holidays

My Christmas Wishlist

Posted on by angellecmakeup

Want to know what I’d love to find under the tree this year? Read on to find out…

SELFRIDGES ASTROLOGICAL FRAGRANCE COLLECTION BAG: £15.00

Okay, hands up – I may have already bought this bag for myself. Oops. It’s just so gorgeous and manages to combine my love of so many things; stars, astrology, bags, perfume… Top marks Selfridges.

MAC LIPSTICK: £15.50 (currently £13.95 at Debenhams)

Would you believe that I, lipstick hoarder extraordinaire, do not own a single MAC lipstick? I can’t quite believe it either! I would love to find either Brave, Ruby Woo or Rebel under the tree this year for a perfect xmas kiss.

LADY GAGA FAME EAU DE PARFUM: £12.97 @ AMAZON

The first of two scents, Lady G’s Fame perfume is just about the only celeb scent I’ve found I actually like. I always alternate between a cheaper ‘day’ perfume and a ‘special’ perfume (see below for my more expensive choice), and this is the perfect everyday autumn/winter scent for me. And at under £15 for 100ml I think it’s amazing value for money. 

ASOS CURVE PACK OF THREE RINGS: £6.00

As someone with quite chubby fingers it can be quite a struggle to find rings that fit my little sausage hands! Lucky ASOS Curve comes to the rescue as always with their ring sets – I love this one in particular as it features both rose gold and stars. Love.

THE ANNUAL 2016: £10.00

My music collection is usually a mix of terrible 90s trash and the Heathcliff Live soundtrack (amazing) but I am partial to a bit of dancey/house music, and Ministry of Sound do the absolute best compilation albums. I’ve bought their ‘annual’ for the last few years as it’s just a guaranteed selection of great tracks – perfect for playing at all those super-cool house parties I never have. 

VIVIENNE WESTWOOD ASTRID BRACELET: £70.00

The VW Astrid collection has completely stolen my heart this year – it’s simply divine. I am obsessed with stars and Vivienne Westwood is one of my fave brands, so the two combined are a match made in starry heaven.

PAPERCHASE MYSTIC ROSE LETTER RACK: £8.00

Yes, I know, it’s a letter rack, but bear with me here. I may not have many letters to organise (unless you count various takeaway menus), but I do have quite a few makeup palettes. That’s right folks – innovation right there.

VALENTINO DONNA GIFT SET: £69.00

A little pricey, yes, but this is a ‘wishlist’ after all! I smelt this for the first time a couple of months ago and have been completely obsessed ever since. As I am the worlds worst person at describing scents I’ll just tell you what Valentino describe it as: “The fragrance revolves around a contrast of noble, subtle ingredients, with rose essence generously blended with notes of bergamot and iris Pallida, illuminating the fragrance with refined radiance and an impalpable texture. Warm, intense notes of leather blended with patchouli and vanilla express an exquisite, inescapable carnality. Embodying timeless elegance, Valentino Donna is luminous and sensual in equal measure.” Yeah…What they said.

What are you asking Santa for this year?

10 Ways To Feel More Christmassy

Posted on by angellecmakeup

Although I do love Christmas I sometimes find that my festive spirit needs a bit of a boost, especially right at the beginning of the season to help me get in to things. Today marks five weeks until the big day so it’s definitely almost time to get your bells jingling!

1. Visit a Christmas market. I’ve been to ones all over Europe and the UK as I just think they’re great fun and usually free to enter. My favourite British one has to be Lincoln, although I think this year we’re going to try York as there’s an Ice Sculpture trail that looks very cool (pun intended).

2. Make yourself a hot chocolate or mulled wine (optional: drink it from a cute Christmas mug like this fab-yule-ous one). Who needs to spend a fiver on a tinsel-spice-eggnog-brandy-latte? (though I’m sure I inevitably will!)

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3. Two words – fairy lights. Put them in every nook and cranny you can find for some battery-powered festive warmth.

4. Indulge in a couple of festive films – I love the Nativity trio, Home Alone, Love Actually and of course a lil’ bit of Elf. 

