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

Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Multi Glow Highlighter – July 2022

Introducing the new coveted Limited Edition highlighter from one of my faves, Charlotte Tilbury. This newbie has been out for just a few months and so many vendors have sold out so fast! It is a multi-glow highlighter that combines the effect of a liquid highlighter and a powerful powder in one, I have picked it up in the shade Romance Light and it’s been the most popular shade out of the two that were released. To find out why and see a lot more about this gem, including how I incorporate it into my rotation, just keep on reading below..

Products, Textures & Formulas
– Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Multi Glow Highlighter 7g; the highlighter comes in a round plastic compact with built-in mirror and 7g in net weight, the packaging is a gorgeous light pink mother of pearl specked cover and gold outer casing, the front cover on the lid has the iconic Charlotte Tilbury CT with the T inside the C, as you can see in the above photos. The formula is a combination of finely milled pearls that are light reflecting, smoothing polymers for a soft-focus finish, silky mica for a soft-glide application and rich emollient oil to widen the spread in applying and softening the finish. The texture is like a combo of a smooth liquid highlighter and a powerful powder in one. The highlighter product inside is embossed in such a stunning pin-quilted pattern that starts of light and goes toward the pink pearl finish, it is like an ombre effect going across the pan. The swatch is a gorgeous light pink pearlescent effortlessly swiped with subtle pink sparkles throughout.

Worldwide Prices & Availability
– Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Multi-Glow Highlighter 7g;
Australia: $61 AUD
Available: online & in-store at Harrods and possibly in-store at Mecca (‘Dream Light’ is still available online) and ‘Dream Light’ is also still available online at Charlotte Tilbury.

USA: $45 USD
Available: online at Charlotte Tilbury and Harrods (they ship internationally).

UK: £35 GBP
Available: online & in-store at Harrods, and ‘Dream Light’ is still available online at Selfridges and Cult Beauty.

My Thoughts & Impressions
– Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Multi Glow Highlighter 7g; I knew I wanted this highlighter as soon as I saw it previewed on trendmood, it looked so uber stunning! I adore the pin-quilted pattern on the top and the ombre effect of the colours as they go across the pan. I have always been a fan of Charlotte Tilbury since I first tried them about two years ago now. I just love her releases and this is another one for the books. It was released in a limited edition campaign, so I knew I had to be quick! It has since sold out in most vendors, however, Harrods ships worldwide and it is still available online at their website (as seen linked above under ‘worldwide prices & availability). The highlighter is so stunning and I think it would go well on many different skin-tones. I also felt like the net weight size is really generous too, it has a good depth in the pan and 7 grams of weight. I also couldn’t go past the packaging on the top of the compact, not only does it have a built-in mirror but it also has a pink mother of pearl flecks throughout the top face of the lid. The highlighter lasts so long on the skin as well, I have so far worn it for 6hrs max at a time and I never have to touch up. So it begs the question, would I repurchase?, yes! I most definitely would, however being realistic, it’s limited edition… so that may be hard, I think I may even get a back up now while it’s still available.

Disclaimer; the product featured in this post was personally purchased 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

Beauty

Bobbi Brown Luxe Defining Lipstick – May 2021

Bobbi Brown Luxe Defining Lipstick – May 2021

Introducing the brand new Luxe Defining Lipstick range from one of my top faves, Bobbi Brown! Bobbi Brown recently launched a new range of power pigmented lipsticks that are in pencil-tube form with a self-sharpening tip for defined and precise application. The launched range comes available in a multitude of shades, with the longevity of wear lasting hours with 12hr moisture! The shades range go from neutrals, to warm reds, to cool nudes. There is really something for everyone and I can tell already these babies are going to the top of my faves list quickly.


