As much as we all love a bit of chocolate, Christmas can see us over do it, and as well as stocking up on lots of it to offer visitors we are also often gifted a lot of it too. Perhaps you've resolved to eat better in the new year, or perhaps you just cant face eating any more. Whatever the reason for your leftovers, we've got some great ways you can use it up at home!

DIY FACE MASK

Chocolate is said to have many benefits for the skin, including being an antioxidant it can also fight premature ageing. It is also known to give skin a glow boost by promoting cell growth and tissue repair. This mask is great for hydrating skin, which is perfect for this bitter time of year when the cold air and constant indoor heating can dry out the skin and leave it looking dull.

You'll need;

• 50g of chocolate 
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 egg yolk

Start making your mask by gently melting the chocolate, you can either do this in a microwave or over a water bath. Take 1 tablespoon of the liquid chocolate and combine it with the oil and egg yolk to make a smooth mix. Once your mask is a suitable temperature (you don't want that chocolate to be too hot on application), you can spread the mask over your face and neck - did you know our Bella&Bear Ocelot Large concealer brush also doubles up as a fantastic mask brush!
You can then relax for 10-15 minutes and allow your mask to work it's magic before rinsing it off with warm water and moisturising. 

SAVE FOR LATER COOKIES

You might be sick of the sight of the sweet stuff for now, but we all have cravings, so why not think ahead and make some cookies you can bake at any time you fancy?!

Simply make your cookie dough with your go-to recipe and drop in some of your leftover choccies; be it crispy Maltesers, colourful M&M's or even just broken up chunks. You can then roll your dough into a log shape, wrap tightly in clingfilm and pop into the freezer until you fancy them! When you're ready, just slice off as many rounds as you need and bake in an oven until golden - delicious!

VALENTINES CHOCOLATES

Chrismas may only just be over but Valentines is well on the horizon, so what better way to re-purpose those chocs than to handmake some goodies for your love?!

You can find all sorts of chocolate moulds in craft stores and online, we love this heart one. Simply melt down your chocolates in a microwave or over a water bath and pour into the moulds. 

For some extra flair you could put some dried flowers or sprinkles into the mould before you chocolate goes in, so that they are extra beautiful.

Once your moulds are filled simply freeze your chocolates for 5 minutes (or until hardened) and then pop out of the moulds and present them how you choose, we love little boxes.

ICED CHOCOLATE-COFFEE FRAPPE

For many of us, heading off to work starts with a morning coffee. How about treating yourself to a special ice choco-coffee drink once a week? Or you could get the girls together for coffee and snacks to catch up! This drink is super delicious and will help use up those leftover choccies!

You'll need a blender and ;

• 1 cup of milk of choice
• 1 tablespoon of sugar
• 1 shot of coffee
• 1/3 cup broken up chocolates
• 3 tablespoons chocolate syrup
• 2 cups ice
• whipped cream to top

Simply blend everything together, tip in your fave to-go cup and top with some whipped cream and chocolate sauce. If you're not a coffee lover, simply omit the coffee shot and enjoy pure chocolate goodness!

Do you have many Christmas choccies left? How do you plan on using them? Share your tips with us on social media and don't forget you can shop our Bella&Bear Ocelot concealer brush and all of our other pieces in our online store right now - you can also get 15% off of your order with our Blogger of the month code - find it here!