Not Another Bunch of Flowers

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and I am sure most, if not all of us, will know someone or know of someone with it, has had it or has sadly passed away from what is a truly horrendous disease. I have known, in my lifetime, 4 people who have had it, two of them are still alive and they still fight it.

Not Another Bunch of Flowers is an online web shop set up by Anikka Burton to help friends and family of poorly people make thoughtful gift choices for their loved ones. Anikka herself was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011 aged 33, and has had the full works of chemotherapy, targeted therapy, radiotherapy, hormonal therapy and 5 operations to date. When she was first diagnosed, Anikka’s friends, family and colleagues sent so many bunches of flowers that she ran out of vases, jugs, pint glasses... until she was putting them in saucepans and anything else that would hold water! From here, Not Another Bunch Of Flowers was born.

The first thing we do as humans when someone is unwell is reach for the phone, internet or shop for some flowers.  Flowers, which are bright and beautiful instantly make people feel cheery and much better but, having friends with breast cancer, flowers are a lovely gesture, but sometimes there are other things that can also make the difference and this is why Not Another Bunch Of Flowers is such a great idea.

I know from experience that doing the simple things in life like the shopping, buying ice cubes and even doing the ironing or walking the dog were as much appreciated as the flowers but I also get that buying something other than flowers is sometimes a bit of an alien thought process. So buying an alternative present can be a difficult choice and this is where  Not Another Bunch Of Flowers helps shoppers pick out the right practical gifts for those going through chemo, such as eye masks, button front pyjamas, beanies, and all sorts of bits and bobs you would never have thought of if you hadn’t been through it yourself.

Not Another Bunch of Flowers is generally known for supplying gifts for cancer patients – due to Anikka’s personal story and the resulting PR. However,  Not Another Bunch Of Flowers  also sells general get well gifts, hospital gifts and gifts for mums-to-be and new mums.

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

Introducing Noble Naturals

Nano minerals are not a concept I had heard of until recently, but now I have, I am incredibly intrigued. Throughout the years, The Health Factory has specialised in the research and development of 100% bio-available minerals and other natural products. Described as being something our body needs, Nano minerals can do a whole host of amazing things and here is how.

L'Ords des Pharaons is a face and body mist which contains purified and revitalised water with added nanoclusters of pure gold, platinum and pure zinc. From the beginning of time gold is considered to be a gift from the gods and going back to the time of the ancient Egypt, the gold of the Pharaohs was used for face masks to help preserve the skin whilst monatomic gold, which was very highly-valued by ancient cultures for its "mystical properties" and "magical powers", was used to rejuvenate and extend the lifespan of a human. 

Fast forward to today and what we have in L’Ords des Pharaons Face and Body Mist, £40 is a product which when applied on the skin before make-up and creams; L’Or des Pharaons’ pure ingredients are absorbed deep into the skin layers. Thus the revitalisation is deep and lasting. L’Or des Pharaons combats the visible signs of aging at cellular level and helps rejuvenate your skin – defying the effects of time.  It contains no allergens or chemicals.

Nano Silver (or Colloidal Silver) is described as being a uniquely formed mineral water which contains silver particles and it is these particles which kill bacteria and fungus in minutes. Noble Naturals’ Nano Silver is available in three different sizes; a 15ml spray, a 100ml bottle with a handy dropper and bigger bottles in 200ml and 1 litre sizes. Prices start from £10.95

I had a quick chat with a science teacher friend of mine and I was more acutely aware as to what a great little find this is. Apparently, the world’s oldest and original antibiotic which was used before the discovery of penicillin to fight off illness, Silver has, for centuries, been used to protect the body from disease and illness and also to kill harmful bacteria, viruses and fungi within the body! Something I never knew until now which shames me as a history graduate!  Before the invention of the refrigerator, it was common practice to drop a silver coin into a container of milk as a preservative because silver was known to prevent the growth of algae, bacteria and other undesirable organisms.

So, when applied directly to the skin, this product can treat problems such as nappy rash, burns, sores, cuts, skin conditions such as eczema, toothache, throat infections and eye infections to name just a few.  As someone who suffers with tonsillitis and am allergic to penicillin, this is definitely a product I intend to try the next time I am ill. 

I absolutely love learning about products such as Nano Silver and L'Ords des Pharaons, they fascinate me and one of the reasons I enjoy blogging as much as I do is because without it, I would never have the chance to discover and try products such as these.

