TLC's Last Minute Christmas Crackers Pt2: Benefit Crescent Row

My last minute Christmas Shopping Spree continues! It might be less than a week to go before it all kicks off but there's still plenty of shopping hours to be had. A quick nip into Debenhams or Boots is all that's needed to pick up this little beauty of a Fragrance Gift Set by Benefit. I'm a HUGE fan of Benefit fragrances and was presented with this Limited Edition Crescent Row Set* at the Benefit Christmas Bloggers Party. This is a mini selection of all of their best loved fragrances, including a new addition to the gang.

This set contains four of Benefit's Best Loved Fragrances in dinky 10ml sizes...

Laugh With me LeeLee

Ring My Bella

My Place or Yours Gina

and 

NEW Under my Spell Noelle

These are perfect for handbags! I've been carrying around Noelle and Gina almost constantly ever since I got this set. It's great to have them handy, should the need for a quick dab of something gorgeous arise. The only fragrance out of the bunch I was unfamiliar with was LeeLee, but I'm learning to love her just as much as I love her Crescent Row sisters. And, of course, in true Benefit style, the packaging is beautiful. It's something any Benefit or fragrance fan would love to unwrap for Christmas.

This Gift Set retails for £29.50 for 4x10ml

Benefit have so many gorgeous Limited Edition sets this year! Why not have a browse on the website before you dash out to brave the shopping madness and save some time? If you REALLY haven't got time to get to a counter before Christmas, Benefit are currently offering an Express shipping option before midnight tomorrow (20th) to ensure your online orders get to you before the big day.  

www.benefitcosmetics.co.uk

Are you a fan of Benefit Fragrances?? Who is your favourite of the Crescent Row Ladies?? 

TLC's Last Minute Christmas Crackers Pt1: Radox Bath Therapy Gift Sets

I leave my Christmas gift posting as late as I leave my Christmas gift SHOPPING! There is a reason for this. I've discovered some lovely gift sets this year and I've got several to show you all this week. The beauty of all of these items is that they are super easy and quick to snap up for even the most behind of Christmas shoppers. I thought I'd get the Christmassy ball (or should that be bauble) rolling with these fantastic sets courtesy of Radox, who are the UK's number one washing and bathing brand with over 100 YEARS experience in producing the best products.

The products in these sets are all old favourites that are loved and used by many, but they've been given an extra something special for Christmas 2013. The 'Love a Duck' and 'Relax Ducky'* (pictured above) sets are great fun. You get two lovely, BIG 500ml bottles of two gorgeous varieties of Radox along with everybody's favourite bathtime companion... The flashy rubber ducky!! Seriously, no bath is complete without this little chap. He brings me so much JOY haha. The set that I have is just perfect for me. I adore Moisture Soak. It's like having a bath in moisturiser and leaves my skin so silky. It will always be a favourite. I'm looking forward to trying out Radox Relax too. It smells divine. Love a Duck is the more masculine of the sets (having said that, Muscle Soak has been a staple for me for some time with my dodgy limbs haha). It also contains the Original Radox bath formula. 

They also have an extra indulgent Home Spa gift set consisting of Spa Soothe Bath Soak and Spa Radiant Shower Cream wash. It also comes with a massager to work that lather right in for a real treat. 

These sets are all available from Superdrug and Boots and other Radox Stockists

Love a Duck - RRP £7.50

Relax Ducky - RRP £7.50

Home Spa - RRP £10

Do you leave it all until the last minute at Christmas?? Are you a Radox devotee?? Is there anything better in this world than a flashing, purple rubber ducky?? 

EXCLUSIVE! Superdry Beauty 'Bento Beauty Box'

Good afternoon my dears!

I've got a bit of a special post today. As I mentioned in my recent post on the new Timothy Everest Collection for Superdry, I had the opportunity to browse through loads of new Superdry product releases whilst visiting the Handpicked Media LFW suite recently. One of the most exciting things I got to look at on the day was their new Bento Beauty Box*, launching from 21st October. It's a different and quirky approach to a beauty gift set which is sure to appeal to the brand's massive Japanese following as well as being a huge hit with shoppers on all continents in the run up to Christmas. Each compartment in the box has a different beauty product!

 I even got to take one home with me! So I'm here today to give you all an exclusive sneaky peek at what's in it!

Watermelon LipFix - 10g
Superdry Eye Marker - 3ml
The Watermelon lip fix seems to me to be a bit of a cross between a clear lip gloss and a lip balm. It has no tint to it but a lovely, subtle watermelon flavour. I cannot wait to try the eye marker. I was swatching it on my hand this morning and the intensity of the black looks really promising. I really hope it lasts well.

