Beauty Christmas Gift Ideas

This could be pretty endless so I've tried to keep it concise. Some of these I've tried, some I haven't, but all of them are things I would willingly give and gladly receive.

Bath Bombs - I don't know why but they always feel like a treat to me. And come on, they are fun.

Becca Glow on the Go - this on-trend rose gold kit should suit most skin tones. And it's another one that's pretty reasonably priced.

Bobbi Brown - have a lot to offer this Christmas. For those on a bigger budget the Sparkle All Night Eyes and Lips Kit is very wearable and transportable but my personal favourite is the Caviar and Rubies Eye Set.

Charlotte Tilbury - yes her products are (mostly) worth the hype. I'd chose the Bitch Perfect Lip Set (every time I wear this lipstick I get asked what it is, without fail),  I've always secretly wanted this make-up bag, I'm pushing the boundaries on whether you can actually have too many make-up brushes I love this mini kit for when I eventually travel again.

Daniel Sandler - any of the watercolour blushers would be absolutely lovely but the Customisable Colour for Cheeks is pretty special.

Laura Mercier - another gorgeous brush set this year.  The Art of Exotic Colour collection looks love too.

Lipstick Queen Transformer Trio - these are fun and really not unreasonably priced.

Lord & Berry - much underrated in my opinion. I use and love their kajal and their lipsticks and would happily receive their stylographic liner, lipstick pencils (in fire, scarlett or blush), or Twistick (in On Stage). And at the moment they are offering a free gift (that I really want) when you purchase two products or more.

Louise Young - another brand from which I would happily recommend anything and her brushes would make gorgeous stocking fillers or goodie bag stuffers.

Marc Jacobs On the Prowl Set - the Marc Jacobs eye shadows have been one of the most talked about releases of this year and the one included in this set looks incredibly wearable. The Wild One eye shadow palette is pretty incredible looking too.

Nudestix - This Matte Nude Lip and Cheek Stain is lovely, even if I'm a little over matte at the moment.

NYX - may not be high end but one of their Jumbo Eye Pencils would be a welcome addition to any stocking or goodie bag. Cashmere, Iced Mocha, French Fries and Yoghurt are all great colours.

Origins - I'm a huge Origins fan and this Holiday Gift Set looks absolutely wonderful. The Easy Slider Pre-Shave Oil would be great for the man in your life

Philip Kinglsey - the elasticiser is one of the few products I genuinely think makes a difference.

Pixi Best of Bright - yes I love the Glow Tonic but there's something more festive about this little kit and they are the perfect size for those who travel.

Don't forget to go and see my non-beauty gift ideas, and my suggestions for what to get kids aged 0-10. Still to come are presents for teens and my book suggestions.

Some links are affiliate links which means I will get a small commission if you click through and buy from them. There is no extra cost to you and if you are not comfortable with that then do feel free to open a separate window and google the product for yourself

Eye Shadow Pencils Spend or Save

I love an eye shadow pencil. They make application so easy, they travel well and are often a great base for eye shadows if you need to give them a bit of oomph or longevity. You can use them as an eyes shadow or straight liner, or as a blended liner or base. They make for a great, quick and easy smokey eye too. But they not only vary wildly in quality but also in price. So I've gathered together all the ones that I've either been using for a while myself or have been recommended and have been testing them out to see how they compare. Do you really get what you pay for? Are they actually all the same?

There are so many things to take into consideration so I've tried to test take the same things into consideration for each pencil. Longevity, price, packaging, whether they are sharpen or twist up. In my opinion there is less to go wrong with a pencil that you sharpen - the product doesn't dry out and you don't get a fault with the mechanism. It is a bit of a ballache to have to sharpen. I feel I should just mention the difference in shimmery and sparkley here. For me 'shimmery' means a not matte but not noticable glittery finish, 'sparkley' means there are noticable bits of glitter of whatever size. I've included some swatches below so hopefully you'll be able to see what I mean. I've used these a lot but when testing and re-testing for this post I've worn for a couple of days on their own to see how they looked and lasted and a couple of days more as a base with a shadow over the top.

