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Christmas Gift Guide for Women

Yesterday we published our ‘Christmas Gift Guide for Men’, so we thought it only fair to share a little gift giving wisdom for women too. Besides all of the beautiful candles, and festive food and drink available, we’ve created an overview of some of our favourite gifts for women, ranging from the affordable, to the more exclusive. With our help at The Amazing Blog, we hope that you’ll be able to find what she desires, creating the perfect Christmas gift (and giving you some last minute inspiration too!)

Let’s get started with something that won’t make you dig too deep into your pockets. All That Jazz is a specialist (and certified vegan) nail care brand, providing professional manicure and pedicure products. Founded in 2013, the company has been our go-to when it comes to nail care, especially since we loved their Caribbean Collection (see the blog post here). With their core range consisting of 36 on-trend shimmer colours, they have created their own game-plan, with a long-lasting base coat and choices of super quick drying top coat, matte top coat and top coat, specifically designed to magnify and smoothen glitter colours. Used by countless celebrities and thousands of nail technicians, this is a brand you can trust.

Bringing out four seasonal collections each year, The Designer Collection is our absolute favourite! This is the perfect add-on for Christmas, as the colours are glittery and powerful, inspired by the works of iconic fashion designers. Combining elements of runway glamour, four unique colours are created, from the timelessly chic, shimmery blue of Vivienne, through to the metallic red Coco. The collection also contains a cool nude, Vera and our favourite, the sparkling silver Betsey. The best part? This professional nail lacquer won’t break the bank. Click here to purchase The Designer Collection for just £11.97.

Another modest choice is from Heathcote & Ivory. Established in 2000, in London by Denis Aaronson, this brand is passionate about creating beautiful products with wonderful ingredients. Their colours, textures and patterns combine an eclectic mix of novelty, with British pedigree. Their forward-thinking design celebrates the role of women in ‘making Christmas happen’, where retro Christmas wrapping designs, sparkle and glamour greet the spirits of traditional British Christmas.

A perfect gift for her is their Vintage & Co. Baubles & Belles Festive Bath and Body TinThe packaging is a Christmas dream, elegantly designed with a festive pattern and finished with a beautiful pink hand-tied bow. Containing three bathing delights infused with orange-peel oil, this is the perfect company for the relaxing self-care holidays. The gentle cleansing shower gel has a silky texture that lathers well, and the scented crystal bathing salts with sweet orange essential oil fill the bathroom with a delicious (and festive) fragrance. Finally, the softening body lotion enriched with almond oil and shea butter locks in the skin’s natural moisture, perfect for any New Year party. All three products are scented with spiced rum, pomegranate, red berries and orange zest, and are guaranteed to give the fragrance of Christmas. Click here to purchase a Baubles and Belles Festive Bath and Body Tin for £15.

One of the sweet delights of Christmas is that there is always a beautiful scent in the air. That said, it is sometimes difficult to know how to blend fragrances together, something that Aqua Oleum can help with. This brand’s knowledge of oils spans over three generations, with over 30 years of experience in providing top quality oils, at reasonable prices. Managing Director, Julia Lawless, well known as an author and expert in aromatherapy, personally ensures that every product is of top quality - so an Aqua Oleum gift is sure to be one that will not disappoint.

Their Blending Notebook (£28) is ideal for anyone passionate about creating their perfect scents, giving clear and concise introductions into the art of blending. Introducing theory guidance and formula ideas, it is a great way to track and develop your own aromatherapy elixirs at home. Containing all essential information, journal pages to write your own formulations, a glossary of key essential oils and a perfumery chart with notes on how to train your nose, this notebook is great to get you started. It is also beautifully designed, gold foiled and singer sewn bound. To get started right away, combine this with their Clear Head essential oil for just £5.22 (10ml). It helps with breathing (particularly if a Winter cold sets in) and works to penetrate and soothe your sinuses. Equally, their Festive Joy for £6.07 (10ml) is just as great, with a heart-warming, rich, and spicy scent that is comforting and uplifting, the perfect natural room fragrance for the festive period.

