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.

Laneige Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Range – June 2022

Introducing a hydrating duo from Laneige; this is by far my fave holy grail moisturising cream and the serum is also quickly becoming a go-to as well. A little bit of history; I have loved Laneige for three years now and started off my Laneige discovery journey with their famous Multi Deep-Clean Cleanser, which I really thoroughly enjoy. Of course it was only natural to want to check out their further released products, including their Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic range, the cream moisturiser and serum. I first tried the original moisture cream and absolutely loved it, I have now used it for the last two years. Fast forward to now, Laneige have reformulated their water bank line and it was a must that I checked this new one out, and this time I’m checking out the serum too. Throughout this blog we’re going to go through the moisture cream and take a closer look at their new water bank blue hyaluronic serum, let’s jump into it..

Products, Textures & Formulas
– Laneige Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Cream Moisturiser 50ml; the blue hyaluronic moisturising cream from Laneige is formulated with squalane for hydration, low-molecular blue hyaluronic acid, which is fermented with clean deep sea algae, beta glucan to help soothe skin and lactobacillus ferment lysate to repair the skin barrier & enhance the elasticity. The texture of the moisturising cream is a soft, fluffy, silky smooth white cream that absorbs extremely well into skin. There is a slight mild fragrance which is really pleasant and kind of fades away a while after application. It comes housed in a solid plastic, smooth, light pastel blue tub with a net weight 50ml of product. It also comes with a solid thick apricot colour spatula for distributing it out of the tub onto your fingers/hand for application. The lid (which you can see below) is a high depth screw with inner layer for tight concealment, it is very sturdy and works well to seal the product tightly for storage. It is to be used in both the AM and the PM after cleansing and toning. Take a closer look below, and check out the cream’s texture..

– Laneige Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Serum 50ml; the blue hyaluronic serum is formulated with low-molecular blue hyaluronic acid fermented with clean deep sea algae, peptide to maintain the natural moisture barrier, beta glucan to soothe skin, lactobacillus ferment lysate to repair the skin barrier and improve elasticity, and squalane to lock in hydration. It has a silky smooth viscous texture and absorbs extremely well into skin, almost like it melts into skin. The serum comes housed in a solid plastic, tall & slim 50ml net weight, pump action bottle, and it has a light pastel blue colour with a apricot coloured pump-press action dispenser on top. It twists shut with the pump press coming down to seal it, and there is a light on the other side which goes red when the bottle is empty & you need a replacement. Take a much closer look at the serum & it’s texture below..

Worldwide Prices & Availability
Laneige Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Moisturiser Cream 50ml & Serum 50ml;
Australia: $58 – $63 AUD
Available: online & in-store at Sephora AUS and online at Adore Beauty.

USA: $40 – $45 USD
Available: online at Laneige USA and Sephora USA.

UK: £32.50 – £35 GBP
Available: online & in-store at Selfridges, online at Cult Beauty and Look Fantastic.

My Thoughts & Impressions
– Laneige Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Moisturiser Cream 50ml; a little background info, I first tried the water bank moisturising cream around two years ago and absolutely loved it, I have used it since and when I recently saw that Laneige were relaunching it with a revised formula, I knew I HAD to try it out. So as soon as it released, I put my order in at Sephora and picked up the moisturiser cream and the serum (the serum is new-to-me). And, let’s just say I am a very happy customer who has now has even more hydrated skin! I’ve been using it for five weeks now and I love it! Let’s go through my fave things about this moisturising cream: I love how long the hydration lasts after even just one application, it really does lock-in the hydration like it says it does. I also love that a little goes a long way and the tub lasts so long. The cream absorbs into the skin so well and without any sticky feeling afterwards, it also smooths the skin instantly. My dry skin loves this cream and I see myself using it forever. Repurchase? 100% yes! I will continue restocking this and using it every season, if you have dry skin (particularly in Winter, like me) then I highly recommend this gorgeous moisturising cream.