Product, Texture & Formula
– Bobbi Brown Luxe Defining Lipstick 6ml; the luxe defining lipsticks are formulated with carnauba wax, offers a creamy matte, power pigmented colour payoff that also nourishes the lips and has up to 12hr moisture. They have a lip-sculpting tip that self-sharpens within use, they can define a look or redesign one. They’re perfect for a exact application with defined edges and has the glide of a lipstick with the precision of a pen. The texture is so soft & creamy with a matte finish. The lipsticks come in 6ml size and last a very long time. The packaging is a slimline pen shaped, gold metallic case, with a clip-on lid and a twist up dispensary.


Worldwide Pricing & Availability
– Bobbi Brown Luxe Defining Lipstick 6ml;
Australia: $58 AUD
Available: online at Bobbi Brown Australia and Adore Beauty, and online & in-store at Myer, David Jones and Mecca.

USA: $34 USD
Available: online and in-store at Sephora, Nordstrom, Harrods and Look Fantastic.

UK: £29 GBP
Available: online and in-store at Bobbi Brown UK, Selfridges, Look Fantastic and Harrods UK.


My Thoughts & First Impressions
I firstly was drawn to the gorgeous packaging the lipsticks are encased in, the gorgeous metallic chrome tube and twist up dispensary is so easy to use and the texture of these babies are so creamy, smooth and matte. I love the intense colour payoff, there is complete opaque pigment from the one swipe glide of these! I love that the lipsticks tip is like that of a pencil and they self-sharpen within use, that is amazing! I love the easy twist up and the sturdy clip on lids, they’re perfect for taking traveling (when that can resume again) and have become a quick favourite in my go-to rotation. I am always excited about all of Bobbi Brown’s releases, I can’t stress enough the quality of their products.. they’re always top notch and perform fantastically.

Would I Restock?
That has to be a solid definite yes! I have fallen in love with this new release lipstick range from Bobbi Brown, the colour payoff is second to none and the smooth, creamy matte formula is so addictive! I love the way they feel on the lips, the comfortability and the hydration. They feel very nourishing and light while on, they also last for hours and hours. The range also comes in a variety of shades to suit everybody, from warm reds, to cool tone neutrals and in between. I love this release and I highly recommend checking out these gorgeous lippies!

Disclaimer; the products in this blog post were sent in to me for my consideration with no obligation to post, despite being gifted that does not alter my review in any way, all views and thoughts are honest and my own. This is a non-paid for blog post that I decided to publish on my own.

Fragrance

Holiday Gift Guide 2020 – Part Two

Holiday Gift Guide 2020 – Part Two

WELCOME; to part two of my annual Coco and Chino’s Christmas Holiday Gift Guide 2020! This part two edition of the guide features latest holiday releases from brands NARS, MAC Cosmetics and Maison Margiela, covering eyeshadow and fragrances for the beauty lovers and scent lovers in your life. I always get so excited for the releases at MECCA during the holiday season! Take the Limited Edition Afterglow & Orgasm Lip Gold Pouch set for instance, it was curated specifically for the holiday set. It features 12 gorgeous warm neutral tones combined with some vibrant shades too, I hadn’t had anything like this colour story in my collection so I had to have this. Let’s take a closer look at it with swatches included..


Products, Textures & Formula’s
– NARS Afterglow LE Eye Shadow Palette & Lip Gloss + Pouch Kit; 12 stunning warm neutral toned shades that range from warm to frosty pinks, warm burnt oranges and browns. It contains a variety of mattes, satin and metallic shimmers. So many looks can be created with this one. The powder is so easy to blend and the colour payoff is lovely. Not only that, the gold shiny makeup pouch is gorgeous and so smooth with a zipper. The lip gloss that comes included in the kit is in the shade ‘Orgasm’, one of NARS signature colours. It is non-sticky and is mostly transparent with a hint of the shade, so you can get away with wearing this one for everyday wear if you wanted to. Take a closer look at the kit and gloss below..

