The Spirit of Christmas Fair

Looking for a fun and productive weekend activity? With November just beginning, and the cold weather setting in, people are starting to think about Christmas shopping and getting frantic about the holidays. Since the holidays are quickly approaching, what better way to kick off your shopping by heading to the Spirit of Christmas fair happening this very weekend. The fair started 30^th October and goes until 4^th November. Whether you are looking for some gift inspiration or Christmas present ideas, or even just want a fun day out with friends, the fair offers an abundance of options to tickle your fancy.

Throughout the day numerous workshops are held. You can learn anything from decorating cupcakes to gift wrapping. Food and drink will also be served at the fair. You can have a delicious bite from Mosimann’s Winter Restaurant or sit down for a glass of champagne at Louis Roederer’s Champagne Bar. Hundreds of companies will have their gifts displayed, and will include fashion, interior accessories, and gifts for men, children, and babies. The fair includes a unique array of gifts that you can not ordinarily find on the high street.

Be sure to check out one of our favourite gifts at the fair…Possmere. Possmere is a luxury brand of knitwear for men, women, children, accessories, and interiors. All their products are made from 40% Possum fur, 50% New Zealand Merino wool, and 10% Nylon. Possmere products are so incredibly soft, light, and comfortable. It even provides more insulation than cashmere. These products are truly one of a kind. Who wouldn’t want to bundle up with one of Possmere’s products this winter?  We sure do! You can find them at stand F86.

Really Wild Clothing was another favourite. Their stand located at G31, offers an array of country clothing for men and women. The brand originated by designer and founder, Natalie Lake, who wanted to create stylish shooting clothes for women. This was a success considering her whole line is cute but casual. They have a versatile collection of tweed wear as well that offers a trendy, but comfortable look for the city or country. Really Wild Clothing is offering great deals at the Spirit of Christmas fair that you won’t want to miss.

Looking for some great skincare products to give as gifts? Rhodes to Heaven has an array of natural skincare products that appeal to all skin types. For Christmas, Rhodes to Heaven has put together a kit of their most loved All in One products. Each one is packed with all natural ingredients which are great for the skin and help give a radiating and natural look. Packaged in their signature Little Black Bag, these beauty products are a must have for this Christmas season. Be sure to stop by their stand at G81.

We at The Amazing Blog love this fair and know you will too! The Spirit of Christmas Fair is located at the Grand Hall, Olympia Exhibition Centre, Kensington, London. See their website here for details regarding times and ticket prices. We hope you enjoy the fair and even get some inspiration or make some purchases for this holiday season.

If unfortunately you can't make it to The Spirit of Christmas Fair, do visit Spirit Boutique - a natural extension of the Fair which changed the concept of Christmas shopping when it launched at London's Olympia in 2001.

Instant Beauty

With the remaining five days between now and Christmas booked up with office parties, jovial drinks and Christmas shindigs a-plenty, never has it been more essential to add a bit of wow factor to your beauty regime. Forget the over-done smoky eyes and nude lips combo, steer clear of tan-line tide marks that have populated our TV screens throughout the duration of 2011 and indulge in one of the below beauty treats - sure to add a bit of je ne sais quoi to your festive finery!

If you're after a bit of fluttery flirting under the mistletoe make your eyes your best asset by dressing them up in the season’s ultimate beauty accessory: Nouveau Lashes' Ultimate Collection Mink Lashes.  Made from 100% pure Mink, there is no other strip lash on the market that can promise the result of these bold but elegant lashes which are sure to give your eyes serious impact and intrigue.

Want a flashy and eye-catching nail colour for holiday parties and New Years but without the hassle of a manicure?  Rebel Nails has come out with their 22 Carat Gold Nail Wraps which can be worn over natural, gel or acrylic nails of all shapes and sizes.  With a self-adhesive, these foils are easily applied and are a long-lasting alternative to the smudging and chipping of traditional polish.  Along with the 22 Carat Gold, Rebel Nails’ Line offers a variety of prints and colours, making these easy and sturdy nail applications a great option for any occasion. Nail set: £14.95. 

Avoid the bubblegum-flavoured smellies that have become a Christmas tradition and are laden with as many additives as a stocking full of sweets this year by treating yourself or a loved one to a fusion of goodness from Rhodes to Heaven.  Using only the best natural ingredients, their all natural collection makes a great Christmas gift for those that are conscious of what they put on their skin.  All products offer easy beauty solutions by combining the benefits of multiple products into one and are perfect for women on the go.  Wrapped in Rhodes to Heaven’s stylish little black Christmas gift bag, you can choose one or two of your favourite  products in convenient travel sizes. Prices start at £12.