5 Minute Heatwave Make-up

You probably know we have been having a heatwave here in the UK. I usually get cross with the term heatwave because, well it's summer, it's just summer not a heatwave, but 33 degrees celcius is pretty much as hot as the UK gets so I'll let it through this time (and even include it in the title of this video!).

It's not a glamorous look but it makes me feel less washed out and gross and like I can pick the kids up from nursery without making the other children weep with fright. This might be good if you work in an office and can't quite bear to wear foundation. It's too hot hear for me to even bother with tinted moisturiser - though I'm desperate to try the new one from Origins.

Glowy Summer Skin video

The Body Shop Vitamin C Glow Protect Lotion SPF 30
Nudestix Magnetic Eye Colour in Angel
No 7 Stay Perfect Shade & Define in Cool Mink
Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer
Max Factor Masterpiece Mascara
Cover FX Setting Powder
Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara
NARS Sun Wash Bronzer in Seaside
Ilia Tinted Lip Conditioner in Nobody's Baby
La Roche Posay Thermal Spring Water

Christmas Gift Ideas

I'm keeping it quite short and sweet this year. And, for the most part, quite reasonably priced too. This is a make-up blog but I've included everything I've seen or tried that I'd want. Pretty simple really.

• Scandinavisk Candle - I have loved every one of these I have smelt and have had my favourite, Skog, since last year and even though I burn it sparingly it gives off the most beautiful spurts of smell. Worth spending money on as it genuinely smells great. From £32

• JT Make-up Studio Metallic Leaf - this is a great stocking filler for those who love a bit of creative make-up. So nice to be able to give a make-up present with no use by date. These will last forever and are great not only for Christmas and New Year parties but festivals, parties and Ibiza holidays. Minimum effort, maximum impact.£6.80

• H&M Jacquard Weave Scarf - I have a large blanket scarf. And I love it. But one's enough. If I could convince myself that it wasn't then I would get this like a shot. I love the colours, it's beautifully soft and particularly appealing to those of us who wear a lot of black. £14.99

• Aurelia Little Treasures - a great present for girlfriends this contains a mini body oil and hand cream. I absent mindedly tried this oil on the back of my hand whilst waiting for something in Space NK and for the rest of the day it felt amazing. Exclusive to Space NK. £12

• Consultation with Me! - well if you are like us and trying to de-clutter rather than add more stuff to your life then why not arrange a consultation with me. You can check out my (in the middle of being updated) website here www.corinnaharrod.com

• Charlotte Tilbury Legendary Party Eyes - two Charlotte Tilbury products in a Christmas bauble. Another great present for your girlfriends. £20

• Ole Henriksen All Four Love Holiday Kit - I love the Ole Henriksen Truth Serum and can't wait to try more products. £15.30

• Nude Liquid Gold Christmas Bauble - I love this oil and even though it's a tiny bottle of it, a little goes a long way and it's a great present for a girlfriend. £15

• Daniel Sandler Watercolour Blush - stocking sized but this lasts for ages. If in doubt I'd go for Rose Glow - a really flattering universal shade. £15.50

5 Minute Waterproof Make-up - Friday Video

I do this every Thursday before I take Ned swimming. Yes sometimes if I've slept badly I will just put the mascara on or maybe nothing at all and if you are not swimming you might want to add eyeliner and lipstick to this but this is the quick, swim-proof version and frankly if you turn up at baby swimming in Acton with a full face of slap even I would look at you a bit funny.

I don't mention them in the video but two good waterproof eye liners are Collection 24hr Felt Tip Liner if you want a pen and Avon Supershock Gel liner if you prefer a pencil. I haven't taken either of these swimming. Links to all products under the video. And I did wear the Nudestix Magnetic Eye Colour Pencil swimming that day and it did stay on the whole time.



Make Up For Ever Aqua Cream (I'm wearing no 13 Warm Beige)
NYX Doll Eye Waterproof Mascara 
Make Up For Ever Full Cover concealer (I'm wearing 5)

Other products mentioned:
Clinique High Impact Waterproof Mascara
Nudestix Magnetic Eye Colour 
Collection 24hr Felt Tip Liner
Avon Supershock Gel Liner

Nudestix Magnestic Eye Colour - Quick Review - Friday Video

I really love these pencils (as you'll know if you've read my review). Here's them in action...

