Christmas

Christmas Gift Guide 2016

So there’s only 10 shopping days left until Christmas and some of you might still be stuck for Christmas gift idea’s for your sister, mum, girlfriend or maybe to drop a few hints to Santa for yourself. I’m a real Christmas lover and one of my favourite parts of the preparation is shopping for gifts. I hate leaving everything to the last minute because I love taking my time to find the right gift. So when I come across things during the year that I know other people will love, I keep note of them. I’ve decide to share a few of them with you here – I’m good like that 😉 . You’ll find direct links to all the items in the title highlighted in pink…

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Barry M, Coconut Infusion Nail Polish €7.49 : I have to say, I’m a little obsessed with the Barry M nail polishes. I get bored quite quickly with the same colour so I’m always changing my nail polish which means I don’t really want to spend a fortune on them. The Barry M ranges are really affordable, they’re in small enough bottles so if they go off you’re not wasting too much and they come in a huge range of shades and finishes from shimmer, to gloss and matte. The Coconut infusion ranges are so pretty and bring you through to spring too when you’re sick of the darker shades. You’ll find them in most Boots chemists.

Pestle & Mortar Hydrating Duo €86 : Those of you who have been hiding under a rock and haven’t yet come across this Irish skincare brand need to add it to your Santa list, Birthday list, wish list and any other list you have because they are AMAZING!!!!! Their first product that was launched last year and is now a huge favourtive within the beauty industry, is the Pure Hyaluronic Serum (30ml). It’s like a big drink of water for the skin and perfect for this time of year. They have created a gift set which combines it with their award-winning Hydrate moisturiser (50ml) in a chic cylindrical gift box. It’s not cheap but you’re getting a very good deal for both of them in the one pack and in my opinion it’s worth every penny. Anyone who is serious about looking after their skin will LOVE this.

The Pippa Palette for Blank Canvas €34.99 : This face palette is a firm favourite of mine and I use it all the time on both myself and my clients. It’s a really lovely collection of eye shadows, blush, bronzer and highlighter. The eye shadows are all gorgeous matte shades which are really well pigmented and blend beautifully. The blush is a really flattering peachy pink, the bronzer isn’t too dark and the highlighter is a champagne shade which suits most skin tones. Perfect for the makeup lover in your life! You’ll also find it stocked in Meaghars Chemists.

Juvi Ring €89 : I first came across this beautiful Irish jewellery brand on a shoot I was involved in and I literally wanted everything in sight! Their gorgeous chunky pieces with coloured stones are so simple yet really make a statement. There’s so many designs and piece’s to choose from so you’ll find something for everyone!

Max Benjamin Diffuser €30 : I featured the candles from Max Benjamin in my Christmas gift piece a few years ago and I still love them. I was given one of their diffusers as a gift a few months back and it’s the perfect addition to my living room. With so many different scents to choose from you’ll have plenty of options and they make a fabulous gift.

Zoeva Brush Sets €79 : These brushes are THE BOMB!!! I bought a set last year for myself and I have to say I was well impressed with the quality and how lovely they are to use. They come in beautiful colours and finishes which makes a nice change to the usual black and silver and the little pouches they come with are gorgeous. They’re very reasonably priced for the number of brushes you get and the quality so if you want to make the makeup obsessed lady very happy then these are a great buy.

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L’Occitane Travel Size Cherryblossom Handcream €10.50 : I’m a hand cream nut and have one in every handbag and every room of my house so these are a must for me. I adore the Cherryblossom one but there are lots of different ones and you could always get a set of three to make a really nice gift.

Chupi Initial Necklace €99 : This was what Santa brought me last year and I don’t think I’ve taken it off since. Chupi, as I’m sure you know, is an Irish designer taking the industry by storm and creates the most beautiful pieces of jewellery from natural elements such as feathers and leaves. This necklace is one piece that caught my eye after I had my little girl. I wanted something that I could have always close to me so I got the pearl with mine and her initial on it. Along with my engagement ring, this is my favourite piece of jewellery and I just love it! Speaking of engagement rings, she has just recently launched a range if you’re dropping some hints this Christmas or if you’re thinking of popping the question, then definitely check them out.