– MAC Cosmetics Grand Spectacle LE Eye Shadow Palette 2.4g; featuring a massive 25 shades in many finishes! The variety of colours is extended in this palette, going from reds, to silvers, to golds, to smokey hues, to matte browns and blue. This palette really stood out to me because of the extensive shade option it possesses and anyone who has used MAC shadows before, know that their shimmers are to die for! I couldn’t help myself with this, I HAD to have it! Each shade has a name to match the releases ‘holiday’ theme. Take a closer look at it below with swatches included..

– Maison Margiela LE Replica Memory Box Set 10x2ml; with a lovely assortment of scents to choose from, this limited edition holiday set is amazing value! Featuring 10 of their most popular fragrances, Replica is a trip down memory lane with familiar scents and moments of varying locations and periods. Be transported from the fireplace straight to springtime in a floral garden, this set has something for everyone. It also contains the famous jazz club and sailing day scents the design house is known for. Take a closer look below..

Worldwide Prices & Availability
– NARS Afterglow Eye Shadow Palette, Lip Gloss + Pouch;
Australia: $45 (on sale) – $90 AUD
Available: online and in-store at Mecca.

USA: $59 USD
Available: online and in-store at NARS Cosmetics and Sephora.

UK: £39.20 GBP
Available: online and in-store at Look Fantastic and Selfridges.

– MAC Cosmetics Grand Spectacle Eye Palette 2.4g;
Australia: $179 AUD
Available: online and in-store at MAC Cosmetics Australia.

USA: $75 USD
Available: online and in-store at HSN and QVC.

– Maison Margiela LE Replica Memory Box Set 10x2ml;
Australia: $65 AUD
Available: online & in-store at Mecca.

USA: $35 USD
Available: online and in-store at Sephora and Refinery 29.

UK: £32 GBP
Available: online & in-store at Selfridges and Feel Unique.


My Thoughts & First Impressions
– NARS LE Afterglow Eye Shadow Palette, Orgasm Lip Gloss & Pouch; I think this great value for money, not only do you get a full size eye shadow palette, and a full size golden smooth makeup pouch with zipper, but you get a mini lip gloss in ‘Orgasm’ shade as well. It is a perfect little holiday kit and at a massively reduced fraction of the normal full price. The lip gloss is non-sticky, has a nice hint of colour and feels hydrating on the lips. I haven’t tested length of wear yet but I will follow up on that in another post. The eyeshadow powders are very pigmented and deliver a very decent colour payoff.. I think the warm undertones and neutral colours are so pretty with pops of vibrant colour too. The pouch is a sleek, silky smooth plastic zip-up one and is a lovely metallic gold colour.

– MAC Cosmetics LE Grand Spectacle Eye Palette 2.4g; I was initially drawn to this by the variety of sharp colours it features and the gorgeous shimmers! I have always wanted a palette that offers a bold red, blue and silver with a nice champagne gold and copper shade as well, and this is EXACTLY that! It is everything I want in a palette. I’m so glad I picked it up as it sold out very quickly, as was expected. MAC shadows, particularly shimmer shades, are very pigmented and deliver a nice intense cover. I can picture many looks I can create with this one and I look forward to posting further content on this beauty.

– Maison Margiela LE Memory Box Set 10x2ml; this is the first time I have ever tried the Maison Margiela fragrances and I thought this set was the perfect introduction. As soon as I saw it and the very generous pricing it had at MECCA, I was determined to pick it up in my holiday purchases. It encapsulates the very popular and familiar scents from their line and the 2ml size is perfect to try-out. I always love getting mini sizes of new-to-me ranges so I can determine whether I would end up eventually buying the full size if I love them as much to do so. Another reason I love holiday season, for all the mini sets and kits to try new brands. I think my faves so far from this set have to be the Springtime in the Park, Beach Walk, Under The Lemon Trees and of course, By The Fireplace. The entire selection is a lovely pickings and I’m very glad I managed to snap this up! Stay tuned for a in-depth review on some of my selected favourites from this set.

