Christmas Gift Ideas for under €20

Hello My beauties I hope you are all well :) 

Wow Christmas day is creeping up on us big time.  I dont know about you all but this year has been nothing but crazy for me..... One being trying to get Christmas presents sorted.  Usually I am finished by now but with Confirmation, 1st Communion, Twins starting primary school and my oldest start Secondary its been an expensive year.  

Christmas coming on top of that I wanted to get good Christmas Presents that are not going to cost me an arm and a leg.   

To be honest it used to be heart breaking for me that having a budget at Christmas time ment that I could not by my closest loved ones the best presents I wanted to buy them.  That was until this year when I really had to put myself to the test and try and get the best but not leave myself short.  

So today I am going to show you some of the items I bought my loved ones and maybe this might help you with your last minute shopping :) 

I have to start with some amazing products from a company I cant help but love lately :)  You may remember my blog post about Ziaja which is a company in Poland but is now available in Ireland.  This company works hard at giving us the best quality skincare for a very affordable price :)  Check out my review on their Natural Olive Skincare.  I love this range so much I jumped straight onto their website to order some more products for my loved ones and also for my babies :) :)   Much to my surprise they have gift sets for Christmas so I just had to buy some for my family :) 

First up is of course some products for the children :) :) 

Let me tell you know my kiddies were full of excitement when they seen me take this out of the box :)  They smelled these two beauties and cried for a bath straight away :)  Of course they chose the Bubble Cola one first :)  

Well let me tell you all the Bubble Cola smells exactly like Coca Cola !!!! Fact !!!! I mean if you had your eyes closed and someone gave this to you to smell and taste you will drink it lol.  The scent of cola fills the bathroom as you fill the bath :)  The water changes to a nice cola shade and as for bubbles there is plenty of them :)  Well let me tell you now each one of my kiddies give these bubble baths the thumbs up they deserve the scent is unreal and their favourite is of course the Bubble Cola.  My oldest kiddies cant choose between the two haha.  
What I love about this product is that its delicate to the skin and the main ingredient in this is Glycerin which can help heal skin irritations such as psoriasis, rashes etc.  It also helps the body maintain its water balance which is what children need especially at winter and summer months.  
Not Bad Eh?  The bottle contains 500ml and costs only 
The perfect stocking filler for children.  I promise you once the smell this they are going to ask for a bath straight away haha 

Next up for the kiddies is this amazing shampoo :) Again another favourite of all the kiddies in my house :) 

This is the perfect shampoo for kiddies :)  Epecially children who have cradle cap in which some children do have or any sort of tenderness on their scalp.  The main ingredients in this shampoo is 

Glycerin which we already now is for moisture 

Pro-vitamin B5 also acts like a moisturiser but no any ordinary moisturiser this seals the moisture on the childrens scalp which prevents dryness or even any more dryness to the scalp which can cause cradle cap to worsen or even dandruff 

It is also said to prevent tangling to childrens hair which I can vouch as my daughter has very long hair and it can be a nightmare sometimes to brush.  It gets that bad that I do have to apply conditioner to her hair but since using this its not half as knotty :) 

The scent is amazing on this and my children describe the scent as "Marshmallows"  it does infact smell a little like that but I think the Cookies & Ice cream is a perfect name for what I smell :) 

Another thumbs up from the kiddies and mummy too as it causes less screaming while brushing my daughters hair and less arguments when I say its time for a shower hehehe what more can we mums ask for ;)  For 400ml per bottle and only costing €2.99 Its another perfect gift for your child :) 

Next up is a gift for the Daddies, Grand dads, Uncles or brothers :) 

I do not know about you all but I find it very hard to choose something for men :)  and this has to be the first year I found it easier thanks to Ziaja.  

Years ago men were not into looking after their skin as much as today :)  Believe me I have noticed !!! Having 2 brothers and lots of male cousins I have seen the change throughout the years :)  

Mens skin do have problems too but not alot of them know what to do with their skin when it flares up.  I especially have noticed my dads skin becoming tough, blotchy and very red.  This is why I chose this gift set .  

