if you're on a tight budget like I am, or want to dip your toe in to the rockabilly trend without spending a fortune.

Even better, Lindy Bop dresses come in UK sizes 6-26, which is a fantastic range of sizes. Yes, they don't yet cater to everybody, but it's a step in the right direction for plus sizes, right?

Which of these dresses do you like best?

Are you a fan of Lindy Bop?

Christmas Decorations From The Christmas Boutique

With just five weeks 'til December and less than nine 'til Christmas, it's swiftly coming up to the greatest time of the year. (At least in my eyes, anyway. I'm a bit of a Christmas enthusiast!) I love everything about Christmas from the decorations to the festive cheer, and I've been busy planning and preparing since September to make it the best one ever. Don't judge, the lead up is my favourite part!

I particularly look forward to decorating the house for Christmas every year, so you can imagine my excitement when The Christmas Boutique got in touch recently, and invited me to review some of their decorations. I was a bit like a kid in a sweet shop at Disneyland. Of course I said "yes!" 

A box full of decorations soon turned up on my doorstep, and unpacking them all felt a bit like Christmas morning!

I was sent a variety of decorations- most in my favourite festive colours red, green, and white- and I instantly loved the selection.

The Nutcracker soldiers were so beautifully wrapped in cellophane and red ribbon bows that I was almost sorry to unwrap them. Or I would have been if I hadn't been so eager to get a closer look at them! At first they look just like your run-of-the-mill Nutcracker ornaments, but they're not- they're actually candles, too! How fun is that?!

After Santa and Rudolph, The Nutcracker is one of the most recognised of Christmas characters so few candles come more festive than these. They feature all of the recognisable little details that make the Nutcracker soldiers iconic from the white beards to the gold trimmed uniforms, and they also have a charming hand-painted quality to them. At £7.99 for the pair, they're fantastic value, and I think they're great quality for their price tag. You can use them as candles or ornaments, and they'd look so festive on the Christmas dinner table!

I love Scandinavian style Christmas decorations with a capital L, so I instantly fell in love with this wooden painted tea light holder. I just can't resist fairisle patterns, traditional red and white decorations, and lighting candles on dark December evenings. Candle light is the perfect way to relax and de-stress after a busy day, and let's face it- that's every day during the festive season!

The tea light holder features a pretty fairisle design and star cut out to the front, and it's also decorated with little gingham bows, beads, and jingle bells. The attention to detail makes it such a lovely little decoration, and it's very well made, too. The best part is, the tea light holder is so inexpensive at just £3.99, so it won't break the bank. It also comes in reverse red and white, which I'm planning to snap up soon.

My favourite decorations from The Christmas Boutique are probably these honeycomb pom-poms. I was absolutely thrilled to be sent some because I've been coveting honeycomb decorations for years! 

The 10cm pom-poms are sold in sets of four, and I was sent a packet each of red and green; my two favourite festive colours. At 10cm in diameter, the decorations are small, but what they lack in size they make up for in design. The colours are striking, and the retro design is lovely, tasteful and on trend for Christmas 2014, Of course they're only made from paper and card, so they are delicate, but if they're handled carefully, they should last a few Christmases. 

I like these honeycomb pom-poms so much I've since purchased another two packs, and I'm considering going back for some in white to decorate my bedroom with! They also come in several other colours and sizes, and will look perfect hanging from the tree, ceiling, or fire place. You could even pop a few in a bowl or vase for a pretty centre piece for the dinner table.

I'm a fan of traditional Christmas colours at heart, but when I opened the box to find these three metallic glass frog queens inside, I couldn't help but smile; they're so quirky and fun! I've never seen anything like them before.

These frog queens come in a set of three and are perfect if you want to add some vibrant colour to your decor this year. After all, Christmas doesn't have to be all about the traditional colours; jewel tones can look super festive, too! I think they'd look particularly eye-catching on a white tree, with plenty of fairy lights. I'm planning to keep these three on my dressing table this Christmas. I think they'll fit in perfectly amongst my perfume bottles and jewellery stands!

