Festive giveaway - M&S limited collection eyeliner set

Happy New Year's eve everyone, hope you've all had a good holiday and are enjoying the festive period between Christmas and New Year. For today's giveaway I've got this colourful set of M&S limited collection eyeliners: 

M&S limited collection eyeliner set

With 8 full size eyeliners, in a range of colours from everyday neutrals to bold blues and greens as well as a gorgeous lilac, this would be perfect for a night out or for anyone who likes to experiment with make up. For your chance to win, simply leave a comment below telling me your favourite Christmas present this year. Don't forget to be a Bloglovin and GFC follower of Peonies and lilies and also to leave a contact email address or Twitter handle via the Rafflecopter app so I can get in touch if you are the lucky winner. This giveaway will be open internationally until 7th January 2016.

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Good luck and Happy New Year!

Festive giveaway - Ciate liquid velvet lipstick set

Happy Christmas Eve everyone - I'm currently wrapping the last few presents, catching up on Vlogmas and getting excited for all the festivities tomorrow! Following on from the DIY beauty hamper giveaway I've got a few more prizes to share, starting today with this cute Ciate liquid velvet lipstick set:

 Ciate liquid velvet lipstick set

Featuring 3 gorgeous suit all shades, the mini liquid velvet lipsticks are pigmented and long lasting, perfect for a night out or to keep in your handbag during the day. For your chance to win simply leave comment below telling me your favourite Christmas tradition. Don't forget to be a Bloglovin follower of Peonies and lilies and leave an email address or twitter handle on the Rafflecopter app so I can get in touch if you are the lucky winner. The giveaway will be open internationlly and will close at 12am on 31st December 2015.

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Good luck and Merry Christmas!

Christmas gift guide - Stocking fillers and Secret Santas

Christmas is fast approaching and although I've made a start on my shopping, stocking fillers are always something I leave till last. Luckily this year there are lots of cute little sets available and if you're in the same situation then I hope you'll find this gift guide useful. I've also included a couple of bigger presents which will work well for any last minute Secret Santas:

 Christmas gift guide - stocking fillers and Secret Santas

Limited collection eyeliner set (£9.50)

I feel like M&S always gets forgotten about as a beauty destination but since their revamp a few years ago they now stock some great brands. One gift set that caught my in eye was this colourful eyeliner kit. With 8 shades to choose from she'll be spoilt for choice and  I like that there's a good mix of darks and brights. As all the eyeliners are full size it works well as a Secret Santa too. 

Senspa relaxing bath & body travel spa set (currently on offer for £6.66)

Located in the New Forest SenSpa offers the most amazing treatments and this little gift set allows you to experience some of that relaxation at home. There's a relaxing body wash, body scrub and body butter as well as a sleep therapy bath soak. Perfect for anyone who needs some pampering or likes to travel a lot. 

Steamcream Christmas star (£8.95)

Tree decorations always make the cutest stocking fillers and for skincare fans you can't go wrong with a tin of Steamcream. A versatile moisturiser for hands, face and body it contains ingredients such as oatmeal, lavender oil, chamomile and jojoba oil, all fused together by a shot of steam. A great way to try out the brand or to have a mini to keep in your handbag. 

No 7 mini eyeshadow palette (£10 from Boots)

For mums and sisters I'd recommend this gorgeous eyeshadow palette from No 7. You really can't go wrong with neutrals and not only does this contain 8 wearable shades it also comes in the most beautiful gold packaging. Great as a standalone present or combined with one of their skincare sets for the ultimate treat.

Ciate kiss collective liquid velvet trio (£16)

Ciate may be best known for their nail polishes but they've recently branched out into make up and I love this cute little tree decoration for Christmas. The liquid velvet lipglosses are so pigmented and long lasting and they'll be perfect for slipping into your handbag come New Year's eve!

Christmas gift guide - stocking fillers and Secret Santas

Yardley English bluebell perfume (currently on offer for £6.66)

For mums and grandmothers I'd recommend having a look at Yardley perfumes. There are so many scents to choose from and for the quality they are so well priced. New for this year is English bluebell, a light and fresh fruity floral with notes of bergamot, cassis, bluebell, jasmine, vanilla and musk. 