All Noble Natural products are available at The Health Factory. 

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

Jay Manuel Beauty

Beauty. It's deeply personal, purely individual and surprisingly public. A woman's appearance is an outward reflection of who she really is. Jay Manuel Beauty is about self-sourcing your style and finding the path to you.  So says the man himself.  Jay Manuel is a name you might recognise and associate with America's Next Top Model and Fashion Police and now he has brought to the world his own cosmetics brand which he say is about empowering modern women to enhance their unique beauty and to do that, the range utilises the highest quality ingredients, sophisticated pigments and can we just add, some pretty amazing packaging which is sleek and just delightful.

I was lucky enough to fangirl, I mean meet Jay at a recent event where he took the time to speak to myself and a few others and talk through some of the products.  Throughout his career, Jay has noted that most women fall into three broad categories: Classic, Avant-Garde and Iconic, sometimes not exclusively and sometime a mixture of all three.  It is these three categories which are reflected across the Jay Manuel beauty brand.

• Classic: A look that is relevant always. opts for a fresh-faced, natural look that has an understated elegance.  Prefering neutrals and classic colours without a lot of flourishes.  Products will be easy to blend and build, ideal for a no muss, no fuss approach or simply the more subtle look.
• Iconic: A strong statement that is remembered through time. Makes a powerful and sophisticated impressed through the use of strong colour, smoky eye and plenty of drama. Wants the flexibility to define the look based on occasion, hot trend or mood.  Products are more layered and create seductive, high-impact looks which command attention.
• Avant-Garde: Throwing away all the rules. Loves to experiment and isn't afraid to take risks. The look is cutting edge and often extreme, featuring highly eclectic and eccentric choices.  Products will include a variety of intense colours and unusual finishes that are mixed and matched with wild abandon.

With products ranging from Foundation, lipstick, lipgloss, Mascara, eyeshadow quads, eyeliner, blusher, bronzer, powder and concealer to name just a few, there is plenty to get stuck into.  I have been lucky enough to play with two of the Ultimate Lipsticks, all of which have very playful names, mine are Nudiest which as you can see is a beautiful nude shade and Siren which is a beautiful red shade that I am hoping I can pull off. I love the packaging, as I have said it is sleek, nothing too over the top and you can see what the product is and who it is by all in one look. Described as being "Bold, statement-making lipsticks saturate lips with high-intensity pigments and create long lasting definition with deep, luscious hydration" one thing for sure is that they glide onto the lips with ease and are just so super soft, they are a delight to wear.  There are 15 different lipstick shades to choose from 

The Soft Focus Powder Blush which comes inside a sleek compact and is adorned with the initials JM, I have shade Bella which is a slightly pinkier shade than I would usually choose, but it is a shade which gives a light dusting of colour to the cheekbones and can be built up to give as much colour as you are comfortable with.  It is available in 5 other shades and in my opinion, well worth looking at because it is divine.

The Ultimate Lip Gloss in shade Wet. On the lips it glides on so quickly and effortlessly to give a really good shine and as it is clear there is no colour. Thankfully it is neither sticky or tacky which is a massive no for me when it comes to a gloss. It is formulated with luxurious pigments and extra fine crushed gemstones and uses Diamond dust which refracts light giving lips a soft focus and high shine. The wand has really flexiable silicone tip making it easier to complete the application.

The Everything Mascara in black features an adjustable and retractable wand which features two different lengths of bristles allowing you to  twist and pull through your lashes to ensure each one is coated. Designed to maximise length and volume, I love that this mascara doesn't clump, it doesn't have a scent and you can reach those small little inner lashes easily without poking yourself in the eye. 

The Jay Manuel Beauty collection is available now on QVC and if you are never sure what shades might be right for you, then you can download Jay's app and it gives customised make-up recommendations based on your style, identifies your skin tone to recommend your shades, and suggests shades for you based on products you already own.

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

It's Halloween with Lush

How amazing does a Saturday night locked in a Lush Cosmetics shop sound? Amazing that is what and guess what... It is exactly what I did!  Down at Victoria Station hidden away is a little Lush Store with the most amazing, excitable, knowledgeable and friendly Lush staff you will possibly meet.

