5 Gifts for Her!

I had done one of these gift guides last year,and this year I actually wasn’t planning  to do another one, but I couldn’t help myself. So many great ideas came to my mind this year, this season really got to me early, haha.

Lately I was very interested in skincare and thought that this would make a good addition to any girl’s skincare regimen. The Sigma Beauty Cleansing & Polishing tool is similar to the coveted Clarisonic exfoliator but is far more affordable. For $43USD, you get the polishing tool, which I think is battery operated, and 3 different brush heads of various degrees of firmness. I know I would love to receive this as a gift, especially now the weather is changing and my skin is getting drier and beginning to peel.

I have been eyeing Vera Wang Princess (the original) for sometime, it just smells soooo good. I think this perfume or any light floral or fruity perfumes would be great for any lady in your life. I love to smell good, even if it’s just a scented hand cream or body wash, like those from Victoria Secret. Around this time, you can pick up gift sets for just about any fragrance (even the knock offs). If you want your fragrance to last longer you could layer the body wash, lotion and spray versions. I like to keep it simple, a few spritz of a perfume or body splash and I’m ready to go!

Besides new fragrances, I’ve really been coveting more storage for my makeup and other daily essentials. Something to help me to declutter my dresser, but is not a hassle to get in and out of on a late morning. A good place to get organisation materials in Barbados is Sort Your Stuff, Dwellings  or the kitchen aisle of most stores. You could buy specific items for organising bathrooms or makeup areas or, you can also multipurpose kitchen space-arrangers into neat counter organisers. I know another great place to find them is the Container Store, which stocks a plethora of organisation materials. I’m always getting carried away looking for ideas on their website and the items aren’t too expensive either.

Now you have everything organised, why not get a pretty mirror to look at your reflection? I’ve always wanted one of those magnifying light up mirrors, and saw some selling in Collins (Barbados) just a month ago. That would be perfect for any beauty-lover, as she can get really good detail when she’s doing her brows, eye make up or just admiring herself, haha. I know you can also find these mirrors at Dwellings Barbados, and overseas at Target, Bed Bath & Beyond and Wal-Mart.

Finally a new set of make up brushes would be the icing on the cake! Single brushes are usually quite expensive, especially high-quality ones. Luckily, Sigma Beauty has a variety or brushes and brush sets which are extremely affordable compared to other brands. High quality and durable, I’ve heard so many good things about Sigma’s products. There is one brush collection of theirs that I have been gaga over since the date of release, sadly I haven’t gotten it as yet but, this brush set would make the perfect gift for any make up enthusiast! The Make me Up collection comes on black, turquoise, red and purple, my favourite *hint hint*, and is a complete make over kit, with 12 brushes for your face and eyes. Not only is it a ton of great brushes, but they are full-sized and come with a travel case which could double as a brush holder for your vanity.  As a makeup lover, I know I would love this as a gift!

You can buy them from the Sigma Beauty website, send I have a code for 10% off any Sigma purchase. Not only that but when you spend over $30, you receive a free gift! How sweet is that? They also ship internationally!  So you could get your brush set and the polishing tool shipped straight to your home, or to the person you are gifting!

Sigma Coupon: DEC2012

Disclaimer: This gift guide was in no way sponsored. Sigma Beauty affiliate links are embedded in this post.

To Him with Love- Outfits & Pets

Hello lovely people, it’s coming down to the last stretch of the crazy Holiday shopping. Have you gotten something for everyone on your list but still cant find the right this for your boyfriend? Well it’s your lucky day 🙂 (Seriously, I sound like an advertisement….)  But anyway!

What guy doesn’t like to look absolutely handsome in a nice pair of slacks and a cool shirt? I kow many guys actually prefer to look very relaxed daily, but when they go out it’s all about that wow-factor, just like us girls. You know what makes guys feel even more special, wearing a nice outfit, knowing that their lady gave them one of their new favourite pieces.

Get your guy something to suit his tastes, and if it’s hard to find somethin gyou know he’ll love, you can take him shopping with you for this gift. Though it might ruin the surprise of the present, you get time to bond and enjoy each other’ss company for the day. (Mind you, during the Holidays shopping can be rather stressful, but it’s still plausible to have a good time.)

Another thing guys love… PETS! Cats, Dogs, fish, turtles/tortoises, iguanas, hammers, birds… the list is partically endless. A pet is a good companion, and it teaches responsiblilty too. It’d be like you and your boyfriend’s little baby to spoil :). Pets are also great when it comes to sharing emotions, so it’s really a plus for comforting your boyfriend when you’re not there. Don’t only give a great gift, give a pet a home 🙂 You can check out the RSPCA and the newspaper classifieds for pets in need of homes.

