CHRISTMAS | Hearst Magazines offers

As a journalism student - and a lover of all things beauty, fashion and lifestyle - I'm a subscriber to a lot of magazines. And if you're struggling for Christmas gift ideas then look no further. Hearst Magazines UK is one of the UK’s leading media companies with 19 magazine brands and 20 digital assets. Running for over 100 years, Hearst Magazines is a place that you should definitely be looking for gift inspiration this Christmas. Also, there are many special offers currently available and these offers will be run from the 1st October 2013 to 31st December 2013. To find out more and buy, click on the title of the magazines below.

Cosmopolitan Magazine

1 year (12 issues): £20 – 54% saving

Direct Debit: £18 every 12 issues – 58% saving

ELLE Magazine

1 year (12 issues): £20 – 58% saving

Direct Debit: £18 for first 12 issues – 63% saving (then £30 every 12 issues thereafter)

Esquire Magazine

1 year (12 issues): £20 – 61% saving

Direct Debit: £3 for first 3 issues – 76% saving (then £10 every 6 issues thereafter)

Harper’s Bazaar Magazine

1 year (12 issues): £20 – 60% saving

Direct Debit: £3 for first 3 issues – 76% saving (then £10 every 6 issues thereafter)

Men's Health Magazine

1 year (11 issues): £24 – 45% saving

Direct Debit: £3 for first 3 issues – 73% saving (then £13 every 6 thereafter)

Red Magazine

1 year (12 issues): £24 – 50% saving

Direct Debit: £5 for first 3 issues – 58% saving (then £15 every 6 thereafter)

To view more titles, click here. Oh and did I mention that you can collect 100 Boots points when you purchase a subscription from Hearst Magazines using the links above?

Will you be buying a magazine subscription as a gift or for yourself?

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GIVEAWAY | Serenata Flowers

Can you tell that I love pink roses?

There's nothing more special and no better pick me up than receiving a gift of flowers delivered to your door. Whether it's a gift to yourself to make you feel better or a surprise to a special someone to say thank you, flowers make the perfect gift. Serenata Flowers are a website that allows you to browse hundreds of different boutiques and gifts to send via post to a loved one. You can even add special extras - such as chocolates, teddy bears and balloons - to your orders for a small extra charge. And what's better is that if you order by 10pm, your flowers will be delivered the next day in certain cities. Serenata Flowers are giving you guys the opportunity to win £35 to shop on their website. The winner will then get to send the gift to any mainland UK address they want (including their own). To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You can browse the wonderful Serenata Flowers website here
*prize provided by Serenata Flowers

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MAKE UP | Too Faced Joy To The Girls Christmas Gift Set [picture heavy]

L-R Cookie Dough, Cheers, Prancer

L-R Sugar Plum, Mulberry, Snow Angel

L-R Powdered Sugar, Too-Too, Yule Log

L-R Chesnut, Twinkle, Joy

L-R Spike The Punch, Chimney, Coal

LashGASM Mascara

'Cheers' all over the lid, 'Mulberry' in the crease, 'Prancer' underneath the lash line, 'Snow Angel' to highlight, LashGASM on the lashes

'Cheers' all over the lid, 'Mulberry' in the crease, 'Prancer' underneath the lash line, 'Snow Angel' to highlight, LashGASM on the lashes

  "Treat yourself to endless eye looks and create your new Christmas beauty tradition." - Jerrod Blandino

The moment I saw this palette, it was love at first sight. The Too Faced Joy To The Girls Christmas Gift Set* is filled with 15 highly pigmented matte and shimmer eyeshadows and full-sized LashGASM Mascara (which retails for £18 alone). With all of the hype and coverage surrounding the Naked 3 palette, it's inevitable that this palette will get overlooked but really, it shouldn't be because it's fabulous.

I'm a big fan of the packaging. Despite the fact that it's cardboard, it feels and looks exceptionally sturdy and without a doubt, pretty. As with the majority of Too Faced palettes, it comes with mini tutorials on how to use the eyeshadows which is a nice and useful extra, although I probably would've preferred a mirror. The lasting powder of these shadows is outstanding and when used with the Too Faced Shadow Insurance, they aren't budging throughout the day.

