A Christmas Philosophy

        

Well we are now 16 sleeps from Christmas. If you are anything like me you will have most people sorted but there are a few people that are so hard to buy for that you have put it off to the last minute and now there is a bit of panicking going on.
Chill people! Easy in this weather I know lol I actually meant that I have found a few products that may just be your saviour and there is still time to order them.
If you are looking for a cheeky, quirky but still a high quality gift look no further than Philosophy!
Turn your head this way and you will find things that people love, will do them good and they will not blame you for those extra pounds in the New year.

 I have heard some one from Philosophy say that they try and make their gift products 'Bow and Go' and I think they have managed it with this one. Why on earth would you want to put wrapping over this beautiful Christmassy box?
Any way back to the product... The lucky person in your life who you decide to give this to will be getting a massive 16floz of Golden, citrus smelling body wash,bubble bath and even hair wash.
The warm golden gel smells like oranges. The cool thing is its a deep, warm and relaxing smell rather than the sharp and refreshing smell that you would find in gels for the summer months. On looking at the bottle I just want to light a load of candles in the bathroom, run this under hot water and lie, submerged in the bath till Christmas eve is here. Why not be naughty and buy one for yourself?... I won't tell Santa

If you have friends out there that you buy for as a couple why not try and get them in a romantic mood for the Christmas season and buy them a bath and body product as a joint gift?
I think that this box looks really cute!
Once you lift the roof off and open the doors of this little house you will find two 8floz bottles of Bath and shower gel. One is a slightly shimmering, lightly spiced yet fresh bottle called Gingerbread Girl and the other is a more masculine smelling, little heavier on the ginger Gingerbread man.
These smell so cosy! As most of the country has been hit by true Christmas weather of late this set should bring forth the need for pampering.
You can of course use them as shower/bath gel. They are so moisturising and you get a load of soft cocooning bubbles on your shower puff.Needless to say you feel clean and relaxed after use.
Here is an idea though, if you or your friends are spending Christmas as a couple this year why not start Christmas eve off with a deep filled bath filled with Spicy smelling bubbles...to share. You may even be lucky enough to use the other set on Christmas day.
Great as a gift or to keep for yourself.


You can get The Gingerbread house set for £16.50 at www.selfridges.com
The Glow and go set retail for between £13 and £15 website details to follow

Getting fruity!

Having never really bought high end shower gels because I tend to get through bottles and bottles of the stuff , I never thought them to be worth the money for me. I was then given some shower gel and body lotion to try from Philosophy. I have used Philosophy products before and they fast became favourites especially Purity cleanser.The shower gel I have been getting fresh with is a new addition to the range and has the fruity name of Wild Blackberry Blossom.

This violet coloured gel smells gorgeous! The smell is very fruity but it is so much more grown up than that! More like a perfume it has top, middle and base notes. To say that this smells like ripe, juicy blackberries is a given really, but it also has a warming smell-I can't really put my finger on but I think it may be Liquorish. I have been using it as a bubble bath and a body wash and the great thing is you only have to use a very small amount for both. The amount of bubbles you get with this is amazing, you would have to pour out half a bottle of supermarket gel to get the same amount.If it takes your fancy you can layer it and use it as a shampoo as well.

My bottle of this is still very full even though I use it every day so It is value for money and now I have been eyeing up the other versions and will be starting a collection!

Body cream
I never skip putting on body lotion so I like to have a few to choose from. I have been using another Philosophy lotion in Pure Grace as it keeps you smelling clean all day and I also have the perfume.

This time it was a fruity lotion- Raspberries and cream. Yes it smells as good as it sounds, infact I bet if you put some in a bowl people would eat it!
This is a creamy lotion that I found sank in to my skin in seconds so no waiting around for it to dry. The smell lasts all day but never mingles with my perfume. I also love how soft my skin feels all day

The good news is it comes in a shower gel too! My wish list is growing by the second lol
These products from Philosophy certainly gave me my beauty junkie fix.

Get yours @ http://www.qvcuk.com/ and http://www.hqhair.com/ and in good department stores
products start at £13

Recently I have started to become addicted to finding the perfect eye cream. I ran out of my old one and my eyes started to really feel it. For some reason I have always been religious about eye creams and I remember trying my first one at 12! I think it has served me well as approaching 30, at what seems to be lightening speed I don't seem to have a sign of any wrinkles coming through.....yet and I hope it stays that way. One thing that I do have to battle though is dark circles. Not just a bit of discolouration but full on circles that on a bad day make me look either really ill or like I have been in a fight and my eyes lost! My search for a concealer to mask this is in its 15th year. I have tried however to help my eyes along with a good eye cream and now I am adding anti aging in to the mix.

There are adverts every where shouting out claims of light reflecting particles and caffeine to wake up and freshen the look of eyes and even the introduction of roller ball applicators.

Over the past few months I have tested quite a few eye creams so I thought that I would share with you my BEST list.

Philosophy Eye believe.

This is a product that works on the eyes and around the lip area. Not only does the tube look cute, which Philosophy products always do, but it delivers anti aging power into even deep wrinkles.

This gel is a hard working peptide gel (Peptides are handy things that help to increase collagen in the skin therefore plumping it up and smoothing out those life lines) that will instantly smooth fine lines and wrinkles whilst still working through out the day. The formula that they have created means that you can also use it around the lip area where lines might have started to appear especially if you are a smoker.

Philosophy also say that this balm like lotion can lighten up under eye circles.

I will admit that I don’t always follow the rules with eye creams in that I don’t just pat it around the eye area I also like to tap a small amount over the eye lids as well as mine can get dry. With this product I had no problem and was able to do so with no stinging and it didn’t make my eyes water. The feeling of this balm is like velvet when applied to the skin and this helped two fold, it allowed more massaging time I'm not saying that it takes ages to sink in it just allows a few more seconds to pamper your eyes, and it creates a great base for eye make up.