If your boyfriend already has a pet or you already share one, why not give it a gift. It’s always nice to receive something you need and the same goes for pets, a special treat, a new toy something along those lines.

 I really think that pets are a great gift to give and share with your guy, they allow you to bond and your relationship can grow from it, as you both learn to take care of someone other then yourself or your significant other. 

Enjoy your Holiday shopping and hope you find the perfect gift! ( I have just one more exam… FINALLY!!!)

XOXO

PS: Just one more instalment in this series, kind of last minute gift ideas for both males and females.

To Him With Love- Entertainment

Hey all! Time to find the perfect gift for your guy! Why not ENTERTAIN him? Take you mind out of the gutter… I’m talking about new video games, his favourite movie, that kind of thing! (Again I’ll be keeping this nice and brief.. hahah brief) 

So your guy already has the “perfect” game consoler, but he’s always playing the same thing. For one of his favourite games is bringing out a new version that he’s been raving about from the time he read the article online. Why not get him it, he might love you forever LOL!

Now I don’t know much about games actually, havent played any action games in quite some time, I doubt I would be anyway, unless it’s Smash brothers, does that count? Anyway, I did some research and it showed the games I have pictured are very popular. I know just dance has been pretty popular because a lot of YouTubers have been submitting their videos to the contest that was going on. That looks like a fun bonding game. As always, Call of Duty (COD), which I personally dont see the fascination with it, it’s boring (yes crazy comments now), but it is really beating some sales.

I’ll tell you this, keep your ear to the wall when your guys and his buds are talking about games, you just might find out what he’s been lusting.

On the other hand, your guy isn’t really into games, but loves a good movie.Yes girls our definition of a good movie may not apply, but that’s why some of us like guys, because they’re differenent from us.

So put in the necessary research and you should be ble to come up with his favourite move, or a music he was coveting on dvd or bluray. Who knows, you could watch it together and bond :). The possibiltieis are endless!

Happy Holidays! (and Good Luck in Exams for those still doing them!

XOXO

To Her With Love- Fragrance & Nails

Hey all! I’m back to give you a few more ideas on what to get your girlfriend this Christmas. I’ll try to be as brief as possible because I have some studying and sleeping to do hahaha.

Nail polish is a nice easy gift once you know the colours or brand your lady is into. It’s always fun to get a new nail polish to try out and play with.  Not every girl might like nail polish but, every girl loves perfume right? And there’s one to suit every woman out there, and your tastes too guys. Like I have been saying in basically every post, the item you choose depends on your loved one’s personality and tastes.

Ever realised how many perfume bottles lately are blushtones or purple?

Pay attention to what she’s wearing or carrying in her purse. At some point she’ll be talking about some random fragrance she fell in love with, while shopping with her friends.

Although you may prefer certain scents on your woman, it makes no sense buying her something that she wont like. Go on the advise of her friends, or see what she’s been spraying on and tell the sales assisstant, they should be able to make a great match.

There are plenty of scent types out on the market, ranging from sweet, fruit, sensuous, musky, floral and then there are even combinations of these basic types. It’s up to your girlfriend’s preferrence of scent and the names are self explanatory.

Not only scent types, but different intensities and mediums of fragrance. There are perfumes in the form of Eau de Toilette, Eau de Parfum, Body mists, hand creams, lotions, body butters and the list goes on. If you want the overall lasting scent from head to toe, the best way to go is with a gift set. Happy Scent Shopping!

Unlike fragrance, Nail polish migh tnot suit every woman’s tastes and sometimes it might not be a very practical gift. But as with fragrance, pay attention to what they’re wearing are raving about. It’s as simple as that!

Happy shopping and until next post! Lots of work to be done..

XOXO

What I’m lusting: Beauty Holiday Wishlist!

Hey all! I haven’t wrote a post focussing on actual beauty recently or myself for that matter. I’ve tried to keep off of the crazy school work rants, which I’m sure you’re thanking me for. School has been hectic to say the least, and everything is finally winding down nicely with exams on the way. Of course there’s a bit of stress for exams, but I’m trying to stay calm (we all know that can be pretty hard!).

In this post I’m going to be completely lustly and a tad selfish, hahaha I’ve warned you. I present to you my wishlist for Christmas.