Each shadow has its own adorably festive name which for me, makes the palette even better. The shadows themselves are pigmented, buttery soft and easily wearable. With a range of neutrals and more vibrant colours, there's something for everyone and allows you to experiment with a pop of colour if needs be. The mascara is something that I was pleasantly surprised by as well - it really lengthens the lashes and separates them. The plastic brush is wonderful and combs through each lash ensuring even application.

You can buy this set here where it's currently on offer for £34.20 instead of the full RRP of £38.00. An absolute bargain as minus the mascara, each eyeshadows works out at just £1.30 each (£1.08 if you manage to get it for the offer price). 

Have you seen this palette before? Is it one that you'll be investing in?
*PR Sample

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inlovewithfashion | Exclusive Offer

1 2 3 4

That's right, I have a secret exclusive offer for you today. I'm a big lover of inlovewithfashion and I've recently being ordering a lot of clothes from then. The other night I went out in their LOVE Pink Wrap Playsuit (only £10 by the way, bargain) and I loved it. You can see me wearing it here. But enough about me. inlovewithfashion are offering you guys a wonderful offer - all you have to do is click the image above to find out what the exclusive offer is - simple! 

Happy shopping!

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CHRISTMAS | KIKO Satin Nail Lacquer Set

Wearing Rose Taupe and Carmine Red

With Christmas just around the corner, it was inevitable that I was going to feature a couple of Christmas gift sets on Bamboozle Beauty. I didn't, however, plan to do a Christmas series like I did last year. But when a couple of beautiful gift sets appeared through my letterbox by my favourite brand KIKO, I couldn't not mention them. 

The Satin Nail Lacquer Set* includes eight limited edition nail polishes with micro pearls. The formula of these polishes - as always with KIKO - is outstanding. They're opaque in one coat, the brush makes the polish easy to apply and the finish is intense, strong and glossy. The set includes the colours Rose Taupe, Rose Coral, True Red, Dark Cherry, Carmine Red, Cobalt Blue and Lawn Green - a nice variety of pinks, red, blues and nudes. And my favourites are without a doubt Rose Taupe and Lawn Green.

You can buy this gift set here for £19.90 which is absolute bargain. It makes the polishes less than £2.50 each and considering the quality, it's incredible. You can browse the entire Christmas collection here and I'll be featuring another KIKO gift set very soon.

What do you think about this gift set? What other KIKO gift sets have caught your eye?
*PR Sample

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Baylis & Harding Beauticology Master Chocolatier

Oh this review is well overdue. It's been a long time coming and for what seems like forever, I've been wrapping my skin in chocolate yumminess. When a delicious Baylis & Harding press release made its way into my inbox, I could've resist but snap up their Master Chocolatier collection. Being a girl, it's inevitable that I'm addicted to chocolate but you know, a moment on the lips a lifetime on the lips and all that. So instead of indulging in the naughties, I've been getting my chocolate fix elsewhere.

Beauticology Sweet Temptations* (can't find online but here's a similar one)

Strawberry & vanilla cream truffle body wash, white chocolate body lotion, decadent milk chocolate shower creme.

Body care wise, I haven't used any other products since receiving this gift set. It's perfect in every way possible. The shower creme and body wash are lovely at what they're branded as, but if you really want to indulge, pop a few drops under a running tap - you'll have the most delicious bubble bath of your entire life. The products fill the room with a yummy scent which one of the boys in my house even complimented. The body lotion is wonderful too. It sinks into the skin immediately and leaves behind a wonderful smell. If I do say so myself, I smell good enough to eat after using this.

Beauticology Luscious Lip Balm Set* - £6.99

Decadent milk chocolate, strawberry & vanilla cream truffle, white chocolate and raspberry creme chocolate. 

