1. Shu Uemura 6 Hearts Princess Enchanted Black Parallel Palette

This 7-eyeshadow, 1 blush palette is beautiful for so many reasons, the main one being the amazing quality of the 3 silk smooth eye shadows. Their regular eyeshadows are good, but the silk smooth eye shadows are incredible! They produce no fall down whatsoever when being applied to the lids, and are very pigmented, easy to pick up (whether with fingers or a brush), and are a dream to blend. The colours complement each other so well, both on this palette and its corresponding Heart-Full Pink Palette. Great buys, and great gifts for yourself or a loved one. RM250

2. Laura Mercier Holiday 2013 Luxe Colour Wardrobe

When Laura Mercier say 'luxe', they do mean luxe. This amazing 'colour wardrobe' is made up of two layers - one for eyeshadows and another housing blush, contour, and eyeliners. The packaging is sturdy and has a luxe faux croc skin overlay, plus magnetic closure. It also comes with actual brushes and an eyeliner - everything you could ask for in a palette and then some. RM375

3. Napoleon Perdis 'Palais' Gift Set

Napoleon Perdis is not a brand I use often, just because I haven't really tried anything from them and have never been tempted to - until now. The insanely rich jewel tones in his Christmas Set palettes are so beautifully vibrant and deep, I want them all. My favourite, though, has got to be this Palais gift set, for its insanely beautiful, regal purple eyeshadow, matched with a gorgeous jungle green and a beautiful gold. All these colours are so amazingly beautiful, I want to cry just looking at them. AUD89

4. Shiseido Colour Bar

Another palette with jewel-tones, the Shiseido colour bar is for those less inclined to do intensely dark smoky eyes, and instead is more suited to the everyday individual who wants to add a little colour to their wardrobe. These colours are sheer and shimmery, and make for lovely everyday looks. They can be layered to amp up the intensity of the eyeshadows, so you get both day and night looks all in one palette. RM180  / USD50

I discovered recently that I have a big thing for candles. And I mean big.

So when I received an invitation from Ken's Apothecary to the preview of the Christmas 2013 collection of legendary luxury candlemaker diptyque, I was over the moon. So off I went on the day of the preview, somehow managing to find the entrance to the back door of the lovely little restaurant they were set up in, and immediately ooh-ed and ah-ed at the Christmassy decor.

Set up at our tables were these candle displays holding three candles with bright, distinct colours. People who know the brand will know that diptyque candles are generally a minimalist white, with their Christmas candles being the exception to the rule.

There are three gorgeous candles that make up the collection this year. The green Ecorce de pin, a blend of pine, Japanese cypress and cedar, galbanum and patchouli; the purple Encens des Indes containing myrrh and incense, and the Orange Chaya fragrance, which is the one I received for review.

In collaboration with French design house Tsé Tsé, this year's fragrances are packaged in deep, vibrant coloured glass jars glazed with a golden luster, with equally colourful labels. Once your candle burns down a little, you'll find that the flames actually shine through the little holes cut into the labels, throwing light around the room.

The Orange Chaya fragrance is a deep, intense scent that just completely envelops you the minute you walk into the room. Underneath its tangy citrus overnotes, are musky, spicy undertones that really make you feel as if you were walking through a Moroccan marketplace (cardamom, ginger, cinammon and Chai).

I hadn't had the pleasure of trying a diptyque candle before this event, so I can't say what all diptyque candles are like, but if this is anything to go by, they are insanely well-fragranced, and formulated in such a way that the fragrance really does diffuse beautifully throughout a room, and linger for quite some time after the candle has been put out and all the guests have gone.

If you haven't experienced a diptyque candle before, but are a fan of pretty scents and love a unique home fragrance, I highly recommend that you visit a Ken's Apothecary to take a look at their diptyque range.

The diptyque Christmas range will be available starting November 2013, and will retail for RM 275 for a 190g candle, and RM 135 for a 70g candle.