Honesty, I’m pretty much always looking at beauty related stuff and liking some new thing or the other, but I always forget or don’t see the need to actually keep a physical list. Some of these things have been on my mind, and seeing that I’m in the blogging mood, why not share a few with you all. You can also comment on what you’ve been lusting after for the Holidays or just in general. It’s always interesting to see what others like.

Disclaimer: None of the images are my own of course, I’d probably have my own images if these things were mine hahah. (Used Polyvore for the collages)

M.A.C. Paint Pots- Rubenesque & Painterly

I’ve been really liking these for a long time, I think the concept is really nice (seeing they have been around for a very long time and so many people seem to love them anyway). You get a primer with a wash of colour, and you can even wear it on it’s own. I’d really like to try out Rubenesque and Painterly when I can get a chance to. Those seem like very good basic colours. Painterly basically conceals and gives a clean slate for eyeshadow application, while Rubenesque is a gorgeous pinky bronze frost which could be worn everyday on it’s own.

 See Swatches here!

M.A.C. Viva Glam Gaga Lipstick

When this came out in 2010 I was sooo excited. At that point in my life I was completely OBSESSED with Lady Gaga! I’m still a Monster, but now I think I’ve diversified a bit. I totally loved this lipstick and the matching lipglass, it was the cutest shade of pink I’d seen. I heard a lot of people saw that it is dupable, but the whole reason behind ti makes me want to get it. The Viva Glam campaign by M.A.C. is actually a charity fund for HIV/AIDS in Africa. I actually remember seeing magazine ads for the campaign long before this lipstick had come out and I thought it was a great incentive to donate.

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils

Taken from HERE!

Just like the M.A.C. Paint pots, I love that these are like primers with colour. these come in so many colours and are said to be very creamy and long-lasting. I’m sure not as wearproof as a paint pot, but it’s definitely more affordable.

Sigma Brush set (Make me up Collection- Make me Crazy)

I’ve looked at this set from December of 2010, I’ve actually blogged about it too.I’m always entering Sigma giveaways because I want to try out Sigma so badly. It’s really find of sad and obsessive hahahaha. It kinda saddened me when Sigma was having their annual Black Friday free INTERNATIONAL shipping and I couldn’t get it. But such is life. I can dream and one day I’ll get these pretty purple brushes. (Another thing, I’m sure the price of this went up by $10 recently, what a shame!) 

Where to find them!

(Photo courtesy of Sigma Beauty)

Benefit Cosmetics

Just a couple things I’ve also been liking from Benefeit cosmetics, that have been full of buzz for the longest while. Benetint, High Beam and their Boxed Blushesl. I particularly like these three shades, Coralista, Bella Bamba and Hoola which are very pretty, not to mention their cute packaging.

e.l.f. Blushes & Bronzers

I’m only now starting out on blush and bronzers, and I actually like the e.l.f. ones I have. I like that they’re so affordable and there are a few basic colours, corals, pinks and mauves. On of my favourites is a coral one I have called Glow. It’s nice, sort of a highlight because it’s shimmery, but still adds a flush of colour. I always wanted to try a bronzer, but nothing too shimmery or expensive, I even checked out some reviews and heard the e.l.f ones were good. They even have a contour and blush duo that a dupe for NARS’s best selling Orgasm blush and Laguna Bronzer. I’m not completely sold on them being exact dupes of them, but it does look like they would make for a nice blush/bronzer duo.

 

Stila Goodies
I do not know why, but one day I stumbled across Stila’s website (probably thanks to Pursebuzz0, and I’ve been hooked to the site ever since. From the convertible colour blushes, to the multi-use holiday palettes, especially those with the summer themes which came with the fun face make up. One particular part of this site sparked my interest, the “Last Call” section, which has products that are being discontinued in particular shades or completely. and they’re sold really affordably. Added to that, the sales and deals that they have always intrigue me. (darn target marketing and good advertising!). Right now they’re having their Warehouse sale and everything’s like %0% off… siiigh!

Urban Decay
Unlike most persons into beauty, I’m not lusting the Urban Decay NAKED or NAKED2 palette. I think that’s kind of a boring palette if you ask me. Sure some neutrals are nice, but what’s the fun in that?
What I’d really like is to try out their ever popular primer potions, and get my hands on their beautiful 15th anniversary palette. The packaging on that was beautiful as were the colours! I also thing the Rollergirl palette is really nice for everyday. It’s not as extensive on neutrals as the NAKED palette, but for some one simple like me it has basically everything and a pop of colour.