Spending an evening being allowed to explore new products, play with products, touch absolutely everything and eat sweets is a dream for any Lush fan and I got to take it one step further and walk around the store, wearing Lush BB Seaweed Facemask whilst dropping bath bombs into water, why? Well because I could and because, well why not?  One thing I do love about Lush and their staff is how friendly everyone is and if you are not so sure whether or not a product is for, then simply ask and it will be shown to you.

With Autumn arriving and Halloween and then Christmas coming, there is, as you might expect, a lot of new Lush products and first comes Halloween so this is what you might find on the shelves on your local store.

The Lush Halloween 2016 collection, which is available in-stores now, debuts some bright, weird and most definitely sparkly products to try out.  Starting with Dead Good Pumpkin gift set (20.95) which features four products Sparkly Pumpkin Bubble Bar, Pumpkin and Lord of Misrule Bath Bombs plus Boo the bath melt.

Pumpkin Bath Bomb (£3.95) fizzes into a hue of bright orange as it melts into the water and it gives off a spicy scent of vanilla with a dashing of cinnamon to almost make you believe you have a piece of pumpkin pie, fruity and sweet all at the same time.

Monsters' Ball Bath Bomb (£4.25) explodes into bright vivid pinks, purples and mint greens as it dissolves into the water and using Lime Oil and Neroli Oil it is every bit as fruity as a bath needs to be, but there is also the inclusion of rock salt from the Himalayas.

Boo the bath melt (£3.50) which is shaped like a ghost uses calming Mimosa, warming Ginger, Fair Trade, organic cocoa butter, grounding sandalwood combines and vivid Sicilian mandarin oil to make the most amazing amount of bubbles which smell delightful.

Autumn Leaf Bath Bomb (£3.75) fizzes from green to yellow and then to red which is as amazing as it sounds and uses Sandalwood, Bergamot and Neroli oils, again smelling just incredible, just like cut grass!

Goth Fairy Shimmer Bar (£3.50) gives off a multitude of iridescent lustres - gold, green, purple and silver on the skin. Using illipe and cupuaçu butters which gently melt over the body, they soften skin and leave the fruity scent of almond, grapefruit and bergamot, it smells literally good enough to eat.

Sparkly Pumpkin Bubble Bar (£3.95) is definitely one for the glitter lovers, though it doesn't turn you into a disco ball thankfully.  Dropped into the water this one becomes bright greens and oranges and used Juniperberry, Grapefruit and Lime oils which pack a punch and should leave you revitalised and full of energy.

Little Monster (£10.95) is the second gift set to have caught my eye. Inside you will find two gifts - Lord of Misrule Shower Gel which uses spicy black pepper and patchouli concoction, with just a dash of Fair Trade vanilla absolute to bring out your sweet side.  Add to that is Monters' Ball Bath Bomb.

So if Halloween is your thing and you love Lush, this combination is just perfect!

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

Beauty Advent Calendars 2016

It comes as no surprise that the closer we get to the Festive Season, by that I mean Christmas, there is an explosion of beauty calendars for 2016.  Last year, my post on them started with around 20 and that steadily grew over a few weeks to over 30, there was so much choice and of course depending upon your budget so much luxury!

So this year there has been a rush of Calendars in production and my inbox has been steadily garnering press releases and reports as to who is doing what and so far there is a choice of around 30 which include:

Jo Malone - £260 and with 24 drawers, this is an Advent Calendar of dreams in every sense of the word, more so if you love Jo Malone!  Featuring a mixture of products from scrubs, scents, creams and candles, if my budget would stretch, the calendar would be mine!  Watch out for the release in October.

Diptyque - Priced at £250 this calendar is pricey and has 24 doors to be opened, if you love candles, then this is possibly one for you! Featuring around 16 mini candles there are also other treats hiding behind these doors!

Estee Lauder Holiday Countdown Advent Calendar - £205. Start each day with a little luxury, including 24 beauty surprises from our best-selling skincare, makeup and fragrance. Available now but limited stock.

Charlotte Tilbury - £150 this is a 12 drawer calendar it is pretty stunning to see and as someone who owns nothing from the range (bad blogger) it looks like a Calendar to own and a perfect opportunity to get acquainted with the brand. Watch out on the official website for the release date in October.

Molton Brown Scented Luxuries - £150 and available now. This Advent Calendar with Molton Brown and with 24 doors to open you will find some lovely mini versions of both & Shower Gels, Body Lotions, Body Polishes, Hand Washes, Candles and a Hair Mask to name but a few. Available now right.

