Coco and Chino's
Makeup | Skincare | Lifestyle
Beauty

Christmas Holidays Gift Guide – December 2023

WELCOME; to my annual Coco and Chino’s Christmas Holiday Gift Guide 2023! Here I will be going through in guide-form, my top holiday gift ideas for this holiday season. This years’ picks are from Too Faced, Benefit Cosmetics, DW Home Candles, Bath & Body Works and Laneige, covering a variety of beauty & home lifestyle categories. To take a look at what my selections are this year, just look below..

Products, Textures & Formula’s
– Limited Edition Too Faced Poptarts Brown Sugar Cinnamon Eye Shadow Palette 5.76g; with eight warm toned shades in a mixture of mattes, metallics, shimmers & satin finishes. The powders are all scented just like brown sugar cinnamon Poptarts! Housed in a bite-sized, sturdy thick cardboard palette with built-in mirror, it is perfect to take on-the-go with you on trips. The formula is a creamy buttery texture and the powders are extremely easy to blend out, especially the mattes, they’re like a one-swipe payoff. My own fave shade is the ‘Brown Sugar Cinnamon’ one, a beautiful gold shiny shimmer! Take a closer look below..

– Benefit Cosmetics Limited Edition Twinkle N’ Jingle Cheek & Highlighter Palette 18g; the three large full-sized pan palette features the highlighter powder in ‘Dandelion Twinkle’, which is a soft nude-pink tone that can be easily swept across the cheekbones and any other high points of the face. The shade ‘HoneyB Twinkle’ is a golden honey tone that can also be swept easily across the cheekbones and other high points of the face, and the beautiful popular blush shade in ‘Dandelion’, which is a baby pink brightening tone, can be swirled across the cheekbones and built up as desired. Take a closer look at it below..

– Bath & Body Works Peppermint Hot Chocolate Scented Triple Wick Candle 411g; this has to be one of the most delicious smelling candles! It is a triple-wick candle with the most delicious notes of sweet peppermint, silky milk chocolate, vanilla, sweet cream and a subtle hint of marshmallow. Infused with essential oils, with three lead-free wicks, and a stunning snowflake embossed decorative lid, the outer layer label features a textured mint green pattern of frosted snow on pine trees. It comes housed in a quality glass jar with 411 grams of wax, so it will last for the whole duration of your holiday season and then some.

– Laneige Limited Edition Lip Glowy Balm in Peppermint’ 10g; formulated with murumuru and shea butters to hydrate, soften and smooth the lips. It’s a glossy balm with a sheer tint, perfect for wearing alone to treat the lips or to prep them for lipstick application. The balm applies lovely on the lips and it doesn’t feel sticky at all. The formula really hydrates the lips and I find the hydration and smoothness lasts so long, longer than any other lip balm I’ve used. Take a closer look at it here..

– DW Home Candy Cane Lane Peppermint Mocha Candle 264g; scented just like a Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Frappuccino, this gorgeous smelling festive candle has notes of a delicious blend of black coffee beans, steeped in peppermint syrup & brewed into a decadent java. Housed in a candy cane designed glass cylinder jar and holding a net weight of 264 grams of wax product, the burn time is approximately 56hrs and has a single quality wick. It feels the room with the most delicious aroma and is perfect for the holiday season. If you enjoy a Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Frappuccino, then you will absolutely LOVE this one. Take a closer look below at all the details..

– Bath & Body Works Crushed Candy Cane Candle 198g; scented just like candy canes! Scented with notes of a blend of crunchy peppermint, white sugar crystals and frosted mint leaf. It features a twist lid with a twisted red and white peppermint decorative spiral on the top, and is infused with essential oils and a quality lead-free single wick. It comes housed in a quality glass jar and is filled with 198 gram of pink wax inside. It has Bath & Body Works own proprietary fragrance wax blend and would make the most perfect gift for the Christmas season. Take a look at it below..