– Laneige Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Serum 50ml; the water bank serum is a new-to-me serum, it is one I just started trying five weeks ago and I am so impressed with how smooth it makes my skin instantly after application. It makes my skin feel supple, soft and look a little clearer as well. My number one fave things about it, is how hydrated my skin feels with each use and how supple it makes it feel. It has a silky smooth viscous texture, which feels so nice between the tips of your fingers, I always use circular motions to apply both the cream & serum, and it works so well. If you have normal to dry skin that needs extra hydration in winter or during any season, this is a perfect choice. I am extremely impressed with both of these products, I already want to try the exfoliating toner from the same line, so expect that to be included in my next post about this range – which has fast become my go-to in skincare. Repurchase? another big YES! I really love the silky feel of it and how it instantly smooths my skin. I will most definitely be restocking this one as well.

Disclaimer; the two products from Laneige in this post were bought by myself and this post is a non-paid for, non-sponsored post. And as always, all thoughts and opinions are honest and my own. All photos in this post were taken by myself and are copyrighted, they require permission from myself for any reuse or republishing.

Sephora Member’s Sale Haul – May 2022

Introducing my recent Sephora haul from the Sephora Member’s Sale in May 2022! Featuring Fenty Skin, Laneige, Murad and Makeup By Mario. I had not tried Fenty Skin yet so I figured this sale opportunity was a great way to finally try it out, so I selected the travel size set. The Laneige duo set is a cute way to try their new Cica Sleeping Mask and I already enjoy the Cream Skin Toner & Moisturiser so it was a great bargain pick up. I also picked up another two lipsticks from Makeup By Mario, I got another ultra suede matte lipstick in shade ‘Alicia’ and picked up my first ultra suede cozy lip creme in ‘Nude Suede’. I used my reward points to get the Murad clarifying oil-free water gel.

Products, Textures & Formula’s
– Fenty Skin Start’r Set; Total Cleans’r 45ml, Fat Water Toner 50ml, Hydra Vizor Moisturizer 30ml & Butta Drop Whipped Oil Body Cream 8ml; the cleanser is a soft light beige-pink cream that has a recognisable cherry-coconut scent (reminds me of the scent of the Carmex lip treatments), it lathers fast on the skin and feels light, it is infused with Ginkgo Biloba extract, it is creamy and soft on the skin, it also claims to be a makeup, dirt, excess oil remover, it comes in a light pastel purple 45ml tube (also available in the full 145ml size). The toner is housed in a orange-translucent 50ml (also available in a full 150ml size) plastic bottle, the consistency is a non-sticky, clear, thickened gel-like, toner-serum hybrid, that absorbs kind of fast into the barrier of your skin, it has a recognisable scent of lemon-vanilla with a hint of Barbados cherry, it is infused with Australian lemon myrtle and niacinamide – known to pore-refine, it also contains witch hazel. The hydra vizor spf 30 moisturizer comes in a 30ml hardened frosted plastic bottle and is dispensed with a pump action lid & spout, it is a more light-medium pink cream moisturizer that absorbs well, the fragrance in this one is a very distinctive cherry scent with a twist of citrus & melon, its pleasant but a tad stronger in this moisturizer than the previous two products mentioned above here (they now have a fragrance-free version available). It is infused with kalahari melon – an antioxidant rich extract that hydrates the skin, niacinamide – a pore-refining vitamin B3 that reduces uneven skin-tone and diminishes dullness. The butta drop whipped oil body cream is infused with shea butter, mango butter and seven luxe oils; jojoba, sunflower, baobab, rice bran, coconut, and sorrel, it also contains Barbados Cherry extract which is full of vitamin C. It comes in a 200ml and 75ml plastic tub (or 8ml sample sachet) and won the Allure Best of Beauty award in 2021, it has a scent of tropical flowers but the aroma fades after a while, the consistency is very thick, soft, buttery and instantly smooths the skin.