The gift set only cost €9.99 for 3 products 

The products you are getting is 

Mens moisturising face cream SPF6 50ml,

Mens shower gel 300 ml,

Mens roll on anti-antiperspirant 60ml.

A Pretty amazing value pack :) 

Of course next up is for the ladies :) 

 I got a couple of samples of the Cocoa Butter range and I have to admit I fell in love.  So much so I went on line and order 2 of these beauties one for myself and one for a loved one.  This set is unbelievable value.  You are getting 3 products in this gift set for only €9.99.   The set contains 

Cocoa body lotion 400ml,

Cocoa hand cream 80ml,

and

Cocoa shower soap 500ml.

Cocoa Butter is very beneficial for your skin :) 

Cocoa Butter is very high in Antioxidants.  Cocoa Butter is high in fatty acids which hydrates the skin deeply.  I suffer with very dry skin in alot of areas on my body and find this is amazing especially on my legs.  It gives me such a natural looking shine on my legs I love especially when I tan ;) 

I also Have to mention the scent mmmmmm It smells like hot chocolate :) I love it 

Lastly from Ziaja 

The Natural Olive Range:  This is one range I am very familur with as you all may remember I tried their face creams and absolutely love them I still use them every single day :) 

So I just had to try out their body products :) Again this set is only €9.99 for 3 products :) 

In this set you are getting :) 

Olive body lotion 400ml,

Olive hand cream 80ml,

and

Olive shower gel 500ml.

I am really looking forward to trying this range out for myself and I am that confident It will be just as good as the face creams I went ahead and bought one for a loved one :) :) 

I will surely be reviewing each one of these in the near future :) 

If you are interested in seeing more gift sets Ziaja has to offer check out their website or if in Ireland check our your local pharmacy.  If you are ordering your gifts from the website and want them before Christmas today is the last day to order :)  

Next Items are from Penneys/Primark 

The Countdown to Christmas Calender which only costs €5 

Its never too late to grab this calender for any girl in your life.  I thing the best thing about this calender and giving it to your loved one on Christmas day is that they get to open all the days at once :) :) After all could you really contain yourself ??? I know I couldnt 

Behind each day there is a little goody that can be used such as a nail file, nail polish, glitter eyeliner etc :) I dont want to spoil it too much but I love that this is only €5 and can be very exciting for any teenage girl in your life :) 

The next item is a nicely designed Christmas cracker which contains 3 beauty items :) :) and only costs €3 :)  Together these two makes a great and exciting gift and still only costs €8 for the two 

Next from Penneys 

Well every lady at Christmas time needs a little sunshine on their skin and what better way to do that than buying them this great Ultimate Travel Set by Cocoa Brown.

I am surely you all know at this stage that I am a huge fan of Cocoa Brown and the fact that this travel set contains 3 of my favourite products is like a dream come true for me.  Of course this set is not for me but I know for a fact that the person I bought it for will absolutely love this :)  

For only €10 you are getting 

Cocoa Brown 1 Hour Tan  

Cocoa Brown Tough Stuff Body Scrub 50ml

Cocoa Brown Gentle Bronze Gradual Tanner 

The perfect combination for that perfect looking tanned skin for a full week.  The travel sized products are that genourous you do not have to worry about tanning for at least a month :) 

The next Gift set is by MeMeMe Cosmetics.  

If the women in your life love makeup well this the perfect gift for them :) 

I fell in love with this gift set the first time I seen it and I just couldnt resist buying it for my loved one.  MeMeMe Cosmetics is amazing and I know for a fact that this gift set will be a hit :) 

For only €12.99 you are getting:
Eye Inspire Eyeshadow Trio 01, an Eye Sweep Liquid Definer Pen, Fat Cat Volumising Mascara, Eye Line Pencil in Coal and an instruction card to show you how to creat a smokey eye :) 

A Very ideal gift set for any makeup lover :) 

Now for the Lips :) 

 Every woman and man would love this set as the winter is hard on our lips as well as the summer.  We need protection for our lips and what better way to do that than by buying this perfect Vaseline Gift Set which only costs €7.99.  It contains 3 different flavoured lip balms and comes in this cute round case which can be reused afterwards :)  Be it for jewellery, makeup or what ever you wish :) 
I Think its a brilliant gift 