That is all for now in this part two of my holiday gift guide, I thank you for reading and I hope you picked up some handy recommendations for gifts to give others or to treat yourself. But I would be quick if you can, these limited edition releases don’t last long, especially online. Have you picked up any of the above products for yourself? Disclaimer; all of the products featured in this post were bought with my own money and all opinions & thoughts are my own.

Beauty

Jo Malone London: Peony & Blush Suede – August 2020

Jo Malone London: Peony & Blush Suede – August 2020

Introducing one of my favourite fragrance scents from the popular Jo Malone London. This is the first fragrance that I ever tried from JML and I am hooked! It is such a stunning mixture of notes and it’s clear to see why it is one of the top sold scents from the range. If you haven’t already tested out this one and you get a chance to, I highly recommend it. In this blog post, I wished to talk about the finer details of this beauty, including the note range, inspiration behind it, all the way down to the packaging.


Let’s begin talking about the notes, starting with the top down to the base. There is a lovely floral section that is so soft and pretty, the select flowers are perfect together. There are so many things I love about this fragrance, and yes, I am already planning on a back up. My current bottle (one seen in this blog post) is now only half full, it is my go-to and I wear it everywhere.

Top; crisp red apple
Middle; jasmine, peonies in fresh bloom, carnation, gillyflower and rose
Base; luxurious blush suede

It’s that type of fragrance that has to be smelt in person to truly understand how delightful the mix of these notes are. The blend is stunning and spectacular! There is a reason this fragrance has 215 reviews for 5 stars, it is such a gorgeous one that will be forever loved I feel. Let’s start talking about the other finer details.

Product & Packaging
– Jo Malone London Peony & Blush Suede 50ml; the fragrance is housed in a clear, smooth glass 50ml bottle with a beige cream bordered labelling on the front. The font is black text clearly written with the title at the in the centre. The lid is a shiny silver round knob with an embossed edge design, it is absolutely stunning and the simplicity of this design is perfect. It is a spray spritz cologne, so the silver top has a nozzle it easily can be pressed and sprayed out of. I love the secure lid that clicks as it goes on and it’s quite perfect to take traveling with as well. I find the 50ml is a great size as it’s not too heavy or bulky, as the 100ml can be sometimes, depending on your situation. The product is made in England and ‘Jo Malone London’ the brand also originates from the UK, as you can tell in the title ‘London’.


Worldwide Prices & Availability
– Jo Malone London Peony & Blush Suede 50ml;
Australia: $106 AUD – 30ml, $145 AUD – 50ml and $212 AUD – 100ml
Available: online and in-store at Jo Malone Australia, Myer, Mecca and David Jones.

USA: $74 USD – 30ml, $144 USD – 100ml
Available: online & in-store at Jo Malone USA, Sephora USA and Nordstrom.

UK: £50 GBP – 30ml, £70 GBP – 50ml, £100 GBP – 100ml
Available: online and in-store at Jo Malone London UK, Selfridges, Look Fantastic, John Lewis and Harrods.


My Thoughts & Review
I am in love with this fragrance and I will forever buy it. It is stunning, absolute perfection, I’m the kind that enjoys floral scents as long as it’s subdued and not too strong and this is that. It blends out so perfectly but has a lovely musk after scent that lasts all day/night long. It is such a beautiful concoction of notes and it’s easily been one of Jo Malone London‘s top selling fragrances over the past few years. I am SO glad I discovered it and it’s the first scent from them I had ever tried, as I mentioned above earlier. Now there is three Jo Malone fragrances in my collection and I’ll update you in an upcoming post which other scents I have since added to my dresser. Would I repurchase? – without any doubt! I have already started planning to get a backup for when my current one runs out. It is THAT good and it’s fast become my top favourite fragrance out of all fragrances and it’s my go-to, I wear it everywhere. I hope you have found this blog review insightful and if you were ever curious about this one, I highly recommend checking it out, you might be able to get a sample from one of the David Jones or Myer counters, or even at Mecca too.

Disclaimer; all products mentioned and featured in this blog post were purchased with my own money, and all thoughts and opinions are my own, as always.

Where to next?