– Laneige Cream Skin Toner & Moisturizer 50ml & Cica Sleeping Mask 15ml; the cream skin toner and moisturizer comes in a frosted clear plastic 50ml bottle with a round spout on top, it is infused with white leaf tea water, meadowfoam seed oil and glycerin – which locks in moisture. It is formulated to soften and intensely moisturize, it acts as a 2-in-1 hybrid, softening the skin like a toner and hydrating like a moisturizer. It is for normal to dry skin. The cica sleeping mask is a soft creamy texture that is super light on your skin, it is infused with tea tree leaf oil, cypress leaf extract, cica forest yeast – designed to strengthen the skin barrier, panthenol and squalane – to hydrate and brighten. It works while you sleep, a little goes a long way, so only apply a little and smooth out across your face, rinsing off any residue the next morning, revealing brighter, fresh, softer skin. It comes housed in a medium forest green 15ml (or full size 60ml) plastic tub with screw off lid.

– Murad Clarifying Oil-Free Water Gel 5ml; the oil-free water gel moisturizer is formulated with Korean red pine leaf extract that helps support healthier-looking skin, ginger root extract which reduces skin roughness, smooths and reduces uneven skin tone, and hyaluronic acid which hydrates, comforts and nourishes the skin. It comes in a white plastic tube 5ml sample bottle (also available in a full 50ml size) with a pump action dispenser and clear plastic clip-in lid, it has a blue foreground behind the title font. It’s to be applied in the morning and night, it can be used on the face, neck and chest. The consistency is a light weighted watered gel that is non-greasy and has a very light blue hue. It instantly smooths and softens the skin. This water gel contains an innovative technology that disrupts bacteria’s communication and disallow it to form a group, preventing it from imbalancing the skin barrier.

– Makeup By Mario Ultra Suede Matte Lipstick in ‘Alicia’ 4g & Ultra Suede Cozy Lip Creme in ‘Nude Suede’ 3.2ml; the ultra suede matte lipstick in ‘Alicia’ is a warm classic red with a yellow undertone, its texture is a creamy smooth ultra suede matte that is infused with passionfruit seed oil, rosehip oil, carnauba wax, and kaolin. It comes available in 20 shades and is housed in a frosted smooth white plastic bullet with magnetic clip lid to seal shut when not in use, it has the title emblazoned in black font and comes in a product net weight of 4g, which is quite larger than most classic bullet lipsticks. The ultra suede cozy lip creme is formulated with passionfruit seed oil, kaolin and has a creamy soft mousse texture that glides easily onto lips. It comes packaged in a frosted black plastic tube with a applicator wand lid, fitted with a soft thick doe-foot for comfortable application, the lid twists and clicks shut tightly. The finish is a soft, matte creamy texture where one layer does the job.

Worldwide Prices & Availability
Fenty Skin Start’r Refresh Travel Size Skincare Set;
Australia: $60 AUD
Available: online and in-store at Sephora Australia.

USA: $43 USD
Available: online and in-store at Sephora USA and Fenty Skin,

UK: £32 – £45 GBP
Available: online at Fenty Skin and at Boots UK.

Makeup By Mario Ultra Suede Matte Lipstick 4g & Ultra Suede Cozy Lip Creme 3.2ml;
Australia: $37 – $42 AUD
Available: online and in-store at Sephora Australia and online at Makeup By Mario.
Hint – it’s $5 cheaper to buy at Sephora Australia.

USA: $24 USD
Available: online and in-store at Sephora USA and online at Makeup By Mario.

UK: £25 GBP
Available: online at Makeup By Mario.

Murad Clarifying Oil-Free Water Gel 5ml (50ml full size);
Australia: $75 AUD (for 50ml)
Available: online and in-store at Sephora Australia, also online at Murad Australia and Adore Beauty.

USA: $46 USD (for 50ml)
Available: online at Murad USA, also online and in-store at Sephora USA and Ulta.

UK: £39 GBP (for 48ml)
Available: online at Murad UK, Cult Beauty, John Lewis, Space NK, Feel Unique, Look Fantastic and Selfridges.

Laneige Cream Skin Toner & Moisturizer 50ml & Cica Sleeping Mask 15ml;
Australia: $28 AUD
Available: in-store at Sephora Australia and online at Adore Beauty.

USA: $27 – $34 USD (sold separately)
Available: online and in-store at Sephora USA.

UK: £19 – £29 GBP
Available: online at Cult Beauty and Beauty Bay.

