In the third feature in my 2016 Christmas Gift Guide series, I'm talking Christmas gifts at the mid-range price point at £15-£30. If you're looking for something a little more budget friendly, head to my stocking filler gift guide and budget beauty gift guide but if you're looking for something a little more luxurious then keep your eyes peeled for a couple more gift guides coming your way soon.
While 2016 may not have been the best year for the world, when it comes to Christmas beauty gifts it truly the greatest year yet for the industry. Some of the gifts on offer are insanely exciting and I've rounded up a few of my favourites.
Makeup is probably one of the most wow-factor presents at Christmas time. You can pick up a luxurious lipstick etc. and it still be affordable and fit into this guide which generally is always my go-to. YSL do Christmas so well. This year the YSL Holiday Sparkle Edition collection is so dreamy and if you're looking for beautiful packaging and great quality product, then you need to keep your eyes out for this. Unfortunately most of the collection is now sold out but the cult favourite YSL Sparkle Edition Touche Eclat, £25 is still in stock and looking more beautiful than ever.
Burberry is also another great option and has some great options within this price bracket. Anything gold and sparkly is a favourite of mine at Christmas (as you can probably tell from my love of the YSL Christmas launch) and Burberry have absolutely nailed it. They have their sparkly nail polish offering the Burberry Nail Polish in 451 Gold Shimmer, £15 from the Festive 2016 collection. It's a beautiful gold glitter polish and on the other end of the spectrum, something very similar in lipstick form. I never thought I'd wear a gold lipstick, in fact I didn't even realise it existed, but the Burberry Kisses Lipstick in No. 224 Gold Shimmer, £25 is beautiful. I'm not usually one for glitter on the lips but this adds a beautiful glow that I can't get enough of for festivities. It also looks beautiful when layered over the top of a red lip.
Sisley are also one of my go-to's when picking up gifts as their packaging can be super fun. My picks this year is their Sisley Phyto Lip Twist in 16 balm, £29 to hydrate the lips and the new shade, Sisley Phyto Lip Twist Matte in 18 Tango to add colour. It's a beautiful bright red and the perfect festive shade for this time of year.
If you don't want to go for one product or don't know specific shades that the person you're buying for might like then going for a set or palette is a great option. The Make Up For Ever Artistic Essentials kit, £30 features 5 makeup essentials (primer, setting powder, eyeliner, mascara and lipstick) all in adorable smaller sizes. These products are brilliant and they would be great for just about anyone. If you're looking for a do-it-all palette then my go-to is always Pixi's Christmas offering. This year the Pixi Ultimate Beauty Kit 3rd Edition, £28 has some beautiful festive packaging and the palette is as good as ever. Featuring 40 Eye & Brow Shades, 3 Highlighters, 2 Bronzers, 2 Cheek Powders & 1 Contour Powder - this palette really does have it all covered. The powders are brilliant and I really can't recommend enough. For lips, the High Definition Lip Essential Collection, £29 is great option as it features three wearable lip gloss shades that work perfectly all year round.
A bit of a skincare/makeup hybrid and it comes in the form of the ESPA Nourishing Lip Treatment Trio, £29. ESPA are a beautiful and luxurious brand and is one of my go-tos for a bit of a pamper. At this time of year, I really suffer with dry lips (and I know this is also a trouble for most!) too so this beautifully packaged cracker is a great gift this year. It features three hydrating lip treatments in natural, pink and red shades. They hydrate really well and leave a beautiful tint on the lips.
I love getting products at Christmas that give me a chance to have a good ol' pamper at home. Whether that be with skincare, body care, hair care or home fragrance, I love a bit of it all as it feels s luxurious and special.
On the skincare front, there are some beautiful sets this year. The Ole Henriksen 'A Lil' Love A Lot O' Radiance gift set, £21.50 is a pick of mine this year. From the pretty packaging to the radiance boosting products inside - this is a perfect pick me up at this time of year when Christmas parties are a plenty.
If you know someone that travels a lot, Christmas is the perfect time to up their travel mini stash. I love the Bee Good Youth Enhancing Travel Trio Gift Set, £20. This set features a mini serum, moisturiser and eye cream and is the perfect trio for adding hydration on the go. Bee Good is free-from nasties like parabens, synthetic colour and SLS etc too.
Onto looking after your body, and one of my favourite gift sets this year comes from REN and is the REN Neroli & Grapefruit Duo, £29 (currently £20.30 at ASOS). This beautiful gift set features both full-size Neroli & Grapefruit body wash and body cream. These products are incredibly luxurious. They feel beautiful against the skin and smell incredible too. I love using these in the morning as they are super refreshing! It's the packaging this year of these sets that get me though. They are created in collaboration with London based textile designer, Kangan Arora and I absolutely adore it.
If you're looking for something a little less everyday and something for more of a pamper, then the ESPA Moments Of Peace Gift Set, £20. ESPA body products are incredibly luxurious and I find it super relaxing to apply. This little set features a body oil and mini candle. Its perfect to pamper yourself with or is a perfect set up from a partner too as the body oil can double up as a massage oil.