Liz Earle cleanse and polish (£15.50)

I don't know anyone who doesn't like Cleanse and polish. A cream based cleanser, it turns make up removal into a complete dream and the gentle eucalyptus and rosemary scent is so soothing. It's available as a standalone product but I think the starter kit with the muslin cloth would make such a nice gift, especially if she's new to the brand. 

Smashbox art.love.colour bestsellers (£23)

For Christmas this year Smashbox have partnered with painter Yago Hortal to design this fun gift set and inside you'll find 4 of their bestsellers, including the much raved about photo finish primer and full exposure mascara. Perfect as a Secret Santa (especially for sisters and best friends) and you'll no doubt be super popular with the lucky receiver.

Yankee candle (from £2.99)

Scented candles always make such nice gifts and with Yankee Candle there are so many scents and sizes to choose from. For a Secret Santa I'd go for one of the jars but as a stocking filler their votives are great, especially if you include a couple. Berry trifle is rich and fruity but Snow in love and Christmas cookie are always super popular too.

How are you getting on with your Christmas shopping? Did any of the gift ideas above catch your eye? 

Christmas giveaway - DIY beauty hamper

Can you believe there's now just 9 days till Christmas?! Time always seems to go by so quickly in December and there's still so much to do before the big day! To celebrate Christmas and to say thank you for all the support this year I've got a few giveaways coming up, starting today with this DIY beauty hamper which I hope will help to take away some of the festive stress and get you feeling party ready:

Christmas giveaway - DIY beauty hamper

It's always nice to take some time out for a pamper and inside the gift box you'll find a variety of products including a shampoo and conditioner, Dead sea salt scrub, Dove gradual tan, Jelly Pong pong make up and festive nails, as well as a pair of Christmas socks and Yankee candle to help you relax.

This giveaway will be open internationally and to enter simply follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter app. I'm going to try my best to get this delivered in time for Christmas so the giveaway will close on Monday 21st December with the winner announced and the prize posted the same day.

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Good luck!

Colour your way with Boots No 7

Although I like to try out new products and formulas, day to day my makeup remains very much safe and neutral. So when No 7 got in touch and asked if I'd like to experiment with some new colours I thought it would be a good chance to step out of my comfort zone, especially with Christmas and the party season coming up:

No 7 colour your way - Christmas collection

No 7 gel look shine nail colour in Treasure and Red Velvet

 No 7 colour your way - my look

I'll never be one to embrace crazy blues and oranges but I thought purples, reds and golds would work well with my skintone. To start with I applied my usual base and brows, then got to work with Tea party trio eyeshadow palette and Deep purple stay perfect amazing eye pencil. Both were quite close to my usual make up shades and therefore gave a nice smokey eye with just a hint of colour. I thought I'd gone for quite a dramatic look but actually looking at the photos I could probably amp it up even more for the party season 

Another product I liked was the Shimmering glow palette highlighter as the gold works really well with this particular look. For lips I switched between Moisture drench lipstick in Berry shine (a gorgeous daytime pink) and Pillarbox (an orange red). I've always been a little scared of red lipstick but I actually really liked the colour and having been pushed out of my comfort zone I'll definitely be reaching for it a lot more this Christmas. Only downside is that it's a lot more high maintenance than my usual lipstick so I need to find a matching lip liner asap!

To complete the look I went for another 2 products from the limited edition Christmas collection - No 7 gel look shine in Red velvet and Treasure. Gold and red is such a classic combination this time of year and I loved the glossy shine and gel like finish. 

Overall it was surprisingly fun playing around with some new colours and although I still love my neutrals and taupes it's good to switch it up every so often. If anything it's made me want to experiment more with colour and I've already got my eyes on a gorgeous turquoise nail polish and smokey green eyeshadow. 

Do you like to experiment or do you prefer to play it safe with colour? What will you be wearing this Christmas?

Christmas gift guide - the luxury edition

Part 2 of my Christmas gift guide and today it's all about luxurious gifts for that someone special in your life:

Radical start skincare kit (£65)

Skincare kits will always go down well, especially with mums and fellow beauty addicts. It's a good time to stock up on old favourites and as they often contain a few extras it's nice to try something new too. This year I've been particularly impressed by Radical and with a moisturiser, serum and eye cream it's got her whole beauty routine covered. 

