The Perfect Christmas Beauty Hamper for Men

Buying Christmas products for the Mister isn't usually too much of a difficult challenge as is he quite good and hinting about things he likes, doesn't like, might want and most definitely would not want. So throughout the year I tend to have made notes on my phone (thank god for that app on the iPhone) which gives me something to work with. This year, I have decided to do something a little different, something a little bit more fun and whilst this post will not contain his main gift (that is still with Santa) this is a collection of products that I think he will like to try, might have had before but liked them so much he has mentioned wanting to try them again and a few little products that I like the sound of and think he will too.  

Now admittedly this Man Hamper wasn't an idea I simply came up with, in fact at work I buy all of our stationery through Euro Office and on their special offers page (I always look there first before buying anything) they have a 12 days of Christmas Competition, aptly titled '12 Blogs of Christmas' whereupon which a 12 day DIY advent calendar has been created to give you a shop-able DIY idea - so making your own labels, creating an advent calendar using envelopes and so on. As I said, I buy my office stationery through them and decided that instead of wasting shredded paper it would be a brilliant little base inside my man hamper, which is a recycled Wicker basket that I was given about a year ago.

Crabtree and Evelyn Ornament Tin - This is such a great stocking filler for men. It is a beautifully decorated tin which contains two 50ml tubes of Hair and Body Wash in Moroccan Myrrh & West Indian Lime scents and both of which smell just absolutely divine. 

L'Eau D'Issey Pour Homme**- A fragrance gift set that I happen to know my mister absolutely loves. I got this set from Cosme-De who happen to have some amazing offers right now. The set itself comprises of a 125ml Eau de Toilette, a 75ml Shower Gel and a 50ml Soothing Aftershave Balm. Such a beautiful scent for a man and such a lovely gift set to have.

Jack Back Beard Lube Conditioning Shave**(£13.50) - I like a beard on the mister and am not a fan when he feels the need to shave it off, so anything I can get my hands on which means the facial fuzz sticks around longer is a bonus. 

Described as being an award-winning Beard Lube from Jack Black, this product is specially formulated to penetrate the hair and help prepare the beard for shaving by softening the growth. It retains moisture to ensure your razor glides over your skin easily, without clogging the blades. The unique, transparent texture lets you see where you are shaving, preventing nicks and cuts.

Bulldog Original Body Lotion**(£4.50) - I have a nice array of lovely body lotions and body butters and it isn't a product you see too readily available for men. 

Bulldog Original Body Lotion is packed with 8 essential oils such as Begamot, Lemon and Avocado Oil to name a few, cocoa butter, aloe vera and avocado oil to help nourish and rehydrate the skin. Whilst it doesn't smell distinctly manly, it does smell divine and hopefully this will encourage Steve to moisturise more than just his face.

If anyone reads the misters blog then you will know that hair care is important to him, he has tried endless gels, waxes, clays and sprays to see what works well with his hair and what doesn't.  So having looked through his blog to see American Crew**hadn't featured, within this hamper for him are four products to test and try:

• Defining Paste (£10.76) - Described as being perfect for adding texture to flat, limp hair, the American Crew Defining Paste provides medium hold coverage with a matte finish.
• Fiber (£10.76) - This is said to be American Crew's beat selling product and it is designed to be used to mould and sculpt hair into any style. This fibre-like, resinous product helps thicken, texturise and increase fullness to hair and again provides a matte finish. 
• Forming Cream (£10.76) - Is said to provide excellent hold, pliability and natural shine. It also helps hair look thicker and is ideal for easing new users into the potential of styling jar products. 
• Pomade (£6.39) - This is better for hair that is in-between cuts in my opinion and is longer than usual. Excellent for the slicked-back look or rough texture, high gloss styles. Controls strong hair lines and curly, frizzy hair. Great for a sophisticated finish.

Montagne Jeunesse Charcoal & Volcanic Ash Unclog Pore Strips - I came across these in Primark for the bargain price of 90p and as it is unusual to see these male products anywhere, I picked them up. 