Along the same lines, gifting someone else with products that can help them relax is always something really beautiful. Life's stressful and a little something to help that can go a long way. Aromatherapy Associates is always my go-to brand for this as they have some really beautiful scents. At this price range, I'd recommend picking up the Aromatherapy Associates Instant Wellbeing set, £18. It features two roller balls (which I swear by) in the fragrances Revive Morning and Deep Relax. These are two of my favourites from the brand, they're perfect for a morning pick me up, especially if you're feeling a little worse for wear or to get you deeply relaxed and ready to sleep in the evening. I love the handy rollerball packaging as they are perfect to pop in your handbag or keep on your bedside table.
Onto hair, and I always buy these gift sets at Christmas time. Shampoo and conditioner is one of the things I resent buying throughout the year (unless I've really fallen in love with something) so I always try and pick it up for my loved ones at this time of years. Plus, it really gives you a chance to have a full on 360 degree pamper.
The Schwarzkopf Repair Rescue for Damaged Hair set is a really great option. Its super hydrating on the hair and features a shampoo, conditioner and treatment too all in a lovely wash bag. Similarly, if you know someone that loves to travel (or wants to grow their hair) then the 3" More Inches Travel Set, £24 is amazing. This set includes a pre-wash treatment alongside a shampoo and conditioner all in a plane friendly see through travel bag. The 3" More Inches range from Michael Van Clarke is super restorative and really gives the hair a treat. I've been hooked ever since I gave it a go. Maybe I should pop the full size on my Christmas wish list this year?
Personalisation this year is key, with The Body Shop letting you pop your name on their famous body butters and Boots letting you engrave and wrap just about anything, the element of choice and beauty and personalisation is where it's at this year and Aveda, one of my favourite haircare brands have completely got on board with that. This year Aveda are helping you make the difficult decisions with a handy quiz to help decide what products will be best for who your buying for and at what budget. With price points from under £20 to £50+, this gift finder really is suited to you personally. You can choose whether you'd like hair products or body products, which scent family would be best, and you also get the opportunity to add their name in for personalisation on the gift wrapping. If you're struggling to decide what to get a loved one, this is a great option.
Taking the travel that bit further, I'd also really recommend the Sonic Chic Deluxe Gold Toothbrush, £30 (currently £20 at Boots). These toothbrushes have been an absolute saviour of mine for travel and festivals this year. I use an electric toothbrush all year round but when it comes to travelling, I don't really want to lug my big one around. That's where Sonic Chic comes in. It's a battery or USB powered toothbrush with a travel friendly lid. They are super sleek, and fit in nicely to your travel bag. The power lasts incredibly well too - I'm obsessed!
For a further pamper, recently I've been obsessed with using an eye mask when I go to sleep at night. I have to say I've got a bit of a collection going on but one of my absolute favourites is the Iluminage Skin Rejuvenating Eye Mask, £25. The mask has a silky texture and sits on the head nicely. Its comfortable and the fact that the woven copper fibres are working on anti-ageing my skin as I sleep is a massive bonus. A really unusual product compared to the other eye masks out there and I really recommend picking it up for yourself or someone you know.
Fragrance is a great option at this time of year. I love stocking up my fragrance at Christmas and discovering new scents I didn't know about before and with some beautiful sets on the market, it's really difficult not to be eyeing them up. I love the Monsoon Rose Gold Gift Set, £29. It smells lovely and I mean, it's rose gold. Who doesn't love rose gold?!
If you fancy something a little more festive then I always love The Library of Fragrance at this time of year as some of their scents are incredibly festive. I'd recommend The Library of Fragrance Christmas in New York, £15 or The Library of Fragrance Blue Spruce, £15 if you're after something festive but if you want something that's perfect all year round then I'd recommend one of their favourites. Apparently their best selling scent is The Library of Fragrance Gin and Tonic, £15 and I can see why. If you've got a G&T fiend in your life, definitely look into picking up this one this year.
If you're not sure on which fragrance to get, then home fragrance is a little less personal and in fact for many it's a favourite. My house is dotted with candles and reed diffusers everywhere but I never stop picking up more. One of my top picks this year is the Orla Kiely Orange Rind Gift Set, £20. It smells incredible. I love orange scents and this is a festive version of that and I'm hooked on it. The affordable set features a mini candle and reed diffuser all in the signature Orla Kiely packaging. Crabtree & Evelyn are always a great option for candles. They smell incredible and look beautiful. My pick this year is the Crabtree & Evelyn Noel Botanical Candle, £25. It's wax embellished with cinnamon sticks and apple slices and I've adored adding this into my Christmas decoration this year.
Okay, I know I've listed SO many things and it all can still be a little daunting. If you're still left not really knowing what to buy, then picking up a beauty box subscription is a great idea as it takes the element of choice out of your decision making this Christmas. Glossybox is generally my go-to and you can pick up a three month subscription for £28.50 but if you bump it up to a six month subscription at £54 you also get a free NARS Blush thrown in too - and these are blooming great.
So that's my pick of the best beauty gifts for her at the £15- £30 mark. Keep your eyes peeled for my luxury gift guides coming up soon...
Lorna x
This post features products that were gifted to me for review but as always all thoughts are my own!
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