Lastly I think this next gift would be perfect for any woman who has the Urban Decay Naked Palette on their wish list.  Obviously the Naked palette is quite expensive and to be honest at Christmas time it can be hard to raise the fund for it.  So why not go for the cheaper alternative and a brilliant dupe :) 

This only costs €7.99 and is just as good in my eyes as the Naked Palette.  If you are still not sure Check out my blog post about them check out my swatches and it will surely change you mind :) :) ;) 

I have so many recommendations for affordable gifts under €20 but this blog post would go on forever :)  There is another post you should check out by me for some more gift ideas and that is on my Top Ten Blank Canvas Cosmetics Products If you are looking for something for your ladies i your life they would really appreciate good makeup brushes etc :) Blank Canvas is surely the place to go :) 

I hope you all enjoyed this post and found it helpful :)  If you have any recommendations feel free to leave them below would love to hear from you 

Until Next time 
Lots of Love Luck and Laughter 

I love love love hearing from you all :) I make it my duty to read each and every one of you comments and every time i get a comment from you it highlights my day thanks so so much to you all xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ziaja Natural Olive Skincare Review

Hello My beauties :)  I apologise for been so quiet lately life has been chaotic lately since the kiddies started school and the twins been the last babies have started school too I have been taking advantage of my time to finally do what i have been dreaming of doing and that is doing up my home :)  You know how it is when you have small kiddies your home is a wrecking ground and of course you have to let kids be kids.  As they are growing up and know a little more responsibility I can finally lay down some rules and make my home into a nice warm cosy home with lots of pictures all over :)  

I also have started freelancing a little which took some time for me to build the confidence to do so and I am loving it :)  Its an amazing feeling doing someones makeup and they walking out the door smiling and confident :) :) 

So this my little catch up chat for you all :) :) 

Now down to my review :) 

Ziaja is a brand I have never tried before, I have heard alot of good things about their products in the past year but never got round to trying them out until the last meetup I was at I got these items in a goody bag.  I got down to trying them out straight away and since them I havent stopped :) 

Ziaja Skincare is orginaly from Poland.  This company works hard to give us the best quality products from a low cost price and with the best ingredients for our skin.  I do not know about you but to me that is pretty darn amazing :)  I myself have always wanted the best for my skin and been that little bit older like the thoughts of natural !!! anything natural is good for you.  I do see the benefits on my own skin when I do go natural and thats what I find important.  Sometimes or more alot of times natural skincare products can be costly and been a mum of 5 I cant possible hand over alot of money for skincare products.  Thank fully there are very few brands out there who take that into consideration.  Ziaja is one of those brands :) :) 

So let me show you the products that I have tried and let you know what I think :) 

Ziaja Natural Olive Micellar Water:  Retailing at €4.49 for 200mls 

I was super excited to try this out as I have to admit since Micellar Water came out in the market I have never stopped using it.  So far I have tried about 3 different brands of Micellar Water and there is one I have to admit is a favourite of mine as im sure you all know what it is :) :) For those of you who do not know its the Garnier Micellar Water not only is it brilliant but its also 400mls and only costs under €6 

I am sure you are thinking there isnt much difference in Micellar water from any brand that they all do the same thing and maybe you are right but between the 3 different brands I have Ziaja has got an advantage why?  It contains Vitamin A and Vitamin E which is hugely beneficial for your skin.  

Vitamin A is the best wrinkle fighter (as we all are delighted to know)  

Vitamin B helps the skin retain its natural moisture 

Olive oil is very rich in vitamins, minerals and natural fatty acids. It’s also convenient for a sensitive skin. Olive oil also nourishes, rejuvenates and protects the skin.

Most Beauticians will infact tell you that olive oil is one of best ways to remove makeup even waterproof so you can imagine how well this worked on my face.  It did infact remove my makeup brilliant and without leaving my skin feeling parched.

My skin feels smooth, soft, clean and refreshed everytime I use it. Anyone with very sensitive skin will surely love this beauty and I surely give it a thumbs up :) :) I think this in fact would be my new favourite Miscellar Water.  