 Nudestix are available in the UK from Space NK and Cult Beauty and in the US from Nudestix

Face of the Day 4th August 2015 - Friday Video

There's quite a lot of baby and drilling in this video but it'll show you a quick look I've been doing for the past couple of weeks when I have had meetings but haven't had that much time to do my face...



Nudestix Magnetic Eye Colour in Angel
Liz Earle Signature Eye Colour in Bronze
NYX The Curve Eyeliner
Benefit Roller Lash
Eyeko Fat Brush Mascara
Dr Hauschka Tinted Day Cream 
Chantecaille Just Skin
Maybelline Better Skin Concealer
NYX Wonder Stick
NYX Sunkissed Radiant Finish Powder
Sleek Makeup Luminous Pressed Powder

Friday Video - July 2015 Favourites

Proof, if any was needed that tiredness makes you a little bonkers...


Nudestix Magnetic Eye Colour
Hand Chemistry Intense Youth Complex
NYX Wonder Stick
Emma Lomax Mini Make-up Bag 
Selfish Mother Mother Tee
Urban Decay Naked Palette

Nudestix Magnetic Eye Colour

Since trying this eye pencil I have been avoiding Space NK because if I go in there I will buy every single product from Nudestix that they have available. In fact I'm struggling to think of even one thing that I don't like about this eye pencil... I mean. I don't like the price but this, once again, proves you get what you pay for.

Regular readers (hello!) will know that I am a little bit obsessed with eye shadow pencils and my quest to find the perfect one led me to Nudestix Magnetic Eye Colour and, well this could be the perfect eye pencil. It's soft. Soft enough that if you drop it you will break it (thanks Libs) but not so soft that the pencil is going to break during application. It is the ideal consistency for using directly onto the eye lid and although I then blend with a brush, that's just my personal preference, you an use your finger or, for paler colours you technically don't need to blend at all. But I'm a make-up artist so I'm never going to advise not blending.

What's the most annoying thing about most eye shadow pencils? Sharpening. Well Nudestix have that covered by providing a sharpener in the amazing tin the pencil comes in which is itself reusable and has a mirror on the lid. Need a small make-up kit in your clutch? Use the Nudestix tin. Ace.

It's long lasting and great on it's own or as a base for powder shadows or blended with other creams. If you have oily lids then these are worth a try, they are waterproof with great colour payoff. I have Angel. I want Immortal next. Subtle, flattering colours to suit everyone.

And these are not the only string to the Nudestix bow... they do everything. Concealer, contour, bronzing, lip and cheek, blemishes, correcting. I want to try them all... and hopefully I will. When a newborn isn't nixing my spending.

What You Need to Know - Nudestix Magnetic Eye Colour

• £24 or US$24
• 8 colours
• Long lasting
• Suitable for everyone including oily skin
• Available in the UK from Cult Beauty, Look Fantastic, Space NK,
• Available in the US from Nudestix, Sephora,

Monday's Make-up Muse - Pink

Still from the 'True Love' video

As with Gwen Stefani, Pink's make-up I have loved since she first appeared on my radar in 2000. She has one of those faces that takes make-up well and a smokey eye looks fantastic on her. Her make-up style is similar to mine - more dramatic eyes with a nude lip so she's one person who a lot of the time I'll see her make-up for something and try and recreate it on myself. If you are on Instagram then follow Kathy Jeung (@kathyjeung) who often does Pink's make-up - her work is beautiful.

Whether she is wearing a smudgy, grungy liner with a slight smoke at the outer corner or being completely out there and creative as in the video for 'Try', Pink is not afraid to try out new things with make-up and can carry anything off - partly down to having awesome hair. It's really hard to find good make-up photos of her because quite often it's too far away (red carpet pics are often useless for seeing actual make-up) or she's pulling a face. The best place to see her make-up in action is in her videos which I suggest you go and do and get inspired.

