AD – this blog post features press samples – all views are my own
Still stuck for what to buy people for Christmas and feel like you’ve exhausted all options?
Here is my last minute festive gift guide. It’s got ideas from stocking fillers to electronics to help inspire your last minute festive buys.
Ready to get stuck in?
Kambukka Etna Travel Mug – £28.95
This gorgeous 300ml thermal mug can keep your tea and coffee warm for five hours, or cold for 11 hours.
It’s perfect for when I’m rushing out of the house onto a job; and there’s nothing more frustrating than sitting down with a brew at my desk when a news story breaks and I’m off out again. This mug is genuinely a life-saver for on-the-go people.
This one is in the Paradise Flower design, and there are tonnes to choose from. They’re dishwasher safe, BPA free and leak-proof, too.
What I love the most is that that I can lock the lid and throw it in my handbag, confident it won’t leak onto my reporter pad.
Baru Hot Chocolate and Marshmallows
In my gifted Kambukka box, the lovely PR team also gifted me some Baru Sea Salt Caramel Marshmallows and Hot Chocolate.
I love when companies do this as it means I get to discover more than just one brand at a time.
This hot chocolate is very luxe, and already contains mini marshmallows to scoop straight into your mug (or Kambukka Etna, for that matter).
This is the perfect duo for that friend that enjoys a cosy night in.
Perfume
His and Hers fragrance with Perfumer’s Choice – £16.00 each
It can be really hard to find affordable perfume that smells great – but Jake and I have recently been wearing these fragrances from Perfumer’s Choice.
I feel like this would be a great gift for couples, like aunties and uncles.
The men’s fragrance – No 9 by Victor – features notes of bergamot, blackcurrant and pineapple, as well as amber and vanilla.
The more feminine fragrance – No 8 by Valerie – is citrus and blackcurrant top notes, with a black pepper and coffee heart.
Michael Buble – By Invitation – from £25.00
It’s not quite Christmas without a bit of Buble, is it?
His crisp ‘oriental’ fragrance is unusual, but elegant. It’s described as ‘modern and timeless’, and as I sit typing this post, I realise it’s still just as fragrant as it was when I applied it three hours ago.
It has top notes of red berry and bergamot, which I do find quite festive. But as it dried down you get vanilla and sandalwood coming through – two incredibly popular scents that work together like a dream.
I find people tend to ‘shun’ perfumes created by musicians, but you would be pleasantly surprised – By Invitation is worth it.
Shay and Blue Salt Caramel – £55.00
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. This is one of my favourite perfumes for Autumn and Winter.
The warm, luxury fragrance feels like hot chocolate, blankets and fluffy slippers bottled up.
Anyone who unwraps this on Christmas Day will have received an absolutely transformational gift. I could rave about it all day.
You can read more about it here, where I talk more about incredible Shay and Blue products.
Makeup
Makeup is on almost every girl’s Christmas list, and with Essence cosmetics, you don’t have to break the bank for a fab product, and the make great stocking fillers.
The Essence Epic Sunset Eyeshadow Palette comes in at under a tenner, and is filled with brights and neutrals for a diverse range of looks.
Alternatively, you’ve got the Essence Olá Rio Eyeshadow Palette for £7.00, which is super glowy with a pop of purple. I feel like this could double up as a highlighter palette, too!
Finally, going even lower in price, is the Essence Highlight Drops Liquid Illuminator for just £3.79. These are great if your giftee isn’t a fan of powders and prefers liquid or cream products.
Hand care
Now I get my nails done almost every month, so I plough through nail care products. What’s great with hand and nail creams is that you can never have too many – one on the bedside table, one in the handbag, one in the car, one in the desk at work.
My top three are the I love cosmetics vanilla milk hand and nail cream (£5.00), The Body Shop vanilla pumpkin hand cream (£5.00), and slightly more luxe with Shay and Blue White Peaches hand crème (£10.00).
They all smell incredible and help to keep my hands soft during the winter. You’re getting the most bang for your buck with the I Love Cosmetics cream, however, The Body Shop products are probably easier to pick up if you’re in a rush to finish your Christmas shop.
Leighton Denny Expert Nails Gift set £6.50
If whoever you’re buying for prefers to paint their own nails – then these high quality Leighton Denny polishes will go down a treat.
This is the Sparkle Season gift set, and you get a nude, a red and a gold glitter, which is totally perfect for the party season!
NAF cuticle oil £6.00
I was introduced to NAF cuticle oil by Leanne, at Nails at Bear Paws. She has a huge range of fragrances in which she uses to finish off your manicure.
I bought a Cherry NAF from her a few months back, and it’s been keeping my nails perfect and retracting my cuticles.
Plus, they smell i n c r e d i b l e. Absolutely amazing stocking filler for your hun who likes her acrylics done, or the one who should just take better care of her nails.
Hair
GLAMORISER Bluetooth Smart Hair Straightener £54.99
Can you believe I didn’t own my own pair of straighteners before? I always scrounged the GHD’s from my mum. But this bad boy is mine and I absolutely adore it.
The Glamouriser can be connected to your phone using Bluetooth to create personalised settings, including temperature. You can even use it to switch your straighteners off should you forget to unplug them.
It’s some seriously cutting edge technology. It’s truly fascinating that you can save settings that work best for you so that they are your perfect straightener.
Plus, there is an extra long three metre cord so that I no longer need to choose between straightening my hair, charging my phone or watching the TV, as it will stretch so much further than the old pair!
SGX NYC Under Control Finishing Spray – £7.99
Available at Boots, this finishing spray is amazing for just setting off your blow dry. The finishing spray tames flyaways and leaves hair looking silky, not oily. It would be the ideal gift for your beauty-loving vegan friend, since it’s cruelty free and vegan.
Smith England Shampoo and Conditioner set £16.00
Who puts shampoo and conditioner on their Christmas list? My sister, apparently. That’s why I decided to include this lovely little duo.
The Smith England shampoo is sulphate-free and smells so fresh and clean. They both have an uplifting fragrance of lemon and sandalwood, and are packed with vitamins to keep hair healthy.
Smith England are proud of it’s cruelty-free, vegan status – and the bottles are made of 100% recycled plastic.
