How is it possibly November already? We swear it was just last week that we were obsessing over which dress to wear to our 4th of July BBQ. While time is going entirely too quickly, we definitely aren’t mad about the holidays being upon us. Holiday season means glitter & gluttony—two of our absolute favorite things (pass the pumpkin pie!).

It also means that it’s time for the Benefit holiday kits to make their debut, and this year, the holiday collection is SUPER SWEET. Scroll down to view 9 of the most adorable sweet shoppe kits—at prices that make even Scrooge giddy.

Our first yummy treat is sweet tintations, our TINTernational superstars and their matching hydrating balms all together in one sweet set! Does it get any better?

Fun-size flirts is a feast of flirtations… with 10 tempting teasers to prime, perfect and perk-up your complexion. Your flawless face will thank you, trust us! 

Pretty parfait is the ultimate beauty gift—Benefit’s bestselling problem-solvers together in one blockbuster set. Give the gift of long lashes, naturally fuller-looking brows and a flawless smoother-than-smooth complexion.

Treat your skin b.right with complexion confections! With lightweight moisturizer, eye cream for dark circles, age-defying booster serum & primer, it’s the gift of a perfectly poreless complexion.

Goodies a go-go is totally eye-mazing! A complete eye kit in a collectible tin with our world-famous lengthening mascara, four longwear powder shadows and a stay-put eye primer? Yes, please!

All your beauty wishes come true with delicious wishes! Filled with all your fave Benefit beauty besties, this set is pure sweethearts & kisses.

Sugarglam fairies is sure to have all of your loved ones sweet on you! It has all of the ultimate Benefit classics for lashes, lips & complexion together in an adorable sweet shoppe tin!

It’s a blushin’ blockbuster! For the FIRST-TIME EVER, Benefit’s famous box o’ powders are all together in one cheeky sweet spot. It sold out quickly online, but call your nearest Benefit Boutique or counter to see if it’s still in stock.

It’s the gift that gets sweeter every day! The candy-coated countdown advent calendar is filled with 24 mini beauty treasures. Open the sweet shoppe doors to reveal a Benefit bestseller or surprise gift. It’s never been more fun to countdown to gorgeous.

We’re thinking that this sugary-sweet list is enough to make even the baddest of gals want to make it on to the nice list this year. Which one is your fave?

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I found these brilliant photos on my desktop – they were taken by Francois Durand when I was at the Cannes Festival in May. I was in the Dior suite getting ready to walk the red carpet – and if there was ever anything that was going to make you feel nervous about walking the carpet, it would be this mass of hands with their raised cameraphones! Good job I only saw the pictures afterwards…

The Dior suite at the Majestic was just a pure oasis of calm in comparison to the hot, noisy world down on the avenue. I can absolutely see why actors and celebrities would want to spend a few hours in there, gathering their thoughts and taking deep breaths ready for the paparazzi onslaught. It must be incredibly difficult for those actors and actresses who are quite nervous and introvert in real life to get themselves down the red carpet; you’d expect anyone in showbiz to love courting all of that attention, but I know quite a few people in the public eye who go to absolute pieces when they have to face banks of photographers.

The view from the Dior Suite, above – straight down onto the red carpet. Unfortunately I didn’t see any superstars because I was busy having my hair and makeup done! And also stuffing down a rather good chicken club sandwich, with the obligatory fries-on-the-side and little pots of mayo and ketchup. Why do club sandwiches with fries always taste so amazing? It’s my staple “first meal of a holiday” fodder – throw cases in room, go to pool, order club sandwich and a glass of rosé. It’s the simple things in life, isn’t it?

Last pic – international Dior makeup artist Jamie Coombes putting some finishing touches to my look. You would never guess what we were talking about two seconds before this shot was taken. Ha. It’s too rude to print.

If you missed my Cannes video, you can watch it below – so many thanks to Francois for the photographs, you can see his website here.

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Some gorgeously fresh and uplifting summer smells; I’ve put these items into a special box that I’m travelling about with (alongside my amazing body oil from Aurelia) so that I can create beautiful little “scent environments” wherever I go. (I still have two house moves before I can get back into my own home, believe it or not. The whole house project kind of spun out of control.)

The first item is from LAFCO and is a Chamomile Lavender scented soap. Quite an unusual and almost masculine smell, it caught my attention even with all of the wrappings still on, so you can only imagine how it’s throwing its fragrance around now it’s unboxed! I might actually pop this in with my lingerie so that when I’m feeling all tired and soaked in breastmilk and baby sick I can at least have nice-smelling (large, unsexy) knickers! (You can find LAFCO at Net-a-Porter here.)

Read more fragrance reviews…

Next, Jo Malone’s White Lilac & Rhubarb candle. I like this whole floral/fruity vibe (see also the Figuier fragrances from an earlier post) and the proceeds from these candles go to Jo Malone’s Community Gardens project, dedicated to helping people in vulnerable or deprived situations. You can read more here – the candle is £42. *UPDATE: I wrote this post ages ago – the candle will have sold out by now, but the Gardens project is an ongoing one so do keep a lookout for further special product launches.

Lastly there’s Le Parfum from Carven. I’m late to the party with this fragrance – it’s by no means new – but it has that perfect cool, light freshness that I crave from a fragrance when the weather turns hot and stuffy. It’s like clean linen, sparkling lemonade and apricot sorbet (if such a thing exists) all at once. Really very revitalising, but at the same time delicate and feminine. No clod-hopping citrus or heavy-handed florals, just a fine, clean scent. Find it in 30ml or 100ml (with 10% discount) here.

If you like the sound of Carven Le Parfum, see also Jo Malone’s Osmanthus Blossom…

Your own favourite fresh summer smells? Let me know in the comments below!

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