Ok, so you had better be ready for my biggest post of the year. I’m suggesting you go put the kettle on, pause Netflix and have a good read of my big fat Christmas gift guide 2018. Featuring some of the best brands on the market for her, him and baby. In my opinion, this is as far as you need to look with your list of who to get for next to you and get it all done in one sitting! I’ve spent a lot of time and research on this piece so you don’t have to start googling ideas for Christmas presents, because lord knows that involves a serious amount of wine and chocolate. So, shall we begin?

FOR HER

NEW CID I-GLOW AURORA- £27.50

New CID Cosmetics are one of the best makeup brands I have ever tried, hands down. Their products are simply stunning and the new Aurora highlighter compact looks like it is made straight from unicorn rainbow dust. Super fine powder, it leaves your face glowing and radiant. I always get compliments when I’m wearing a New CID product, and no doubt this new highlighter will achieve the same result as I wear it over the Christmas season.

VIRGINIA CORAM- £30-38

Virginia Coram is one of the few English producers of pure liquid soap using the traditional method. Featured below is the Bathtub Lotion with Rose, Geranium & Sage – a floral scent reviving the body and stimulating the mind. Also the Governess Lotion with Orange, Lavender & Vanilla – a lively fragrance with sweet tones and revitalising qualities. All their products are 100% vegan.

HEYLAND AND WHITTLE- £30

Heyland and Whittle is all about detail and style. Their Frankincense candle (made from soy wax) can help relieve stress and anxiety due to its aromatic properties. The winter spice rattan reed diffuser brings a sense of Christmas spirit that can only be found through the mix of joyful scents such as orange, nutmeg and clove.

JML HOLLYWOOD PANTS- £39.98

JML Direct is always a great shout for a range of innovative and practical gifts. This 3-pack of leggings are stylish, high-waisted and guaranteed to make the most out of your natural shape. I just love wearing them for comfort, warmth and ease as they go with just about anything. I love the three distinct designs and can see these becoming a favourite in my wardrobe over the next few months.

NYK1 SECRETS- £32.95-34.95

NYK1 Secrets have launched several products that every girl needs and I’ve got two of them right here. LASHFORCE lash and brow growth serum & TANFORCE. These beauties will have you brow-ready with glowing skin to rock that amazing new outfit you got on black friday.

BIOGLAN BEAUTY COLLAGEN- £18.99-29.99

Bioglan beauty collagen is a brand new range to Bioglan this season. There’s gummies for busy, on the go commuters and a powder form if you’re into breakfast smoothies instead. These supplements are packed with all the things your skin needs like Vitamin C, A and hyaluronic acid (which I’m sure you beauty lovers know is all the craze right now).

NIVEA GIFT pack- £3.50

Nivea Get Up and Glow gift pack features a duo of urban fresh shower gel in acai and goji berry scents. Along with a really cute sponge, this is the best stocking filler if I ever saw one 🙂

FOR BABY

PAW PATROL 2019 CALENDAR- £9.99

Danilo literally have something for everyone to get them set and ready for the new year ahead. Kids ranges include Paw Patrol, Peppa Pig and then you have something for the Newt Scamander fans as well. For the non-magic folk, a series of Disney-themed diaries perhaps? Go take a look at their fabulous range.

MESSY ME TUNIC BIB- £9.50

Messy Me are a weaning accessory brand set up by a mum of three. All handmade in the UK, I just can’t get enough of these handy bibs and tunics for Alice as she grows. This tunic bib with star pattern is going to be used on Christmas Day for sure!

ALDI LITTLETOWN GROCERIES- prices vary

I have worked with Aldi a lot since having Alice, and time and time again they always come up with something new for the younger generation. I went to the Christmas in July press day with Alice and she fell in love with all the wooden toy sets for the kitchen. So, guess what’s under her tree this year?!

THE SANTA SACKS CO- £6.50 ON SALE

The Santa Sacks Co have really gone to town with their personalised Santa Sacks. This year, we are celebrating a little more with Alice now that she can appreciate and understand this special time of year. So, we have a sack for her which will hopefully become a part of our family tradition, just as I remember having one as a child each year.

BOOTS MINI CLUB- prices vary

Boots Mini Club is a new discovery this Christmas for me. After celebrating the launch of their Fearne Cotton range, I knew the Christmas collection was going to be just as amazing. A fluffy pink reindeer jumper… yes please!

OH SO CHERISHED CHRISTMAS EVE BOX- £32

This next gift is currently on arrival from Oh So Cherished so I’ve included a few pics from their website to show you all about the brand. Personalised gifts such as these are great all year round, for Christenings, birthdays, and of course a Christmas Eve box featured below. These are becoming increasingly popular and it’s a great way to share the festive excitement with children.

