Christmas gifts out at Boots already!

Wow, it's not even Halloween yet, but Boots are getting ready for the Christmas gift giving season. You can see their selection of goodies here, but here are my top picks!

Okay, so I'm a bit selfish, I guess. I picked things I would love to receive... but then I think when it comes to beauty products, if you don't wanna receive it, why would anyone else? ... Yeah, erm, I know that's not always the case, but I think these gifts would probably be well received by any lucky lady!

No 7 Protect and Perfect Intense Experience, £35.00

First things first. Skincare is beyond important, and no matter your age, or the intended recipient's age (well,,, within reason), a lady cannot go without reliable skincare products. So my first pick is this No 7 Protect and Perfect Intense Experience. It may seem a bit steep at £35.00, but it has an awful lot of useful products included in the 'experience', such as:

• No7 Soft and Soothed Toner (30ml)
• No7 Soft and Soothed Cleaner (30ml)
• No7 Protect and Perfect Intense Beauty Serum (30ml)
• No7 Protect and Perfect Intense Day Cream (25ml)
• No7 Protect and Perfect Intense Eye Cream (5ml)
• No7 Protect and Perfect Intense night Cream (25ml)
• No7 Beautiful Skin Radiance Exfoliator (15ml)

I know personally, I would love this set. Most of the products are smaller than the full size, so if you haven't used it before, it's not a massive commitment, but it's still a lot bigger and more substantial than a sample. Also, I have been dying for No7 to bring out travel sizes! Those big glass jars may look lovely on my dresser and in the bathroom, but when I'm on holiday it's the last thing I wanna carry around with me.

Dior Christmas Expert Eye Palette, £52.00

This Dior Christmas Expert Eye Palette contains everything you need to pull off a sexy smokey eye. But of course, as it's a shade of neutral browns, you don't have to go full on smokey sexiness, but can keep it casual for the office. This is an amazing palette, and no matter what any girl tells you, she can never have enough brown eyeshadows. They are so versatile and everyon can wear them. Dior eyeshadows are also a great gift for any lady who loves premium makeup.

This kit includes it all:

• Serum primer
• Mini-Eyeliner Pencil
• Matte Serum enriched eyeshadow
• Shiny Serum enriched eyeshadow
• Glow
• Brow liner
• 2 double-ended applicators

Hello Kitty Liberty Lip Gloss Collection, £10.00

Last, but certainly not least, is a more purse-friendly option from Hello Kitty and Liberty Arts. Hello Kitty and Liberty Arts actually did a similiar collaboration last year, which included 4 shades of lip gloss in a collectable tin, which they have repeated this year. However, the colours are different: Golden Rose, Pink Shimmer, Pale Pink, and Natural Shimmer (8ml each). Notably, there is a bright pink replacing the darker lip shade, but on the whole the shades are all wearable and this is a must have for any girly girl or lover of Hello Kitty.

Have you already started your holiday shopping? Or are you too busy making your wishlist?

Chanel Illusion D'Ombre Émerveillé Review

Chanel's autumn release of cream powder eye shadows the Illusion D'Ombre has had every blogger I've read fairly excited. Well, it isn't every day that Chanel bring out a new range!

I actually checked all these out at the Chanel counter already and decided that I couldn't live without Epatant, an olive silver. Émerveillé (82) was actually not my first choice. It's a beautiful dusty pink peach. This is a go-to colour for my eyes, but I wasn't initially drawn to this, simply because I already have so much peach and pink. It really had to have something to make me want it. After umming and awwing, for awhile, I finally made my mind up and gave in.

The texture is amazing, very soft and easy to blend. Really unique in the eye shadow world. Or is it? Actually, I couldn't help but compare this with Jill Stuart's eye jellies. The Jill Stuart eye jellies are wetter, more sparkly, and scented. I wanted to see how Émerveillé matched up with Jill Stuart Jelly Eye Color N in 03 Platinum Satin (ジルスチュアート　ジェリーアイカラーN　03 platinum satin).

Value? Although the Chanel looks bigger, there is only 4g of product, while you get 6g in the Jill Stuart. Of course, if the eye jelly weighs more because it's wetter, maybe this explains it? Actually when I look at the actual pots, it does look like you get more product with Jill Start. The Chanel comes with an applicator brush, which I haven't had a need for, but the packaging is understated Chanel. I could actually have done with a lighter packaging as the extra glass around the product just make it more cumbersome to carry around. Jill Stuart have a real princess feel to their packaging and this one is spot on. Small and fancy.

Okay, so they aren't the same. The Chanel is more subtle shimmer and the Jill Stuart is all glittery sparkle. I've had émerveillé for a couple months now and have to say, at first I wasn't too excited about this colour, thinking it would barely show on my eyelids. But I've worn it to work a lot, for a natural eye but better look with some dark eyeliner and I really like it. It just gives enough colour, but it's definitely not for a night-out, unless you use it as a base really. 

Have you tried any of the Chanel Illusion D'Ombre cream eye powders or Jill Stuart Jelly Eye Colors?