The last decoration I have to show you is the stag's head. Yes, it's an unusual Christmas decoration, but it's perfect if you're looking for something a little bit different. It would look fantastic hanging on the wall above a roaring fire, especially if the mantle has been dressed with natural decorations like fir branches and pine cones. You could even hang baubles from its antlers to make an even bolder statement!

The antlers are detachable, so storing it away after Christmas is a piece of cake- although you could just leave it up all year round! It won't look like a Christmas decoration once the tree and fairly lights have been packed away. It's a great-quality and sturdy trophy, made from coloured-resin, and comes in a tasteful antique-white finish.

I'm really impressed with all of these decorations from The Christmas Boutique and I can't wait to decorate the house with them this Christmas. Keep an eye out for my Christmas home tour in December to see how I incorporate them all in to my home for the festive season!

You can find all these decorations and much, much more online at The Christmas Boutique. They're a wonderful online company who specialise in Christmas decorations, candles, and festive homeware in a variety of styles. Everything is very reasonably priced, and there's sure to be something to suit your tastes and budget.

Why not pop on over to the website for a browse? It's never too early to start shopping for Christmas!

Which of these decorations do you like best?

*These Christmas decorations were gifted to me by The Christmas Boutique in exchange for review. As always, all words, opinions and photos are my own.

OOTD: Brown and Yellow Polka Dots

Today's outfit is one I wore back at the beginning of September when the weather was still hot and it still seemed acceptable to wear pastel yellow. It seems so long ago now!

I had been playing dress up that day, trying different colours with my new Lindy Bop brown polka dot Audrey dress. I don't usually find it difficult to pair colours together, but my wardrobe is lacking in colours that compliment brown, like rust, mustard, chocolate, and dusky pink, so I started experimenting with other colours. That's how this unconventional brown and yellow combo came about. 

And... I look like I'm wearing the Brownies uniform from the early nineties! I'm just missing the sash! Does anybody remember how vile the colour of the culottes and trousers was? It looked like bile! I remember always hating them, especially since my Mum made me wear the culottes and not the trousers. What kid wants to wear bile coloured culottes? Seriously? None of them do!

I've not worn culottes since my Brownies days (thank God), and I hadn't worn brown and yellow together, either, until this outfit happened in September... but I actually liked the result! I think the colours look okay together, and it was fun to try out a new colour combination. It seems a waste to leave this beautiful dress hanging in my wardrobe unworn until I buy some pieces that compliment it better. It deserves as much wear as possible; even if the most exciting place it gets worn is the garden and the only person I'm dressing up for is myself!

Outfit Details

Dress and Belt- Lindy Bop // Cardigan- New Look // 

Shoes- New Look // Bag- ASOS // Necklace- Giveaway Win

Would you wear brown and yellow together?

50 Christmas Shopping Tips 2014

With just nine weeks to go 'til Christmas, most of us will have started our Christmas shopping by now, or at the very least, started thinking about it. If you haven't, it's never too early to start.

I know that Christmas shopping can be an incredibly stressful task, particularly when you're worrying about how to make the pennies stretch as far as possible, so I've put together 50 of my Christmas shopping tips to help make your shopping as stress free as possible this year.

In the list, you'll find dozens of money-saving tips, and a few words of advice for getting through your shopping in one piece. I hope they help!

1. Set a budget for each person on your gift list and and try to stick to it. 

2. Only spend what you can actually afford. Remember, Christmas is only one day, and your loved ones won't want you to get in to debt just so they can receive a gift from you. 

3. Spread the cost over the next nine weeks.

4. Starting next year, spread the cost of Christmas throughout the year. A gift here, a gift there, and you'll barely notice a dent in your bank balance by the time December comes around.

5. Alternatively, leave your Christmas shopping until a few days before Christmas, if you can, so you can take advantage of pre-Christmas sales. 