Liberty - £149 and just stunning. I was lucky enough to get up close and personal with this Advent Calender over the summer and it is just beautiful. With contains valued at around £400 there are some amazing brands hidden behind these 24 doors including Malin + Goetz, Dermalogica, Diptyque, Aurelia, Blink, Le Labo Santal and from these brands there are candles, balms, scents and make up! It launches at the end of October.

Rodial - £100.  This 12 Days of Magic Advent Calendar is worth £200. It contains 12 of Rodials beauty heroes, from our bestselling wrinkle plumping and skin rejuvenating Bee Venom Moisturiser through to a full sized Lip Liner. Available right now.

Vintage Cosmetics Company Calendar- £99 and very kitsch looking! I do love Vintage cosmetics and they do have some amazing products, I am a particular fan of the eyelash curlers and this calendar is slightly different to some that you will see within this post. It includes items such as a floral shower cap, nail files, nail scissors, a brush cleaner, eyelash curlers and a few more treats beside. Launches via QVC soon, am just awaiting the release date.

Kiehls - £95 and featuring 24 doors. This Calendar will feature an amazing array of products including Ultra Facial Cream, Midnight Recovery Concentrate and Ultimate Strength Hand Salve to name but a few products. Launching in October in Selfridges, this is most definitely one to look out for.

Clarins Advent Calendar - £95 this calendar is a must for all you Clarins fans out there or for people like me whom have fallen out of love with the brand and am yet to be tempted back. Featuring a range of best selling products such as Beauty Flash Balm, Hand and Nail Treatment Cream, Instant Eye Make-Up Remover and Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch, it will be available via Clarins from October.

The Selfridges L’Oreal Advent Calendar - £95 and a Calendar that has intrigued me and it looks like it will be amazing. Titled ‘Eclectic Little Luxuries’you can expect to find products from brands such as Viktor & Rolf, Urban Decay, YSL Lancome and Kiehls. The Calendar will be available at Selfridges online and in-store in October.

Luxury Beauty Your Beauty Fairytale Come True Advent Calendar 2016 - £85 and exclusive to Boots, this calendar features bestselling brands Lancome, Yves Saint Laurent, Viktor & Rolf and Ralph Lauren to name just a few and it is available right now.

Cowshed - £85. I haven't got much information on this other than that it is filled with all kinds of pampering essentials including moisturisers, bubble baths and other delights from the brand. Also Available from now from John Lewis.

Kerastase - £79.99. The Limited Edition Advent Calendar by Kérastase. has 24 doors to open from which you find find deluxe travel size hair care products and a full size iconic Elixir treat worth £28.50! Available now right.

Dr. Hauschka Advent Calendar - £75. Behind the windows is a carefully selected collection of Dr. Hauschka Body and Skin Care products. The Advent Calendar contains 23 trial sizes and one special surprise for Christmas Eve.

Bare Minerals - £75.00 and with 24 doors, this calendar contains all the bareMinerals products you could ever want or need and whats more, if like me you are yet to try the brand, it might well be a good introduction.  Inside you will find deluxe Marvellous Moxie Lip Glosses, Eyeshadows, Mascara, and of course bareMinerals Mineral Veil. Available from 1st November 2016 at bareMinerals

LookFantastic - £70 and is filled with products worth over £300. Described as being bigger and better than 2015, you can pre-order it now and it is dispatched from October.

You Beauty - £69.95.  You Beauty, one of my current subscription boxes is to release a beauty calendar. Featuring 24 premium products hand-picked by YOU Beauty’s team of experts and is worth over £270.

Selfridges Beauty Advent Calendar 2016 - Price is yet to be confirmed but approx £60-£65 and this is amazing. It will include brands such as Too Faced, Rodial, Molton Brown, OCC, Eve Lom and Foreo. I’ll update the details as soon as it’s available!

CLINIQUE 24 days of clinique advent calendar - £65. Are you a Clinique fan? Well this calendar is described as being bursting with the brand’s signature skincare, fragrance and make-up must-haves, including the Moisture Surge™ Overnight Mask, High Impact™ Mascara and Aromatics in White™ Perfume Spray. Available right now at Selfridges.

Decleor - £60 and can be found on QVC and John Lewis now. This calendar contains two full sized products – Hydra Floral Light Cream (30ml) and Hand Cream (50ml) alongside 19 face products and 6 body solutions behind 24 doors.