There are three pore strips inside the package and they use natural charcoal to help absorb excess sebum drawing out dirt, grime and impurities for cleaner, less visible pores. The use of Volcanic Ash helps to clear dead skin cells.

Truefitt & Hill Sample Bag**- You can never go wrong with a decent sized samples and Truefitt & Hill are not a brand I am familiar with. 

They were established back in 1805 and world's oldest barbershop as stated in the Guinness Book of records and are barbers and Royal Warrant holders to H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh.  You can read more about them here.

Bluebeards Revenge Starter Kit** (£19.99)- This is an amazing set which includes luxury collection of contemporary shaving products designed for the modern man! 

The Bluebeards Revenge Starter Kit consists of everything you need to get started with traditional wet shaving, including a rich luxury Shaving Cream, travel-sized Post-Shave Balm (20ml), Doubloon shaving brush and silver-technology antiperspirant deodorant.

I am hoping the discovery of some of these brands will find some new favourites and bring a little something different when it comes to Christmas presents and once it is all put together it looks something like this:

Have you ever put together a hamper for someone?  Do you think there is anything else I could include?

**collaboration and PR samples

Blogger Beauty Box - December

The Blogger Beauty Box is, like the name suggests a beauty box which is created by a Blogger who goes by the name of Vix and she blogs over at Vix Meldrew. The Blogger Beauty Box began back in August of this year and I am chuffed to have finally got my hands on one and it costs just £10 per month. I have the gigantic December box to share with you and it is amazing.

Inside this box is 7 different items with the dominant theme of skincare and nails with many of the brands being absolutely new to me and I am really excited to give them a try.

Elegant Touch Nail Guards - These nail guards act as a protective barrier and are designed to be worn under not only press-on nails but also gel manicures & acrylics. These nail guards prevent glue damage to the natural nail and are really thin and to use them, you simply apply the sticky strip to your nail and then file to shape you need before applying your preferred finish. These nail guards are said to last for up to 14 days and also easy to remove. Each pack contains 36 nail guards in 9 sizes and retails around £2.95.

House of HoHoHo Christmas Nails by Elegant Touch - A collaboration between House of Holland and Elegant Touch to create some unique and fun press on nail designs ready for the Christmas season. These nails are easy to use attach to the nail easily by using the enclosed glue. They dry in just 5 minutes and are said to last for 10 days. Each pack contains 24 nails in 10 different sizes, a nail file, bottle of glue and full easy to read and follow instructions. Available in several designs they retail around £8.99.

AcuRegen Rose Body Oil - The oil caught my attention as soon as I opened the box. The body oil looks similar to Olive Oil and contains rose petal pot pourri in a pump dispenser bottle to make it easier to use. The oil can be used in the bath, as a body oil or you can add it to your body lotion. Ingredients such as Rose Oil which has renowned purifying and detoxing properties, Argan Kernal Oil which is not only hydrating but also helps regulate sebum secretion and is extremely moisturising and finally Geranium Oil which is said to deliver nerve tissue support for boosted skin balancing. Priced at £32.99 I am really looking forward to giving this a try.

Seascape Island Apothecary Soothe Body Butter - Seascape is part of a locally produced skincare range which hails from Jersey. This Body Butter is full of natural ingredients and essential oils which includes Lavender to relax and calm, Ylang Ylang to balance the mind and Mandarin to rejuvenate the skin. Contains Jersey Beeswax, Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter, Rosehip Seed Oil, Grape Seed Oil and Sweet Almond Oil rich in Omega 3, 6 and vitamin E to help reduce stretch marks and repair damaged skin. This butter smells absolutely incredible and feels so lovely on the skin. It contains no parabens, no silicones, no SLS, no petroleum, no artificial colours, no artificial fragrances and retails at £22.00

Anubis Effectivity Gold Mask and Caviar &Pearl Peeling - I have never come across this brand before, so it is always exciting to discover something new. Anubis comes from Barcelona. The Caviar & Pearl is a described as being a nourishing and revitalizing exfoliator which is specifically forumalted to deeply nourish and regenerate. It states it will reduce wrinkles, brighten skin and to smooth and soothe. To be used after cleansing your face, it has to be left for up to 10 minutes before being rinsed off. The Gold Mask which is another anti-aging product from this brand is an intensive rejuvenating gel mask which is said to leave your skin with an intense glow. As before, you apply to clean skin and leave for up to 15 minutes before rinsing. Both of these masks retail between £10-£20 depending on where you choose to shop.

