That’s a lot of claims in the post title! But I wouldn’t have written it if I didn’t personally own and love each and every one of the items I’ve chosen here. It’s easy enough to write an aspirational gift guide, and it’s quite a lot of fun too, but what you want when it’s December and you’ve still got a tonne of presents to buy is some reliable recommendations for stuff that really does work.
For context, my general philosophy on gift-giving is that you should give something the recipient wants and you’re pretty sure they’re going to love, and that it should be something they don’t feel they can splash the cash on in a regular month. Beauty gifts are perfect for this type of giving, and while I love cheap make-up as much (if not more) than the next gal, I also love to spend a bit more here and there where I can and delight in receiving these sort of things as gifts.
I also think you should go for the best single item your budget will stretch to. These six choices, which range from about a tenner to just over 25 quid, should suit most people’s purses.
A lot of beauty items are hard to buy as gifts (things like foundations and blushers) and the luxe ones are also pretty pricey – at least above my Christmas-present spending limit. So my recommendations fall into two categories: nails and lips.
A single beautiful nail polish is a wonderful gift because most people do not spend above £10 on theirs, never mind £20. My brother and sister-in-law got me this classic Chanel one in Rouge Noir a couple of years ago now and it’s the perfect almost-black shade I’m frequently banging on about.
The Dior Nail Glow is at the other end of the spectrum and is an almost-clear light pink shade which aims to mimic the colour of a French manicure. I once saw a post about it on Cup of Jo and was reminded it of it when I was in Selfridges recently. It leaves your nails looking natural but 100 times better than they usually would. It’s as easy to apply as a clear polish and buildable too, so you can amp up the effect. Perfect for people who can’t be bothered to apply a proper colour.
For lips, I suggest the best lip balm I’ve ever used from Nuxe – it’s really thick, so it’s not one for putting under lipstick but it’s perfect for smothering on before bed and throughout the day at work.
I’m also pointing you to two of my absolute favourite lip products: the perfect lip-enhancing pinky liner from Charlotte Tilbury and a brilliant browny-nude lipstick form Chanel in the shade ‘Adrienne’. Both have brilliant packaging and the recipient will feel happy to touch them up in public with this lovely Chanel double-sided compact mirror.
Links to products mentioned in post
Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat Lip Liner – Pillow Talk • Charlotte Tilbury • £16
NUXE Rêve de Miel Baume Levres Ultra-Nourrissant Ultra-Nourishing Lip Balm 15g • Nuxe • £9.50
CHANEL CHAN LE VERNIS Rouge Noir Limited • Chanel • £18
CHANEL MIROIR DOUBLE FACETTES Miroir Duo • Chanel • £26
CHANEL ROUGE COCO Ultra Hydrating Lip Colour • Chanel • £25–26
DIOR Nail Glow nail polish • Christian Dior • £19
P.S. A perfect present for everyone, gift ideas if you want to avoid perfume, and a wish list from last Christmas.
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