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.

Bath & Body Works Christmas Collection Range – December 2022

Introducing the new additions to my Bath & Body Works collection. I love that they do a line specifically for Christmas and when I saw a Youtube video from Leah Janae about the collection at Bath & Body Works, I had to grab a few of the holiday items to try for myself. I’ve always loved any sort of Christmas scents and this range from Bath & Body Works was perfect to try out some classic ones. Let’s take a look at the items I picked up..

Product, Packaging & Texture
– Bath & Body Works Warm Vanilla Sugar Shower Gel 295ml; this gel smells amazing. With notes of white orchids, delicious vanilla & sparkling sugar, this gel lathers into a creamy dream. It is infused with shea butter, vitamin E and vanilla extract to lather into a rich and creamy texture.

– Bath & Body Works Winter Candy Apple Shower Gel 88ml a lovely gel that has sweet candy apple notes and notes of winter rose petals, maple leaf, candied orange & fresh cinnamon. The perfect gel to unwrap Christmas. It is infused with vitamin E and aloe vera, it is also non-drying and gentle on all skin types.

– Bath & Body Works Snowflakes & Cashmere Shower Gel 88ml this stunning shower gel has delicious notes of vanilla cashmere cream, caramel woods and frosted clementine. It is also infused with vitamin E and aloe vera. It lathers in a bubbly creamy texture and is non-drying to the skin, it is so beautiful and the gorgeous scent even lingers on the skin after towel-drying. It is easily one of my faves!

– Bath & Body Works Vanilla Bean Noel Shower Gel 88ml the vanilla bean noel is a common classic from Bath & Body Works. It has notes of warm caramel, whipped cream, fresh vanilla bean, sugar cookies and snow-kissed musk. It’s also non-drying, and is infused with vitamin E & aloe vera. It builds into a lovely rich bubbly lather on the skin. The scent also lingers after towel-drying skin, too.

– Bath & Body Works Joy to the World Vanilla Snowflakes Gentle Foaming Hand Soap 259ml this foaming hand soap has scented notes of vanilla cream, roasted coconut flakes, and sparkling water with a twist of citrus. It has a formula of well-blended essential oils, shea extract, nourishing vitamin E and aloe vera, for a moisturising luxurious lather which cleanses hands of germs while preserving the skin’s own natural moisture.

– Bath & Body Works Vanilla Bean Noel Moisturising Body Wash 296ml this body wash has notes of fresh vanilla bean, sugar cookies, warm caramel, whipped cream and snow-kissed musk. It is infused with cocoa butter, shea butter, and vitamin E. It blends into a rich, bubbly, creamy lather, leaving skin feeling refreshed, cleansed and moisturised. With he shower els, this body wash’ scent lingers on the skin long after your shower/pampering.

– Bath & Body Works Winter Candy Apple Moisturising Body Wash 296ml this lovely body wash has delicious notes of sweet red candied apple, maple leaf, candied orange, winter rose petals and subtle hints of fresh cinnamon. It lathers into a creamy, rich and bubbly texture over your skin and leaves skin feeling fresh and smelling amazing. It is infused with vitamin E, shea butter and cocoa butter.

– Bath & Body Works Joy Sugared Snickerdoodle Moisturising Body Wash 296ml this body wash has notes of creamy vanilla, sugared musk, snickerdoodle spice and cookie. It is infused with cocoa butter, shea butter and vitamin E. It is non-drying and leaves skin feeling refreshed, cleansed and smelling delicious for a while after use.

Worldwide Prices & Availability
Bath & Body Works Christmas Holiday Range;
Australia: $15.95 – $36.95 AUD
Available: online and in-store at Bath & Body Works and Ebay.

USA: $7.95 – $17.95 USD
Available: online at Bath & Body Works, Amazon and Ebay.

UK: £8 – £18 GBP
Available: online and in-store at Next, Ebay, American Treats in the UK and Amazon.

My Thoughts & Impressions
– Bath & Body Works Christmas Holiday Range; I love the classic Christmas holiday scents and I think Bath and Body Works really do this well with the products they put out for the season. I think my ultimate favourite is definitely the Snowflakes & Cashmere and the Winter Candy Apple products. I really enjoy the packaging of each item in the collection and I also think they really hit the notes/scents out of the ball park for the Christmas/Holiday theme. Despite having the same or slightly different scents for each season, each year, they always do exciting new packaging on them. What Bath & Body Works products are your faves? Or are you new to trying them? Leave your answer or reply down below by commenting.

Colourpop Cosmetics Heart Pressed Powder Blush – September 2022

Introducing the Colourpop Heart Pressed Powder Blush featuring the two shades I picked up from their range! I ordered these a few months ago during a restock, they always sell out because they’re very popular, however lately they seem to be more permanently available which is nice. I am always a sucker for cute packaging so these love heart compacts always appealed to me, ever since they first released them in their valentines day collection! I initially wanted to order them back when they first ever dropped but they sold out so fast, including any restocks, they were always limited. So when they decided to bring them back permanently, I knew it was the time to finally get my order in. I chose the two shades; ‘Flirt Alert‘ and ‘Kiss N’ Tell‘, with the Flirt Alert shade being a dusty mauve-pink and Kiss n’ Tell is a mid-tone warm peach-pink. I’ve been using them over the last few months and have gathered my thoughts for this review, so lets dive right into it. First of, by taking a closer look at them below..