Lip Products
As I think back I’ve always liked lip products, lip balm and gloss more so than lipstick, but now the tables have turned. I still love lip balm, definitely die hard fan of it, but I have a new found love of lipstick. In basically ANY COLOUR. The best finish to me is cream though because you can play around with it a lot more than a frost or pearl. Add a gloss to make it shiny, a glittery or shimmery gloss to make it more fun or you can make it completely matte by blotting it. 

Palettes

Honestly I love eyeshadows, all the different colours and textures. I might not wear them very often, but I do love them. I think the best way to get plenty of diversity and still have affordability is to buy the 88- 120 colour palettes like those from Coastal Scents, BH Cosmetics etc. You can also get blush palettes, concealer, foundation and even lip palettes. Once you’ve found a good quality one, you can go wrong because they’re so mych variety in them.

To Him With Love- Accessories

Hey everyone! Another post on what to get you guy during this Holiday season. If you haven’t seen the previous posts on what to get your guy, click here! Looking for something for your lady, clickity ici!

This post is a bit more generalised because it speaks about accessories, and truthfully accessories is a very broad category. I’m going to try to break it down into music, gaming, cases and .. for lack of a better name, others. hahaha.

Ladies like accessories which are shiny and new and pretty to tote around, who said boys didn’t either? Most guys seem to have a fascination with gadgets as I mentioned in this post. What better way to enhance the performance or even personalize your favourite gadget than with your own accessories?  Headphones are the perfect way to enhance your listening experience and now with all the cool designs on the market, you can stand out with some really cool earwear. If your guy has an mp3 player or iPhone, a great gift would be an iHome where he could listen to his music while charging his device and also use it as a alarmclock.

Our gadgets are our investments, so why not protect them from the elements, if you realise your guy’s phone is being subjected to some harshtreatment then you can look into getting him a case. Not only is it affordable, but it’ll save him a lot of damage in the long run. The same goes for any case really, laptop cases or bags, for tablet users protective covers or screen protectors work magic and keep your gadgets like new.

What is cooler than having the “best” game console? Having people to play it with! The restraint of most of these systems is that they come with like 2 controllers, and that’s not always fun when your guy is hosting a games night or something such. What’s better is an extra controller, so why not get your boyfriend one? (he’d love you foreverrr hahaha, but really.. it’s a good idea). Plus you could use it as your excuse to spend time bonding with your boyfriend while you both play and you may even end up beating him at his own game.

Random accessories…

Nice pens are nice to remember people by in my opinion because every time you pick it up to write, your boyfriend would think, my thoughtful girlfriend bought this pen for me. ^__^ Wallets, though a typical gift are also very thoughtful and useful. For the utility man who is always fixing something or encountering a situation, I think Swiss Army knivesw are the best gift. It has so many uses and is the perfect accessory, especially when added to keys.

I wasn’t sure if to put bags under cases or not, but I’ll still mention it, it’s a very useful gift especially if the quality is good, because your guy can lug around all the things he needs in it.

Hopefully this post wasn’t too long and you did gain some knowledge on good guy “accessories”. Until next post!

XOXO

To Her With Love- Purses

Hey everyone! I’m back with another post on holiday gift ideas for the gals! In case you missed the last post on guys gift ideas, click here! And if you missed the very first post on what to get your girl, clickity lippy!

What’s the one thing you almost never see a lady without? It’s of course her purse, handbag, what ever you’d like to call it. Girls love to have that sturdy bag to hold everything but the kitchen sink. Whether it’s a tote, a clutch, hobo or a satchet, in the right colour and style, any girl’s bound to love a bag.

What type of bag to choose, what colour, what style, oh the dilemma! To make your life simple you can start by choosing a nice neutral colour such as black, tan or brown, even mustard. If you want to be daring you can choose a bag with a pop of colour with red, blue or even lime green like the cute number above. I guess it would make sense to avoid completely brightly coloured bags, unless you know that’s to your girlfriend’s taste.

For style, I suggest consulting another girl haha, or carry your girlfriend with you, because as much as women love bags, there are some styles that we’d all prefer not to have in our fashion artillery. There are plenty of styles to choose from and honestly it’s overwhelming!

As for the type of bag, it depends on the extent to which your girlfriend will use the bag. If you know she’s been looking for a replacement for her worn- out every day ba, a roomy tote, hobo or even a satchel bag should be good choices. If she’s looking into something smaller to take to an event or to the club, then a clutch is perfect. Finally if she’s looking for something to lug all her goodies to the beach, you should choose an over-sized tote or even a duffel.

See now that was easy, good luck on your bag hunt!

XOXO

For Him With Love- Gadgets

Hey all! In case you missed the first gift idea for the ladies, just click here!