Finally nestled inside a cute linen organza bag are two lip products by Dusty Girls which is part of the MooGoo brand. MooGoo make skincare for people who have skin problems and/or very sensitive skin and their makeup range uses the sample principles of the skincare range which you can read more about here and here.

Dusty Girls Sun Shower – Natural Mineral Lip Gloss. This is a clear gloss to add shine and create silky smooth lips. This gloss hydrates and softens your pout with natural moisturising oils and soft micas. It can be purchases for just £9.00.

Dusty Girls Argyle Pink Lip Shine - A gorgeous soft shade of pink with a subtle light reflecting shimmer to enhance your natural smile. We use a blend of nourishing ingredients such as Apricot Seed Oil, Watermelon Seed Oil and Sweet Almond Oil to make application a breeze and to ensure you are left with a perfectly polished pout with every pop! We steer clear of synthetic dyes and Carmine, both of which are commonly found in many generic lip products to get a more vibrant colour, however most people aren’t aware that Carmine is in fact, boiled beetle wings (cringe). Instead we use natural micas for a beautiful, long lasting pigment and a clear conscience. Priced at £9.50 and can be found here.

So there you have the December Beauty Blogger Box and as you can see it is packed full of amazing products with new brands to discover. If you like the sound of Beauty Blogger Box and want to try it out for yourself, you can find information right here.

Balance Active Formula Dragon’s Blood Range

Balance Active Formula Dragon’s Blood Range is the new kid on the block and it features three products which I have been using over the past few weeks. Those products are a Lifting Serum, Lifting Cream and Eye Lift Balm all of which work together to in essence provide the ideal all-in-one skincare range. Admittedly I jumped at the chance to try these because of the words 'Dragon's Blood'. I love products which sound slightly weird, have odd ingredients and capture the imagination and if you are a regular reader of my blog, then you will know that Bee Venom, Snake Venom and other such ingredients have excited me a lot.

These products all contain Dragon’s Blood Extract and 3% Liftonin™-Xpress, an innovative active and break-through ingredient that helps the skin look instantly lifted and tightened. It absorbs fast and cools the skin on application. Naturally Dragon's Blood isn't the blood of a Dragon, but it is the sap from the Croton lechleri tree which is also known as the ‘Dragon’ Tree when translated. The resin or sap in question is red hence the term Dragon's Blood and it forms protective film on skin to protect against environmental aggressors.

The first of the three products is Dragon's Blood Eye Lift Balm – This balm claims to instantly lift and tighten the skin around the eye area, whilst reducing fine lines and wrinkles. The balm itself is a lightweight and non-greasy formula which is easily applied to the under-eye area both during the morning and the evening. I don't (thankfully) yet have any wrinkles around my eyes, but the formula is incredibly hydrating and refreshing.

The Dragon's Blood Lifting Serum is my favourite product of the three - Again the serum contains Dragon's Blood Extract and 3% Liftonin-Xpress to leave skin looking firmer and lifted. Helpfully the serum comes inside a bottle with pipette which makes using it much easier. I distribute the serum onto the palm of my hand and apply it to my face and neck before using my moisturising cream both in the morning and the evening.

The final part of this skincare trio is the Dragon's Blood Lifting Cream - Again featuring Dragon's Blood Extract and 2& Liftonin-Xpress, the skin feels smoother and appears lifted and tightened. This has become the final part of my skincare regime and is applied both morning and evening after using both the Eye Lift Balm and Lifting Serum.  The cream is really lightweight and absorbs easily into the skin without leaving behind any greasy residue.