Nude by Nature Splendour 12 Days of Christmas - £60 and right here at Feelunique. Countdown the days to Christmas with 12 daily delights, including award winning deluxe minis and other beauty treats. The ideal gift to add a bit of wanderlust to each day in the festive build up.

NYX - £60. I think this is quite an amazing Calendar to try and grasp, especially if like me your local Boots don't bother to ever tidy up the NYX counter and it looks like someone has tried absolutely every product on. Available from Boots and Boots.com later this month it will include long lasting lip colours and eyeshadows ideal for the festive season.

OPI Breakfast At Tiffany's Mini Mani Month Advent Calendar Collection - £59.95 and available now from John Lewis. This Calendar is a perfect treat for you Mani loving OPI fans and with such an incredible design, even I am tempted. It features a selection of 25 shades from OPI to suit your every mood, outfit and occasion this season, including limited edition colours from the Breakfast At Tiffany's collection, each mini nail lacquer provides gorgeous colour with a chip-resistant formula.

Lush - £52.95.  Now this is a beauty of a calendar and one for all the Lush fans out there right now.  Packed with some of my Lush favourites such as Candy Mountain, Snow Angel and The Christmas Penguin.  Available NOW.

Paul & Joe - £56. I love Paul & Joe products and their beautiful packaging, so this was a delight to see. With 24 windows to open, oddly there are only 6 products hidden behind the doors so it feels like one of those Kinder egg challenges to build the items. That said it is really lovely illustrated.  Will be available in November from ASOS.

Cheeky Nails Advent Calendar – £50 and is for nail polish lovers. Cheeky nails if you have never heard of them are the sister brand to Cowshed and inside this Calendar you will find 24 x 5ml with long-lasting, quick-drying and high-shine formulas in an array of shades. 

ASOS - £50. This year ASOS have decided to join the game with a Beauty Calendar which contains 24 products and features skincare, make-up and hair care from brands such as Nip + Fab, Yes To, CowShed, Dermalogica, Elemis and Philosophy. Contents are worth £175 and it is available now right here.

Lush - £52.95.  I did squeal when I saw this one pop up. Lush 12 days of Christmas, filled with amazing treats from Lush it is available soon, so look out for it.

Ciaté Mini Mani Month - £49 and is the second nail polish lovers dream advent calendar. Inside you will find 24 treats which includes 18 bottles of Ciaté mini paint pots and 1 full size polish and this includes 4 new and exclusive shades and a limited edition surprise. There is also a treatment and two nail toppers and a sneak peek at a new nail care superhero ‘Nail Saviour’. Ciaté Mini Man Month is available from October at www.ciatelondon.com

The Ritual Of Advent, Countdown To Christmas - £49.50 and filled with 24 luxury Rituals Products. I am a big fan of Rituals and their candle Jasmine dream is still one of my all time favourites. Inside this calendar you will find treats such as Sakura Shower Foam, Laughing Buddha Fortune Oil, Hammam Hot Scrub and the Ayurveda Body Cream and if all of this isn't enough, there is also a sample size of the new Rituals perfume. Available from October you will find this calendar on rituals.com.

Nuxe 10 Beauty Treasures - £49. Give the gift of Nuxe skincare and body care with these 10 Beauty Treasures. Includes a range of products such as the Nuxellence Eclat (15ml), Crème Fraiche de Beaute (15ml), Reve de Miel Hand and Nail Cream (15ml) and the divine Huile Prodigieuse Oil (10ml). Available from Marks & Spencers so keep an eye out.

L’Occitane Advent Calendar - £42 and this for me is an amazing calendar. if you read my blog often enough, you will know what a fan of the brand I am and I had the calendar last year. For 2016 you will find some of my favourite products hidden behind 24 doors including the Almond Shower Oil, Precious Hands Hand Cream and with contents worth over £80. It is available from the first week in October and you can get it online via uk.loccitane.com.

No.7 & The City Advent Calendar - £40 and with a value of over £150 you can expect an advent calendar full of favourites. Hidden behind 24 doors you will find Midnight Lash Mascara Black, Protect & Perfect Intense ADVANCED Eye Cream and Stay Perfect Eye Shadow in Truffle to name but a few products but that is not all, also hidden is a pair of eyelash curlers and a selection No7 brushes. This is all the information I have currently, so no launch date as yet but will be available from boots.com.