Worldwide Prices & Availability
– LE Too Faced Poptarts Brown Sugar Cinnamon Eye Shadow Palette 5.76g;
Australia: $32.85 AUD
Available: online at eBay Australia.

USA: $27 USD
Available: in-store at Target and Ulta.

UK: £24.39 GBP
Available: online at eBay UK.

– LE Benefit Cosmetics Twinkle N’ Jingle Cheek & Highlighter Palette 18g;
Australia: $58.10 AUD (on sale) – $93 (at ASOS)
Available: online at Selfridges or at ASOS.

USA: $44 USD
Available: in-store at Benefit Cosmetics, Kohls, Feel Unique and Ulta.

UK: £44.50 GBP
Available: online at Cult Beauty, Look Fantastic and John Lewis.

– Bath & Body Works Peppermint Hot Chocolate Candle 411g;
Australia: $21.98 AUD
Available: in-store at Bath & Body Works Australia.

USA: $12.95 USD
Available: in-store at Bath & Body Works.

UK: £29.50 GBP
Available: online at eBay UK.

– Laneige Limited Edition Lip Glowy Balm in ‘Peppermint’ 10g;
Australia: $25 AUD
Available: in-store at Sephora Australia.

USA: $18 USD
Available: in-store at Sephora USA.

UK: £16 GBP
Available: online at Sephora UK.

– DW Home Candy Cane Lane Peppermint Mocha Candle 264g;
Australia: $12.99 – $26.69 AUD
Available: in-store at TK Maxx Australia or online at DW Home.

USA: $18 USD
Available: online at DW Home or in-store at TJ Maxx.

UK: £14.23 GBP
Available: online at DW Home or in-store at TJ Maxx UK.

– Bath & Body Works Crushed Candy Cane Candle 198g;
Australia: $36.95 AUD
Available: in-store at Bath & Body Works Australia.

USA: $5.95 – $19.50 USD
Available: online & in-store at Bath & Body Works USA.

UK: £22 – £32 GBP
Available: online at eBay UK.

Final Thoughts & Tips
– Limited Edition Too Faced Poptarts Brown Sugar Cinnamon Eye Shadow Palette 5.76g; I was instantly drawn to this eye palette due to the gorgeous warm neutral shades. Not only are the shades in Too Faced’s mini bite sized palettes in the Christmas releases really creamy and pigmented, but they smell delicious & it makes it fun applying them. They’re great to take away with you on trips or even in your purse for quick touch ups (if you have a small brush). It fits in well within the festive theme, too. See below photos for swatches of the entire eight palettes shades.

– Limited Edition Benefit Cosmetics Twinkle N’ Jingle Cheek & Highlighter Palette 18g; a trio of full pan sized highlighter and blush, all in a set that’s at a reduced cost. These pans last forever so the recipient will be set for quite the while, in terms of face palette application. It’s also the perfect gift for the makeup lover in your life as it features one of Benefit’s cult fave blushes, in ‘Dandelion’. I mean, it has its own Christmas theme, so it’s really meant to be!

– Limited Edition Laneige Lip Glowy Balm in ‘Peppermint’ 10g; if you love peppermint scent, you’ll love this! It is so refreshing and treats the lips with murumuru & shea butters for hydration, making the lips very smooth and softened. It would be another perfect gift idea for the beauty or skincare lover in your life, or even as a sneaky little gift for yourself. The price range on this is very reasonable and 10g of product can be a long way as you only need a small pea size drop of it and it will spread across both upper and bottom lip generously. It’s perfect for those gift ideas on a budget and for the hard-to-buy-for person that you may not be very familiar with what they like, etc.

– Bath & Body Works Peppermint Hot Chocolate Candle 411g; if you know somebody who loves hot chocolate or peppermint mocha’s, this is the candle for them! It smells like a delicious hot cup of cocoa chocolate and will bring in the beautiful Christmas vibes to any room. It has three quality wicks that are lead-free and lasts for so many hours in burn time. It will fill any room in the house with the gorgeous aroma. Definitely check this one out for the home decor lover in your life, or friend that just enjoys burning beautiful candles.