I was sold the moment I saw the tin. I love me some good packaging and this tin now houses my cotton wool pads - genius. The lip balms aren't the most moisturising but they do hydrate the lips nicely and provide a wonderful base for lipstick. They also taste and smell beautiful - like everything in this blog post do - and because of this, I've been using them non-stop.

Have you tried anything from the Beauticology range before?
*PR Sample

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FRAGRANCE | Marc Jacobs Honey

Photo Credit: Crystal of Crystaliciousss

Christmas is just around the corner and with stores stocking hundreds of different fragrances, choosing the right one can sometimes be overwhelming. Marc Jacobs' Honey is a fragrance I've had my eye on for a while. First of all, the eye-catching bottle is stunning. If you're browsing the perfume shelves, immediately you'll notice the intricate and original bottles glaring back at you. 

With top notes of pear and juicy mandarin, heart notes of orange blossom, peach nectar, apricot and honey suckle and base notes of honey, golden vanilla and smooth woods, this fragrance is to die for. What starts off as a fresh fruity fragrance soon dies down to sweet floral scent that is bound to have you - or your loved one - melting. With the solid perfume retailing at £34, the body lotion priced at £27, the fragrance itself starting at £49.50 and the gift set selling for £53, this beautiful fragrance isn't cheap. However, being an EDP, this bottle of wonder is one that will last you a while - a couple of spritzes and you're good to go for the day - and that makes the price tag worth it. 

You can browse the entire Marc Jacobs' Honey range at Beauty Base here where they offer a free gift wrap service (perfect for the festive season), free delivery on orders £19.95 and over and great offers on many other fragrances if this one doesn't take your fancy.

Have you tried this fragrance before? What would be your perfect perfume?
Sponsored post

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SKIN CARE | The dry skin saviours

In case you didn't know, I was prescribed Epiduo for my spots and you can find out more about that here. It's a wonderful gel and since using it, my skin has cleared up dramatically. However because it's so strong, dry skin is inevitable. I've said many times before that I'd rather have skin like an oil slick than a desert but luckily, there are some wonderful skin care products out there that have definitely helped my now scaly skin.

For me, it's weird using a hydrating serum and moisturiser. Ever since I started my skin care routine I've been using products aimed at blemished/combination skin. The HYDRA N°1 Serum and Cream are such a pleasure to use. They're expensive yes, but they do the job perfectly and my skin absolutely adores them. Both of the products use Hyaluronic Acid, Aloe Vera, Olive Phytosqualane, Imperata Cylindrica, Organic Silicon and Vitamins A, C and E.

Yon-Ka HYDRA N°1 Serum* - £57

Aimed at all skin types, this gel-cream serum contains 95% natural ingredients and is applied underneath the Cream to boost its properties. Although I've never tried the Hydraluron Moisture Booster, I imagine that they're both similar in terms of what they do. They don't moisturise the skin any further but instead, they boost moisturisers and hydrate the skin further. This serum is very lightweight so it feels comfortable on the skin. Immediately, it calms down my inflamed skin and when the Cream is used without the Serum, I've found that isn't as potent or hydrating.

Yon-Ka HYDRA N°1 Cream* - £49

When I first received this Cream, my skin was combination and I used to use it as a night time moisturiser as it's quickly absorbed and feels light on the skin. However now, I use it during the day and at night time. With shea butter and grape seed oil, this Cream repairs and soothes the skin while moisturising it. It makes the skin soft and comfortable, immediately relieving any signs of dryness. It smells very natural and sinks into the skin beautifully leaving behind skin that feels like velvet. It's comfortable and like the serum, relieves and calms the skin down.

Bioderma Hydrabio Mask* - £14.50

A good face mask can really change the way your skin looks and feels. I've been using this one by Bioderma for a good few weeks now and I've fallen head over heels in love with it. The mask has been formulated with Glycerine and Xylitol to boost moisture levels and Aquagenium biological complex which retrains the skin to stimulate its own ability to generate and maintain essential moisture levels - fancy, ey? After cleansing my skin, it feels tight and dry and it can end up being quite painful. A thick layer of the Hydrabio Mask soon sorts this out. To start with, I used this every day after cleansing but now, I use it a couple of times a week when my skin is particularly irritated. After 10 minutes, it's recommended that you remove any excess with a cotton pad however, my skin tends to have completely lapped the mask up so for me, there's no need to. At £14.50, it's an absolute bargain and if you do suffer with irritated or dehydrated skin, I highly recommend popping this into your shopping basket.