Ziala Natural Olive Face Cream:  Retailing at €4.79 for 50mls.  

The packaging on this is actually very old fashioned in my eyes :)  It looks like something I would have seen on my nannies dresser table about 20 years ago.  Its very simple and plain and nothing exciting but to be honest but its not really important what the packaging looks like as long as the product itself works well isnt that right?  

Well too my surprise while untwisting the top I see a very well sealed up cream.  I mean thick tin foil seal on the top which impressed me alot as you can reseal your cream up straight after use.  Very Hygenic.  Another thing that impressed me was the cream was filled to the very very top of this tub unlike some tubs of cream which are only 3/4 filled or even 1/2 filled this tub is going to last a long long time :) 

This cream smell absolutely amazing, its not the type of scent that is overly strong but surely smells fresh clean and beautiful.  If I was to pin point what exact does it smell like I would have to say the mild version of baby lotion.  Some people state it smells like olives but I cant confirm as I dont know what olives smell like.  The consistency of the cream seems thick to begin with but once applied to the skin melts to a thin consistency, keep in mind that you only need a small amount of this cream to apply to the face and neck.  I over done it the first time and to be honest the cream literally looked oily on my face I had that much of a shine you could nearly see your reflection off my face.  Next time i used it I literally used a pea sized amount and it immediately soak into my skin leaving be with a lovely health glow.  

Here is an example of what I mean by using too much this is the result of what it will look like on your face :) 

At the moment I have normal to combination skin so I use this very sparingly but will need it in the winter where my skin gets very dry.  So if you do have dry skin this little beauty is surely the answer to your prayers as it does hydrate you skin brilliantly :) :)  I tend to use this more at night at the moment for extra moisture and by morning my face looks fresh clean and ready for the day ahead :)  I love it

Ziaja Natural Olive Anti-Wrinkle Cream:  Retailing at €5.99 for 50mls 
No Point in beating about the bush when I say I am more into looking after my skin than I did 10 years ago.  If I had a chance to turn back time when I was in my early 20's I would have told myself to start using anti wrinkle cream because I do believe once you hit the 20's your skin changes.  but better late than never eh?  This anti-wrinkle cream is aimed for anyone in their 30 + but of course you can use this whenever you wish even in your mid 20's.  Again the packaging is is the same only this time comes with a different colour lid.  The day cream comes with a green lid this one comes with a white lid so its easy to tell which cream to reach for.  

The consistency of this cream is the only thing thats different to the day cream obviously because it has different ingredients in it.  

The day creams main ingredient is Olive Oil where as there is 3 main ingredients in this Anti- Wrinkle cream 
Olive oil, Canola Oil & Coenzyme Q10.  
Canola Oil is rich in Vitamin E which is beneficial for you skin as it reduces the appearance of fine lines, its also a natural antoxident which helps protects the skin against the damaging effects of free radicals.  It also reduces the appearance of blemishes and acne scarring :) 
Coenzyme Q10 :  As we are getting older so is our skin.  Our skins ability to fight off harmful chemicals such as pollution, sun exposure etc automatically reduces as we hit 30 + .  Been young we already have CoQ10 in our bodies to fight off what harms our skin but the old we get the more our natural CoQ10 defences reduces.  Ziaja have thought of this and has added it into their Anti-wrinkle cream :)  
I dont know about you but thats good enough for me to believe we are only doing our skin justice by applying this everyday :)  Aswell as that this cream feels amazing on the skin and leaves you with a beautiful natural looking glow.  My skin feels smooth soft and refreshed.  I love it and use it every single day since I got it 

Overall these products feel amazing and make my skin feel soft and refreshed and moisturised.  The fact that there is nothing but natural ingredients in them makes me feel great that I am not causing any extra damage to my face.  Whats more is that these are super affordable :) :) 
I cant wait to try more products from this range :) :)  If you are interested in this range here is a link to their website :) :) 

Until next time 
Lots of Love Luck and Laughter 

I love love love hearing from you all :) I make it my duty to read each and every one of you comments and every time i get a comment from you it highlights my day thanks so so much to you all xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx