Chanty’s gift guide: last-minute beauty products every girl needs in her Christmas stockings

Hold the phone- it’s Christmas in 6 sleeps and I still haven’t done all my shopping! Yikes, talk about last-minute. Am I alone here, or what?

Personally, it’s not the shopping that takes time, it’s the thinking process. I actually take more time to choose the right gift for the person, because I believe strongly in the ‘thought’ that counts part. You will never see me aimlessly wandering the malls, looking for that perfect gift. I do a LOT of research online to find neat gift ideas, whether it’s the latest in gadget trends or even innovative beauty products that I could buy someone or put on my Christmas list.

Here are my top 12 last-minute beauty products that every girl needs in her Christmas stocking

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Chantsy’s Gift Guide: Have yourself a Uashmama Christmas

Ugh, I have a soft spot for these little paper bags, and I can’t shake it off! When I was unemployed over 3 years ago, I started a marketing and virtual assistant business, and Uashmama was one of my favourite clients to work with. See, the Canadian distributor is located right here in Ottawa! Although I didn’t have the chance to do some groundbreaking work, I did help the humble team with a few proposals and odd marketing jobs. I have to say, I do miss those days, but I am so grateful for my stability today. It’s sort of has come full circle, now that I get to work with them on the blog!

For those who don’t know, Uashmama (pronounced Wash+Mama), is a line of lifestyle goods made of leather-like paper. The paper fibre is treated like leather and offers a durability and similar look to leather and it’s all the way from Italy.

UASHMAMA IS NOW OFFERING FREE SHIPPING ON ALL HOLIDAY ORDERS!

Uashmama makes different products for the household like their famous paper bag meant to be used as a gift bag, container or basket. They are both practical and beautiful! The toughest part is making a decision because you will want them all. There are so many great colours and sizes to choose from. I have some all over the house. In the bathroom, I use them to hold my hairbrushes, my hair products, makeup brushes and small towels. In the kitchen, I use them as a bread basket or a plant holder.

PRO TIP: I use a Uashmama bag to ripen my avocados! See? They are so very versatile!

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And last but not least, they also have a gorgeous selection of handbags, wallets, purses, clutches, lunch bags, hampers, and.. backpacks! I have had my eye set on this chrome backpack since last year and finally it’s all mine! It will be travelling with us this January on our trip to Hawaii! (More on that later!)
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These Uashmama bags are the perfect and original addition to your holiday gift giving this year. Two years ago, I used them as the container to my Christmas gifts, and for a joke, I put one as the star on top of my Christmas tree! That’s how much I love these little guys.

The main message here is that Uashmama is offering FREE SHIPPING for all your purchases until the end of the year. So if you hate paying for shipping, like me, this offer is for you!

A big thank you to Uashmama for supporting this post.

The photography on this post is brought to you by Debra Cowie, Ottawa’s famous product and food stylist! She has been a great photography and flatlay coach and is lovely to work with. Stay tuned for more of her great work on the blog!

I dug up some old photos from my Instagram, from two years ago… back when I used to get a whopping 7 likes! Bahahahaha

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#PDOBlackFriday: How to shop Black Friday sales at Place D’Orleans

I’m just coming down from the thrills of hosting my first ever Facebook Live event, I’ve done lots on my own page, but nothing of this scale. We had a few technical glitches, but tonight we filmed a segment for Place D’Orleans‘ Black Friday deals and it was a blast! I was joined by two Ottawa bloggers, Ashley and Coralie who also presented some of their favourite steals that were under $50 at Place D’Orleans!

PS- the secret password tomorrow at Guest Services is “PDOBlackFriday”. If you’re one of the first 10 people to arrive, you can get a $50 gift card!

For once in my life, I focused on gifts that I could get my husband, instead of things that I like for myself (selfish much? Not today!). Some of the deals are insane, like these leather Aldo loafers for $35, or this men’s shaving and skincare kit from The Body Shop for $33. These polkadot men’s socks from MoxyMaus were also a perfect complement to the loafers!

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I found this red waffle shirt and fun pjs bottoms from Eddie Bauer. This is basically my husbands bedtime uniform, I can’t believe they had it in stock!

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Although this gorgeous blanket from the Bay is not under $50, I promise you the candle and books are! Bath and Body Works has a “buy 3 get 3 free” promo tomorrow on their scented candles. I am partial to fresh Christmas scents like Balsam Fir or masculine ones like Amber Mahogany ( you may also hear me referring to this scent as handsome man! haha). In addition, Wayne Gretzky’s “Story of the Game” and Mike Myers’ “Canada” books are only $15 each at Coles! Again, these books are right up my husbands alley- he loves all things Canadiana.
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He may not need a coat, but this $50 winter jacket by Mountain Warehouse is just too good to pass up. You can’t buy a winter coat for under $50, it’s just unheard of. If you donate to the snowsuit fund, this shop would be a perfect place to stock up on good quality suits for a great price.

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What I wore

The outfit I wore tonight was all purchased at H&M! I love the H&M inside Place D’Orleans, it’s got a great selection and it’s huge too! Tomorrow H&M has crazy deals (like $7 for the pants I’m wearing) and their main focus will be featuring all black fashion for Black Friday!

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Other favourite shops at Place D’Orleans

I mean, there are a million stores I could name, but some of my favourite shops include The Bay, Forever 21 RED, Le Chateau, Reitmans, Dynamite, Soft Moc, Footlocker, Watch it, Sunglass Hut, and Mrs. Tiggy Winkle’s for my son Victor!

In case you missed it, you can watch the entire Facebook Live video here!

A big thank you to Place D’Orleans, for supporting this post! It’s been awesome to work with you!

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Chantsy’s Gift Guide: White & rose gold wireless Sudio earphones

I hate to admit it, but Christmas is around the corner and it’s time to start thinking about what we want for Christmas! Get the paper pad and pen…mama’s writing her list! Don’t get me wrong, Christmas is not about gifts, and it shouldn’t be. But you and I can both agree, there is nothing worse than getting stuck with a whole bunch of stuff you don’t like and won’t use. Let’s call it waste, instead of greed.

Here is a great gift idea, if you want to impress the girl who has everything… because I know she doesn’t have this! For lovers of wearable technology and athleisure goddesses around the world, I recommend these gorgeous Vasa Bla Sudio white and rose gold earphones ($140).

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These ear bud-style headphones are wireless and absolutely amazing! Did I mention that they are absolutely stunning too? Think of it as jewellery for your workout attire, exquisite!
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Sudio, is based in Stockholm Sweden, and promises quality studio sound and up to 8 hours of wireless playtime. It also has a built in microphone and remote control. It’s compatible with iPhone 7 and all other Bluetooth enabled devices too. The ear buds come in a nice little leather carrying pouch, and the kit comes with interchangeable ear buds in different sizes. I changed my ear buds to 2 sizes smaller than the standard size. The buds are quite comfortable and stay in your ear. To recharge the headphones, you simply plug them into a USB port.

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Here’s the best part! Sudio is offering my readers an XLusive deal!
To get 15% off your purchase, use discount code: chantsy15

Whether you’re going out for a stroll, or jet setting across the world this holiday season, don’t forget to do it in style!

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If you’re looking for more gift ideas, check out these check out my new obsession with AMORE PACIFIC skincare routine.

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