Pink Make-up Must Haves

Eyes - always cat shaped and usually smoked at the edges. For high street then the Sleek Make-up I-Divine Palette in Storm is good though you may need to use a primer underneath I really like Nudestix Magnetic Eye Pencil in Angel with Liz Earle Signature Eye Colour in Bronze. I particularly like it lighter on the inner corners with bronzes and golds on the outer edge. My liner of choice at the moment is the Make Up For Ever Ink Liner or Inglot Gel Liner in 77. If you'd rather use a pencil then Smoulder from MAC is always a winner. For the mascara you will want something as black as possible Bobbi Brown's Smokey Eye Mascara would be great here or Benefit's Roller Lash.

Skin - Dewy and sculpted with minimal blush. MAC Face and Body would be a great foundation to go for or Dior Star Fluid and my favourite cream for sculpting is Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel or the House of Glam Dolls Glam Base Wheel. For concealer I really like Collection Lasting Perfection and Sleek Make-up Luminous Powder is good for keeping a bit of glow.

Lips - Usually nude though occasionally red. Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Pillow Talk or Pink Venus or MAC Lip Pencil in Whirl for the nudes and Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Crazy in Love is my go-to favourite for red tones. For nude lipsticks, well it's very personal, I like Chanel Rouge Coco in Teheran and Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick in Bitch Perfect.

Christmas Gift Ideas - What I'd Like

Initially this may seem like a strange category for a gift ideas post. However, I’ve tried really hard not to recommend anything that I haven’t tried myself make-up and skincare wise and there are a few other really specific things that I want that may click with you but I wouldn’t suggest as a gift for everyone, if that makes sense. So here are the things I haven't tried but want to with a few extra things thrown in.

Besame  - Besame has been available for a while in the UK but they are widening their distribution and they are a must for any fans of vintage make-up.

Apricot cream rouge – for use on lips, cheeks and eyes 

Violet Brightening powder – great if you are prone to redness or dark under the eyes 

Cashmere Powder Compact – this chunky compact is small enough to go in even a clutch and the powder in it is gorgeous  

CharlotteTilbury – god there’s a huge list of her products that I want (being allergic to her Magic Cream has in no way cooled my ardour) including her make-up bag (which I recommended for make-up lovers) but also (and not limited to!) the colour chameleon eyeshadow pencils (they do them to suit eye colour so this is a great make-up present to buy for someone as long as you know your eye colour - I would like bronzed garnet please) I’ve heard fantastic things about these pencils and finally her Lip Cheat in Pillowtalk

Birchbox – a great gift for someone who is a make-up and skincare fan (as long as they don’t already have this). The gift that gives month after month after month

Real Techniques Nic’s Pics – I love these brushes and have a lot of them in my personal and professional kit but I haven’t tried Nic’s pics and would love them (not just for their silver handles)

DrDennis Gross Alpha Beta Daily Face Peel wipes – I’ve never tried anything by Dr Dennis but Caroline Hirons raves about these so I feel I really must give them a go. This is very me specific but if you know someone who’s been banging on about acid toning etc this could be a go-er.

Orbie – so many products that I want to try from this hair care range that is so popular with celebrities and hairstylists and celebrity hairstylists once again including but not limited to...

Soft dry conditioning spray, Gold lust repair and restore conditioner, Gold Lust transformative masque, Maxmista, and the Dry Texturizing Spray.

 

L’Occitane Magic Key – a great stocking filler if you live with a handcream obsessive 

Sisley Black Rose Cream Mask – a real cult product now though very expensive 

Bobbi Brown Smokey Lash Mascara – this is the next mascara on my list. I can’t believe I’ve never tried a Bobbi Brown mascara

Origins - I'm a real sucker for Origins face creams and this is one I've yet to try.

NudeStix Magnetic Eye Colour Pencil – These are new and exclusive to Space NK in the UK. They look easy to use, long lasting and are suitable for those with oily lids. Angel, Twilight and Spirit look particularly gorgeous.

Pom Pom lights – I love fairy lights and all my moves over the years has depleted my supplies. I would love some plain yellow fairy lights for my kitchen but I’ve always yearned for some Pom Pom lights for my office if I ever have one worthy of them - nice pastel ones.

One Line a Day Five Year Diary – you’re either a diary writer or not. I am, or rather, I was but now I have a child I have let the diary writing lapse. But I love being able to look back and see what I was doing when. This diary means you just need one line a day