Hi guys! Hope you had a great Christmas! I spent mine with family and friends and enjoyed every minute. I don't know about you but I love to snoop around and see what everyone got for Christmas each year, so I thought I would share with you some of the things that I was lucky enough to get during this month. I won't mention everything cause it might get quite boring but I will show you the main items I think you might be interested in! Disclaimer: I would like to start off by saying that I feel very blessed to able to receive gifts however small or big, cheap and expensive and I am in no way trying to brag!

1. Although, as mentioned I love everything that I got, this has got to be my favourite. My mom knows that during these cold winter months as I'm preparing for my exams, I spend quite a lot of time at home lounging around in my PJs (keep in mind, I have very bad circulation!). So, she got me a robe featuring a giraffe print and I swear it's the most cosy thing I own. It's by the brand Boux Avenue and it is so soft and warm! I've already worn it so much - if you guys are interested, it is currently discounted on the website . ​
2. Another item of clothing I am obsessed with currently is the blue faux suede biker jacket I got from River Island. It feautures a lot of front zip pockets, has a biker collar and again the fabric is so velvety soft. 
3. Lately, I was in dire need of a new purse, so when I saw this metallic purse from the brand I am, I was so happy! It is very beautiful and unique, which I obviously love.
4. I am constantly trying out The Body Shop products, especially their 30ml fragrances. I have tried various different scents including vanilla and coconut (my favourite!) but as a Christmas present this year, I got one in the scent of strawberry. It smells delicious and the scents are always very long-lasting. They are quite affordable, light, refreshing and very wearable. I always get compliments when I'm wearing these.

So, what did you get for Christmas? Did you get something from your wishlist? Leave your comments down below! I would love to know ;)

Until next time,
Christine xxx

​ALMOST FORGOT! HAPPY NEW YEAR GUYS! Wish you the best!

P.S. This post is not sponsored and all products were gifted to me by family and friends. All opinions are my own.
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The holiday season is upon us! If you're anything like me, you spend these days wondering what you should get your loved ones this Christmas. I thought I'd write this post to hopefully ease your pain in finding the perfect gift for a beauty lover, like myself, whether it is for Secret Santa, for stocking fillers or as simple gift ideas.  These are my top 5 picks!

1. Mascara. There are millions of brands out there, and some pretty good ones too. One of my most used and repurchased is the Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara. It is affordable, lengthening, holds a curl very well and lasts all day. ​
2. Boomfbomb. This is not exactly a beauty-related gift but I had to mention it. If you're looking for a fun yet personalized gift, I would suggest checking out the boomf website. I just found this website recently through a friend's Instagram and was so impressed! One of my favourites is the Boomf Bomb - a card that jumps from its envelope in an explosion of confetti, a nice change from the conventional Christmas card, allowing for an element of surprise yet leaving you with a keepsake of your favourite memories with that person.  To understand what I'm saying just check out this video on YouTube. They have various other gift ideas too!
3. Bath bomb/ bubble bar.  For my Secret Santa this year, I decided to be a bit extra and go for some of Lush's products. To be honest, Lush products are unfortunately not available locally for me, so indulging in such products feels like a treat. However, I had the pleasure of trying out some of Lush's products during my trip to Valencia last April, falling in love instantly. The smell in the shop drew me in completely, so since then, I've made quite a few online deliveries and I've never been disappointed. As a bonus, all of their products are fresh, handmade and 100% vegetarian. So, after that little rant, (haha, sorry!) some of my favourite products include The Comforter bubble bar (which is big enough for two baths! - yaas!), as well as the Christmas Sweater Bath Bomb which has a warm, spicy scent, making it the ultimate gift for a cold winter night. 
4. Eyeliner. ​You can never go wrong with an eyeliner! It's such a staple thing in every beauty lover's collection, and I never seem to have enough. A classic budget friendly option is the 3INA Pen Eyeliner - a marker pen-style eyeliner that makes defining the lash line simple, allowing you to create the perfect flick! It is quick drying and waterproof, making it just as good as my higher priced eyeliners.  
5. Body Butter. To add a luxurious feel to your stocking, throw in a body butter. My favourite is The Body Shop British Rose Instant Glow Body Butter - a velvety soft moisturizer which gives an instant all-over healthy looking glow, perfect for normal to dry skin. It leaves no residue after being absorbed, yet it hydrates the skin and leaves a soft rose scent which lasts all day. 