– DW Home Candy Cane Lane Peppermint Mocha 264g; if you your gift receiver enjoys Starbucks, but particularly the peppermint mocha frappuccino’s from there, they will LOVE this candle! It smells exactly like the creamy peppermint syrup that is in the Starbucks drink. It smells just like them and I crave a peppermint mocha frappuccino every time I smell it. I love that it fits right within the Christmas theme and it smells so delicious, it’s hard to resist burning it for hours at a time. It would suit the home decor lover in your life or the candle person that just loves delicious smelling scents. It is also decently priced so it fits within those on a budget doing their Christmas holiday shopping.

– Bath & Body Works Crushed Candy Cane Candle 198g; if your gift recipient loves candy canes, Christmas, candles or Bath & Body Works at all, they’re likely to really love this one. It smells exactly like candy canes crushed up with a creamy vanilla base, it is so delicious smelling. If you want to find a gift on a budget or don’t plan on spending an exuberant amount on a gift, this is the perfect one for you to choose. Especially for the home decor lover in your life, or the candle person, this one fits within the festive season and brings all the lovely sweet Christmas vibes, quite literally. It is a single wick candle and is infused with essential oils, per Bath & Body Works proprietary scented formulas. You can’t go wrong with this one, it’s destined to be a winner.

Disclaimer; all of the above featured products have been purchased with my own money and gathered for the purpose of this gift guide. All thoughts & opinions published here are my own.

Beauty

Benefit Cosmetics Primer, Brow Setter, Brow Pencil & Brow Brush Range – January 2023

Introducing some new arrivals from one of my all-time faves; Benefit Cosmetics. These goodies arrived recently to my desk and I took no time waiting to pop them in my makeup bag, I frequently use the 24-hr brow setter gel and have incorporated the Gimme Brow + Volumising Pencil into my makeup routine on some mornings. Featuring The POREfessional Lite Primer 7.5ml, 24-hr Brow Setter 3.5ml and the Gimme Brow + Volumising Pencil 1.9g and the Dual-Ended Angled Eyebrow Brush. Take a closer look at the products below..

Product, Packaging & Texture
– Benefit Cosmetics Gimme Brow + Volumising Pencil 1.9g; this is a newbie to the Benefit Cosmetics brow pencil range, it is a pointed-tip (like a regular sharpened pencil tip is), however this is a volumising brow pencil that enables you to not only outline, but also fill-in the brows. It is infused with fibres and powder; the first of its kind, with silk cotton tree fibres that adhere to the skin and hair to volumise and fill-in. Providing a natural look of texture and fullness to the brows, that is 12hr long wear, transfer proof, waterproof, weightless, mess-free and comes available in up to 11 shades!

– Benefit Cosmetics 24-hr Brow Setter 3.5ml; this formula is outstanding! It never leaves your brow hairs feeling stiff or crunchy, nor flakey. It can be used to shape, tame the brows, as well as locking in the makeup on the brows. It has 24-hr staying power, is quick to dry, sets each brow hair in the right place and the sturdy wand tip brush is so easy to use, to comb the setter throughout each part. The dual-ended applicator also evenly coats, too. You can even achieve a brow lamination look and a feathered look using it, too. So handy, right?!

– Benefit Cosmetics The POREfessional Lite Primer 7.5ml; this lite primer is 73% water based and has pore-minimising powders. It is lightweight, blends into a natural finish, blurs pores appearance and translucent on skin. It is also gentle, non-comedogenic, fragrance-free and feels breathable on the skin. It has a cooling sensation, that is refreshing as well. It can be easily applied using just your clean fingertips over your face, and worn either on its own or underneath a face full of makeup, you can do either with it as sometimes you may just like to blue pores for a no-makeup makeup day. The squeeze tube it is packaged in is colourful and pretty, and holds a total net weight of 7.5mls of product.