6. If you're not seeing some friends and relatives until after Christmas, don't buy their presents before Christmas; wait for the January sales.

7. Take advantage of sales throughout the year to snap up presents for less.

8. Shop around for the best price. Can you get that perfume, DVD box set, or tablet cheaper elsewhere? For example, when I shop for books, CDs, and DVDs online, I always compare prices between Amazon, Play, Tesco and ASDA, and then buy the cheapest.

9. Take advantage of 'buy 1 get 1 free', and '3 for 2' promotions, etc. You'll get an extra present for your money, and one less gift to worry about paying for.

10. Go shopping with a friend and split the buy one get one free promotions. It's a sensible way to save yourself 50% on a present or two.

11. Search online for discount codes before every online purchase. There is almost always one knocking about for every popular online store. Just enter "[insert brand / shop name here] discount codes", in to a search engine, and it will lead you to the appropriate websites. If you can't find a discount code, perhaps wait for a couple of days before you make your purchase, and search again.

12. Look out for discount codes in your favourite magazines. They even pop up in daily newspapers from time to time as the festive season nears.

13. Sign up to website newsletters; you will often get a discount code as an incentive to join them.

14. Follow your favourite brands on Facebook and Twitter to keep up to date with promotions, sales, and discount codes.

15. Keep an eye on social media and newsletter emails for flash sales.

16. Shop in outlet shops. Stock is usually heavily discounted, meaning you could potentially save yourself a small fortune, or even afford something high quality that was originally out of your budget. My favourite outlet villages are Bicester Village near Oxford, and Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth.

17. Take advantage of free delivery options and offers. You could save five or six quid or more each time, depending on the shop.

18. Place orders online with friends and split the delivery costs to save each of you a couple of pounds.

19. Shop with cash and not cards- it's easier to see how much you're spending, and you're more likely to stick to your budget.

20. Don't be tempted to stick everything on credit and store cards, especially if you won't be able to pay the bill off in full by the end of the month. If you only pay the minimum amount, you'll end up having to pay back far more than what your purchases originally cost you.

21. Use your Nectar Card points towards presents or your Christmas food shop n the supermarket.

22. Use your shop loyalty cards (which collect points with every purchase) to pay for presents. All those Boots Advantage Card points your make up addiction has earned you come in handy at this time of year!

23. Shop through a cash back website, to get cash back on your online purchases, (and find the latest discount codes). I swear by Quidco, and use it every time I shop online with popular high street stores. Cashback rates can vary from brand to brand; some offer 2% or 3% cashback, but some may be 10% or more. Just last week I got 8% cashback on this year's Body Shop advent calendar, saving myself £4 off a £50 spend! Not too shabby!

24. Grab a bargain on eBay or other similar auction-style sites. There are millions of brand-new items just waiting to be snapped up for bargain prices.

25. Amazon is also a fantastic website for finding brand new things for less than the RRP- and they sell almost anything you can think of.

26. Buy beauty products from discounted beauty-websites like Fragrance Direct. Direct Cosmetics, Cosmetics Fairy, and All Beauty.

27. Shop from websites that stock a range of brands, and buy everything in one place with one delivery cost.

28. Don't rule out shopping in charity shops. You never know what brand-new things you'll find, or what vintage treasures await. You might come across a first edition of your friend's favourite book, or a beautiful vintage dress your stylish bestie would go crazy for.

29. Remember to leave instructions on your online orders so delivery people will know where to leave your parcels if you're not home to accept them. You don't want to be running down to the sorting office to find your parcels when you've got a million other festive things to do.

30. If you're planning on making purchases close to Christmas, make sure you know the last guaranteed delivery dates (online and in store) to avoid disappointment on Christmas Day. It will vary from shop to shop.

31. Also find out the last postage dates if you need to send anything through the post office or by courier.

32. Make sure you find out what the return policy is for gifts you purchase, and always keep your receipts. Most stores can give you a gift receipt which doesn't show how much you paid, so you can pass it on to the recipient in case they need to return or exchange the gift.

