**********This post contains mostly gifted items. Gifted mentions may also be present. All links used are affiliate.**********
It has been some year this 2020, so if budget allows, why not treat yourself or your friends and family to some luxury beauty or maybe even some gadgets? Here's my guide to ultimate luxury treats ready to put a smile on someone's (your) face.
A signature scent is hard to find yet whenever I think of mine since Huda and Mona Kattan joined forces to create a perfume brand, then only one comes to mind: anything Kayali. I have recommended and gifted Kayali Citrus to a lot of my friends and followers and all agree that they didn’t know citrus scent could be this sexy. I wanted to try more from the brand and got myself their Christmas Glitz set consisting of 50ml Dejà Vu White Flower | 57, a more feminine and grown-up version of Citrus, and a corresponding scented hair mist. Since I bought a couple sets for a couple of gift receivers who shan’t be named since they don’t know it yet ;) I think the set is such a great value and will make an excellent gift to even the more sophisticated perfume lovers. Dejà Vu is oriental and flowery but also a little fruity, with top notes of Gardenia, Nectarine and Pear, middle notes of Tuberose, Orange Blossom and Jasmine and base notes of Patchouli, Vanilla, Sandalwood and Cashmere Wood. It starts a little sweet but still very desirable and transforms into something more. And if you think the hair mist is a gimmick, and it is, but it’s the best thing for when you simply want to refresh your hair and the staying power is truly impressive. It’s currently on sale on Feel Unique for only £62.40, saving you an impressive £15.60! Also available from Cult Beauty.
From the scent to eyeshadow, is there anything better than to unwrap a high-end palette on Christmas? Not for an eyeshadow lover, that’s for sure. Pat McGrath Celestial Divinity (also available from Selfridges) is a great choice for someone classic and sophisticated as well as someone with a bit of an edge! The colour story is truly beautiful with a lot of stunning foils and at £74 still okay price-wise considering the usual price range for Pat’s eyeshadows. There aren’t any special shades here which is a shame but the packaging is a lot less wasteful and I actually prefer it.
Or maybe you know someone who likes to take their makeup journey to another level? With the brand new launch from Natasha Denona, anything is possible. Triochrome palette features 3 stunning colour shifting foils designed to wow pretty much any makeup lover as well as an abundance of pretty matte shades making it a truly gorgeous pick. At £111 it’s quite pricey but you are paying for a truly glorious formula and you’re definitely getting that. Natasha Denona Triochrome is available from Cult Beauty, Feel Unique, Look Fantastic and Selfridges.
When it comes to skincare, luxury price tag means you can really get your money’s worth thanks to a quite generous Christmas sets available everywhere. Starting with Glow Recipe - a Queen of sets this year, since they released the most sets I’ve ever seen anyone ever do. You can go small and opt for minis or a mixture of mini and full size and even a while wardrobe featuring the whole range, all depending on your budget. Check them out on Cult Beauty now.
The new brand discovery this year, Skingredients* from Skincare Nerd also turned up with their gift sets ranging £56 to £131 and saving you a bit of cash if you buy products separately. It’s such a cool new concept and comes from research and quality ingredients making up great new formulas in fun packaging. Skingredients sets would make a fab gift to any skincare lover who likes to try new things and wants that healthy, happy and glowing skin without 10-step routine. Available here.
Another newcomer to the UK shores, New Zealand’s own Syrene Skincare is here and delivering on quality gift sets aimed at skincare newbies and experts alike. Marine-rich ingredients deliver outstanding results with great packaging, quality formulas and even new and interesting concepts when it comes to textures. Let’s take Oil-to-Foam cleanser, for example, so unique and lovely - it will make a superb gift on its own. With sets starting from as little as £30, going all the way up to £159.99, there’s something there for everyone. Travel Companion set* retails for £75 and offers the best of both worlds, a complete skincare routine and really good size of ‘samples’. There’s at least 30ml for each product apart from eye cream, which is more than enough to discover what you like and want to try more off. Perfect gift for any skincare lover! Available here and Harvey Nichols.