Professional Volumising Mascara - 9ml
Nail Plane
This mascara has one of those curvy brushes that I like. I seem to have several mascaras on the go at the moment so I'm going to wait to pop this one open but I love the packaging! And what's not to love about a Superdry branded nail file?

Nail Paint - 4.5ml
Highlighter - 4.5ml
I actually got the same shade of nail polish applied at the event. It's a really fun shade of pink and stayed on for ages! The highlighter reminds me a little of BeneFit High Beam but I have heard really good things about it so can't wait to give it a whirl!

And lastly, you get one of these cute little Superdry button mirrors (sort of like a badge without the pin on the back). Great size for handbags!

I have no doubt that I will get use out of all of these products and look forward to thoroughly playing with them. This is my first proper trip into the world of Superdry Beauty products so I'm a bit excited. I'd highly recommend this as a Christmas gift for any beauty lover or fan of Superdry.

The Bento Beauty Box will retail for £25 and be available from Superdry stores and online from W/C 21st October. 

Are you as fan of Superdry makeup?? Any product recommendations?? Do you like the sound of a Bento Box with Beauty products in it??

Last Minute Xmas Gift Ideas for 2012

Evening my lovelies!

I thought it was about time Brunette Beauty Banter got in the Xmas spirit today. Been a little behind lately but, thankfully, i have now broken up from Uni and am away on my Xmas hols from Friday visiting with family in Derbyshire and Yorkshire so should have plenty of time to churn out a few festive-style posts! I'll share my Xmas faces and outfits with you later this week but, in the meantime, i wanna talk about PRESENTS!! With any luck, you'll all be super organised and won't need this post but i've had the chance to sample some gorgeous gift sets to appeal to all budgets and i thought i'd share them with you while you can still get next-day delivery! 

You all know i adore Nip+Fab products. I've featured their Pistachio Sundae body butter on this blog before and i have also had the opportunity to nosey through their Xmas gift sets, which are available from Sainsbury's Stores, the Nip+Fab Website and other concessions with prices starting from just a FIVER! Perfect for even Secret-Santa price brackets (or just a cheeky Xmas pamper treat for yourself whilst doing the food shop). I've been using the Hand Fix kit which includes a Hand Cream (which has the same yummy pistachio scent as the body butter) and a cuticle cream as well as some rather fetching gloves to help it all sink in. I've really been enjoying using it! 

Other sets from the range include Party Rescue, Chill-Out Bathing, Facial on The Go and loads more! Also their body butters and lip balms make great stocking fillers!! 

If you want to REALLY spoil someone and go that extra mile, i'd highly recommend this kit from Murad Skincare. I've mentioned it before and plan to review a couple of the products individually, but Murad have brought out 3 different variants for Xmas this year. The one i have been using is Perfect Balance, but also available are Radiance Perfection and The Hybrids. These sets range in price from £30 up to £50 and are available from the Murad Website as well as their department store concessions. I'd highly recommend the Perfect Balance for anyone with combination skin. 

In reference to my post from last week on Nails Inc, i just HAD to include these amazing gift sets in this post. Scroll down to read about how much i loved my leather and skull manicure from the event, but if you want to spoil your best friend or sister this Xmas i'd highly recommend these gift sets! Priced at £19 you get a leather effect polish (choice of 2 shades) and 4 beautiful little rhinestone skull decals (which actually stay on VERY well). Nails Inc are also doing other gift sets similar to this so check out their Website or go along to one of their stores or concessions. 

I couldn't do a gift post without mentioning BeneFit could i?! Their products and packaging is special enough at other times of the year but they come into their own at Xmas and this year's gift sets are really lovely and I WANT THEM ALL!! I got to nosey through a few at the QVC press day i attended recently and i'd have to say my favourites are 'Feelin Dandy' (which contains miniatures of their Dandelion powder and lipgloss as well as other treats) and 'How to Look the Best at Everything' (containing their Ideal Flawless Foundation, Porefessional Primer and Boi-Ing Concealers). 

You probably know where to find BeneFit so i won't insult your intelligence by listing ALL the stockists for you but they're regular in all the major department stores, larger Boots stores and on the BeneFit Website. Beautiful on anyone's dressing table! 

So this hasn't been an EPIC Xmas Gift Guide by any means, but i just thought i'd let you know about a few products i've had the chance to try and some which are on MY list to Santa this year. There's still time for online ordering or a quick dash round Debenhams before the big day so treat someone special (or yourself) to one of these little beauties!!