Products & Textures
– Colourpop Cosmetics Heart Pressed Powder Blush in ‘Flirt Alert’ & ‘Kiss ‘N Tell’ 4.45g; these blushes are very finely milled and easily build-able. With a perfect tone for soft, subtle, natural or full glam looks, its easy to use to achieve a desired result. The powder is a silky formula that adheres to the skin and lasts all day with little-to-no touch ups needed. It is the cutest compact shaped in a love heart with frosted softened plastic casing and a built-in mirror under the lid. The compact clips shut tightly and is quite sturdy, terrific for taking on-the-go in your handbag, or on trips with your makeup bag. They’re a great way to liven up your overall complexion and they come available in six different shades to suit different skin tones, they weigh 4.45g in net weight. Each shade has a different casing colour to suit the tone inside.

Worldwide Prices & Availability
Colourpop Cosmetics Heart Pressed Powder Blush in ‘Flirt Alert’ & ‘Kiss ‘N Tell’ 4.45g;
Australia: $19 AUD
Available: online at Colourpop Cosmetics.

USA: $12 USD
Available: online at Colourpop Cosmetics.

UK: £10.60 GBP
Available: online at Colourpop Cosmetics.

New Zealand: $21.12 NZD
Available: online at Colourpop Cosmetics.

Canada: $16.72 CAD
Available: online at Colourpop Cosmetics.

My Thoughts & Impressions
– Colourpop Cosmetics Heart Pressed Powder Blush in ‘Flirt Alert’ & ‘Kiss ‘N Tell’ 4.45g; firstly, I love the packaging of this range of blushes. The heart shaped compact, frosted soft plastic, coloured themes, the built-in mirrors, the way they snap lock shut, I just love them! Secondly, I enjoy the various colours in the range of shades, I feel like they’re all different to each other and there really is something for each person. I like that they’re a pretty big decent size at 4.45g and that they’re good quality, easily built-up and very silky powder, pressed quite well. They’re very affordable too, the price point is very decent and reasonable, plus the extra good news is that Colourpop ships internationally to just about everywhere. They have a huge range of super shock blushes too and cream stick ones. I love being able to take it on trips with me and it easily slips into my makeup bag. Repurchase? I would repurchase my fave colour in this range, I like a lot of the others but there is one or two that are my faves and that is ‘Flirt Alert’, I think I would pick that one up again for sure. That wraps up my thoughts on this range of heart pressed powder blushes from Colourpop.

Disclaimer: the product featured in this post was purchased by myself with my own money. This post is not sponsored, not paid for and not an ad-post. 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 – December 2021

WELCOME; to my annual Coco and Chino’s Christmas 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..

– 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..

– 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..

– 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..

– 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..

– 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..

Worldwide Prices & Availability
LE Too Faced Christmas Coffee Eyeshadow Palette 6.7g;
Australia: $38 AUD
Available: online and in-store at Mecca.

USA: $27 USD
Available: online and in-store at Sephora, Too Faced, Nordstrom, Kohls, Macys, HSN and Ulta.

UK: £24 GBP
Available: online and in-store at Look Fantastic, ASOS, Selfridges, Boots and John Lewis.

Cerave Hydrating Cream-to-Foam Cleanser 236ml;
Australia: $15.99 AUD
Available: online and in-store at Chemist Warehouse.

USA: $10.80 – 14.99 USD
Available: online and in-store at Ulta and Target.

UK: £9.37 GBP
Available: online and in-store at Boots and Superdrug.

LE Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Universe Face Palette 5.4g;
Australia: $114 AUD
Available: online and in-store at Mecca and Net-a-Porter.

USA: $80 USD
Available: online and in-store at Hourglass, Beautylish, Net-a-Porter, Sephora and Ulta.

UK: £79 GBP
Available: online and in-store at Hourglass UK, Space NK, Cult Beauty, Feel Unique, Look Fantastic and John Lewis.

LE Too Faced Cinnamon Bun Longwear Melted Matte Lipstick 7ml;
Australia: $32.50 AUD
Available: online at Selfridges and Cult Beauty.

USA: $22 USD
Available: online and in-store at Sephora, Too Faced, Macys and Ulta.

UK: £20 GBP
Available: online and in-store at Selfridges, John Lewis, Look Fantastic, ASOS and Boots.

LE Too Faced ‘You’re So Hot’ Hot Cocoa Bronzer & Lipgloss Set 8.5g 5.2ml;
Australia: $49.93 AUD
Available: online at Amazon.

USA: $39 USD
Available: online and in-store at Sephora, Kohls and JC Penney.

UK: £37.42 GBP
Available: online at Amazon.

LE Lanolips x Messina Salted Coconut & Mango Gelato 10g;
Australia: $19.95 AUD
Available: online and in-store at Mecca and Lanolips Australia.

USA: $13.50 USD
Available: online at Lanolips.

UK: £8.99 GBP
Available: online at Lanolips UK.

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.