Introducing Galen Leather Co! A gorgeous family business local to Instanbul, Turkey, who handcraft quality stationery and leather goods. One of their gorgeous items is the Lunar Makeup & Toiletry Bag, which I was ever so lucky to receive and try out, it fits so many of my favourite makeup products in it and the quality is amazing! First off, lets start off with a bit of a backstory. Galen Leather Co’s Story; it all started when female founder Zeynep was sadly diagnosed with Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma (a rare type of head and neck cancer) and was told treatment would leave her without the ability to speak for a year, so having to find a job that would allow her to continue working but without speech, Zeynep started selling samples of leather and vintage kilims online where she only had to email customers to correspond with them. So along with her brother Yusuf, and her husband Yunus, Zeynep continued selling the samples and it was going terrific. The sales were mounting up, it was getting harder to keep up with the demand, and their vendor was starting to be unable to keep up. So with a few new ideas on how to change the issues, Zeynep and Yusuf started taking classes and learning how to craft their own leather pieces, they began creating new goods, with the work being laser cut and hand stitched, everything was taking off nicely.
In 2015, they relaunched their online store and began partnerships with shipping companies to start doing international orders. This saw them expand the list of products they handmade and a little while later, Zeynep returned to good health and got her voice back. Things were great for three years until sadly, Zeynep passed away in July 2019. Zeynep is survived by her husband Yunus, son Cagan and brother Yusuf, who have lovingly carried on the family business. So needless to say, I am very proud to have discovered them and their story. Take a look at the gorgeous lunar makeup bag I have that is un-dyed and simply perfect quality, as well as the gorgeous turkish coffee, earl grey tea, Nazar evil eye charm bracelet and fresh towelette from all the way in Instanbul, Turkey…
Galen Leather Co Lunar Makeup Bag & More
Galen Leather Co Lunar Makeup Bag
Galen Leather Co Lunar Makeup Bag
Galen Leather Co Lunar Makeup Bag
Product & Texture – Galen Leather Co Lunar Makeup & Toiletry Un-dyed Leather Bag; made of 100% genuine vegetable tanned leather, un-dyed with a very natural colour, this makeup bag is brilliant! The quality is so great, its very sturdy and features YKK zippers, a large internal elastic pouch, two smaller sized elastic pouches and one zippered pocket for extra storage space. It’s perfect for carrying foundation bottles, lipsticks, eyeliner, mascara and all your other cosmetic items, whether you’re applying makeup on-the-go, are travelling around, or are a MUA doing clients. It is a size 9.6″ x 5.5″ x 2.5″/24.5cm x 14cm x 6.5cm, so it has a lot of room! It is hand stitched with waxed polyamide threading so it lasts a very long time. I enjoy taking it with me on trips, it’s so useful for storing your most-used products too, even on top of your makeup dresser.
My Thoughts & Impressions – Galen Leather Co Lunar Makeup & Toiletry Un-dyed Leather Bag; I really enjoy how big this bag is and how much can be fit in there. The quality is so terrific and I can definitely see the genuine 100% leather lasting a long time. I like how many items it fits at one time and how sturdy the zipper and pouches are. You can see a lot of love goes into making these hand-made products from Galen Leather Co. I enjoy taking this one on trips with me, I can put my Charlotte Tilbury foundation in it, my MAC lipsticks and Makeup By Mario lipsticks too, as well as my Benefit Cosmetics eyebrow pencils and the Wander Beauty mascara, it all still zips up perfectly, too. It’s also very useful to be used as a toiletry bad or skincare, it can really be used for many purposes. I also am proud to feature a product that is from a company that was founded by a female and all the work she did to get the business off the ground, along with her dedicated brother and husband, so I am very proud to be supporting Galen Leather Co and in honour of Zeynep. I highly recommend taking a look at their website as they also make stationary goods and have a huge variety in their extensive range.
Disclaimer; the product featured in this post was kindly gifted to me with no obligation to post. This post is a non-paid for, non-ad post and is posted simply because I wished to. 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.
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..
Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Multi Glow Highlighter 7g
Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Multi Glow Highlighter 7g
Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Multi Glow Highlighter 7g
Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Multi Glow Highlighter 7g
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.
Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Multi-Glow Highlighter 7g
Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Multi-Glow Highlighter 7g
Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Multi Glow Highlighter 7g
Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Multi Glow Highlighter 7g
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.
UK: £35 GBP Available: online & in-store at Harrods, and ‘Dream Light’ is still available online at Selfridges and Cult Beauty.
Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Multi-Glow Highlighter 7g
Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Multi-Glow Highlighter 7g
Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Multi-Glow Highlighter 7g
Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Multi-Glow Highlighter 7g
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
Introducing my recent Charlotte Tilbury purchase of the Beautiful Skin Sun-Kissed Glow Bronzer in the shade ‘Fair’. It’s a release I previewed and couldn’t resist picking up when it came out. In what is a truly unique formula, this is fast becoming a fave bronzer for many! It has a lovely neutral undertone that would suit a lot of skin tones, it comes available in four different shades as well. Here is an in-depth look at it, with swatches included, let’s get into it..
Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Sun-Kissed Glow Bronzer 21g
Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Sun-Kissed Glow Bronzer 21g
Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Sun-Kissed Glow Bronzer 21g
Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Sun-Kissed Glow Bronzer 21g
Product, Texture & Formula – Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Sun-Kissed Glow Bronzer 21g; this gorgeous bronzer comes in a gold chrome plastic compact with built-in mirror and has a maroon pattern over the top lid, it is a net weight of 21 grams which is a lot of product for a bronzer. It is formulated with hyaluronic acid to lock in moisture and hydrate the skin, sunshine provitamin D3 that converts to vitamin D when exposed directly to sunlight for an even sun-kissed glow, finely milled pearls to reflect light and illuminate the skin, elastomer polymer which glides over the skin for a second-skin feel, soft-focussing silica for a smooth appearance and feel of the skin, helping to reduce wrinkles and fine lines, film-forming resin that acts as a magic shield to seal in the skincare benefits, to improve the look of skin instantly and over time, it also has silky polymers for a flawless, even coverage of the face and body. That is also a great point to make; this bronzer is designed for the body as well as the face, meaning you can use it to contour or glow any part you wish to. It comes available in four different sun-filled day shades: Fair, Medium, Tan and Deep. One was sold every 30 seconds on release day! It is largely sold out online now worldwide but I am hearing some stores in Singapore have it and it’s still available in three shades (Fair is unfortunately sold out at the moment) online at Charlotte Tilbury’s website. To take a much closer look at it, check out the swatch and close-up shots below..
Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Sun-Kissed Glow Bronzer 21g
Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Sun-Kissed Glow Bronzer 21g
Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Sun-Kissed Glow Bronzer 21g
Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Sun-Kissed Glow Bronzer 21g
Worldwide Prices & Availability –Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Sun-Kissed Glow Bronzer 21g; Australia: $75 AUD Available: online at Charlotte Tilbury.
Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Sun-Kissed Glow Bronzer 21g
Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Sun-Kissed Glow Bronzer 21g Credit: Charlotte Tilbury
Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Sun-Kissed Glow Bronzer 21g Credit: Charlotte Tilbury
Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Sun-Kissed Glow Bronzer 21g Credit: Charlotte Tilbury
My Thoughts & Impressions – Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Sun-Kissed Glow Bronzer 21g; firstly I think I have never felt a texture quite like this one before, it’s so unique that it is just like a cream and powder rolled into one.. their filmstar duo is very smooth & creamy but this bronzer is a tad bit more smooth. I put it to the polymer, soft-focussing silica and film-forming resin.. never seen anything like it before. The way it blends on to the skin is amazing, it is effortlessly applied.. it just glides on so silky smooth. I have worn it for 6hrs with no issues, so it goes quite the distance in wear. I haven’t tested it beyond that timeframe because frankly, I don’t wear makeup for more than around 6-8 hrs at any given time, which I dare say is the norm for most people who wear makeup. I love the really neutral undertone that this one has, it would suit a lot of varying skin tones, and each shade available would have the neutral undertone I would think. One thing to mention; a little bit goes a long way! So you only need to work with a light-hand and start off with less and work your way up to achieve your acquired look. If you love smooth creamy makeup looks, this is perfection for that exact result. In terms of ‘glowing’ skin, I feel like in a way of contouring and emphasising your high points of your face, this does it perfectly however it may not be the ‘glowing’ you might think it is referring to, but that may differ for everyone. I feel like it does reflect light but I haven’t tested it out on photos yet, I shall do that and update you. Repurchase? oh 100% yes! It ticks a lot of boxes when it comes to my personal bronzer and contouring acquired results I want to achieve. It’s a definite yes! The biggest thing I love about this new release is two things, the formula; it is stunning and so silky smooth. secondly the size; it’s so BIG and will last a long time, and I feel the price is reflective of this and is quite reasonable for the net weight, plus the packaging with built-in mirror.
Disclaimer: this product was purchased by myself with my own money, it is not sponsored in any way and not paid for. It is a product I’ve chosen to post about and feature on my platforms.
