I've always been fascinated by the Christmas stocking. Written records don’t really indicate how the tradition of the Christmas stocking got started, but there are several legends surrounding this wonderful tradition. The most trustworthy legend maintains that Saint Nicolas learned about a poor man who couldn’t afford to pay a dowry for his three daughters, and he was worried about them. Saint Nicolas decided to help the man, and he took three bags of gold with him down the chimney of the man’s home.

Once inside, he found the girls’ stockings hanging on the mantelpiece after washing, and he added the gold bags to the stockings and then went about his Christmas Eve rounds. As the story spread, children began hanging their own stockings or putting out shoes, waiting for their own gifts. Usually, they used their own socks, but later, specially decorated stockings were created for the holiday, which we now known simply as the Christmas stocking.

With Christmas literally around the corner, I have recently started thinking about nice little presents that would be ideal for stocking fillers. It's always nice to give additional presents that are just as appreciated as the main present on Christmas Day, so I've put together some of my favourite Christmas skincare products that I think will make great stocking fillers, so here's 7 of our best.

One great thing that I love about this time of year is that the Christmas period also means a party season - time to celebrate and enjoy the Christmas festivities whether it's a work Christmas party or a friends Christmas reunion, there is no better time to dress up nice and party the night away. 

Getting ready for the party is where the fun begins and is a perfect excuse to really pamper yourself and prep your skin for a night of dancing and laughter.  To help with preparing for the party season, here are some natural skincare products that are great for a little pamper session before heading off for your big night out.

Here's 6 of our best natural skincare products to give you celebrity looking skin this Christmas.

I love Halloween, firstly because it's my birthday and secondly because it reminds me of the glorious days of making pumpkin lamps and watching my children's face light up when we switched of the lights and lit the candles inside the pumpkin.

Over the years, I've also discovered the wonderful natural skincare benefits of this autumn winter vegetable. The magical skincare ingredients in pumpkin will not only lights up your lantern but will also light up your body and bring a wonderful seasonal glow to your skin.

Image:Shutterstock 221809180:  Copyright Alexandra Lande

So here are 6 top skincare tips using pumpkin to light up your skin this Halloween

I spend a lot of time reading about celebrities and skincare experts to find simple ways to keep my skin in tip top condition. Like many people, working long hours and sometimes not getting enough sleep can play havoc with my skin and to top it all winter's on its way so there's another challenge to conquer.

My skincare aim is to avoid getting spots and to control my oily T-zone, so that my face does not look oily under my make-up. So, I try to find time at least once a week to give my skin some extra TLC.

Shutterstocks Image:70612357

I have typical combination skin, with an oily T-zone and dry forehead so I like to use a treatment mask to give my skin a deeper clean and remove excess oil around my nose area. I don't have time to do anything more in the week than my basic skincare routine so on Saturdays I like to step up my skincare prep ready for the weekend and week to come. It's amazing how my skin feels afterwards and I feel ready for the weekend when I've had this simple 'face treat'.

So, here's how to get a perfect face treatment in just 20 minutes.

Researching this blog post took me back to the science lessons I had at school. I was fascinated by the fact that scientists have undertaken an enormous amount of research to find out the key differences between asian, black and white skin.

It was a eureka moment when I first realised that there was 'science of the skin' and that there were some real and interesting differences between asian, black and white skin types and their skin care needs.

Read more to find out the real differences and skincare needs of asian, black and white skin

From as far back as I can remember, whenever I came out of the shower or bath, the first thing my mum would say was 'have you creamed your skin'.

Now, it's a must for me to moisturise daily, as I feel totally naked if I ever have to get dressed and leave the house without the daily ritual of applying a moisturiser to my skin from head to toe. I have come to realise that this daily ritual can really protect the skin and stop the skin getting very dry. There are a number of reasons why we get dry skin, such as sun damage and the constant use of irritating or drying skin care ingredients, especially on the parts of our bodies that are exposed to the harsh elements such as our feet, hands and even parts of the face.

Read on to find the top fail-safe tips to help you have beautifully smooth, younger-looking skin

How do celebrities like Courtney Cox, Iman, Madonna and Sharon Stone stay looking so young over 50?

Most of us have been caught at least once, rushing to the Department store to buy the lastest fad antiaging 'miracle wonder' cream that cost a ridiculous amount of money, but we buy it nevertheless, because we honestly believe it will make us look 5 years younger.

I've done it and spent the next few months trying to hide the credit card statements from my husband to avoid him thinking that I've gone completely mad and demand that I take the pot of half used cream back to the store to get my money back.

Find out more about theTop 6 antiaging products that will help you stay young when you're over 50

I can see why Kate Middleton, Oprah & Victoria Beckham rave about seaweed in their diet & skincare.

When I was at senior school one of my best friends was a girl called Joan Chung. Jo's parents were from Beijing and had been here since the 1930's. A couple of times a week, I'd go to her house after school for tea and her mum would get out this big frying pan, (I later realised it was called a wok). Her mum would put it on the highest heat possible, throw loads of different vegetables in and some green slimy stuff.

So, one day I asked Jo what the slimy stuff was, she laughed and said seaweed. She explained that she had eaten it all her life and that her parents said that it would help her to keep young and stay healthy.

Seaweed really is amazing, it's a nutrient rich underwater wonder plant, that simply floats free in the sea. It gives us everything we need for healthy glowing skin and a natural mineral rich diet.

Here's 7 reasons why Hollywood celebs are crazy about this super power skincare ingredient.

Even celebrities like Cameron Diaz and Katy Perry have been know to have problems with how to treat spots.

It's almost universal that at some point in your life you''ll have had the problem of how to get rid of spots. It may be a problem that you've had for years due to acne or frequent spot break outs it does not matter, as it's one of the most annoying and distressing things to experience.

There are many reasons why we get spots, some of the more common reasons are stress, diet (too much sugar or excessive oil in our diets can cause spots), hormonal changes in our body and having a poor skincare routine, can all contribute to us getting spots. Here's 5 top tips to help you get rid of spots.
 

5 top tips that will help you to get rid of spots for beautiful clear skin

Celebrities like Drew Barrymore, Channing Tatum, Jessica Alba, and Gwyneth Paltrow all use fruit enzyme skin care therapy to stay healthy and beautiful.

It sounds very scientific but it's not really, it's just a nice phrase for fruit and vegetables that get rid of dead skin on your body and slow down ageing.

Find out why these celebrities are craving for Fruit Enzymes in their natural skincare products.