Miss Ferling Baume de Dalmatie

This Frenchy chic hand cream was a last minute addition to a recent Mecca Cosmetica haul.  After spotting (haha) it in the moments before clicking checkout, I added this to my cart on impulse and boy, am I glad I did.  It’s a total delight.

With a delicate but fragrant liquorice and lily scent, this cream features tiny black spots that melt away to moisturise your dry paws.  As a hand cream it’s quite lovely and not at all greasy.  It could stand to have a few more spots in it, for more of that cute Dalmatian effect and at $10 for a mere 15ml, it’s not exactly cheap.

But, Baume de Dalmatie would make a great addition to a handbag or small cosmetics purse and at this time of the year it will make a great little stocking stuffer for the dog lover in your life.

The Body Shop Ginger Sparkle Collection

I walked into my local Body Shop store late last month with the intention of picking up one thing and one thing only.  That all changed when I was met by the most wonderful sight:  the annual return of Ginger Sparkle!  (Oh, and Cranberry Joy and Vanilla Bliss.)  As a result, I walked out hefting a whopping great bag.  Ginger Sparkle for the uninitiated is one of The Body Shop’s limited edition Christmas ranges.  It has a sweet, zingy fragrance that inspires thoughts of delicious and festive gingerbread men.  Now let me apologise in advance for the atrocious pictures in this post.  I’ve been dealing with some seriously bizarre weather and in a matter of moments I can find myself with no sunlight!  Forgive me.  Photography is not exactly my thing and I am no Man Ray.

The range hosts a delightful assortment of Christmas goodies including:

• shower gel
• hand cream
• body butter
• body scrub
• soap
• home fragrance oil
• and shimmering body lotion.

When faced with such a choice, what’s a girl to do?  Get a little of everything of course!  Which is exactly why I picked up the Ginger Sparkle Gift Tin ($54.95).

Housed in the most charming gingerbread man tin are a mini body butter; mini soap; mini body polish and full sized shower gel.  An ideal collection for me!  Particularly since whilst I LOVE my Ginger Sparkle, I think a full sized body butter may be a bit too overwhelming.  The miniature soap in this tin would make a sweet hand soap to rest by the basin, or a guest soap for those Christmas drop ins.

Having only recently finished up last year’s Ginger Sparkle hand cream, I couldn’t wait to grab up another.  So when I saw the Ginger Sparkle Manicure Gift ($11.95)I snaffled it up.  With a full sized hand cream and adorable little emery board this charmer would make an ideal Secret Santa or end of year teacher gift.

Last year I also purchased the Ginger Sparkle Home Fragrance Oil ($10.95) and this year it’s still going strong.  A few drops into an oil burner creates a cozy evening atmosphere.  Even when used sparingly, this oil quickly fills the room with its sweet ginger fragrance.

All this means that the Ginger Sparkle Shimmer Lotion ($22.95) is the only product missing from me holiday collection.  Which is a fact that I’m not terribly upset about since I already have a couple shimmer lotions taking up space in the bathroom and getting very little love.  That said, I definitely wouldn’t mind a bit more shimmer in the range; perhaps in the shower gel or body polish?  It is called Ginger Sparkle after all!

Last but hardly least, I couldn’t walk out the shop without collecting the Reindeer Wash Ball ($7.95).  This cute little fellow would make a great stocking stuffer for little and big kids alike since he’s sure to bring a smile to anyone’s face.  Also available was a Santa Claus wash ball.  Sadly, Santa or not, I cannot get behind the idea of rubbing a bearded old man all over my naked body.  (Sorry, Santa.)  Interestingly, do you think that would land me on the naughty or nice list? (Oh, ho ho ho.)

Which of The Body Shop’s Christmas ranges is making you very merry?

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Lush-mas

I mentioned in my review of the Lush Rudolph face mask that I am a true sucker for a limited edition range, particularly at the most wonderful time of the year.  So, I could hardly stop at just one festive Lush goody and here’s the rest of the loot!

L – R: Melting Snowman Bath Melt, Cinders Bath Ballistic, Christmas Penguin Bubble Bar.

Christmas is always a great time for a little indulgence and what better way to pamper yourself than with a jolly great bath?  Reminiscent of a wood fire at Christmas time (the stuff of Hollywood films for us Aussie kids) the Cinders Bath Ballistic ($5.25) has a warm, spicy scent.  It features cinnamon leaf and sweet orange oils as well as popping candy to replicate the sounds of a cosy, crackling fire.

Looking as tragic as he did it was impossible for me to leave the Melting Snowman Bath Melt ($5.25) in the store.  Of course he’ll only end up drowned in my tub, but it felt right in the moment.  This little guy also features the sweet and spicy fragrance of cinnamon and orange oils, but with the added notes of clove and lime.  Cocoa butter and almond oil infuse the bath water to leave your skin feeling comforted and nourished.

Inspired by the smallest penguins on earth (who just so happen to enjoy residency on Phillip Island in Australia), this squashed looking fellow has a fruitier scent than the others thanks to orange flower oil and Sicilian mandarin oil.  Bergamot and Sicilian lemon round out the bouquet.  Crumbled under running water the Christmas Penguin Bubble Bar ($6.50) will produce a veritable white Christmas of bubbles.

It would hardly be a Lush Christmas haul without any mention of Snow Fairy.  I picked up a small bottle ($9.95) of the bright pink, musk lolly fragranced shower gel.  I love the girlish glitter sprinkled throughout.  I also snaffled up the Snow Fairy Sparkle Massage Bar ($9.95).  Sadly with the Australian summer heat just around the corner, my little angel is looking a bit worse for wear.  (Understatement of the year.)  Using shea butter and almond oil, the Snow Fairy Massage Bar adds moisture and sparkle to everything she touches.

Last, but not least is Santa’s Lip Scrub ($9.95).  Mine looks a tad under the weather after a run in with a leaking tin of STEAMCREAM whilst abroad.  Thankfully, beauty is more than skin deep with this scrub.  Smelling of Coke bottle lollies and tasting of, well, sugar, Santa’s Lip Scrub uses coconut oil and caster sugar to exfoliate and moisturise lips.  The scrub is totally edible and best yet, features adorable heart sequins throughout!

Which beauty buys are putting you in a festive spirit?