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.
Sephora Members Sale Haul feat. Fenty Skin, Laneige, Murad, Makeup By Mario
Sephora Members Sale Haul feat. Fenty Skin, Laneige, Murad, Makeup By Mario
Makeup By Mario Ultra Suede Cozy Lip Creme in 'Nude Suede'
Fenty Skin Fat Water Toner Serum
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.
Fenty Skin Total Cleans'r 45ml
Fenty Skin Hydra Vizor SPF 15 30ml
Fenty Skin Fat Water Pore Refining Toner Serum 50ml
Fenty Skin Butta Drop Whipped Oil Body Cream 8m
– 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.
Laneige Cream Skin Toner & Moisturizer 50ml
Laneige Cica Sleeping Mask 15ml
Laneige Cica Sleeping Mask 15ml
Laneige Cream Skin Toner & Moisturizer 50ml
– 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.
Murad Clarifying Oil Free Water Gel 8ml
Murad Clarifying Oil Free Water Gel 5ml
Murad Clarifying Oil Free Water Gel 5ml
Murad Clarifying Oil Free Water Gel 5ml
– 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.
Makeup By Mario Ultra Suede Cozy Lip Creme in 'Nude Suede' 3.2ml
Makeup By Mario Ultra Suede Cozy Lip Creme in 'Nude Suede' 3.2ml
Makeup By Mario Ultra Suede Cozy Lip Creme in 'Nude Suede' 3.2ml
Makeup By Mario Ultra Suede Matte Lipstick in 'Alicia' 4g
–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.
–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.
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.
WELCOME; to my annual Coco and Chino’sChristmas Holiday Gift Guide 2021! Here I will be going through in guide-form, my top holiday gift picks for this holiday season. This years’ picks are from Too Faced, Hourglass, Cerave and Lanolips, covering a wide variety of beauty categories. To take a look at what my selections are this year, just look below..
Products, Textures & Formula’s – Limited Edition Too Faced Christmas Coffee Eye Shadow Palette 6.7g; with eight tasty shades that is sure to warm you up on a cool night, it will get you through the winter months and you can create a multitude of looks with this bite-sized eye shadow palette. With a mixture of mattes and shimmers, it gives you the perfect balance and all shades are nicely pigmented. From top-to-bottom and left-to-right, the shade names are titled: ‘Kool Whip‘ – a light warm cream matte, ‘Warm Me Up‘ – a soft caramel-brown matte, ‘Cinnamon Chai‘ – a deep red-brown terracotta, ‘Holly Sh*t‘ – sparkling forest-green shimmer, ‘Brew-tiful Day‘ – peach-pink matte, ‘Slow Roasted‘ – rustic copper metallic, ‘Candy Cane Latte‘ – cranberry-red metallic and ‘Christmas Coffee‘ – a rich deep brown matte. This size palette is also ideal for taking on trips and touching up on a night out, etc. Take a closer look below..
LE Too Faced Christmas Coffee Eyeshadow Palette 6.6g
LE Too Faced Christmas Coffee Eyeshadow Palette 6.6g
LE Too Faced Christmas Coffee Eyeshadow Palette 6.6g
LE Too Faced Christmas Coffee Eyeshadow Palette 6.6g
– Cerave Hydrating Cream-to-Foam Cleanser 236ml; perfect for normal-to-dry skin and people with sensitive skin, this cleanser is infused with hyaluronic acid for ultimate hydration, it has an amino acid based surfactant that lathers into a gentle foam and easily removes oil, makeup, dirt and any SPF residue from the skin. It also includes ceramides to maintain the skin’s barrier, and their own patented MVE technology that continually releases moisturising ingredients overtime for 24hrs. It can also be used on hands, body as well as the face. It’s quite easy to use, just massage gentle into lukewarm wet skin before rinsing well. It is soap-free, paraben-free, non-comedogenic, fragrance-free and pH balanced. To check out some photos of the cleanser and texture of the cream, take a look below..