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5. Go Christmas shopping. Yes, I know for most people the hell of Christmas shopping is the number one worst thing about the season but I find it quite fun, especially if I remember to start it early enough so I don’t get stressed.

6. It’s not Christmas without a terrible jumper, and snuggling up in a light-up-jingling-atrocity always adds to my festive cheer. ASOS always do some lovely (relatively) classy ones, but really Primark has my heart when it comes to amazingly awful ones.

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7. Following on from number five, if you have no idea what to buy people or even what shops to look in Pinterest is your best friend. I have a Christmas board here that I’ve been working on since October, full of gift ideas and decorations I want to buy. If you don’t fancy using it for gift-spo (totally a thing now) I’ve spent hours just browsing the ‘Christmas’ tag for recipes, crafts and home decor ideas.

8. Watch Christmassy YouTube videos. One of my favourite things to do on Wintry December evenings is catch up with ‘vlogmas’, where YouTubers film what they’re up to every day in December. I used to think this sounded a bit boring but it’s actually quite fun to experience someone’s Christmas with them, liking buying the tree, going shopping and decorating the house. I’ve actually been watching some of the vlogmas videos from last year to get me feeling Christmassy! There are also a lot of Christmas tags, tutorials, Q&As and the like which are also really fun and festive to watch.

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9. Write lists. Lots of lists. Lists of what you want for Christmas, what you want to buy for other people, what you’re going to cook (or just eat), what decorations you need/want to buy, when you want to go shopping or out with friends, etc. I seem to live my life in lists but I don’t mind as it keeps me organised and I almost find it a bit therapeutic!

10. Listen to some Christmas music, obviously. As much as I love Wham! and Mariah Carey I’ve linked a few of my modern favourites below, though I’m sure you’ll have your own. If I’ve not got a vlogmas or Christmassy YouTube video on in the background while I’m wrapping presents, I’ll have some xmas music on instead. (For extra Chrimbo-points combine this one with any of the above.)

8 Days of Christmas – Destiny’s Child

Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) – Michael Buble

Under The Mistletoe – Justin Bieber

Santa Tell Me – Ariana Grande

Christmas Lights – Coldplay

Santa Baby – Kylie Minogue

Christmas is All Around – Billy Mack (yes the Love Actually one!)

One More Sleep – Leona Lewis

Christmas in Hollis – Run DMC

Christmas Q&A! | Blogmas 2014

Posted on by angellecmakeup

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^ My Daniel Radcliffe is feeling very festive!

What’s your favourite Christmas song?

Ooooooo….. either Wham’s ‘Last Christmas’ or ‘Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)’ by Michael Buble or Mariah Carey. Then again I do love ‘All I Want For Christmas’ is you! And…

Christmas Pudding or Mince Pies?

Neither they’re both dreadful.

Favourite festive coffee shop drink?

Starbuck’s Special Hot Chocolate – I say ‘special’ because their exact Christmas one changes every year, as last year it was Salted Caramel and this year it is Honey and Almond which is AMAZING OMG. It tastes like a melted Toblerone which in case you hadn’t guessed is DELICIOUS.

Christmas cracker jokes?

Love them! Where else am I supposed to get all my comedy material for the year ahead?

Favourite Christmas films?

Home Alone 1 and 2 are probably my classic favourites, though I am a massive fan of the ‘Nativity’ films! Love Actually is my 2nd favourite film ever so that has to be in there – I cry every time. I also have really fond memories of always watching Elf at school near the end of term when my teachers were probably hung over from xmas parties! 

Are you dreaming of a White Christmas?

Yes so so much! We didn’t really have any snow last year and it just wasn’t the same. I’m hoping we get as much snow as the year before when it was about a foot deep (snow days!).

Do you have any Christmas Eve traditions?

Usually most of my Christmas Eve is spent with Dad doing last minute shopping in Meadowhall and wrapping presents. Then me and Mum usually get a takeaway and watch all the tv xmas specials!