What skin care products do you use to combat dry skin? Have you tried any of the above?
*PR Sample

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BODY CARE | NIVEA Soft Refreshingly Soft Moisturising Cream

I've had the  NIVEA Soft Refreshingly Soft Moisturising Cream* for quite a while now. In fact, I was sent this product back when London Fashion Week was going on. The packaging above was designed by Giles Deacon and NIVEA were running an #OOTD competition. Sadly, I didn't take part as I'm not the most fashionable person out there.

However, over the past month or two, I've been using this moisturiser everyday without fail. Moisturising my body is an absolute chore and I hate doing it. This NIVEA moisturiser though melts into the skin beautifully and leaves it feeling incredibly soft and smelling gorgeous. It's the perfect base for fake tan and seeing as it's quick and easy to use, it's turned what was once a chore into a luxurious experience that I now enjoy.

You can buy this moisturising cream here where it retails for just £4.28 - such a bargain!

Have you tried this NIVEA Moisturising Cream before? What's your favourite everyday moisturiser?
*PR Sample

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FRAGRANCE | One Direction Our Moment

I'm without a doubt a huge fan of celebrity fragrances. I own every single Britney perfume that's ever been released (multiple bottles too) and Taylor Swift's Wonderstruck is my all-time favourite scent. So when I heard that One Direction were releasing "Our Moment*" into the world of celebrity fragrances, I was pretty excited. There was a lot of backlash on Twitter when the band announced their venture into the perfume world but to me, if something smells nice then it smells nice. It doesn't matter who created it or who endorses it.

The bottle for starters is beautiful. It's the epitome of girly and looks stunning on my dressing table. The fragrance itself smells like your typical celebrity fragrance: fruity, floral and girly. With top notes of pink grapefruit, wild berries and redcurrants, mid notes of jasmine petals, fresh freesia and frangipani and bottom notes of creamy musk, sheer woods and white patchouli. It's the perfect balance - wonderful for teens yet perfect for those in their 20's... my mother even thinks it smells delicious.

The box is something that you're either going to love or hate. While I personally love it - hello Niall! - it's definitely something that appeals more to the One Direction fanbase than fragrance fanatics. Being an Eau De Parfum, the scent lingers on the skin all day long and I only need a couple of spritzes on my wrists and neck. This fragrance is one that I definitely recommend having a whiff of the next time you're in Boots - it just might surprise you. I've been wearing it a lot recently as it's perfect and light for every occasion.

You can view the fragrance range here where the prices start from £14.00 for the body lotion and go up to £28.50 for the 50ml giftset.

What do you think about One Direction's fragrance?
*PR Sample

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BATH | LUSH Candy Mountain Bubble Bar

I apologise about my yellow fingernails. That's what happens when you buy cheap (Sinful Colors) nail polish. Sigh.

For some ridiculous - and quite frankly, strange - reason, up until last week, I hadn't ventured into a LUSH store for a while. I used to be quite the LUSH fan and once, my sister invested in the Think Pink hatbox for me... oh, those were the days. Anyway, last week I found myself perusing my local LUSH branch and cooing and falling in love with the Christmas collection. When I spied Candy Mountain, I immediately forgot about my weekly budget and decided that I'd just skip a day of food. I quickly snapped the bubble bar up and after last night's successful bath, I'm incredibly glad I did.

Now, if you're a LUSH regular, a reader of blogs or a general girly girl then you will have heard about the famous Snow Fairy shower gel. It's my all-time favourite shower gel and after every Christmas (when the range has been reduced of course) I stock up on bottles of the stuff. The scent is the epitome of girly - candyfloss, glittery and oh, so sugary - it's one that can't be missed. Pair that scent with the one of Rock Star's soap and you have yourself Candy Mountain. It's delicious. Sweet. Sugary. And exactly what I want to smell like for the remainder of my life.