If a new fragrance is what you’re looking for, then we introduce Ancienne Ambiance. Already lovers of their Goddess Waters, we were keen to try their new Mini Colonia Gift Set. Providing luxury gifts with paraben-free quality ingredients, Ancienne Ambiance products are free from animal testing and encased in recyclable packaging.

The Mini Colonia Gift Set contains five 15ml limited edition mini roll-on perfume gift bottles, the perfect scent selection to propel your spirits. Different scents for different days, complementing your clothing and making you feel good. Although we like all five scents, our favourite is Colonia IX (nine) - an exotic, woody and oriental fragrance, blending cedar and sandalwood with a hint of patchouli. It genuinely smells like Christmas! Staying true to the origins of niche perfume, all scents are hand-produced in limited quantities (in France), with the finest ingredients. Packaged in a handcrafted purple-golden gift box, this luxury gift delivers the perfect Christmas spirit (and the box can be reused at a later date). Purchase the Mini Colonia Gift Set here for £60.

Last but not least we introduce April Aromatics. Since trying their Rose L’Orange Eau de Parfum in August - the perfect scent for that balmy summer - this organic scents and cosmetics company has been one of our favourite fragrance houses. Founded by Tanja Bochnig in New York, the brand delivers natural perfumes with pure extracts that create inner well-being. Their perfumes are also pure and natural, and no animal ingredients are used.

We were therefore excited to try their Tempted Muse scent, the ideal present for Christmas. Packed in a silver shimmery, elegant box, it immediately put us into the most festive mood. Inspired by the nectars of the gods, with sweet fruity golden extracts of frangipani and jasmine, this perfume is uplifting and aphrodisiac. Purchase your own Tempted Muse for a loved one for €169 (30ml) here.

There you have it, five brands that have hopefully given you some inspiration for the special someone you are struggling to buy for! Whether they love nail varnishes, home fragrances or perfumes, we’re sure she’ll be opening her presents with a big smile.

Killer Nails

With the ghastly weather we've been treated to thus far this week, we at The Amazing Blog are hankering after duvet-days a-plenty with nothing better to do that indulge in copious amounts of chocolate and treat ourselves to some DIY pampering sessions. And with the torrentiol downpours here to stay, it's time to stock up on beauty treats for whiling away rainy days.

At The Amazing Blog the team does their very best to stay abreast of any new beauty products that we think our readers should know about and so I bring you Killer Colours. A brand-new nail colour collection, Killer Colours offer a capsule collection designed especially to tie in with the very latest fashion trends. Created in collaboration with fashion insiders and trend forecasters, Killer Colours brings you the very latest in nail colours and each polish is limited edition, meaning that once they're gone, they're gone!

Perfect for manicures, pedicures, or if you're feeling indulgent, both, Killer Colours have a great range of polishes this A/W. From the chalky pink Twisted Ice, to my personal favourite - the neo-nude Quicksand, as seen on the Valentino and Miu Miu catwalks at London Fashion Week, there's a shade to suit everyone's taste. All polishes boast a high colour pigment for a rich, intense colour with UV absorbers for serious staying power. They're also free of toulene, DBP and formaldehyde and are brilliantly British and made in the UK.

Costing just £9 with free p&p, Killer Colours can be bought online here.

 

Jubilee Fashion Frenzy (Part 4 of 4)

So we've given you our favourite Jubilee inspired picks for Home, Food, and Beauty  so now it's time for the final installment in our Jubilee posts: Fashion. Here at The Amazing Blog we're a sucker for a good Union Jack print and these items definitely deliver. These bedazzled shoes from Aruna Seth will definitely make an impression at whatever Jubilee party you're at this weekend. Covered in Swarovski crystals, these shoes are the perfect way to show off your patriotism. Only 10 pairs were made, and are available at Harrods, starting at £1500.

With the cloudy cover we've been having in the past few days, you may want to wrap up this weekend, and we've found this amazing Union Jack lined Barbour jacket and at £269 you'll definitely want to wear this more than once.