Hour Glass Ambient Lighting Edit Palette €75 : This palette is the newest addition to the Ambient Light range and it’s limited edition. It includes a setting powder, bronzer, blush and highlighter and comes in the most gorgeous marble case. It’s a complete luxury and if you know a lady who is all about the glow then this is the one for her. She’ll love you forever!!! It’s available from SPACE NK on Grafton Street, Dublin.

Bombay Duck Alphabet Spotty Mug €20 : A really cute stocking filler for the tea or coffee drinker in your life, or me, who doesn’t drink either but just loves mugs 🙂 These are available from My Shining Armour online, Moss Cottage in Dundrum Village, Molloys Chemists, Meaghars Chemists among other gift shops and online retailers.

Dusty Boy Designs Notebook €12.95 : If like me you’re never without a list or have a bit of a thing for notebooks then these are just perfect. Husband and wife duo, Justin and Kate are based in Wexford and run the very cool stationery and paper goods company Dusty Boy. These notebooks are just a selection of the fabulous gift idea’s you’ll find and if you’re getting married and haven’t looked at invites yet then check them out too. Quirky, beautifully designed products, carefully thought out colour palettes, touches of gold foil for us magpies and all produced with oodles of love and creativity… my kind of business!

Charlotte Tilbury Hot Lips Lipsticks €30 : So these have been around for a few months but such a great gift for the woman who never leaves the house without her lippy applied. There are 12 shades in the collection and each one is named after a celebrity such as ‘Liv It Up’, ‘Hel’s Bells’, ‘Nude Kate, ‘Sexy Sienna’ and ‘Secret Salma’. They are a beautiful Matte finish and there is literally a shade to suit everyone. The packaging alone makes these lipsticks worthy of a place in any makeup bag, a real touch of old Hollywood glamour!

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Millie Marotta’s Animal Kingdom Colouring Book €12.95 : A big trend this year was adult colouring books and I have a few. I got my first one as a gift and then I bought this one and it’s the perfect way for me to just switch off and relax (if I ever get 5 minutes to actually sit down!). I picked mine up in Hodges Figgis in Dublin or you’ll get them in most good book shops or Moss Cottage in Dundrum Village.

Helen Moore Faux Fur Asymmetric Scarf €50 : These faux fur scarves from My Shining Armour are perfect for the colder months and look super stylish over your coat or a chunky knit. There’s loads of colours to choose from and other accessories too.

Glossybox.ie €12 – €14 per month : The perfect gift for the product junkie. A subscription to one of the many monthly beauty boxes available is the gift that keeps giving. Lots of lovely new samples to try and favourite products delivered to her door every month. What’s not to love.

Kate Spade Pencil Pouch €30 : This Kate Spade pencil pouch is really gorgeous. Although it’s described as a pencil pouch I would use it for carrying makeup on a night out or my cards and some cash maybe! I love the gold dots – which isn’t surprising really 😉

So there you go, just a few idea’s that might inspire you. Happy shopping!!!

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Christmas Party Makeup Looks

Well, it’s only 6 weeks to Christmas so I thought I’d share a few makeup looks I love that would be perfect for the festive party season.

If there was ever an occasion to really go to town with your makeup and try those looks you might have been a little afraid to try, Christmas is the time. Don’t be afraid to play with colour and if like me you’re a bit of a magpie and love your glitter and sparkle then you have to add a little shimmer to your look whether it’s in the form of eyeshadow, highlighters or glossy pout… just have some fun with it! Be careful though, Halloween is over, so we don’t want to look like the 5th member of Abba but the 4 looks below show you how you can have some fun but still look gorgeously glamorous.

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I’m now taking bookings for party makeup so if you’d like to sit back and relax while someone else does the work, including some false lashes to give your eye’s a real pop then I’d be delighted to hear from you! Just drop me an email on clare@clarehogan.ie.

