Christmas is a great time for beauty lovers. The stores are flush with beautiful limited edition products and exquisite exclusive ranges, wrapped in sumptuous packaging, threatening to break the bank of many an innocent shopper.

Top of our Christmas list is the By the Sea collection from Comme des Garçons who have collaborated with Sandra Korn for this limited edition release. The German artist has hand painted the bottles of the brand's three most popular perfumes: Amazing Green, CDG2 and Wonderwood. Inspired by her life in Hossegor in South West France, where she now resides, her abstract illustrations reflect her interest in graphic design and the natural sciences. The beautiful aquamarine sea print, painterly monochrome and gold design and moody dappled floral decorated bottle will transport you to the sunny shores of France and will dispel any winter blues. Launching this week the collection will make a great Christmas gift or even a little treat for yourself.

By the Sea will be available in all Comme des Garçons shops and Dover Street Market this week.

Text by Albany Bell

Coco Noir is the latest fragrance from Chanel. This bold, rich scent is the third in the Coco franchise, joining the 1984 perfume Coco and the 2001 blockbuster Coco Mademoiselle.

Created by Chanel’s master perfumer Jacques Polge, Coco Noir is designed to capture the elegance and magnetism of the colour black, which has become so key to Chanel’s heritage. Inspired by the sensuality of Venice and the love that Coco Chanel herself felt for the city, the scent is an ode to the history of the house. Travelling to the city to mourn the death of her love Boy Capel, Coco found comfort in her Baroque surroundings.

Luxurious simplicity is reflected in the elegant bottle and dark notes. Jasmine, rose and narcissus open the fragrance but the drama is centred around the heart of Coco Noir. Arranged around the woody base there are layers of sandalwood, frankincense, vanilla, tonka bean, vetiver and patchouli, which give a deep and intense presence.

Rich, opulent and intoxicating Coco Noir is designed to warm up the wintery nights ahead.

Text by Albany Bell

BIOeffect is the Icelandic skincare company that brought us the miracle beauty serum and introduced us to EGF cellular activators (Epidermal Growth Factors). Grown in plants, EGF mirrors the activation and renewal of human skin cells. Devotees of the serum rave about the glow, smoothness and firmness of their skin after judicious application.

Now BIOeffect have introduced a new intensive body serum. Putting protein back into your skin, which diminishes with age, it helps initiate the production of collagen and elastin that keeps your skin looking buoyant. For those who feel that months of summer partying might have taken its toll this might be just what your body needs in the run up to Christmas and weeks of indulgence. Deeply nourishing, it aims to hydrate skin and reduce rough areas, leaving skin looking firmer and lifted.

BIOeffect is also launching a 30 day treatment, which is the superhero fast-forward max strength version of the face serum. Designed to re-shape your facial contours and bring radiance to your skin, the treatment is an occasional booster treatment, which is designed to be used for one month and contains three times the concentration of EGF found in the standard serum: perfect for those times when your skin needs more than its usual dose of help.

The new BIOeffect products are available at Selfridges stores or online at selfridges.com

Text by Albany Bell