My Thoughts & Impressions
– Fenty Skin Start’r Refresh Travel Size Skincare Set; lets start with the Total Cleans’r; it is a silky smooth and creamy-gel texture, feels slightly viscous, it lathers nicely and is both water and oil based, it has a light pink/beige appearance and has a very mild fragrance that is really pleasant. I would say it smells like Barbados cherries and vanilla, it comes in a light pastel lavender purple tube of 45ml in net weight. It cleanses makeup off quite well and removes dirt, leaving a smoother and softer face. I personally need to double cleanse (using this & another separate cleanser) if I’m removing makeup and cleansing my face in my skincare routine, however if I’m wearing no makeup, I can get away with one application cleanse using this. Repurchase? It is a nice cleanser but I think I have others I like more that are already out there. Maybe if I was just travelling I would stay buying the travel size. Onto the Fat Water toner; it is a thicker texture between a serum and a toner, it is very silky smooth and tones the skin quite well. I love the scent personally, it is similar to the cleanser, it has a mild vanilla-cherry scent and I enjoy how it makes me skin look & feel after each use. It comes in a clear bottle with orange hue and a light pastel purple screw on lid, in a 50ml size. Repurchase? Yes, I would repurchase this one, and probably the full size too. Hydra Vizor; this is a creamy soft texture and has a light pink appearance. This one is scented and it smells slightly stronger than the other products in this set, it is just like Barbados cherries. It blends into the skin nicely, a little goes a long way too. It is SPF 15 and comes in a light lavender pastel purple pump action bottle with 30ml of product. It is truly an invisible moisturiser, it blends out clear and does not feel sticky or oily. I enjoy the way it makes my skin feel but I feel like I have other moisturisers I love maybe a little more. Repurchase? I probably wouldn’t, just because I already have other moisturisers that have a higher SPF rating that have no scent. Butta Drop Whipped Oil Body Cream; this is so lush and softening, I enjoy the suppleness and softness it provides my skin, it has a lovely tropical scent with hints of Barbados cherry and vanilla, as well as coconut, I found the scent mild and not too strong. The shea butter and jojoba oil in this is amazing, I found it blended into my skin nicely and always hydrated it. Repurchase? Yes, I would repurchase this body cream, it is truly beautiful! So my fave picks from this set are definitely the Fat Water toner serum and the Butta Drop Whipped Oil Body Cream.

– Makeup By Mario Ultra Suede Matte Lipstick in ‘Alicia’ & Ultra Suede Cozy Lip Creme in ‘Nude Suede; I adore the ultra suede matte formula lipstick, it glides onto the lips so smoothly and is highly pigmented. I enjoy how long they wear for too, I would love to get another colour in this range. It comes in a matte frosted white metal classic bullet tube that twists up and has a magnetic lid that clips shut, it also has a generous 4g net weight of product. Repurchase? yes, I definitely would! I’m ready to pick up some more colours too. Onto the ultra suede cozy lip creme; it’s very velvety smooth and matte, it lasts a long time on the lips and I enjoy the coverage it gives with just one coat. Repurchase? definitely! I would love to pick up some other colours in this formula as well.

– Murad Clarifying Oil-Free Water Gel; this has to be one of my favourites from this haul! It has a lovely silky smooth gel texture that easily absorbs into the skin and blends into it nicely, it instantly feels moisturising and softens my skin. I think it cleared my face up well and fast, I really enjoy using this. Repurchase? yes indeed! I definitely would and I would in fact buy the larger size, it’s that good. I think it would be great for all skin types as well.

– Laneige Cream Skin Toner & Moisturizer & Cica Sleeping Mask; the cream skin toner & moisturiser is so good! I love the results Im getting from this toner, it softens my skin, makes it feel hydrated and it looks clearer. I enjoy using this and my skin seems to love it too. Repurchase? yes, I would indeed! Onto the Cica Sleeping Mask; this was a product I was so interested in trying as I had seen so many good reviews of it. I’ve only used this twice so far so I can’t really do a full review yet but the two times I did use it, I loved how supple and soft my face felt the next day. I feel like a little bit goes a long way so you don’t need to put too much of a coating of it over your skin, you want it to really sink in. Repurchase? I’m undecided, I like it but not sure if I would get so much use out of it to warrant a repurchase.