Happy Partying!!!!

Image Source: 1. Pinterest 2. MAC 3. Pinterest 4. Charlotte Tilbury

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Christmas Gift Idea’s

So, you’re a little stumped on what to get the woman in your life for Christmas? Well here are a few gift idea’s she’s sure to love!

1. First off (and it’s no surprise really that this is on my list) is the try me kit from Liz Earle. Well in fact any or her gift sets make the ideal gift for any of the women in your life from your mum to your sister, wife or best friend. They will LOVE these! The only stockist of Liz Earle in the country at the moment is Wild & Green in Milltown in Dublin so ordering online is the next best option. I have always found the delivery very fast and the packaging is beautiful, you might even get a free gift thrown in! There’s a set to suit everyone and the ‘Try Me’ kits are a great way to test whether you like the products before you buy them full size and are perfect travel size. They’re very reasonably priced and look beautiful too.

2. Next is the quartet eye palette from the Clarins Odyssey collection for Winter 2012. This eye palette has the most fabulous colours including a stunning gold that will suit pretty much anyone and I have to say the packaging makes it even more gorgeous.

3. I don’t know about anyone else but my nails are always in terrible shape this time of year, chipping and weak so I tend to wear my nails quite short which is the ideal opportunity to wear all the dark, gorgeously rich nail colours on the market. Opi are one of my favourite brands and they brought out a limited edition Skyfall range to celebrate the Bond films. There are some beautiful colours in the range perfect for the festive season and would make great stocking fillers!

4. Sigma Beauty do amazing individual brushes and travel sets perfect for the make-up lover in your life. These sets come with gorgeous holders and are available in a range of styles and colours.

5. I’m a big Cath Kidston fan and these sets of towels and face clothes not only feel super soft and gorgeous they look so pretty and would looks fabulous in any bathroom. You’ll find them in House of Fraser or the Cath Kidston store in Dundrum Town Centre.

6. I try to buy Irish when I can, especially in todays climate, so if the woman in your life likes gorgeous body products, packaged beautifully and you want to support Irish businesses then Voya is a great option. This company, based in Sligo, produce gorgeous products from moisturiers to hair treatments and all made from seaweed farmed off the Irish coast. They smell divine too… what more could you want!

christmas_gift_ideas_17. If you’re really not sure what products your special someone would like or maybe she’s just very fussy, then why not get her a years subscription to her favourite magazine. There is such a great selection of Irish magazines to choose from such as Tatler or Image and it’s something she’ll enjoy for the whole year!

8. I am obsessed with hand cream and I carry one with me at all times, especially during the winter months. One of my all time favourites is the L’Occitane hand cream for dry skin. It’s super moisturising and smells gorgeous. They do beautiful sets which include a Foot Cream or they have smaller tubes with different scents which are perfect for your handbag. The ideal gift if you’re on a tight budget and she’ll love it! See their website for stockists.

9. I received one of these Laura Mercier Soufflé sets for my birthday a few years ago and I fell in love! They are so beautiful and luxurious and a real treat for someone special. They’re not cheap but they will last for ages and once you try them you’ll see why – heavenly!

10. Another Irish product that I always have at home are the scented candles from Max Benjamin. These candles, produced in Wicklow make a beautiful gift and are perfect to have in the house for a special evening or when you like to unwind. There’s a wide range of scents perfect for every taste but my favourite is the Lemongrass & Ginger!

11. Lastly, another product which I haven’t managed to get my hands on yet but lust after every time I pass the counter in Brown Thomas is the limited edition Caviar & Oyster Palette from the Bobbi Brown Winter collection. To be honest, I do have similar colours to those in this set but I just love the presentation and packaging and combination of colours. A really pretty collection of shimmer and matt eye shadows together with a gorgeous pink highlighter. Again, not the cheapest item on my list but gorgeous all the same.

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So that’s just a few of my idea’s that might help you with your gift shopping this Christmas.

Enjoy the build up to the big day and wishing you all a very safe and Happy Christmas!

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