As someone in my 30's taking care of my skin has already be one of my top priorities, to be honest even in my teens I was taking care of my skin.  The three of these products together work incredibly well and when I saw the price, I was incredibly shocked because at £3.99 they perform just as well as similar products with similar ingredients and right now you can purchase all three of these for just £1.97 right here.

All products are light-weight and non-greasy, suitable for all skin types and parabens free.

The Useful Christmas Gift Ideas for Bloggers

Have you got a friend who is a blogger, or is one of your friends a blogger and you are currently scratching your head debating what you can buy them to make life a little easier?  Well I have a great list right here that could just help you!

One item that most bloggers will own is a camera, now whether that is a Compact, an SLR Camera, a Bridge Camera, the cult must have Olympus Pen, the Nikon CoolPix, a Fujifilm Instamax or even just an iPhone camera, all of these terms will be words you have come across in your lifetime of blogging. There is no doubt a camera is a must have item for any blogger and if you are thinking of buying one for yourself or someone else, you will be forever in someones favour.  This gift idea list is mainly centered around items for cameras with a few extra add-ons, it might be that you cannot afford to buy a new camera, but can buy something extra to make that unwanted and unloved camera because loved and very much wanted again.

1. Bloggersphere Magazine - This magazine is an internationally distributed print publication written by bloggers for the blogging and social media community. It is split into six main sections (each edited by an influential blogger): beauty, fashion, food, travel, lifestyle and photography. I really enjoy reading this magazine and whilst it is now available to buy in some WHSmith stores and online, you could buy a subscription as a gift right here.

2. Amzdeal Portable Camera Photo Studio Box Light Lighting - Days without natural light are a constant pain in the backside for bloggers and it used to drive me insane until I got one of these portable studio boxes. I love that it comes with an array of backgrounds, a tripod for your camera, the studio tent, two lights and a hand carry case for it all to be stored in, so even if you are short of space, this is a great product to have and it can be found here.

3. Anker Astro Portable Charger - This is quite possibly the best item I have ever bought for my iPhone. If you are social media crazy and can't go a few minutes without tweeting, Instagramming, watching and recording for Periscope or even Snapchatting then your phone battery is not going to last the day.  This portable charger is ideal for carrying around with you and you can find it here.

4. Hama Star 61 Tripod - If you Vlog and Youtube, a tripod is a must have item, if you take photos then a tripod is a great item to have, I am not too sure that I could now take any photo without a tripod and get the look I am wanting for my photos and if it is something you have been debating buying but don't want to splash out lots of money, this one is a bargain and is right here.

5. Queen of Blogs Mug - Whether you drink tea, coffee, hot chocolate and so on, a mug can be a great gift and this one more so with it's apt slogan 'Queen of Bloggers' which I also think goes well with my blog name and would also make a great secret santa gift.  Found on Amazon right here.

6. Blog Planner - The Badass Blog Planner is Your guide to defining your purpose, creating clarity, and building a year of killer content. This Planner includes worksheets to evaluate and plan blog content, social media posts, products and services, email newsletters, marketing, advertising, your budget, and website design. No more late-night post idea panic or stressing over social media! I think this sounds like pretty a pretty good read and a quite handy go to guide to have and it is available right here.

7. Foldio - The Portable Studio Box, Foldable Light Box for Smartphone Photography.  This is quite possibly one of the coolest items I have come across to date.  I am sure everyone uses Instagram and if you are short of space within your home, then this could just become your best friend.  It is a Smartphone version of the portable studio already mentioned within this post and is impossibly cute, an amazing idea (why did I not think of this) and could quite possibly be a huge game changer with Instagram.  It can be found right here.

8. Camera Light - I was given this light 6 months ago and it is an item I use all of the time in the darker months.  If you need to add just a bit more light to your photos and don't need the whole set up of a studio, this light does just that. Readily available right here.

9. Notebooks - As a blogger I can never ever have too many notebooks. I have notebooks of all shapes and sizes and I find them handy for list writing, idea jotting, blog post details and often when I am on the go and think. My current favourite notebook happens to be this Happy Jackson Green A5 Thoughts And Doodles Notebook which I think it is perfect for what I need it for.