That concludes my full post review of all the products in my latest Sephora Members Sale haul. I hope you have enjoyed reading and learning more about the featured products that I picked up in my recent shopping haul, and I hope I’ve helped you select which ones you too, would be interested in trying out, and where you can find them. As always, I try to be as thorough as I can. A lot of consumers have mentioned the fragrances in the Fenty Skin range and I actually like a tad of fragrance in my products as long as they’re not causing sensitivity to my skin or become overbearing and I feel Fenty Skin’s are totally fine and mild (with exception to the Hydra Vizor). I’m forever a fan of Murad and Laneige, they never fail to impress me. And Makeup By Mario is a brand I have only recently discovered and I am absolutely loving! I will also mention that his range of shades and tones are very smart and inclusive, they’re also very natural and suit lots of skin tones. I love that about a brand. Stay tuned for my next post coming up about the gorgeous Galen authentic leather makeup bag from Turkey and a post on the new Laneige Blue Hyaluronic Water skincare range.

Disclaimer: all the products featured in this blog post were fully purchased by myself from the Sephora Member’s Sale and all thoughts and impressions mentioned are my honest opinions of the products at hand. This post is not sponsored and not paid for.

Holiday Gift Guide 2020 – Part One

WELCOME; to part one of my annual Coco and Chino’s Christmas Holiday Gift Guide 2020! This part one edition of the guide features latest holiday releases from brands Tatcha, Too Faced and Laneige, covering skincare and makeup for the beauty lovers in your life. I always get so excited for the Christmas releases, and I would love to share what is included in this first part of the guide.


Products, Textures and Formula
LE Too Faced Salted Caramel Eyeshadow Palette; features eight shades in a mixture of mattes and shimmers. The shades range from warm tones to dark ones, the matte formula is nicely pigmented and the shimmers are a silky kind that are also decently pigmented. There is a nice light matte cream shade that can be used as a base. The shade names are, T-B & L-R: ‘Oooey Gooey’ – a vanilla cream slightly transparent, great for priming, ‘Golden Sugar’ – a warm shimmery copper brown, ‘Drizzle It’ – a vivid mid-tone matte orange, ‘Caramel Apple’ – a coral brown/red matte, ‘Butter Me Up’ – a shimmery golden medium brown, ‘Soft and Chewy’ – a mustard matte orange, ‘Toffee’ – a shimmery pink with silver shift and ‘Make Me Melt’ – a deep matte brown.

LE Tatcha Pore-Perfecting and Protecting Set; features The Deep Cleanse 50ml, The Water Cream 10ml, The Liquid Silk Canvas 10g and The Kissu Lip Mask 5g. The Deep Cleanse is formulated with an oil-free gel cleanser with natural exfoliants and clarifying extracts from the Japanese Luffa fruit that gently lifts impurities, unclogs pores and the balances the skin moisture for a healthy-looking glow. The Water Cream is formulated with Japanese wild rose to smooth skin texture and works to visibly tighten pores. It also features Japanese leopard lily which reduces oil production, calms problematic skin and promotes turnover of the skin. The Liquid Silk Canvas is formulated with silk extract fibroin, the inner part of silk that nourishes skin into lustrous and healthy condition, and includes sericin; the outer part of silk which closely parallels the amino acid structure of human skin to hold in essential moisture and minimises flaking and dryness. The silk powder adds a pore-blurring element and helps makeup to apply smoothly and absorb excess oil. The Kissu Lip Mask contains peach extract to soften and smooth, squalane richly moisturises and improves the skin barrier function and it also includes camellia oil with vitamins, oleic acid and nourishing omegas 3, 6 & 9.