FOR HIM

CLIVE CHRISTIAN- £145

Clive Christian is one brand I am very excited about including in my big fat Christmas gift guide 2018. The brand’s predecessor, the Crown Perfumery Company established in 1872, is the only house ever to have been granted permission to use Queen Victoria’s crown on its bottles. An image that defines every bottle of Clive Christian perfume to this day. These perfumes are sold online and by luxury, prestigious retailers around the globe. New this year is a 2 x 10ml original gift set, and their perfume ‘No1’ is the most expensive perfume in the world per ounce! There is a stunning range of gift sets available via the website, is if you are looking to really treat someone special this Christmas, here is your gift.

BELOW THE BELT- £5.95-9.95

Below the belt grooming is the epitome of a man’s gift. Direct and to the point, these products are to take care of everything below the belt, which I’m guessing needs just as much attention as females. These gifts are unique, sort of whimsical, but totally necessary if you ask me. They are great value and perfect if you are stuck on what to get for that difficult customer.

ROSS AND ROSS MAN BOX- £22

Ross and Ross have designed a man box which is right up any artisan’s street with a great palette. The man box comes with a premium lager, British salami, smoked apple chutney and some pork crackling. This looks like a tempting boxing day treat which anyone would be thrilled to receive (as long as they’re a carnivore obvs).

POPCORN SHED- £3.50

Popcorn Shed have to win the prize for the cutest design right? The adorable popcorn houses with window panes make for such a delicate gift, and the flavours are so interesting too. We have a cheese flavoured popcorn, salted caramel and berry but there are lots more to discover from the collection on the website.

CYBERJAMMIES- £50

Cyberjammies are a staple in my pyjama drawer and so I thought it best to even the score a little. This Austin pyjama set for men is so stylish, and trust me these pjs are the cats pyjamas no lie! Super soft, great pattern choices and of course the possibilities are endless for matching Christmas outfit selfies.

Phew, did you make it through? I hope you found some new ideas in there and if you haven’t started your Christmas shopping, here is the perfect place to commence, queue the carol singers! Thanks for reading my big fat Christmas gift guide 2018, see you again this time next year,

Saharasplash x

PR Samples included, all thoughts and views my own

Last week was my final week at my job. I have now left the office for the life of a full-time blogger, and I simply cannot wait to get started! I am hugely excited about this, and so I wanted to throw a little get together with the ladies to celebrate my new beginning. This blog post is all about how to do a ‘girl’s night in’ with style and I have some amazing companies that are a definite must for anyone planning on throwing the perfect party.

First up, you need to think about a theme. A theme is a great way to get everyone excited and will also help your guests to decide on a dress code too. My theme was carnival, so lots of bright colours, frozen cocktails and pineapples! I found an amazing company who helped me with the event, and they are Talking Tables. Talking Tables are an online retailer who specialize in party accessories and decorations. They have so many ranges for any occasion- birthdays, weddings, tea parties and of course an array of excellent goodies for a girl’s night in. I decorated the flat with fiesta fan garlands around the doors and sofa in wonderful bright colours, and we had a few parrots adorning the tables and chairs!

For the main table, we had the most amazing pineapple accessories, from pineapple picks for the giant cocktail glasses to pineapple sunglasses! We also had some flamingo ones too for some epic selfies. You can’t go wrong with some silly props to get everyone having some fun!

Talking Tables really do have such great quality items, even the patterned plates and wooden spoons helped to tie the whole carnival theme together.

For food, I went for something really easy and simple that you can’t go wrong with- chilli. I made a meat as well as a veggie chilli for everyone in less than 30 mins. You don’t want to keep your guests waiting ages for food, and getting a takeaway for large groups is pretty expensive. The ingredients for the chilli (mince, tomatoes, kidney and baked beans) plus rice will have you and your guests covered for under £15 which is a great budget, especially if drinks are happening!

Onto the drinks, I went for frozen cocktails. You can get these at all the major superstores and they are the perfect thing for a carnival theme! Fruity drinks are always going to be popular in the summer months, and it’s a great way to keep everyone happy without spending a fortune on spirits and taking up your time by making cocktails on the night. I want to thank Talking Tables for providing such a fantastic array of party accessories which made the night, the giant cocktail glasses were just perfect for our cocktails to share!

When planning how to do a ‘girl’s night in’ the right way, I wanted to organise something fun for us to enjoy as well as the selfies, drinks and food. This is where my second guest comes in- My Showcase.

Founded by 2 great women, My Showcase is an online store for luxury beauty products, but they also host parties so you can have a My Showcase expert come in with their products to talk you through them. This was such a nice surprise for my guests who didn’t know what to expect, and we had a wonderful time trying on makeup and spraying ourselves with wonderful scents! A few stand out brands of the night were Connock London, New CID and Aurelia.

To get more info and to host your own My Showcase party, click here. A massive thanks to our Stylist Katie for bringing her My Showcase selection for us! Plus a huge thanks to all my ladies who helped to make the party so great!

So there you have it, my how to do a ‘girl’s night in’. I would say to sum up, a mixture of the right theme, good home-cooked food plus a surprise for your girls will make your perfect night in!

Saharasplash x

For more lifestyle, check out what’s on my wach list right now!

PR Samples included

FOR HER

FOR BABY

FOR HIM

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