10. Blog Backgrounds - Whether you use the outdoors for that perfect photo shot or props inside, did you knwo your local hardware and DIY store might be a little treasure trove of ideas and help too? Wallpaper samples, Floor Tiles and even Wooden Floor Samples can really help bring those photos to life and it is always worth going to look.

So there you have it.  My helpful guide to useful gifts for bloggers, which contain all of the items I think would be useful.

As a blogger reading this, what items would you want to see on a gift list?

*collaboration

Inner-Soul Organics

Inner-Soul Organics is one of those brands that I just love from the very first try and the fact they are British with products made right here in the UK makes me want to champion them ever more. Inner-Soul Organics offers luxurious skincare for face, bath, body, anti-aging and maternity, created with fine quality, organic, botanical extracts but what I love more is that they have a service that allows you the customer to have your own unique skincare range designed and created just for you. Inner Soul Organics skincare products are also suitable for use as part of vegan and vegetarian lifestyles and we are against animal testing and you can find out more about them right here.

I was sent two sample pots to try and test and I absolutely loved both of them, especially the Rose and Lemon Tender Cleanse Balm.  I am a real fan of cleansing balms, there is just something really relaxing and satisfying about using them to melt off the days make up, dirt and grime to leave you with a fresh, clean feeling face, particularly for me living here in London.  

To use the Roses and Lemons Tender Cleanse Balm, you apply in light sweeps all over the face and neck and when doing this, I use one of my muslin cloths as I find they work really well with. With this balm you are advised to concentrate on the sides of the nose, the dip of the chin and forehead and then to remove, simply moisten the cloth and remove excess balm. Now as you can imagine, it smells absolutely divine and is packed full of amazing ingredients such as:

• Mango and Virgin Coconut Butters are at the heart of our cleansing balm to gently cleanse away dirt without stripping skin of its natural oil content
• Extracts of organic Kiwi Seed, Aloe, Calendula and Rose Hip de-stress and soothe skin and also deal with fine lines and wrinkles by encouraging production of new collagen cells and quenching skin with vitamin C
• Red Raspberry seed acts to boost skin's natural immunity, protecting against free radicals and irritations
• Squalane, Evening Primrose and Spilanthes Acmella will hydrate and leave a beautiful glow on the skin
• Sublime Rose de Mai and Rose Absolute calm and tighten, smoothing away fine lines, whilst Lemon and Bergamot deeply cleanse and reduce dark spots

The True Balance Day Time Moisturiser is a cream which feels incredibly luxurious on the skin and you only need a small amount because as soon as it comes into contact with the skin it absorbs itself leaving behind soft, smooth and really hydrated feeling skin.  As with the cleansing balm, this cream is packed full of amazing ingredients such as Ylang Ylang which has a soothing effect and its balancing action sorts out over-dry as well as overly-oily skin by balancing the secretion of sebum and there is also the inclusion of Apricot, Lemon and Thistle which moisturise and mattify the skin.

What I found with this cream is that the scent is really long lasting and you can smell it for a good few hours after application and it leaves behind no greasy residue.

These sample pots are a really generous size and have really impressed me into wanting to try a few more products from the range. The Cleansing Balm was my favourite of the two and it is just an absolute delight to use and anything which leaves your skin feeling squeaky clean definitely deserves the thumbs up.

Have you ever tried anything from Inner Soul Organics?

Lush Cup O'Coffee Face and Body Mask

Almost two years ago now I gave up caffeine, I got to the point where I became too dependant upon it to get me through the day and one day decided enough was enough and cut it out. Now instead of needing coffee or tea, I have it as an occasional treat and have instead found new things to try instead. However, I love the smell of coffee, I love coffee flavoured things and when I saw Cup O'Coffee as a Face and Body Mask in Lush, it was in my basket before I had even had a sniff!