Laneige Hydration-To-Go Kit For Normal to Dry Skin featuring 5 piece Gift Set; Moisturising Cream Cleanser 30ml, Water Bank Hydro Essence 10ml, Water Bank Moisture Cream 10ml, Water Sleeping Mask 15ml and the Lip Sleeping Mask 3g. The Moisturising Cream Cleanser is a cream formulated with plant-derived natural oils to hydrate the skin while it gentle cleanses. The Water Bank Hydro Essence uses a ‘water splash’ formula serum that pops moisture into the skin as soon as its applied. It uses the Green Mineral Water thats extracted via Laneige’s patented Ocean Brew Method, creating a dewy glow for skin. The Water Bank Moisture Cream is also formulated with the unique blend of Green Mineral Water, in addition to vegetable extracts from brussel sprouts, artichoke leaves and lima beans, forming a protective barrier and providing soothing hydration to leave the skin looking radiant and feeling hydrated. The Water Sleeping Mask is an overnight mask that is formulated with evening primrose and apricot extract, and contains the Sleep-Tox technology that purifies skin during sleep. Patented Moisture Wrap helps the skin to retain moisture throughout the night and the Sleepscent which is specially developed for the Water Sleeping Mask as an AmorePacific original, allowing skin to relax and rest during sleep, which boosts it to regenerate. The Lip Sleeping Mask is formulated with strawberry, raspberry, cranberry, arabica coffee bean, blueberry, quinoa seed extracts, shea butter, candelilla wax and carnauba wax.      

Worldwide Prices & Availability
LE Too Faced Salted Caramel Eyeshadow Palette;
Australia: $39.95 AUD – $41.00 AUD
Available: online at MyQT, and only in-store and subject to stock as it’s LE, at Mecca.
USA: $20.00 USD – $27.00 USD
Available: online at Amazon, and only in-store subject to stock as it’s LE, at Sephora.
UK: £22.00 GBP
Available: only in-store and subject to limited stock as it’s LE, at Selfridges, John Lewis, Debenhams, Look Fantastic.

LE Tatcha Pore Perfecting & Protecting Set;
Australia: $84.00 AUD
Available: in-store only and subject to limited stock as it’s LE, at Mecca.

USA: $68.00 USD
Available: only online at Yorkdale.

UK: Unfortunately it has sold out most places. Some items are available separately on London Loves Beauty and Amazon UK.

Laneige Hydration-To-Go For Normal To Dry Skin Kit;
Australia: $36.00 AUD
Available: online and in-store at Sephora and Adore Beauty.

USA: $29.00 USD
Available: online and in-store at Laneige and Sephora.

UK: £18.50 GBP
Available: the exact kit isn’t available in the UK but there is a Hydration kit and it is available at Selfridges.


My Thoughts & Reviews
LE Too Faced Salted Caramel Eyeshadow Palette; the powders in this palette blend quite nicely and have very little fall out which I really liked. Each shade is pigmented well and even the cream matte is decently pigmented, perfectly used as a primer underneath or to shape the brow bone. The scented powder really does smell just like salted caramel and is quite delicious, it isn’t too strong and it’s quite nice to smell as I apply the shades. I love the mini size tin case the palette is packaged in, it is very handy to take traveling, and I am enjoying the combination of the colours.

LE Tatcha Pore Perfecting & Protecting Set; I feel like this is the perfect set to try out if you’re new to the brand and especially if you have dry skin. With your face, lips, under eyes and prep for makeup all taken care of in this kit, you can’t really go wrong. The Water Cream is an all-time fave of mine, it is so hydrating, soft, fast absorbing and never leaves the skin feeling oily or dried out. Highly recommend this set or ones like it from Tatcha.

Laneige Hydration-To-Go For Normal to Dry Skin Kit; this k-beauty skincare brand is fast becoming my favourite skincare brand! The water-based formulas is a science my skin is absolutely loving. I really enjoy the water bank moisture cream, it is soft, buttery in texture and always soaks so easily into my skin, leaving it feeling hydrated and soft each application, the magic is that it lasts so long! If you follow my page on Instagram, you’ll know that I’m a huge fan of the multi deep cleanser, well this kit has a terrific moisturising cleanser as well and it always leaves my face feeling so supple. If you have normal-to-dry skin, I highly recommend this.


Thank you for reading and checking out my part one of the Coco and Chino’s Holiday Gift Guide 2020. Stay tuned for another part to the guide and a further post on these featured products for a more in-depth look.