For our male readers, don't think we've forgotten you. While we know you're probably not too keen on glittery nail polish and high heels, we know you'd love to show your British pride in a more subtle way. So we've found these Ernest Jones Jubilee hallmarked cufflinks. Available on their website for £115.

I think it's wise to assume that most of you will be going to some sort of soiree within the 4-day weekend we have, so pick up one of these Aspinal Jubilee clutches. They've got a whole Jubilee range of accessories to choose from, this clutch is on the pricier end at £595.If you're looking for some Jubilee fashion that you can wear outside of this weekend then these Pretty Ballerina shoes are for you. The cute crown pattern, made from Swarovski crystals, are the perfect flats for this weekend and all throughout the year. Pick some up on their website for €225

For another more subtle way to show your pride this Jubilee weekend (and even through to the Olympics) pick up one of these patriotic Monica Vinader Jubilee Fiji Bracelets. Available on their website for £95.

Finally we'll end this Fashion post the way we started, with a pair of patriotic heels. Gina shoes have brought out their own line of Swarovski embellished heels in time for the Jubilee. Starting at £475 the British Collection is available online.

We hope you've found some inspiration in our Home, Food, Beauty and Fashion features for the Diamond Jubilee - God Save The Queen!

Jubilee Inspired Interiors (Part 2 of 4)

With the Jubilee weekend nearing, you're definitely going to want to deck out your home in the best Jubilee decorations. We've already given you our picks for Jubilee food, now The Amazing Blog is going to show you the best bits for your home! Keep an eye out for posts on Beauty and Fashion tomorrow! For the cutest and most festive home decorations, look no further than the Colour Union from Shop on Your Doorstep. They have entire ranges of festive Jubilee inspired home products, our favourites are the Union Jack telephone (£55) and the First Class Stamp Cushion (£80).

If you want to create a mood, scent a room, and also celebrate the Diamond Jubilee the NV Candles are for you! NV Candles has brought out a limited edition Jubilee candle delicately scented with orchids and lilies of the valley, for £14.95 its a luxurious Jubilee splurge.It's no secret that our reigning monarch is a fan of Fulton Umbrellas. She's rarely seen without one of her infamous clear umbrellas, so do as she does and pick up this patriotic 'funbrella' and show your British pride! At £12 you're getting a quality product with the royal seal of approval.

 

Finally for your home, we've got a few more lasting options! From Forages, their Jubilee inspired homewares are perfect to use all year round. We especially love their Made in England tea towel (£9.95) and their Kings Road Crown plates (£37.99)

So now you have our Food and Home picks for this weekend's Diamond Jubilee celebrations. Make sure to check back tomorrow for our Beauty and Fashion features.

 

 

Tattoo Temptation...

I got my first tattoo when I was 19, my second when I was 20, my third when I was 21 and my fourth, and thus far final, when I was 22. Evidently, they can be a rather addictive habit, one with the very dangerous consequence of looking somewhat less sophisticated than one would hope when ripening into the feared old age.

I frequently suffer from body art envy with the infiltration of tattooed celebs in the media – from Sienna Miller’s stars to Scarlett Johansson’s quirky design on her forearm, I’ve had to talk myself out of a fifth addition on a number of occasions.

Thankfully a fabulous alternative is now available for anyone who like me, wants a new tattoo with neither the needles nor the commitment. Unlike the temporary tattoos of the nineties, which often came free with Smash Hits! or Just 17 and included barcodes and slogans, Skin Art Temporary Tattoos allow individuals to create iconic looks inspired by their favourite celebrities. With designs including stars, hearts and swallows, there’s an ink for every whim. Lasting up to 5 days, they’re the perfect way of adding a subtle change to your look, without the added life-long regret!

And for the more daring types, Skin Art also has a fabulous limited edition Glitter Tattoo Kit, with everything needed to create a more elaborate result.

Skin Art Celebrity Inspired Temporary Tattoos and Glitter Tattoos are available from Boots, Boots.com and Amazon; prices start at £8.