The Body Shop 24 Happy Days - Well The Body Shop never do things by half do they? This year there is a choice of 3 Calendars which range in proce from £60, to £80 to £99. Inside each calendar will be 24 Body Shop products which include the Spiced Apple shower Gel, Vitamin E Moisture Cream, Camomile Gentle Eye Makeup Remover, Shea Lip Butter, White bath gloves and an eye shadow brush to name just a few. Available from November from The Body Shop

Arran Aromatics - £45 and exclusive to John Lewis Step through the delicate frost to discover a secret escape, an unspoiled space within Arran's winter landscapes. Cherish the moments of the 2016 holiday season with this unique limited edition Advent Calendar. Filled with 24 luxurious treats from candles to shower gels and much more, this fabulously-festive advent calendar is the perfect way to share the joy of the season with those in need of a little pre-Christmas pampering.

M&S Countdown To Christmas Beauty Advent Calendar - £35 and with 24 treats to find. I had the 2015 Calendar and honestly, it was just amazing. This year, the Calendar is filled with products from across the M&s beauty Range with a value of £250. Brands you will see behind each door include Alpha H Liquid Gold, Eyeko Skinny Mini Liquid Eyeliner in Black, Leighton Denny Crystal Nail File, Rosie for Autograph Lip Glossy in Shine and Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm. It is available in stores online from 10th November.

Sephora - $45 and if they ship it to the UK it looks like a fantastic value for money calendar. It has 24 Palace doors to open and behind each one is a beauty gift which includes items such as face masks, eye masks, body washes, nail products, lipsticks and eye shadows to name but a few. Sadly it has sold out.

Salon Services - £35. This advent calendar contains 24 hair and beauty treats from brands such as Tigi, Maria Nila, Lord and Berry and Ardell making it a perfect little pamper calendar and it is available right now.

Jack Wills - £35. Jack Wills has announced the launch of its beauty Advent Calendar, available from Boots and boots.com this month. The Calendar will contain a mixture of skincare skincare, nail and hair gifts all housed in keepsake storage drawers.

Liz Earle Botanist Cabinet - £35 and this is the Liz Earle version of a beauty advent calendar which I have seen up close and explored and it is beautiful. Featuring 8 windows the cabinet has some lovely gifts behind each window which includes some of the Liz Earle cult products which as you can see from above are Cleanse & Polish 150ml, Instant Boost Skin Tonic 50ml, Superskin Concentrate for Night 2ml, Brightening Treatment Mask 15ml, Deep Cleansing Mask 15ml, Intensive Nourishing Treatment Mask 15ml, 2 Pure Muslin Cloths, 2 Sponges and The Botanist’s Recipe Guide. It will be exclusive to Boots so keep checking.

Benefit Girl O'Clock Rock - £34.50. If you follow me on any social media, you will have seen this advent calendar appear on instagram Stories and Snapchat when I was given a sneak preview. Containing 12 mini Benefit products, this is so cute, it is one to grab as soon as it becomes available here.

Makeup Revolution - £30 and available now in Superdrug, this Advent Calendar features lipglosses, lipsticks, a primer, face brush, strobe cream, eyeshadows, highlighters, baked blushes and a whole lot more. A pretty impressive feature and one whose price keeps changing so grab it quick!

Ghost - £25. If you're a fan of Ghost fragrances then this 12 days of Christmas calendar, is for you because behind each door are mini scents and perfumed beauty treats. Exclusive to Superdrug and is available anytime now.

FeelUnique - £30. Now this has to be one to look out for at £30! Packed with the likes of Decleor, Ole Henriksen, Rimmel and Bourjois look out for it right here.

W7 Cosmetics - £29.99 and with 24 doors to open. I am a big fan of W7 Cosmetics and regularly use their products, I have a particular soft spot for their lip oils which are an amazing dupe. This Calendar features everything from nail polishes and lipsticks to mascara and it is available now.

Clinique '7 Days of Clinique' Christmas advent calendar - £28 Everything she could want for the holidays in one luxe gift set. The best of skin care and colour, including award-winning moisturiser, best-selling lip colour, eye refresher and more. Available now right now.

Sanctuary Spa - £25. Let Go Days of Christmas Advent Calendar is packed with 25 pampering products, from creamy bath soaks to cleansing facial products such as the Thermal Detox Mask and scented candles. Available from Boots and boots.com.

