Welcome to my main Christmas Gift Guide, with a selection of hand picked beauty gifts that I’d be very happy to either give or receive. I’ve chosen pretty and practical gifts that I think most women will enjoy, all coming in at around £10.
AROMATHERAPY ASSOCIATES: INSTANT INNER STRENGTH ROLLER BALL
Aromatherapy Associates Instant Inner Strength roller ball, £15 combines a 100% natural blend of clary sage, frankincense and cardamom, to help calm thoughts and emotions, boosting a more positive outlook. Kind of like a more sophisticated Rescue Remedy I guess. I’ve raved about this particular oil at length in this post, but suffice to say, I’m so happy this roller ball has been invented as it’s saved me slathering the bath oil on my wrists! Beautifully presented, it’s the perfect handbag size at about 4” long and a great gift for anyone under stress or prone to occasional meltdowns (are any of us immune?!). 10% of proceeds will be donated to the charity, Defence Against Cancer.
BURT BEES HONEYPOT COLLECTION
Burt Bees Honey Pot Collection, (on offer at £5.60) is one of the cutest little gifts I’ve seen - and I love that the glass pot could be used as a candle holder or storage for cotton buds, hair clips etc. It contains Beeswax and Honey Lip balms and a mini hand salve, perfect pocket sized cold weather defenders to soften and calm cracked lips and skin.
PUR MINERALS: MY FAVORITE THINGS
More cute minis, this time from Pur Minerals My Favorite Things, a prettily packaged set of Big Look Mascara, Mineral Glow Bronzer and Lip Gloss Stick in Pretty Berry. I’m already a fan of the Lip Gloss Stick (one of the best I’ve tried) - and the bronzer, which applies really smoothly for a very natural finish. This set is available in-store at M&S and you can buy the products individually at marksandspencer.com
MR KATE BEAUTYMARKS
The skin jewellery trend has really taken off this year and Mr Kate Beauty Marks, £12 from Red Ruby Rouge was one of the originals. A bit like a grown-up glam version of the transfers we all loved as kids, Beauty Marks can be worn anywhere on the face or body. I’d personally wear one or two simple pieces on my wrist or shoulder for a night out... I like the idea of the dotted circle just below my collar bone and the feathers are really pretty.
LANOLIPS THE ARTIST’S TIN
Lanolips The Artist’s Tin £15.28 is a collaboration with Australian fashion illustrator, Kelly Smith who designed the beautiful vintage inspired tin containing the hero products 101 Ointment – a 100% natural multipurpose balm and Intense Hand Balm for intense hydration & protection for very dry hands & nails. This Limited Edition beauty is available exclusively at Whole Foods Market or the products can be bought individually at Boots.com
PHILIP KINGSLEY CHRISTMAS CRACKER: Body & Volume
It was one of these little sets that ignited my initial love for Philip Kingsley hair products, a great way to try the brand for the first time or sample new products before committing to the full size. Available in a number of options, but who doesn’t love a bit of Body & Volume for the party season?! Philip Kingsley Body & Volume Christmas Cracker, usually £10, is down to £7 in the M&S Christmas Gifting Weekend (50-8 Dec), which I’ll be investigating further once I hit publish!
That’s all for now folks… I have a couple of more specific guides coming up including Smellies She’ll Thank you for and Make-up Gifts for Teenagers. Anyone finished their Christmas shopping already *high five* (not me!) will be happy to know that I also have some regular beauty posts coming up, such as my Evening Skincare Routine, a few Hair features and So to Sleep, the products that help me nod off at night. If you have any requests, please feel free to send them my way!
Happy Shopping!
