Christmas Gift Guide 2017 // For Her

Hello again guys; so it’s already 14 days into Blogmas and the big day is getting ever nearer. In all honestly, I’m not an amazing present buyer, but I’m not too bad (I hope). Last year, I did a Christmas gift guide and I really enjoyed it, so I thought I’d give it another go for 2017. Maybe I’m a little biased, but I feel like it is easier to buy presents for girls/women than it is for men or children. There’s so many different things of different prices, sizes and ages. That being said, I feel like my tastes have changed a fair bit over the last few years, but even so, here are a few different ideas for what you could buy a female in your life (some of these things are applicable for children and men, too, but that is entirely dependant on the person). Some of the items listed are reasonably priced, others are more high end pricing. If you like these kinds of posts, please let me know in the comments :)

1. Balmain x L’Oréal Colour Riche Lipsticks.

Ok, so I don’t know if it’s just me, but I’m actually obsessed with how beautiful these lipsticks are. Priced at £12.99, they’re affordable but still a bit of a splurge for the majority of people. The packaging is gorgeous, they smell amazing and they’re available in 12 different shades so there’s a shade for everyone. One of these lipsticks would make a great gift as they’re slightly more expensive so not necessarily something that someone would consider buying for themselves on an everyday basis. They’re not so expensive that you would embarrass your friend or partner, but they’re definitely a product that would make them extremely happy as the formula and packaging of the lipsticks is excellent quality and therefore good value for money.

2. Marc Jacobs Daisy Perfume

An obvious choice for anyone, male or female is perfume. One of the most popular brands of perfume is Marc Jacobs and the Daisy range is definitely the best selling. They’re fairly expensive, priced at £35-70 dependant on the style, price and size of the product. However, they look absolutely beautiful and all of them smell incredible, they definitely feel like a more high end product but the price isn’t too expensive if you shop around online (always pay via PayPal for protection if you decide to do that) and I know so many people that own at least one Daisy perfume that it’s more or less a failsafe gift; it’s a flirty, floral perfume that most people love.

3. The Body Shop Christmas Gift Set

Any products by the Body Shop are of excellent quality and are hypoallergenic so suit any skin type, although I love that you can buy products specifically for certain skin types. One of the gift sets that looks like great value is the Frosted Berries Festive Tin, priced at £20 it includes a shower gel, hand cream, body scrub and a body butter all in the Limited Edition berry fragrance. They’re full sized products, so altogether they would come to more than the price of the gift set, plus the product last for ages, so it’s a good gift for anyone into skincare. Any Christmas skincare related gift set is pretty good value for money, so any gift set would be appreciated by anyone as they’re a good staple during the winter months when skin has a tendency to dry out.

4. Harry Potter Book Set

Growing up with the Harry Potter series, waiting for the films and books to be released I’m definitely a massive Harry Potter fan, but many of the people of my age (in fairness, all ages) like the series so buying someone a new Harry Potter book set, will likely go down very well as most people will have ruined their original copies years ago from constant reading... I know I did. A full set of the new paperback editions will set you back around £40, the hardbacks are more, but considering you do get 7 books for the price, that’s a good deal. This gift idea can be applied to any books, for example another series like the Hunger Games or the Divergent Series. Books are always a great gift idea, regardless of age.

5. Cath Kidston Cat Bag

Bags from Cath Kidston are always dreamy, but the cross body bags that are available in funky shapes at the minute have taken kitsch to a whole new level. Any cat lover will instantly fall in love with this bag, for £48 it’s a pretty good deal as it’ll be great quality for that price. Ted Baker have a similar design for a far higher price tag, so the Cath Kidston version is a great way of getting a fashionable item for someone on more of a budget. A quirky but cute bag can update any outfit and works for any time of the year, so this is a great purchase for any loved one any time of the year. It’s hard oilcloth, so it’s waterproof too, which is a bonus.