Here’s the next installment on Gift ideas for the upcoming Holiday season.
What guy doesn’t love some sort of technology? Whether it’s cameras, game consoles, cell phones or computers, your guy is bound to like at least one of these things. Depending on what he likes or needs, it should be really easy to choose a gift for him.

Cell Phones:
Your guy’s mobile has a smashed screen, number keys have dropped off, buttons are no longer identifable and the phone’s extremely scratched. Besides that, you boyfriend’s phone is always powering on and off throughout the day. It’s obvious that he needs a new cellular phone, so why not get him one, or help him to get one while the Holiday sales are on? There’s lots to choose from, Windows Phone, Android, iPhone, BlackBerry (not my personal favourite, but I digress), and the list goes on. Remember choosing the right mobile depends on the functionality and the ruggedness of the phone. A active guy would need a phone to stand up to a couple accidental falls, yet play his favourite music while on the go. A techy may prefer a phone with many capabilities such as an unlimited app store where he can have every possible game or application on his phone. The working guy or even the studious guy would probably love a phone with multitasking and office applications to check on school or work on the go.

Tablet PCs:
These are recently one of the biggest things out for protable functionality, and many of us have been eyeing the iPad 2, or the series of Samsung Android Tablets, the HTC tablets, or even the new Amazon Kindle Fire, which seems more like a tablet PC than its predecessors. Honestly theses are some awesome products and you can get some good ones for a nice price. They all may not be as fast or advanced as others but, make sure to read some reviews to differentiate the good ones from the ones which could be skipped out on.

Cameras & Camcorders:
Again for the guy who loves technology, you can get hime a nice affordable camera, or help him to get that model he’s been saving up for. The best part about it is that you get to make memories you can keep forever with a camera. Be sure to make some great memories!

Music Players:
So your guy needs none of the above, but he loves to download music and is always listening to it from his PC. Why not make his day and help him to take it with him? Get him an mp3 player. Some models allow you to have a internal hard drive, such as the Apple iPod, while others have flash memory with the option of an expandable memory slot for microSD cards, such as those made by Sandisk.

Game Consoles:
I am kind of skeptical about this gift, because we girls all know how guys get when they get down to their games. It’s almost impossible to get them away from the TV. One thing’s for sure, he’ll love you for this gift (HAHAHA). There are some very major consoles on the market at current, Sony’s PS3, the Xbox by Microsoft and the Nintendo What you can do to make sure he’s not neglecting you for games is… play along with him. He might really enjoy teaching you and you’ll both get to bond over something new.

This should have given you some insight in to what you guy might be eyeing this Christmas. Stay tuned for more posts like this!

XOXO

For Her with Love- Lippies

Hey everyone, I have not posted in such a long time! Well it’s coming onto Christmas soon and my boyfriend suggested that a blog about gift ideas for your significant other. I should hopefully updating this with alternating segments for girls and guys. Do enjoy the first post …Ladies first!

What girl doesn’t love lip products? Even if it’s just a simple lipbalm, we all do. It’s one of the most perfect gifts a guy can get for his girl. The best part is, when she wears it, it feels like she’s wearing it just for you. (Great deal you know?)

There all sorts of lip products out there on the market, lipgloss, lipstick, lip balm and lip stain. The list of brands and colours goes on forever. Ladies are not very complicated when it comes to lipcolour. It just depends on the personality of your girlfriend.

A more quiet and subdued person may prefer soft pinks and nudes, while an outgoing girl chooses bright pinks, reds and corals. Another way to tell what kind of lipcolour your girlfriend would like, is to pay attention to what she’s wearing. If she sticks to plus, then that’s your indicator to get her a similar lipcolour.

You’ve figured out what colour of lip product to get her, but what kind of ip product really make her jump for joy? The choice of lip balm,stain, stick or gloss now comes about.

Again depending on the personality of your girlfriend, this should be easy to figure out. You could also see what she wears and carries in her purse the most.

Here’s a little info on each lip product for you:

Lip balm: Moisturises the lips and keep them soft.

Lipgloss: Adds a sheen to the lips and some offer a good colour pay-off.

Lip stain: Adds subtle colour to the lips without adding a sheen or moisturising the lips, though some come with lip balms.

Lipstick: Adds colour to lips, some moisturise and add a sheen, while others have a matte finish.

The choice is all yours guys, and if you still cannot choose.. buy all! hahahahahaha (joking though… really).

Hope this was helpful and please do leave your suggestion for gift ideas!

XOXO