– Benefit Cosmetics Dual-Ended Angled Eyebrow Brush; a custom spool-brush that is firm, thin and angled to allow for a perfect defined application on the eyebrows. It is wonderful for applying pomades, powders and waxes! It blends seamlessly and allows to achieve a precise application with great definition. Perfect for getting the right edging and filling too. It features a silky synthetic fibre brush at a steep angle for controlled application. There is a grip near the barrel allows the user to hold it with complete control, making it extra easy to use.

Worldwide Prices & Availability
– Benefit Cosmetics Gimme Brow + Volumising Pencil 1.9g;
Australia: $48 AUD
Available: online and in-store at Sephora, Myer and online at Adore Beauty.

USA: $25 USD
Available: online at Benefit Cosmetics, in-store and online at Sephora and Ulta Beauty.

UK: £14.70 – 24.50 GBP (depends if on-sale)
Available: online and in-store at Benefit Cosmetics, Boots and Cult Beauty.

– Benefit Cosmetics The POREfessional Lite Primer 7.5ml;
Australia: $27 (7.5ml) – $60 (22ml) AUD
Available: online and in-store at Sephora, Myer and online at Adore Beauty.

USA: $14 (7.5ml) – $34 (22ml) USD
Available: online at Benefit Cosmetics, in-store and online at Sephora and Ulta Beauty.

UK: £12.50 (7.6ml) – £31 GBP
Available: online and in-store at Benefit Cosmetics, Boots, Cult Beauty and Mark & Spencer.

– Benefit Cosmetics 24-hr Brow Setter 3.5ml;
Australia: $27 (3.5ml) – $48 (7ml) AUD
Available: online and in-store at Sephora, Myer and online at Adore Beauty.

USA: $15 (3.5ml) – $26 (7ml) USD
Available: online at Benefit Cosmetics, in-store and online at Sephora and Ulta Beauty.

UK: £13.50 (3.5ml) – £24.50 (7ml) GBP
Available: online and in-store at Benefit Cosmetics, Boots and Cult Beauty.

– Benefit Cosmetics Dual-Ended Angled Eyebrow Brush;
Australia: $39 AUD
Available: online and in-store at Sephora, Myer and online at Adore Beauty.

USA: $18 USD
Available: online at Benefit Cosmetics, in-store and online at Sephora and Ulta Beauty.

UK: £17.50 GBP
Available: online and in-store at Benefit Cosmetics, Boots, Cult Beauty, Selfridges and Mark and Spencer.

My Thoughts & Impressions
– Benefit Cosmetics Primer, Brow Setter, Brow Pencil & Brush Range; my fave products of the four would have to be the 24-hr brow setter, the dual ended angled eyebrow brush and the gimme brow + volumising pencil. The 24-hr brow setter is a holy grail go-to of mine for any full or minimal makeup look! It never fails me, always does the trick, never feels crunchy or stiff, yet holds the brow hairs in place extremely well. The angled eyebrow brush is great for using with my foolproof brow powder, it gives a defined edge and filling. The gimme brow volumising pencil really does adhere natural looking fibres to the brow hairs, and it fills the brow in nicely, I use it when I’m in a hurry, its pretty quick & easy to apply. I would recommend these products to anybody. I like the lightweight feel of the lite primer when it is on, however I don’t wear primer too much as it is by personal preference to wear foundation without it so I don’t find myself getting as much use out of it. All the same, it is a nice texture and blends quite well. That concludes my blog post today, I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about the above Benefit Cosmetic products and learning about my experiences using them all. Thank you, have a great week ahead.

Disclaimer: the products featured in this blog post was kindly sent to me for consideration of a review. This post is not paid for and is not an ad-post. As always, all thoughts and opinions are honest, and are my own. All of the photos in this post were taken by myself and are copyrighted to me, they require permission from myself for any reuse or republishing.

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