Is your Christmas tree real or fake?

Fake it til you make it baby!

How good are you at wrapping presents?

Not too horrendous but I don’t particularly enjoy it. Not unless there’s a Christmas CD on in the background and lots of festive nibbles and drinks (essentially a present wrapping party).

Favourite Christmas colours?

Red and gold.

Have you ever spent Christmas away from home?

Yes, a few years ago I went with my mum and her brother’s family to California and we spent Christmas in Disneyland! The Christmas Day fireworks there are spectacular. That entire holiday was just amazing and I’d love to go back but maybe not for Christmas – I like being at home!

Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?

That’s a hard one! Maybe Christmas Eve?

Lush Luxury Lush Pud | Blogmas 2014

Posted on by angellecmakeup

LUSH LUXURY LUSH PUD: £3.50

I’ve saved my favourite Lush Christmas product until last, which as you may have guessed is this stunning bath bomb! I think this may be my favourite Lush bomb ever actually. For one it smells absolutely delicious – sweet but not sickly, with a very subtle hint of spice – though I haven’t the foggiest what the actual scent is! To be honest that isn’t surprising as the main scents are lavender, tonka absolute and ylang ylang, and who really knows what tonka and ylang ylang smell like? It shares it’s fragrance with the Twilight bath bomb apparently which pleased me as it means I can smell it all year round!

The second reason I love this is of course how gorgeous it is in your bath! The above photos are only a small portion of the many I took (which probably goes to show how sad I am), as I have finally found my Nicki-Minaj-concert bath bomb! Once all the colours have dispersed the water settles down to a dark pink colour – perfect!

It’s most certainly not style over substance though as it made my bath water and skin wonderfully soft. I’ve never tried anything quite like a Lush bomb to make my water feel so creamy and thick with a softly lingering scent. 

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Overall would I repurchase?

Absolutely! I definitely see this becoming an annual festive favourite. 

Mani Monday | Ciate Boudoir & Snow Globe | Blogmas 2014

Posted on by angellecmakeup

CIATE BOUDOIR: £9.00

CIATE SNOW GLOBE: £9.00

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Ciate Boudoir

Number of coats needed: 2 (but one wasn’t too bad)

Days gone without chipping: 1 (admittedly minor chipping but I’m not impressed)

Colour: True classic red – a Christmas staple.

Overall score? 4/5

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Ciate Snow Globe

Number of coats needed: I used 2 in the pics above as it quite sparse.

Days gone without chipping: 4

Colour: A glitter top coat but not as you know it. The pieces are more like tiny flakes of iridescent cellophane, and I absolutely adore this polish as it’s so unique (and incredibly Christmassy as I think it looks like snow!).

Overall score? 4.5/5

My Christmas Tree! | Blogmas 2014

Posted on by angellecmakeup

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After my Mum decided that she did in fact hate our seven foot green tree we decided to buy a new one. While I do love the idea of a real tree I know I’d be atrocious at looking after it so it’d probably just be a pile of brown needs by Christmas Eve. I suppose if you grew up with one it’s different but for me it’s more of a tradition to get ours out of the attic! 

We chose an artificial white one (what? that massive white plastic thing is artificial? no way!) to fit in with our cream and turquoise (ish) living room, and of course we couldn’t resist a candy-land theme. I think we fell in love with the donuts first and everything else just got added to basket! 

Don’t be afraid to personalise your decorations too! As you can see in pride of place is a ski lift decked out with our own Lilo and Stitch. While it’s a lovely decoration on it’s own Lilo & Stitch rule in our house and he even fits in with the pink and blue theme – success! If you’ve got any baubles that are looking worst for wear or you can see a (literal) window for a bit of jazzing up then go for it! Even if it’s just writing the year or something memorable happening that Christmas (baby’s first Christmas, first xmas married, golden anniversary…) in a fancy pen. You could even get children to decorate a few boring ones or fill clear baubles with something of your choice, like sequins, glitter, tic tacs, whatever you want. So what if it’s tacky, that’s Christmas’s middle name!