Mary Kay skinvigorate cleansing brush (£35) and Miracles happen book

Cleansing brushes are still so popular and Mary Kay skinvigorate gets my vote this year. Compared to cleansing by hand it removes far more make up and I like that it's battery operated and waterproof so no need to constantly charge or worry about electricity in the bathroom. If she likes her beauty reads it's also worth adding in Mary Kay's book which makes for such an inspiring read.

L'occitane Pierre Hermes collection (from £14)

You can always rely on L'occitane to do some great gift sets but if you'd rather pick and mix your own present then take a look at this gorgeous limited edition collaboration with Pierre Hermes. Inspired by his macaroons, there's a choice of 2 scents Jasmine neroli and Grapefruit rhubarb, with a variety of products including a shower gel, body lotion and perfume. There's also a really lovely hand cream trio which is bound to be popular this Christmas.

Braun silk epil 5 epilator (currently on sale for £49.99)

For a girlfriend or sister it's worth asking if she has any expensive electricals on her Christmas wishlist. Hair straightener are always a popular option but if she's wanting a new epilator then I would definitely recommend taking a look at Braun. Their epilators are always so well designed with a range of different accessories and speeds. It also come with a smart light and massage system, ideal if she's new to the world of epilating.

Michael Kors gold collection (from £33.50)

Perfumes are another great gift idea and this year the Michael Kors gold collection sounds particularly gorgeous. There's white luminous gold with notes of pear, jasmine and amber, 24k brilliant gold which contains mandarin, florals and woods and finally Rose radiant gold which sounds perfect for winter with it's notes of spice, florals and musk. A particularly good gift if she's fashion conscious and loves her MK handbags and watches.

Soap and Glory it's the whole she-bang (currently on sale for £30)

Finally saving the best till last. Every year a huge Soap and Glory gift set goes on sale for half price in Boots and this year they've collaborated with fashion designer Philip Colbert for this eyecatching bag. Inside you'll find 9 full sized items, including favourites such as clean on me, the righteous butter and hand food. A huge bargain as always and definitely worth buying either as a present or as a pre-Christmas treat to yourself. 

Did any of these gift sets catch your eye? What are your favourite luxury gifts?

Christmas gift guide for her

Christmas is fast approaching and this time of year there are always lots of gorgeous gift sets and beauty exclusives. I'll be doing a few gift guides this week, starting today with this huge selection of products for her: 

Molton Brown the cruise collection (currently £22.10 from Boots)

Luxurious shower gels and body lotions will work well as presents and you can't get much better than Molton Brown. This gift set features 2 of their best selling scents and is a great way to add a touch luxury to her everyday routine, plus it comes beautifully presented too.

Soap and Glory soaprise gift set (£16 from Boots)

Soap and Glory always goes down well, especially with teenagers and this year I'm loving the Christmas cracker gift set. There are 6 all together and each one has a generous travel size product inside. With minis such as clean on me and foam call it's a fun way to stock up on old favourites or to try out something new over the holiday season. 

This works dream believers (£25 from Bath & Unwind)

This Works deep sleep pillow spray has been raved about so much and given that Christmas can be a particularly stressful time of year this gift set would be a great idea to help someone relax and unwind. In addition to the pillow spray there's also a deep sleep dream cream so she can really pamper herself and the gift box is absolutely gorgeous too. 

On a little side note, Bath & Unwind are doing an Arran Aromatics Secret Santa when you spend over £30 this week. 

Melvita L'or Bio extraordinary oil (£29 from John Lewis)

Another cult classic and this body oil would be perfect for someone who likes the little luxuries in life. With a blend of five oils this is seriously nourishing and a great alternative to the usual body lotion. It can also be used for the face and hair and smells lovely too.

100 Acres sweet orange, cinnamon and clove candle (28 from 100 Acres)

Continuing on with the pampering theme, I can't think of anyone who wouldn't like a scented candle for Christmas, especially one as lovely as this. It's made with natural wax and essential oils and I love the fancy gold print. Even unlit the candle smells amazing, it's so warm and festive and really does remind me of cosy nights in by the fire.

