Now for the beauty fans. I love beauty gifts; there's always something to suit everyone, from a nice lavender bubble bath for your Grandma to a super cool Lush box set for your bessie or a seriously indulgent perfume for a special lady friend, you can't go wrong.
Speaking of Lush, they do have some particularly brilliant Christmas gifts this year. As per usual. The Treats box (£23.95) includes thegolden-tipped From Dusk 'Till Dawn massage bar, the deliciously creamy and gold dusted Snowcake soap, and the new Gold Fun(genius multi-purpose, can be used for washing hair and body or crumbled for a bubble bath! Also scented with Honey I washed The Kids) make for a gift with the Midas touch. Also includes a sample pot of the Gorgeous. Available from www.lush.co.uk. Order by midday on Thursday 19th for Christmas delivery or visit one of their stores around London.
Neal's Yard Remedies has the perfect antidote to a stressful holiday season in the form of its Beauty Sleep Organic Spa Collection (£47.50 available from www.nealsyardremedies.com). Containing the Aromatic Foaming Bath, infused with soothing pure essential oils, a Calming Organic Aromatherapy Candle, the super-calming Beauty Sleep Body Butter and the award-winning Beauty Sleep Concentrate, suitable for all skin types, to replenish, recharges and supports skin’s natural night time regeneration. It should be on every mum's Christmas list.
Whilst on the subject of scented candles, two of my favourite brands for them are always Crabtree & Evelyn and Miller Harris. Both have particularly good festive offerings this year, C&E in the form of their Gilded Chestnut, (www.crabtree-evelyn.co.uk/collections/gilded-chestnut/)with the fruity notes of apple, pear and seasonal berries, and MH with Le Petit Grain (mini candle £22 from www.millerharris.com.orange tree. Themed around founder Lyn's love of the orange tree, this elegant scent is enhanced with angelica racine, eau de brouts absolute, bergamot from Italy and Sicilian lemon, managing to smell fruity, fresh and festive all at once.
French beauty brand NUXE is a good go-to for a little luxury and the Love From Paris gift set of minis is ideal. It includes a miniature of the Huile Prodigiuese, the best-selling, seriously hard-working, multi-purpose dry oil, along with a Crème Prodigieuse (anti-fatigue moisturiser, just the ticket at this time of year...) and the Contour des Yeux Prodigieuse anti-fatigue moisturising eye cream.
A slick of red lippy is always a winner and there are few better than MAC's Lady Danger, the perfect jolt of matter scarlet I find it's just the ticket for encouraging moments under the mistletoe... £15 from www.maccosmetics.co.uk. Order by 3pm on Friday 20th for guaranteed Christmas delivery.
The range of oils from Aromatherapy Associates are a must have. I love the Ultimate Collection of nine different mini oils, a veritable library of scents (sold out online but may be available in stores) for £50, but a great little stocking filler is the Little Bell (£10), containing a mini Revive Morning Bath & Shower Oil, packed with uplifting and invigorating grapefruit, rosemary and juniper. www.aromatherapyassociates.com.
A BIG bath oil treat comes from one of my absolute favourite brands, Connock London. This highly conditioning bath oil (£42) contains a powerful blend of Hawaiian Kukui, Macadamia and Tamanu Oils and the scent is incredible. I defy you to purchase any product from www.connocklondon.com for a Christmas present and not buy something for yourself; it's impossible. Also available in Fortnum & Mason and Urban Retreat at Harrods.
Give someone the gift of soft hands (Mum...) with AVEDA's trio of scented hand creams (£18) in three different scents. Just the perfect size for keeping one in your handbag, one in your desk drawer and one in the bathroom perhaps...?
It's always nice to find glam make up in your Christmas stocking, so why not hit Selfridges or Harrods' beauty halls this weekend and pick up a few bits and pieces? The Givenchy Ondulations D'Or (£38.50) palette is a must-have for any lover of luxe. Embossed in a star design that's almost too pretty to use, the black and gold fuse into a beautiful bronze. Guerlain's Ecrin 2 Couleurs (£30) in Two Candy is an irresistible duo of shimmering candy pink and nude eyeshadows with stunning packaging. For a lip treat, the new limited edition collection from Shu Uemura features illustrated packaging by Takashi Murakami, a leading icon of the Tokyo art scene. The matte texture Lip & Cheek Fun-Tasy (£20) comes in five shades, I love the nude pink.
You can't beat a good fragrance and for me there's nothing better than [b]Chanel. If No.5 is a bit grown up and Coco Mademoiselle a bit girly, try Coco Noir (£75 for 50ml, available at Boots), a sultry, almost oriental scent.
Finally, last but not least, the Burt's Bees Radiance Healthy Glow Kit (£14.99 from www.burtsbees.co.uk contains handy travel-size minis of the Radiance Face Cleanser, Day Lotion, Night Cream and Eye Cream as well as a Radiance Lip Shimmer. Perfect.
With thanks to www.fluorescentimage.com for the photography.
Love Laurel x