Cup O'Coffee is a Face and Body mask and as the name suggests it smells like freshly brewed coffee and is heaven in a black Lush tub, it is intense, it is great and I love it, even if I didn't like it as a mask, I would still love it for the scent. As for smelling like fresh coffee, well it looks quite like coffee too as you can see, it is a Mocha shade, so not overly exciting bright pink with glitter, but it matches it name especially well and it does do an excellent job.

So Cup O'Coffee is best described as being an exfoliating mask for the face and body and the idea is that you slap it onto your face and body, leave it for 15 minutes and then wash off. It is definitely more of a shower product than one for the bath and it is also one you need to use when you have 15 minutes to stand around in your bathroom, but it is also totally worth it. The pot comes in two sizes, 150g and 325g and the one I have is 150g and it lasted for a few uses. Again, depending on where you use it, how much you use and how often you use it depends on how long it is going to last. The first time I used it was on my arms and legs and I used it sparingly, the second time I used it on my face and the third time I managed to do arms, chest and face before running out. Having applied it to my skin in a massaging motion as I would with any other mask, waiting for 15 minutes in and then getting into a warm shower to massage it off my skin, the scent, once it hits the steam of the shower is just divine, honestly it is like standing next to a Barista as he makes your coffee.

As you might have guessed, the main ingredient of Lush Cup O' Coffee is of course coffee and it is called coffee infusion which you can read more about here. The caffeine within this product is rich, awakening and boosts your blood flow and circulation to literally wake everything up, even you! Also included is Kaolin which helps to cleanser and exfoliate the skin, Coriander Seed Oil which not only warms and soothes tired achey muscles but also uplifts and refreshes where states of tension and fatigue exist plus it is naturally antibacterial and there is also Vanilla Absolute which is fresh and uplifting scent as well as having an antibacterial effect on the skin, it is also naturally rich in vitamins which help your skin to feel more balanced and healthy.

Once you have removed the mask from your face and body, which I always have done (am on my third tub) using a muslin cloth, my skin felt just incredible. Wearing thick tights most days, can leave my legs feeling really dry and scaly, even though I moisturise every morning and evening. So to use this mask once a week, literally removes all the dead and dry skin and leaves behind soft, smooth, moisturised and glowing (on the face) skin which smells so amazing. I think this is honestly the best face and body mask I have ever used, well it must be, I am now on my third tub and still love it as much now as I did when I first got one.

This Lush Cup O' Coffee Face and Body Mask costs £6.75/150g and £13.25/325g and can be found online and in stores.

New Nail Care Range - Barry M

Barry M is one of those brands which is a total Highstreet Gem and one I find myself liking more and more.  I have always been a fan of the nail polish range and launching into Boots and Superdrug stores on 20th January 2016 is the new nail care range**.

The range has four products, all of which are housed inside cute little bottles and each one costs just £3.99.  There is a Super Mani 7-in-1 Treatment, Iron Mani Ultimate Nail Hardener and two Mani Mask Camouflage Colour and Condition products in two amazing shades.

The Super Mani 7-in-1 Treatment is a super hero twice weekly basecoat and treatment product which offers 7 benefits; hydrating and protecting enamel for healthy nourished nails:

• Encourages Growth
• Strengthens with Keratin
• Nourished with Argan Oil
• Promotes Shine
• Hydrates with Vitamin E
• Smoothes the nail surface
• Protects from breakage

A nice purple shade inside the bottle, it actually goes onto the nails clear.

Iron Mani Ultimate Nail Hardener is designed to help toughen up your nail and help prevent breakages and this treatment works to strengthen, toughen and smooth your nail.

Again, this Mani is a stunning shade of blue in the bottle, but applies clear onto the nails.

Mani Mask Camouflage Colour and Condition comes in two shades - Birthday Suit which is a really lovely creamy nude shade and Bashful which is a cute baby pink shade. 

I love both shades and they are both semi matte and are a perfect finish for your nails once you have added your Super Mani and Iron Mani to your nails.  

If you are looking for a pocket friendly nail care kit, then Barry M has the answer you are looking for. Having used them for the last month, they are just as good as rival and more expensive brands.