Pair that with the gorgeous formula of LUSH's wonderful bubble bars and you have a winner. Crumble this under pouring water to reveal an array of beautiful bubbles and pink goodness. It's a girls dream. And not only does it look and smell good, it does good too. Once I've stepped out of the bath, my skin feels incredibly soft. So soft that I fell back into the bath when I tried to get out of it - quite slippery there, you've been warned. At £2.65, it's not cheap - especially considering I only got the one bath out of it - but it's completely worth it and I'm tempted to go back and stock up.

Have you tried any of the Christmas range from LUSH yet? Which one should I try next?

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HAND CARE | Carex Hand Cream + Giveaway

With the weather getting colder by the minute, it's time to dig out the dry skin products - hand cream included. Carex have recently launched two varities of hand saviours and for the past few weeks, I've been trying them out. With antibacterial properties, these creams are wonderful at nourishing, moisturising and protecting your hands. Nourish & Protect* comes with extra Vitamin E while Hydrate & Protect* includes Aloe Vera. The handbag sized bottles are wonderful for throwing into your handbag to ensure your hands stay in tiptop condition no matter where you are. At £2.50 each, they're an absolute bargain and some of the best hand creams I've tried. They smell clean and fresh and the cream sinks into the hands immediately leaving you with beautifully soft skin. I use Nourish & Protect before I go to bed and Hydrate & Protect throughout the day to make sure that my hands don't end up dry in this terrible weather.

I have 2 bottles of Hydrate & Protect and 2 bottles of Nourish & Protect to give away. All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning a bottle is be a resident of the UK and fill out the Rafflecopter form before. I'll be sending a random variant to each winner but if you do have a preference, let me know on the form and I'll try and give everyone the formula they'd prefer.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Have you tried out the Carex Hand Creams before? What is your favourite hand cream?
*PR Sample

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HAUL | Boots

On Sunday I ordered a new camera - the Nikon D3100 - from Boots and because it was their triple points event (and a special Boots.com event), I received over £50's worth of points. I wasn't expecting them at all so to cheer myself up, I went on a cheeky Boots make up rampage. I didn't have any products in mind when I went shopping - I just knew I wanted to treat myself.

Despite not being pictured, I bought the BaByliss Boutique Soft Waves 34mm Hair Tong - £19.99. It's basically a huge conical wand that adds loose, voluminous curls to the hair in an instant. Ever since summer when everyone was raving about them, I've wanted the Bourjois Colour Boost Lip Crayon in Peach on the Beach - £7.99. It's a beautiful colour and despite the fact that we're now getting into winter, this is still a shade that I'll be rocking on a day-to-day basis.

I've wanted the Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation - £6.99 since forever but I already have way too many foundations on the go. However at £6.99, it's a foundation that I couldn't resist. It's a lovely everyday foundation that adds medium coverage and blends nicely.. I swatched the L'Oreal Paris Color Riche Collection Privée in Eva's Nude - £8.19 a while ago when I was working on the fragrance counter and I immediately fell in love. £8.19 is a lot for me to spend on a lipstick when it's not high end but I'm really glad I did. It's the most perfect "my lips but better" shade and is perfect for everyday wear.

If you know me then you'll know that my brows are awful. I fill them in everyday and I've wanted the Maybelline Brow Drama Sculpting Mascara in Dark Brown - £4.99 since it was first released. I've been loving this so far - it's wonderful at shaping and holding brows in place all day long. I also stocked up on the Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer - £4.19 as I was running low on one of the shades. This concealer is full coverage and lasts all day long. It's a must-have in my collection and I must've gone through 100's of tubes of the stuff. I've wanted the Rimmel London Space Dust Nail Polish in Aurora - £3.99 since seeing the swatches on ETC LLYMLRS - it looks absolutely stunning. I also want to go back and get Luna Love.

What have you been buying recently?

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