Algenist has arrived this Christmas with a stunning Secrets of Algae Kit* featuring a cult favourite Genius Liquid Collagen Serum (full size) and 3 travel sizes of other bestselling creams: Complete Eye Renewal Balm (7ml), Genius Ultimate Anti-aging Cream (15ml) and Genius Sleeping Collagen (15ml). I don’t know anyone who tried the Genius range and wasn’t wowed and this set priced at £90 and worth a whopping £154 is a great way to introduce someone to the brand. Perfect gift for a skincare loving friend or mom. I dare you to try Sleeping Collagen and not love it after a single use! Available from Feel Unique, but hurry as it seems to be already out of stock everywhere else.
Looking for a great set or maybe want to grab one and divide the bits to use as stocking fillers? Look no further than the brand new collaboration between Tonic15 and Suitcase magazine*, a set of incredible K-beauty skin, body and haircare housed in a good quality makeup bag! At £69 this set is valued at just below £145 and will make any Korean skincare enthusiast very happy. You get an entire skincare routine plus some amazing hair and body bits and the packaging makes for a perfect present to just about anyone. Available here.
Not shown here, as I'm still awaiting mine, is the brand new collaboration by Tonic15 and my fellow member of The Fifteen and bestie Jasmine Talks Beauty (check out her website and Instagram). A self-care kit* designed by Jasmine boasts a fantastic selection of K-Beauty treats, perfect for long winter nights. Only £63 and worth £97, the set features Jasmine's fave products and there are a couple I know and love already (I'm From Fig Cleansing Balm and I'm From Honey Mask) as well well as luxury Huxley candle among others. It's a perfect choice for anyone really, but especially those in a serious need of some me-time! Get yours here.
Name me a brand more well known for their skincare gadgets than Foreo? I’ll wait... I love their Luna cleansing brush range of course, but I thought to introduce you to some newer and less known gadgets: UFO2* and Bear*. Aimed at skincare novices and pros alike, the UFO2 is a unique sheet mask delivery system that utilises the use of varying LED lights to tackle all your skin’s concerns, Thermo and Cryo Therapy to soften, lift and firm, T-Sonic Pulsations to promote blood circulation and hyper-infusion technology to encourage better absorption of ingredients leading to great results in just 90 seconds. A gift to someone who loves skincare but wants instant results and who can’t/won’t spend hours on their face every day. Perfect for busy skincare gals and gents! Bear is Foreo’s answer to micro-current devices, which are gaining increasing popularity. Microcurrent technology has been used to successfully, thought temporarily lift and firm skin for quite incredible instant results. What’s special about Bear is yet again the time-saving aspect, which allows you to train your skin in just 2.5 minutes, at least half the time from other leading devices available. Perfect for 30+ skin looking to delay signs of ageing and help collagen production. I use it (35 years), my mom uses it (63 years) and we both fell in love with this compact little device and the corresponding conducting serum - light years ahead from rather messy and ineffective conducting gels available elsewhere. You can shop for Bear and UFO2 at Foreo UK, Look Fantastic (get a free Luna Play device with spend over £100 on a brand) and Cult Beauty.
Dyson Corrale is a new offering from the brand who first revolutionised the way we cleaned, then dry our hands, cooled down our apartments in summer and came for our hair not too long after. I’ve been loyal to Dyson vacuums since I knew better and desperately needed to replace my hair straighteners so I gave them a go. Sure it’s ridiculously pricey, but for the sake of straight and healthy hair, I thought why the hell not. Dyson Corrale is a cordless straightener with flexible plates making your straightening or hair curling easier than ever before. There’s a catch, the price. If the budget allows and you want to treat someone or yourself, I say go for it. My hair never felt better and it’s so beginner-friendly too. Never again will you burn your fingers while doing your hair since the flexible plates keep it in place for you. It’s actually magic. Pricey magic, but magic nevertheless. The limited-edition set with accessories is now available from Boots (think of all those points), Dyson, Selfridges and QVC UK (device only, set not available) where you can spread the cost for 5 months (£79.99 per month)
Last but not least, upgrading your phone to a new iPhone is always the best, so why not surprise your loved one, or treat yourself to a brand new iPhone 12 Pro Max? With a stylish design, updated camera, new design and colour range, it is truly a thing of beauty. I haven’t strayed from Apple in years and I’m not stopping now. So if it’s an accessory or a device itself, visit Apple for that extra special treat this Christmas.
Have you been naughty or nice this year? What's your dream gift looks like?
Thank You For Reading.
With love,
Post a Comment