Although I was not using this product so much for the anti aging aspects I could still feel a difference to my skin once applied, it felt smoother so I feel that if your are trying to stop those lines this would do the job very well. As for the lightening … I saw a small improvement on the under eye area but for me this is great as some times there can be no difference. I think if you only had mild dark circles this could work a treat!

One last bonus is the tube is a decent size so it will last you a while.

RRP £22.50

LIZ Earle

Another eye cream that I have tried and to be honest has become a permanent feature in my make up draw is Liz Earle daily eye repair.

This lives up to all its claims and promises and at the end of the day is not that expensive for a botanical multi feature eye cream. As usual Liz has packed loads of botanical ingredients in to this little tube, with the main botanical ingredients being Borage oil and Echinacea. The texture of this is a cream but you can actually see the little light reflecting particles in it at it is coming out of the tube. It does not have any smell to it so for people who don’t like strong smelling lotions this one will be fine for you.

The cream goes on smoothly and does not sting. I can see my dark circles get lighter once I have put it on due to the light reflecting particles, as to whether it has made a overall difference I am not that sure to be honest. It certainly moisturises my eyes and I have not suffered from the painful cracked eyelids that can sometimes plague me. The cream does not rub off like some I have tried, some tend to sit on the skin rather than sink in. I find that even with daily usage the cream lasts for quite a while so I don’t mind paying the £13 tag. It also comes with SPF10 so even if you have no wrinkles yet it is a good product to use to protect your eye area from wrinkles actually developing because of the sun.

Now staying with Liz Earle they have brought out a super charged Eye cream for those who are already seeing the wrinkles and lines.

Super Skin eye and lip treatment actually tackles the lines and wrinkles rather than just trying to prevent them. It comes from their permanent Super Skin line that is well known for extra moisture benefits. It is specially formed for the older skins, troubled dry skins or even for you out there who have been beach bunnies and your skin is now not looking as plump as it was. Super skin is a powerful serum that is packed with a potent yet gentle blend of powerful botanics. It is rich in Omega 3 GLA and antioxidants so they will work their magic deep down.

Even though I don’t fit into this category I could not resist giving this a try as I thought if the eye dryness ever came back this sounded like a perfect and tbh more attractive plan than slathering petroleum jelly all over my eyes. It leaves skin so so smooth and it looks more even. I found that I needed less cover up over the top of my lids after using this. With it being a serum it is fab to pat in. You can also use it round the lip area so during winter or summer when skin gets punished or if you are suffering from self consciousness in that area, this is great to pop in your bag and carry round with you. We all know that if you put lip balm round your mouth you would look a bit daft, with this no problem as it sinks in….job done, lipstick on good to go.

RRP £25

Soap and Glory Super eyes

Soap and glory have tackled face care with the same retro cuteness of the bath and body line but don’t go thinking this means any less thought or science has gone in to the end result of their products.

Super eyes comes in the same, instantly recognizable packaging the brand is known for but I tell ya this little pot is some thing else!

Wowza this gel gives immediate results. It is a moisturising gel that packs a punch.

It has Swift lift technology that you will find no where else to tighten the eye area and create a smoother contour, so under your make up the skin looks youthful and smooth. Don’t worry though, you won’t have to give up on moisturised lids for this result as this gel has de-puffing caffeine in it to work at making you look awake along with Aloe Vera to input that all important moisture, there is no point having results if your skin is going to suffer for it.

I gave this to a friend to test for me as she is always complaining about her eye area and was even obsessing over getting Botox!!!!! I was horrified at the thought and have managed to keep her away…..with the help of Super eyes.

The reports she has come back with are glowing…..and I have seen her and she can blink lol and still looks human but a fresher one!

She said that her skin is feeling less slack around her eyes and her make up goes on better and does not drift towards creases. She uses it morning and night and you can see a difference. Her skin is evening out and looks less dry as it is not as moisture thirsty.

She said she will be buying it again and has asked for it for Christmas and the best news is she has forgotten about the B word.

RRP £8

L’Occitane

Shea Butter Ultra Rich Eye Balm is the must have for people who have dryness issues round the eye area. It contains 5% Shea butter so is one of the most moisture packed eye creams out there. This eye cream treats dehydration but because of its whipped texture it sinks into the skin, feels cool and is not hard work to use. You feel relief from any tight feeling whether it be from washing your face if you prefer to use soap or even dryness that can be caused by illness or medication. You only need to use a teeny tiny amount so this pot is going to last ages.

I prefer to use this as my night time eye crème as I know that when I wake up my lids will be soft but for those who need that bit extra use it day and night and it will give you the best nourishment for the eyes. We are told to use night crème well make sure your eyes get taken care of too.

Being a girly girl the pot looks gorgeous on the nightstand as it is glass and has a very French look to it…..but then again it is from a French brand!

RRP £22.50

One little extra one for some one looking for wrinkle filling

Vichy LiftActiv Retinol HA Eyes

This cream is packed with science and has helping hands including Pro-retinol A and Hyaluronic acid.

It has a pressure point applicator to help dispense the correct amount. It is serious stuff and works on 3 types of wrinkles round the eyes, the permanent deeper noticeable grooves that you need to bring out the big guns for. You get all this action within this pot but it is still light weight and helps reflect the light awayd from under eye circles or pigmentation problems.

RRP £20

You can find these products by pointing your mouse at the following links

http://uk.lizearle.com

http://uk.loccitane.com

http://www.boots.com/

and www.QVC.co.uk

It would be great to hear if you try any of these products and what you think or if you think you have another eye product fitting for the halls of fame!

See ya (no pun intended)