​So, what is on YOUR Christmas wishlist? I'd love to know so make sure to leave your comments down below!
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​Until next time,
Christine xxx

​P.S This post is not sponsored and all products were purchased by me. All opinions are my own.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Where has the time gone? I hope that you have enjoyed any end of year celebrations you may have had and ate lots of food (cause be honest, who hasn't?) I really like this time of year because I feel as if it's a fresh start. But I'm not letting go of 2015 just yet, as today I will be going through some of my favourites from this last year. I think it will be really interesting to look back at this a year from now and see whether any of the mentioned products will make the cut next year. Anyway, let's just get started... (Prepare yourself, it's a long one.)

Favourite Face Primer:
The Body Shop All-In-One Instablur primer - this stuff is amazing. I only discovered it in November, but I haven't stopped using it since. The texture of this is very similar to silicone, which helps blur out any imperfections that I have and reduce my pores.  It feels so smooth on my face and I really do think that it helps with the longevity of my foundation. It's been my holy grail so far!

Favourite Foundation:
MAC Studio Fix Fluid - This has definitely made the cut as my favourite this year. I love it so much, I bought 2 backups. Keeping in mind, that I have oily, sensitive and acne-prone skin, I like foundations which give a very good coverage and will stay on all day. After reading a lot of reviews online, saying how this foundation broke them out, I was kind of scared to try this out but around April I took the plunge, and ordered it online. I also had to guess the shade cause at the time we had no MAC stores here in Malta, but somehow I managed and it was a pretty good match for my skintone. I find that it really helps keep me matte all day, but at the same time, not too matte that it almost seems drying. In fact, this almost gives a like a natural glow which I love. Its coverage is medium to buildable and it manages to cover up any imperfections perfectly. I haven't had any problems with my skin and I'm probably going to have a really hard time, finding a better foundation any time soon.

Favourite Concealer:
Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer - I've almost run out of this, so I'll have to reorder it soon cause I love the way it conceals my undesired under eye circles. The formula of this is so good and the little doe-foot applicator that it comes with, helps it glide on the skin so smoothly. It gives just the right amount of coverage and it doesn't settle into fine lines.

Favourite Bronzer:
Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzer in Medium/Deep - This bronzer is my go to when I'm in a hurry. It's very pigmented yet super blendable and very easy to work with. Best of all, it smells like chocolate - can't complain about that. Being matte, it's very natural looking and I can use it to create depth and warmth to my face. Hands down, the best bronzer I've used.

Favourite Contouring Palette:
Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Palette - I use all the shades in this palette yet Fawn and Banana are definitely my favourites. They are the reason this palette is in my favourites. Fawn is perfect for contouring my cheekbones and Banana is great for setting my concealer especially under my eye. I do occasionally use Java and Havana for bronzing, but I also love them as eyeshadows - they make great transition colours. Vanilla and Sand are also awesome for a nice brow bone or inner corner highlight.

Favourite Highlighter:
Thebalm Mary-Lou Manizer - Although it's not the cheapest product, it is totally worth it. It's a very creamy powder and just a dusting of this on the cheekbones, will give the most gorgeous natural shimmer. It is very finely milled, smooth and the pigmentation is insane. I sometimes also reach for this as an all over the lid colour as it's a beautiful champagne colour.

Favourite Eyeliner:
Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner Intense Black - I will probably continue to buy this eyeliner for many years to come. It makes creating a winged liner soooo easy. It has a great felt-tip like applicator which I find gives me so much control. Its lasting power is awesome and it doesn't budge at all even on my oily eyelids. However, if you're looking for a drugstore alternative I have also been loving the Maybelline Eye Studio Master Precise Ink Pen Eyeliner which I also find super easy to use and is a close second.

Favourite Eyeshadow Palette:
This is so hard for me as eyeshadows are my obsessions but I think that the one I used the most this year was the Urban Decay Naked Smoky Palette. I love the formula of Urban Decay eyeshadows in general, but the pigmentation of this palette is to die for. The amount of smoky looks I can create with this is amazing as it offers a great range of shades so it's great to travel with. It's got a nice balance of shimmers and mattes and the packaging alone is also beautiful!

Favourite Mascara:
Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara - I honestly didn't think I was going to love this mascara cause I always like the plastic type bristles as I find they're so much better at creating a clump free look. However, I was intrigued about all the hype so I decided to buy it and try it out for myself. I'm so glad I did, cause I don't think I've ever achieved so much volume and length from a mascara. A must -try product!

Favourite Lipstick:
MAC Mehr - I have been given so many compliments on this lip colour. It's my go-to everyday shade as it's like a my-lips-but-better sort of colour. It is a dirty blue pink which goes so well with my yellow undertones. I'm so glad I picked this up as I can wear it with any makeup look and it would still look great.

That's it! (phew!) Told you it was a long one :) Let me know what products were your favourites in 2015. Maybe I can check them out.

Until next time,
Christine xxx