We're Going Down Town♥

Is it really Christmas if you don't receive at least one perfume, or aftershave? This year I received the Calvin Klein Downtown perfume from my aunt. I hadn't actually heard of this perfume before, but I knew it would smell beautiful because I simply adore Klein's perfumes. I had no idea what it smelt like, or what the bottle looked like, but it's fair to say, it didn't disappoint.

The bottle appears to be quite round, and it is 90ml. I like the simplicity and how basic the aesthetics are. Personally, I don't keep my bottles in their boxes, instead I like to display my perfumes on the shelf, and this is one you wouldn't want to keep in it's box for sure! It's minimalistic style looks beautiful but overall, has an effective finish.

 Now for the exciting part; the scent itself. I absolutely love fruity perfumes, and this one is right up my alley. Not only is it fruity, but also fresh and quite sharp too, but this combination works surprisingly well. It is blended with top notes of bergamot, green pear and watery plum, heart notes of pink peppercorn, violet leaf and gardenia petals and base notes of vetiver and musk. I have owned numerous perfumes which are fruity, and believe me, this one is completely different, rather unique I must admit. 

If fruity perfumes are your thing, then I recommend giving this perfume a whirl. I don't see how you could dislike it though, it has so much to offer. Although it is strong and fruity, it isn't too overwhelming or overpowering to wear on a daily basis. For staying power, it lasts a good few hours before it begins to fade, but who can complain really? Not me.

Have you ever tried this perfume before?

When Your Skin Needs Some Love♥

I always overlook beauty oils. I mainly stick to body butters or lotions because I find them more efficient and quicker to use too. However, I've managed to grow a little collection of beauty oils, which I have ended up loving. These are especially good to use in Winter as I feel they hydrate the skin more.

The Body Shop Beautifying Oil - this was the first one I bought. Originally £10, I managed to snap a bottle in their sale for £4. I picked the brazil nut one because I got it to match the shower cream. Not only can it be used for your body, but also your hair and face. Usually, I use this for my arms and legs, but I have used it the odd few times on the ends of my hair. The main thing I like about this oil is the fact it isn't greasy. I HATE when an oil is incredibly greasy but this one isn't. It absorbs into the skin really quickly so no waiting around. 

Mandara Spa Tropical Blooms Nourishing Beauty Oil* - I was desperate to try this because it's enriched with Jasmine (ahaha). I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised with the formula of this. It is thicker than the body shop one, but it's not gloopy thick. It's a nice consistency and leaves your skin feeling pampered as if you've just used an expensive, highend and luxurious product!

Timebomb Skincare Youth Juice Secret Oil has been my love lately. It's a facial oil which I apply in the evening when I feel my skin is lacking hydration. It leaves my skin feeling refreshed, hydrated and doesn't feel greasy either. Again, it absorbs into the skin very quickly which is good if you're impatient. I recommend this product during Winter if your skin gets dry as this improves the dryness helping it hydrate it.

Kneipp Grape Seed Massage Oil - I wasn't sure how I'd get on with this oil as the scent at first smelt a little severe. After a few uses, you get used to it and accept the true value of this oil. It's incredible! It absorbs into your skin really quickly, so doesn't leave you feeling oily or sticky. It leaves my skin feeling uber soft. It's particularly good to use after shaving your legs!

If you haven't already tried out some beauty oils, will you now?

Inject Festive Cheer With Your Lips♥

Personally, red lips are an essential for the festive period. There's just something about them that are perfect for Christmas. Although I do like to wear a red lip all year round, there's something special about wearing them. I have four favourites which I like to alternate between, and decided that I would share them for all my fellow red lip lovers out there. And funnily enough, they're all matte. 

Lip Duals Ravishing Red* - If you can cast your mind back a few weeks ago, you will remember me raving about this lipstick (find the post here). As I reviewed it recently, I'm not going to ramble on too much, just briefly. It's a dual lipstick, meaning it comes with a lipstick and a lipgloss which turns the lipstick into a lipstain. It's a matte red but looks beautiful on the lips, and if you have dry lips, it won't cling to the dry patches. It lasts a lifetime on your lips and looks beautiful with so many different makeup looks, and skin tones.

MAC Charlotte Olympia lipstick in Starlett Scarlet - another much loved matte lipstick reviewed not all that long again (read post here). It's a slightly different formula to the previous matte - I feel it's a tad more drying, but nothing a layer of lipbalm underneath can't solve. It's a striking red which is as red as Rudolph's nose. You are almost guaranteed to spread the Christmas cheer. An extra bonus I have picked up on by wearing this is that it makes your teeth appear whiter due to the undertones.

Urban Decay Gwen Stefani lipstick in 716* - This is a slightly darker red to the others. It particularly suits darker eye looks, such as winged eyeliner. I feel it is a bit more on the drying side, but it does come with extremely gorgeous packaging which is a special added extra. The staying power is good, but for eating, it does have the tendency to smudge a tad, so beware! It looks especially good if used with a lip liner to make it appear "sharper". I reckon that this would suit darker skin tone so well.

Revlon Colorstay Ultimate Suede lipstick in Trendsetter - This has been a much loved red lipstick of mine for the longest time ever. Now my red lipstick stash has increased, I feel it doesn't receive the same sort of love as it previously did, but despite this, I still adore it. It's exceptionally creamy, but dries to a matte finish. It's more of a vibrant red in comparison to the other reds mentioned, and I think this is why I like it so much. Even wore with the simplest of makeup, it somehow manages to compliment the look really well.

I don't think I could pick a favourite out of the four, I really love them all for different reasons. At this current moment, I'm considering wearing a red lip for Christmas Day, but I haven't quite decided which one. Oh the choices are endless.

What are your favourite Christmas time reds?

An Ideal Gift For The Beauty Lovers♥*

Buying Christmas presents can be tricky; anyone can admit that. Every year, there is someone who is hard to buy for, no matter how hard you think, it just always seems that there are no gifts available. Have you got a beauty lover in your life? Then, look no further than the No7 Luxe In A Box Glamour Nudes*.

How beautifully packaged and presented is the gift though? It just looks beautiful and luxurious, and is sure to make an ideal gift! I know for sure if I were to open this on Christmas Day, I'd be delighted! It's a rather "pink" and girly based product, so if you know someone who adores pink and makeup, it's the most perfect gift ever.

Both the blush and gloss are almost the same shade of pink, but no complaints because it's gorgeous! The blush is super natural but brings together a whole makeup look. It won't leave you with Barbie pink cheeks either so no worries about a makeup malfunction. The lipgloss is a light pink shade which is almost a your lips but better. It isn't sticky which for me, is always a bonus. It will complete any makeup look, regardless of how simple or bold it is.

I know I will get plenty of use of the blush during the Spring and Summer, but I reckon I could even use it during the Winter. It would suit a wide variety of skin tones too, and would look beautiful with various makeup looks. What tops it off for me is that it comes with a blush brush, and it is the perfect shape and size for the apples of your cheeks. Not to mention how unbelievably soft it is too!

As you can see, the eyeshadow palette has some beautiful shades to offer, all of which are rather "soft" shades. They are extremely soft and can easily create a simple yet fresh look. I would even suggest buying the box just for the palette to be honest with you. I reckon that you can create more looks than you think, depending on your preference. It is sure to compliment various eye colours too.

So if you're struggling to pick the perfect makeup set for the beauty lover, or have a Secret Santa gift to buy, opt for this gift set. It is sure to brighten up anyone's face when they unwrap the paper, as it's literally stunning, and I love each of the products. And yes, the products are just as beautiful themselves as they look in the photos, they really are just that photogenic!

*PR Samples