6. Anastasia Beverley Hills Modern Renaissance Palette

So many people have been raving about this palette online, it’s one of the most sought after eyeshadow palettes for any beauty lover, particularly those who love warm toned eyeshadows. Priced at £43, available in the UK from Cult Beauty, it is a more high end beauty product but the reviews say it all. The range of shades available in the palette are great, there are many shimmers and mattes, bright and neutrals. If this items is a bit out of your budget, there are some drugstore dupes available, for example I can think of a fantastic alternative from MakeUp Revolution; but if you want to go all out for a loved one at Christmas, the high end version is absolutely stunning. 

7. Olivia Burton Watch

A watch is one of those present ideas that will always be useful; the Olivia Burton brand of watches are so beautiful and have a massive range of designs and sizes to choose from. The bees and floral designs are the ones that appeal to me the most, but one of the things that I like about this brand is that you can choose a design to suit whoever you want to buy for. The watches retail from £70+ depending on size, design and shape but I feel like a watch is a good investment and if you want to buy a present that someone is guaranteed to appreciate, a watch is a good bet. If this brand is out of your price range, there are similar options available from Accessorize for roughly £20, which is a bargain. A cute watch is always a good accessory all year round, too.

8. Punky Pins ‘Festive As Fuck’

This is the perfect way to celebrate Christmas in a classy way! Priced at £7, it’s a super affordable and funny gift that would be great in a secret Santa or for family and friends who would appreciate a cheeky pun on a pin. As soon as I spotted this, I had someone in mind and for the price, it’s such a good choice of gift. It’s a bit more Christmas related than some of the other items on this list, but it’s also a lot cheaper, which is nice. It’s always good to have a funny and cheap option. That said, the pins bu this brand are always really well made and have good lasting power.

9. Harry Potter Baubles & Bunting

Similarly to the idea of buying the Harry Potter series as a gift set, in Primark they have an amazing range of Harry Potter branded merchandise at the moment; the two baubles are £5 each and pretty large too. The bunting is £3 and is a great way to jazz up the house for a slightly more alternative Christmas. All of these items are a super affordable way to celebrate Christmas and gift someone when you’re on a budget. I’m in love with the range available at Primark a they’re good quality for the price but not so expensive that you would worry about buying three or four different items. Definitely some must have gifts for any Potterhead.

Beauty Favourites #1

During the month of February I've been getting into looking after my skin and generally pampering myself as a way of cheering myself up a bit. My skin is actually pretty sensitive so I'm a massive lover of beauty products that nourish and care for sensitive skin and so I've always loved The Body Shop as my mother has always been a fan so as a young teen I used to be a bit cheeky and basically borrow, e.g. steal from her stash, haha. There are a few items that I literally adore which are not the cheapest but definitely excellent value for money, especially when you consider they're all made from natural sources and are in general really good for you. Creams for sensitive skin are usually more expensive anyway, so I'm not afraid of having to spend a little extra to get the extra back into my skin. I'm also really pale and get the worst excema so looking after my skin is an absolute must.

 

At the moment there are a few different creams that I'm loving, for example the Zoella Beauty Ginger Cream is fantastic as it's very dewy and feels nice against the skin; I often use it as an on the go item for any dirty patches (for example on my elbow or neck) which does the job throughout the day and the smell is lovely. Although that said, my boyfriend isn't so keen on the smell, which is a shame as I love it. However during the recent winter months I've realised that I do need to take better care of my lips as they've got a tendency to chap, flake and dry out completely so I've been loving the Body Shop Strawberry Lip Butter which at £4.50 for 10ml is a little pricey but worth the money as it's incredibly hydrating, especially as I have a terrible habit of biting my lips unintentionally whilst I think. 

 

In all honesty, I love the Body Shop Body Butter range in general and own a few products from that range alongside the Lip Butter. The Pink Grapefruit Body Butter cost me £6 and is in a smaller size, which is not only great for travelling and on the go but I also adore the smell. It feels amazing against my skin and I like to use it on my knuckles, wrists and elbows; basically the spots where I do suffer the most from having dry, flaky skin. The second is a much larger tub of the Raspberry Body Butter which is my favourite fruit to eat and smell; the price was £14 which is more expensive but as the pot has literally doubled in size, so in my opinion is definitely worth the price. This size is the one that I invest in to use more regularly at home when I want to really pamper myself and I use it for literally my whole body, but particularly my legs and stomach. I would definitely recommend these tubs for the price and the smell... After use, your skin smells like fresh fruit which I love. Plus, they're super hydrating, which is a definite must for me.