Art & Make up by Lan Nyugen-Grealis (£22.03 from Amazon)

For all the make up lovers out there what about this book, filled with some seriously stunning images and pro tips by award winning artist Lan. Each look is an amazing work of art and with inspirations from the world of art, sculpture and cinema and performance art it'll keep you enthralled for hours.

The Balm nude'tude eyeshadow palette (£30 from Debenhams)

A neutral eyeshadow palette is an essential for any beauty addict and this Christmas I'm loving Nude'tude by The Balm. There are 12 eyeshadows all of which are buttery and pigmented and come in a good mix of mattes and shimmers. It also comes with a mini brush and eyelid primer so you have everything you need to complete the look.

Bare Minerals the royal court (£25 from Bare Minerals)

Contouring and highlighting has been THE make up trend for 2015 and this kit has 3 gorgeous powders to help you achieve the look. There's clear radiance for an all over glow, golden gate to add a pop of colour and warmth to bronze and contour. A good option for anyone new to contouring or as a go to kit for someone who likes to travel.

17 cosmetic clutch kit (£14 from Boots)

Finally for teenagers she'd love this 17 clutch. Inside you'll find a palette with 6 versatile eyeshadow shades as well as a gorgeous bubblegum pink lip crayon. There's a good mix of neutrals and brights so she can experiment with different looks and the clutch doubles up nicely as a make up bag too. 

Did any of these gift sets catch your eye? How are you getting on with your Christmas shopping?

Life - November round up

Another month over and November seems to have passed by in the blink of an eye. Can you believe there's now just 21 days till Christmas?! I'm looking forward to going gift shopping, visiting winter markets, cosy nights in and catching up with friends but before things get all festive around here, here's a little round up of life in November:

Life:

November started with a night out at the Cabaret for a friend's hen do. I'd never been before but it was a really fun night with a 4 course meal and entertainment throughout followed by lots of dancing (and even a little dance off at the end). I wasn't sure what to expect but we all had such a good time and I would definitely recommend if you want to try something a little different for a special occasion.

We also went out for a really tasty Lebanese followed by a late night screening of James Bond and I have to say Spectre is my favourite movie to date. There's a good mix of action, drama and romance and Daniel Craig played the part perfectly. 

Beauty

After nearly a year and a half I finally plucked up the courage to get my hair cut! I'm one of those people that's terrified of hairdressers and it was even more nerve wrecking as I was trying out a new salon after being left disappointed by my last stylist. Luckily Tomoyuki gave me a cut which I really like and with nearly 7 inches off at the ends it feels so much healthier and lighter now.

November also saw a couple of Spring/Summer press days and although it still seems a long way off I'm excited about some of the new launches on QVC and M&S, especially the gorgeous Tarte palette, Little Ondine polishes and Shay & Blue perfume.

Fitness

November was a bit of a fail on the health and fitness front. I all but stopped doing 30 day shred and only managed one run the entire month. It felt good to get back on the bandwagon though so I'm hoping to do a lot better in December. I'm also going to try and take up some indoor activities for when the weather's bad so please let me know in the comments below if you have any suggestions!

(source - Murger Han)

Food and drink

Living in London there's no shortage of restaurants and bars to try out and this month I've discovered 2 new favourites - Murger Han in Euston which sells food from the Xian region of China and Piste a pop up bar in Soho which is designed to look like a winter ski chalet.

Located near UCL, Murger Han very much caters to the student population with it's simple no frills menu and cafe decor, but aside from my mum's home cooking this is probably the most authentic restaurant in London and the prices are really reasonable too.

To celebrate the launch of their new fruity wines, Echo Falls treated a bunch of us to an evening of cocktails and canapes at Piste. With flavours such as strawberry & lime and winter spice the wines are a nice alternative to the usual reds and whites and they're a lighter option for cocktails too. My favourite has to be the passion fruit & peach wine, especially when mixed in a cocktail with pineapple juice, lemon and vanilla, so good!

How was your November? What are you most looking forward to this Christmas?