House of Fraser - £25 featuring a selection of own-brand `Colour Couture` make-up must-haves; from party-perfect eye pencils to nifty nail art pens, luscious lip glosses to nail caviar. Available now right now.

Tanya Burr 12 Days Of Christmas – £25 and it has 12 doors and behind each one you will find lots of festive goodies from a Christmas Stocking Matte Lip to Sleigh Bells Nail Polish, Iced Glitter Liner, Treasured Glitter Liner and Berry Pavlova Lip Gloss to name but a few. This Calendar is available now from Superdrug.

Technic Cube - This is the first of two offerings from Technic by way of Advent Calendars and at £20 you will find a selection of products from the range behind 24 doors. Available now from Superdrug.

Essence - £20-£25. There isn't much about this other than the briefest of information. It has 24 doors and contains some of the most popular products from Essence which are all full sized as well as an 8 shade palette. Look out in your nearest Wilko stores for this one.

Aldi Cuvée Royal - £19.99 but limited to 2 per person. This Calendar will have 24 minis hiding behind each door featuring products from the Lacura Cuvee Royal range. A brand new, luxury anti-ageing skincare range, with precious sparkling grape extract from France. The products offer several strong anti-ageing components including the innovative dermis activator, QT40. The calendar will have 24 mini surprises from both this and Lacura range. Launching 9th October and will be available online and in store, so grab it quick.

Mad Beauty - There are two to choose from this time and two different prices. At £19.99 we have Bright Lights which has 24 surprise beauty products which includes lipsticks, a powder compact, a blusher, nail polishes and lip-glosses to name a few. This second calender, 12 days of Christmas, is priced at £10.99 and it has 12 gifts which include products such as body butter, nail files and a shower puff. They both launch October 1st at www.madbeauty.com.

Bomb Cosmetics - £19.99 and with two Calendars on offer this year. The first one is called a ‘Countdown to Christmas’ and the second one is called ‘Bomb Advent Calendar’ both are filled with bath time treats of 12 mini soap slices and 12 mini bath blasters. Each calendar is £19.99 and available at Bomb Cosmetics or Amazon

Mad Beauty - £18.75 though currently out of stock, this advent Calendar is perfect for the younger members of the family who are just on their makeup discovery route. Featuring 24 doors to open there is a mixture of products to find such as nail polishes, lip glosses, eyeliners, blushers and bronzers to name but a few.

Oh K! Oh K! Advent Calendar - £18. One for the Korean Beauty lovers with this 12 days of Beauty calendar. It features Nail varnish / Eye shadow / Lip Gloss / Lip Balm / Nail Stickers and more and is available now- here.

Technic - £16 for a 12 days of Christmas Beauty Advent Calendar. A definite purse friendly beauty calendar and Inside you will find a mixture of products from the Technic range and it is available now from Superdrug.

Accessorize - £15.  Love a bit of jewellery? Well the Count down to Christmas with this exclusive Accessorize advent calendar gives you a necklace followed by 22 seasonal charms as well as a bracelet for festive mixing and matching! 

Dirty Works - £15. If like me you are a fan of Dirty Works then this is the one for you. Twenty Four doors to open with lots of little treats. Available in Sainsburys From November!

Wilko - £5. This is the cheapest Advent Calendar I have found to date and it is very sweet. Exclusive to Wilko, It's Kissmas contains 24 doors with 24 treats and is perfect for the younger girls who are just discovering the joy of makeup. Inside are treat such a lipglosses, nail polishes, nail files, eye palette and a sponge applicator to name but a few. Available now here.

If beauty isn't your thing then there are some alternatives in the form of candles and they are from Yankee Candle:

Advent Party Pavilion Calendar - £29.99 and this set features 20 Tea Light Candles, 4 x Christmas Memories, 4 x Winter Glow, 4 x Christmas Cookie, 4 x Snowflake Cookie, 4 x Bundle Up. And 4 x Votive Candles, 1 x All is Bright, 1 x Festive Cocktail, 1 x Macaron Treats, 1 x Star Anise & Orange.

Holiday Party Advent Calendar - £24.99 and it features 23 Tea Light Candles in these festive fragrances: All is Bright, Festive Cocktail, Christmas Cookie, Macaron Treats, Snowflake Cookie and Star Anise & Orange, plus 1 Christmas Eve® Votive Candle

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