 

I'm also a massive fan of the Body Shop Hemp Protector range; thus far I've only invested in a hand and foot cream, but oh my gosh they are amazing! The hand cream is what I use the most, which I bought in a larger size of 100ml so I paid £12, but it does start at £5 for the smaller size. The reason that I chose the larger size is because I do have awful excema on my hands. I have to say, it was worth every penny as the excema on my hands has completely cleared up since using it and it's the only non-steroid based cream to have done so. The Hemp Foot Protector is equally as excellent but for the hands. I have incredibly small and wide feet so I often tread awkwardly on the underside of my soles and so my feet do require more attention then is usual for anyone. The Hemp not only smells lovely but it really does soften and then protect from any hard or damaged skin. Priced at £11 for 100ml it's excellent value for money as it seems to last forever as you need only a small amount to cover the whole foot. This month I've loved rediscovering products to look after the body as I'd neglected my skin for what seems like ages!

 

Christmas Present Ideas For Her

- iPhone - Pandora - The Body Shop - Jack Wills - Cath Kidston - Instax - Orla Kiely - Clarks - Radley -

 

Every year, various members of my family complain that I'm 'so difficult to buy for', whereas I would say I'm quite easy to buy for. I don't have the most expensive taste, considering my favourite present from last year was a pair of fluffy socks that came with a foot cream; but I did get some lovely other things as well. For the present ideas pictured above, I tried to think of things that would last some time; for example Radley purses are so worth the money, they have multiple compartments and do look nice, with the pretty dog based patterns. Would be a perfect gift for a dog lover and they do seem hard wearing. Mine is two years old and still going strong.

An iPhone, or some kind of every electrical item is an obvious choice if you have the money to spend. I have an iPhone 6s and I love the iPhone system, although I know others don't. I've pictured the iPhone 7, but I'm sure about it not having a place for headphones. If a phone is outside of your budget, then a phone case is always a fantastic alternative and there are so many to choose from. I personally like the Jack Wills cases as they're incredibly durable, come in a variety of different patterns and are priced affordably. Cath Kidston cases are also lovely as they're always beautiful patterns and very strong but they are priced higher so only consider if your budget is a bit higher. Instant cameras have had a sudden resurge in popularity and so they're another good option to buy any age group; instax or instax mini are the easiest versions to find and are fairly reasonably priced. Although that said, the films aren't so reasonable as they work out £1 each, but they are fun and make nice memories too.

A watch suite a traditional Christmas present and there are so many different brands, shapes, patterns to choose from. The Orla Kiely range is definitely one most will be lusting after because they're so chic. The geometric, multicoloured prints really stand out on the wrist and the leather straps show the quality of the watches; they'll last for a good couple of years and not go out of fashion as they're all classic designs. Cath Kidston makes similarly beautiful prints and the bags have definitely increased in quality in the past few years. The 'busy bag' looks so versatile and has so many pockets and compartments it would be great for work, school or travelling. Plus, having a nice pattern on your bag on a dull day really brightens up your day sometimes. Clarks shoes are so comfortable and last well because they're so well made. Brogues are always in fashion and go with so many different outfits that you can't go wrong rally, especially in classic tan or black shades.

Another obvious choice is a gift set as so many people like beauty related items whether that's a body cream, shower gel, deodorant or make up. The Body Shop have some lovely scented creams and gels that are packaged so nicely. If you suffer from sensitive skin they're such a good option, and for the price are excellent value for money. Make up or travel bags are also great, as well as stationary, perfumes or pajamas. Anything that would make for a good girlie pamper on a rainy day when life feels like it's too much. I actually love choosing presents for other people at Christmas and always have all my shopping done before December even arrives... A little crazy, yes but it does mean I don't stress when it's too late! Hopefully this post will be helpful for someone. See you soon :)