33. Bring your own shopping bags with you. It may only save you a few pence on carrier bags, but it all adds up, right?

34. Popping in to the city centre for Christmas shopping? Take the park and ride to save money on expensive parking, petrol, and public transport fees. 

35. Bare in mind, things are often cheaper online than on the high street. If you're looking for the best price, use your phone to do a quick search online to compare prices when you're shopping in brick and mortar shops.

36. Books, DVDs and CDs are often cheapest in the supermarkets

37. Buy those perfect gifts as and when you see them, because they're not always there when you go back!

38. Only buy presents for the kids.

39. Only give presents to your immediate family and closest friends.

40. If there are a lot of people in your friendship group, family, or work place, suggest doing a Secret Santa. Everybody will buy and receive one gift, and everybody will save a small fortune!

41. Go shopping on weekdays; they will generally be quieter than weekends.

42. Do your Christmas shopping first thing in the morning. The shops will be quieter, the shelves will be fuller, and the staff will usually be a lot happier to help before they're stressed, tired, and over-worked. 

43. Be patient with shop staff. Yes, the queue may be a mile long, but the cashiers will be working as fast as they can to serve everybody. Remember they're only human, and they'll probably be exhausted from working so hard. Have you ever worked in retail during December? It's exhausting!

44. Don't wait until a minute before closing time to head to the tills, whether you have one item or a trolley load of purchases to pay for. Don't be that guy; don't be a jerk. The sales assistants won't get paid to stay late to ring up your purchases. They'll probably be exhausted after working a long shift and dying to get home to put their feet up. Put yourself in their shoes: would you be happy to stay an extra half an hour or more after closing time for free to serve lingering customers, after working a full 9 hours already? Didn't think so.

45. Let the person behind you in the queue jump ahead if they have less things to pay for.

46. Don't even think about queue jumping. See that long line of people at the tills? They're queueing for a reason; to be served when it's their turn. If they can queue patiently, I'm sure you'll get through it, too.

47. Don't wear thick, heavy clothes for Christmas shopping; you're likely to get hot and flustered in busy shops. Wear layers you can easily remove if you get too hot.

48. Wear comfortable shoes. You're likely to be doing A LOT of queueing.

49. Carry a bottle of water in your bag. Christmas shopping is thirsty work and you might be shopping and queueing for some time before you can stop to refuel.

50. If you're still struggling to make ends meet, why not sell your unwanted stuff on eBay, at a boot sale, on your blog, or through local or national classified pages / websites?

And those are 50 of my Christmas shopping tips! I hope a few of them help you as you do your Christmas shopping this year. Will you be using any of them?

Do you have any Christmas shopping tips I haven't included in this post and would like to share? Let me know in the comments below!

Wednesday Wish List

Hi lovelies!

It's time for this week's Wednesday Wish List...

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These novelty bags from Aldo and Betsey Johnson all look amazing! I think the Kitchi cat clutches are my favourites.

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Alice in Wonderland has been one of my most favourite Disney movies since I was little (along with Pocahontas, Beauty and the Beast, and Robin Hood), so naturally I love these two Alice in Wonderland tops from Pin Up Girl Clothing!

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Speaking of Pin Up Girl Clothing, aren't these harlequin dresses gorgeous?! I'd sell my Granny to have that first dress in my wardrobe; the print is to die for! 

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Lady Vintage have brought out another two designs with that amazing cupcake print! The Isabella dress with the sweetheart neckline is particularly lovely.

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I really love these lace kimonos from Pink Clove, and the fit and flare coat from Littlewoods is stunning. It would go perfectly with my dress collection.

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And, finally, I'm pretty much in love with everything from Dorothy Perkins at the moment. The colour palettes, the textures, the patterns, the styles... I love all of it. I've been shopping with Dorothy Perkins for a good fifteen years, and they always get Autumn / Winter fashion so right. I'll take one of each, please!

What's on your wish list this week?