In the middle of winter when we are bundled up and in layers of bulky clothing and miles away from any kind of tan, our skin begins to look and feel less than glamorous.  And with more and more people not wanting to use a chemical-based product to obtain a healthy-looking tan, Karora, one of Ireland's best-selling self-tanners, is now available in the UK, and is perfect for anyone after a bit of eco-chic. Their unique debut line offers an all-natural (and organic) alternative to the harsh ingredients in most fake tan products currently on the market.  Lacking synthetic colourings, parabens, and the unpleasant scent of artificial fragrances, Karora self-tan products produce and beautiful and long-lasting colour.  This season try Karora's wash off tan for an instant sunkissed glow without the chemicals!

And Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without adding a new fragrance to your collection. So brighten up any room with one of the lovely scents from Ineke’s sophisticated and unique selection.  Owner and creator Ineke Ruhland is one of a small number of classically trained perfumists in the world and she works intimately in her studio to create her careful selected scents that feature notes of lilac, magnolia, poeny, and other inspirations from her botanical garden.  Each scent comes in a beautiful bottle and lovely packaging  that tells its story through pictures, artwork and small snippets of verse. Scents: £80. Ineke fragrances are available to purchase from Living In Store online here.

Rhodes to Heaven

With Christmas Party invites piling up, the season of too much food, late nights, hangovers and cold weather in full swing, all of which play havoc with our skin routines, never has there been a better time to start paying attention to the products we routinely slather on ourselves to make us feel younger, more awake and party-ready. Here at Amazing PR we are huge advocates of natural products especially when it comes to skincare. With the current beauty market flooded with products promising younger, smoother, plumper skin coupled with lists of unrecognisable ingredients it seems as though many of us are willing to spend a fortune on the latest ‘miracle workers’ without a second glance at the back of the bottle. Rhodes to Heaven are pioneers in the world of natural skincare, best known for their hugely popular range of All-In-One skincare products, each of which is designed to multi-task for the modern day women. Rhodes to Heaven pride themselves on substituting the highly synthetic ingredients commonly found in skincare today with natural alternatives such as Anise extract, Maca Root and New Zealand Wool Peptides. All the products areParaben free, petrolateum free and SLS free.

Here at the Amazing PR offices we all have our own favourite products and this week we thought we would share a few of our secrets for getting through the Winter Party Season...

 

Amazing PR Director and self-proclaimed beauty junkee Edwina hails Rhodes to Heaven's  best-selling All-In-One Moisturising Facial Rescue as her ‘holy grail’ face saviour. Packed full of botanical beautifiers including Wild Sea Fennel, Anise (known in the trade as a non-aggressive botox) and Maca Root she praises this silky serum for regenerating, plumping, reducing wrinkles and giving skin a luminous glow (perfect for perking up skin after too many late nights partying…).

Also helping us through the party season is Lucy’s favourite, The All-In-One Foaming Body Polish, perfect for exfoliating and prepping legs that have spent the last few months hidden beneath 60 deniers and jeans. Unlike many harsh exfoliators found today, cleansing Almond Sugar and Coconut are combined with a finely ground powder from the kernal of the fruit of the Argan tree and the husk surrounding rice grains to gently exfoliate and leave skin smooth and glowing.

Having become a Rhodes to Heaven devotee since arriving here, our American Intern Andie loves The Natural Juniperberry Cleanser and Tonic for removing eye and face makeup in one sweep, especially after a long night when the last thing you want to do is spend ages on your skincare routine. Although it is sometimes tempting to commit the No 1 beauty sin and go to bed with your makeup on you will feel and look so much better the next morning having spent a couple of minutes removing your makeup (this tonic is also great for tired and puffy eyes for those really late ones). Having just arrived from LA, our latest addition to the Amazing team JJ has found the cold London weather very drying on her skin so was immediately drawn to The Orange Skin Food which now comes in a handy travel size, perfect for weekends away.

 

Finally, my personal favourite has to be The Revitalising Body Balm. I’m the first to admit I’ve become pretty fussy when it comes to skincare and body creams in particular (one of the perks of working in beauty PR) as I loathe anything too greasy or thick that sits on your skin while you wait to get dressed. However, I was instantly impressed with this body balm as it absorbs instantly and leaves my skin soft and smooth all day without any greasy residue. I was also intrigued to discover that one of the main ingredients, Centenella Asiatica, known for its healing and soothing properties was discovered when wounded Tigers in India were found rubbing their wounds on the plant to help cool and heal them…talk about the healing powers of nature!

So, eat, drink and be merry this party season, but spare your skin the abuse your liver will undoubtedly receive and stock up on some natural goodness from Rhodes to Heaven.

Rhodes to Heaven can be purchased from their website here.