Cerave Cream-to-Foam Cleanser 236ml
Cerave Cream-to-Foam Cleanser 236ml
Cerave Cream-to-Foam Cleanser 236ml
Cerave Cream-to-Foam Cleanser 236ml
– Limited Edition Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Universe Face Palette 5.4g; the new annual Ambient Lighting Edit face palette for 2021 is here! Featuring four brand new shades of blush, bronzer and highlighter are limited edition and create the most flattering light source for looks and photography. The powders create such a beautiful celestial glow, they’re all hand-made in Italy and are such universal shades that they would suit most skin tones. The photoluminescent technology allows the powders to capture, diffuse and soften surrounding light to help blur imperfections and refine the skin’s appearance. The two ambient strobe lighting blush shades are: ‘Vibrant Heat‘ – a very vibrant soft mid pink and ‘Luminous Rose‘ – a softened plum. The ambient lighting bronzer shade is titled ‘Glistening Bronze Light‘ – a golden bronze. The ambient strobe lighting powder is titled ‘Supernatural Strobe Light‘ – a soft champagne. And the larger pan powder is the ‘Ambient Lighting Infinity Powder‘ which is a combination of three acclaimed shades of ambient powders: ‘Diffused Light‘, ‘Dim Light‘ and ‘Hypnotic Strobe Light‘. To get a much closer look at the fantastic face palette, check out the packaging photos below..
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Universe Face Palette 5.4g
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Universe Face Palette 5.4g
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Universe Face Palette 5.4g
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Universe Face Palette 5.4g
– Limited Edition Too Faced Cinnamon Bun Longwear Melting Matte Lipstick 7ml; a brand new holiday shade in Too Faced’s melted matte lipstick formula, ‘Cinnamon Bun‘, which is a gorgeous universal shade described as a moderately-warm toned brown matte. It is infused with vitamin E, avocado oil with hyaluronic filling spheres that smooth the lip lines upon application. It coats the lips with a true pigment of colour that lasts for hours and is quite comfortable to wear. This particular shade is limited edition and a part of Too Faced’s 2021 holiday collection. To see up-close shots and lip wear swatches, take a look below..
LE Too Faced Cinnamon Bun Longwear Matte Liquid Lipstick 7ml
LE Too Faced Cinnamon Bun Longwear Matte Liquid Lipstick 7ml
LE Too Faced Cinnamon Bun Longwear Matte Liquid Lipstick 7ml
LE Too Faced Cinnamon Bun Longwear Matte Liquid Lipstick 7ml
– Limited Edition Too Faced ‘You’re So Hot’ Hot Cocoa Bronzer & Lipgloss Set 8.5g 5.2ml; a new smooth and silky bronzer in a limited edition shade ‘Hot Cocoa‘ with the most cutest packaging we may have ever seen, the embossed design on the surface of the bronzer in pan has a smiley face resembling hot froffing coffee with whipped cream nested on top and is also scented just like the decadent treat of hot cocoa, the perfect treat on a cold winter’s day. The tone of the bronzer is definitely on the lighter side, it would be ideal for fair or light skin tones. The lipgloss is in the lip injection power plumping formula and is in shade ‘Christmas Cocoa‘. It is scented just like chocolate cake or a chocolate candy bar, it is a very pleasing brown tone which is universally flattering on most skin tones. It delivers a gorgeous high shine upon wear and is quite glossy. The make up pouch that the set comes in is a cute light pink colour with little mugs of hot froffy coffee with whipped cream on top, there is also sparkly marshmallows on the front and back in pattern form and the iconic gold love heart handle zipper is on the top edge. I think the size is around 5×7 which is wonderful as it can fit quite a bit of product inside, which would be fantastic to take on trips. On the back it says ‘Too Faced’ and on the front it has ‘You’re So Hot’ emblazoned in font. Take a quick look at the close-up details and lip wear shade swatches of both via the pictures below..
LE Too Faced You're So Hot Hot Cocoa Bronzer & Lipgloss Kit
LE Too Faced You're So Hot Hot Cocoa Bronzer & Lipgloss Kit
LE Too Faced You're So Hot Hot Cocoa Bronzer & Lipgloss Kit
LE Too Faced You're So Hot Hot Cocoa Bronzer & Lipgloss Kit
– Limited Edition Lanolips x Messina 101 Ointment Multi-Balm Salted Coconut x Mango Gelato 10g; touted as the Australian summer dreams collaboration, is the iconic 101 ointment balm from Lanolips crossed over with another iconic Aussie fave, Messina’s sorbet salted coconut gelato flavour. Using coconut oil, mango fruit extract and vitamin E to create an all-around good vibes boost of hydration for your skin. It uses pure grade Australian Lanolin, which mimics the skin’s own oils and leaves it perfectly hydrated. It is not just for your lips either, it can also be used all over the body on your skin and that is why it’s multi-purpose. It tasted and smells absolutely delicious! If you’d like to see texture shots, up-close photos of the packaging just keep scrolling below..
Limited Edition Lanolips x Messina 101 Ointment Multi-Balm Salted Coconut x Mango Gelato 10g
Limited Edition Lanolips x Messina 101 Ointment Multi-Balm Salted Coconut x Mango Gelato 10g
Limited Edition Lanolips x Messina 101 Ointment Multi-Balm Salted Coconut x Mango Gelato 10g
Limited Edition Lanolips x Messina 101 Ointment Multi-Balm Salted Coconut x Mango Gelato 10g
Worldwide Prices & Availability –LE Too Faced Christmas Coffee Eyeshadow Palette 6.7g; Australia: $38 AUD Available: online and in-store at Mecca.
LE Too Faced Christmas Coffee Eyeshadow Palette 6.6g
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Universe Face Palette 5.4g
Cerave Cream-to-Foam Cleanser 236ml
LE Too Faced Cinnamon Bun Longwear Matte Liquid Lipstick 7ml
My Thoughts & First Impressions – Limited Edition Too Faced Christmas Coffee Eyeshadow Palette 6.7g; what drew me to this palette was the gorgeous cranberry red and the forest green shimmer shades, they’re so Christmassy and after watching Youtube reviews with swatches from it, thats when I decided I wanted to get it. I always look forward to the Too Faced christmas holiday releases and usually there is always a palette I end up loving. Sometimes in some of the Too Faced holiday eyeshadow palette releases (like the ones in sets), the shades can be a bit chalky and hard to layer, however I find with their bite-sized palettes that the pigmentation is much better quality and that is why I tend to pick up those instead. And at $38 AUD, it’s a great pick to get 8 mixed formula shades and the packaging is so nice.
– Cerave Hydrating Cream-to-Foam Cleanser 236ml; I’m always on the hunt for cleansers and skincare products that are suited to dry skin and this is where Cerave come in, they have a nice range of products suited to all skin types and their formulas are always without any nasty ingredients. I had tried their hydrating cleanser for the last two years and absolutely love it, so when the cream-to-foam release came out, I hopped on the trial train straight away. During a sale at the Chemist Warehouse I picked up my bottle and I have loved it since first try. It is decently priced and suits my skin so well.
– Limited Edition Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Universe Face Palette 5.4g; this is the big winner for me this year. Amongst all of the other palette releases from all other brands, including MAC, this Hourglass interested me the most and the packaging is just simply divine. It is so stunning! I have owned a ambient lighting edit palette beforehand and it was the white marble packaged one from 2016 or so, and when I saw this one I fell in love right away. The fact it is limited edition also helped budge me to pick it up, as they can sell out pretty fast. I love how long these palettes last and the pans are such decent sizes too.
– Limited Edition Too Faced Cinnamon Bun Longwear Melted Matte Lipstick 7ml; I was drawn to this shade right away because it is a universally flattering nude that would suit most skin tones. It is a mid-brown matte with a cool mauve undertone and it smells just like freshly-baked cinnamon rolls. I love earth toned nudes and if it’s in the brown category, I always find the cool tones suit me as unfortunately warm tones never do, they look muddy on me and wash me out. I am a fan of the Too Faced’s melted matte lipstick formula, they’re usually very comfy upon wear and they last so long too. I’m waiting to receive mine that I purchased this year so I will further update when I have it and have worn it.
– Limited Edition Too Faced You’re So Hot Hot Cocoa Bronzer & Lipgloss Set 8.5g 5.2ml; what I loved about this bronzer set is that the bronzer shade looks perfect tone for my skin, I also enjoy the cute pouch and the lip injection gloss shade is another nice earth neutral nude tone, which would compliment most skin tones as well. The gloss is very sparkly and looks like it goes on very smoothly. And not only is the packaging so cute but the products are both scented like hot cocoa.
– Limited Edition Lanolips x Messina 101 Ointment Multi-Balm Salted Coconut & Mango Gelato 10g; this smells so delicious and is your iconic 101 ointment from the fave Lanolips. Infused with Messina’s popular salted coconut sorbet, this balm makes you want to eat it! It is so nourishing and it is such a fun collaboration between two Australian faves. Released at a perfect time right before the summer season in Australia. I don’t think you can go wrong with this pick up at all.
That wraps up my holiday gift guide for 2021! I hope you have enjoyed learning more about the featured products in my guided round up for Christmas gifting and have found the perfect selection, or even as a gift for yourself. I am embarking on starting my Christmas shopping and I hope to be finished early this year. I hope you have all been safe and well throughout this year, and I hope you all have a lovely Christmas season with your families and loved ones. I’m going pretty big with decorations this year so I’ll try to include some photo’s of that in my posts.
Disclaimer; all of the above featured products have been purchased with my own money and all thoughts & opinions published here are my own.
