By now it's more than likely that you've been asked what you want for Christmas this year from both family and friends, and if like me your response is "let me think about it" then see this as a blog post written with you in mind. 

More than ever before we buy what we need as and when we need it and while our head is thinking about what to buy others for Christmas it can be tricky to know what to put on our own Christmas list, even if it's vague to allow for a semi-surprise come the big day. But creating a Christmas list however old you are can be a wise thing to do! It takes the stress off the person wanting to buy you a gift and you know you will receive something you like rather than something that's destined for a drawer or dare I say it; the present cupboard (we are all aware of this method of recycling unwanted gifts, right?). 

So without further ado, here is a relaxed gift guide of sorts with suggestions of what you may possibly want to ask Santa for this year!

Every year I start my 'for him' gift guide by stating that men are tricky to buy for, and I still stand by it. Of course, you can go generic and gift a bottle of alcohol or a gift box selection of socks but if you want any kind of positive reaction from your male gift recipient then you've got to think outside of the box a little!

While we are very near Christmas (I know I haven't finished all of my own Christmas shopping) I have ensured all products mentioned in this post will arrive in time, whether that's through Amazon prime, ASOS next day delivery or good old-fashioned high street shopping.

Onto the serious Beauty Gift Guide today!

While there may be more you want to put on your own Christmas list here than gift others there are some great value sets here worthy of gifting to those that you want to spoil this year! 

You can find the rest of my Christmas Gift Guides 2017 HERE!

With Christmas fast approaching I think we are all in PBM (Present Buying Mode) and while it hasn't reached PPMB (Panic Present Buying Mode) levels just yet, we all want to nail down some good gifts for our nearest and dearests.

Which is why if like me you've been asked 'what do you want for Christmas?" or "give me ideas?!" more than a few times since November! So here is the post to give you ideas of what to ask for or simply so that you can drop hints about what you would like to see under the tree come Christmas morning.

Welcome to my first ever Skincare Gift Guide!

I thought I'd start with skincare because I have such a passion for it and both skincare and body care sets make a lovely gift to give. Below I have quite a few budget options, both skincare and body care gift sets and two affordable cleansing devices I really do rate.

Hope this gift guide gives you a few present ideas or even what to treat yourself to in the Boxing Day sales!



Budget Skincare Gift Ideas

Bee Good Clean Sweep Set 
£11.50 BUY HERE
Okay, I will admit I was totally lured into this gift set because of the Raspberry & White Chocolate Lip Balm and can confirm it's just as yummy as it sounds! This is a really lovely gift set that will suit most as it contains the lip balm (everyone needs one in Winter!) and a cleansing water over a cream cleanser that I know a lot of people don't use. The Honey & Wild Mint Cleansing Water very much reminds me of one from Caudalie as it's so mild in scent and gentle and refreshing on the skin. For £11.00 this is the perfect no nasties, vegan gift set that will suit all skin types.

Sheet Mask Bundle 
£1-5 for 3 to 5 masks
Sheet masks are certainly popular right now so I think a stack of various ones from all different brands would make an interesting and affordable gift for a friend or family member. You can find a wide range of Korean branded sheet masks such as the Tony Moly one above in TK Maxx for only £1.99 and Garnier have just come out with a moisture sheet mask which you can find on offer for £1.00 in various supermarkets right now.

Patisserie De Bain Hand Cream Collection 
£9.99 BUY HERE 
If you know someone that always uses hand cream then this gift set will be just perfect for them. For many a good hand cream means something that's moisturising but also well scented and fortunately Patisserie De Bain do the best smelling hand creams I've come across. The set includes – Strawberry Cupcake, Creme Patisserie and Caramell Whip and let me tell you they all smell beyond amazing. Caramel Whip smells like the inside of a pecan caramel pastry, Strawberry Cupcake reminds me of a children's strawberry yoghurt and I've decided Creme Patisserie is basically vanilla custard... I was that close to giving it a lick when I first used it! If was want someone to unwrap your gift and sit there ooo'ing and ahh'ing as they try it out then this is what you should get them!

Wilko Rose Glow Gift Set
£3.00 Wilko in-store
If you what to go super cheap but don't want to compromise on look or quality then I'd highly recommend a trip to Wilkos. I couldn't resist picking up this gift set for the price and the fact it's rose gold... my eyes seriously honed in on the gorgeous rose gold pouch that is worth buying the set for and filling it with a few beauty treats in my opinion. But if you want to keep it whole then it's a great extra gift or gift for a work colleague. It includes 4 items – Rose Glow Shower Gel, Rose Glow Body Lotion, a shower flower puff and a nice sized rose gold makeup pouch. Well done Wilkos!



Skincare Gift Sets

Elemental Herbology Radiant Skin Set
£19.00 BUY HERE
When it comes to gifting skincare I believe even if you are on a budget it's always worth giving a skincare brand you trust. It may mean the gift set is smaller however I'm sure the recipient will be more grateful of it than they would a larger unbranded set. A perfect example of this is the Elemental Herbology set which is fairly small for the £19 price tag but if your gift-ee uses the set there's a high chance they will fall in love with the brand and want to purchase from EH in the future! The two minis included in the set are – Vital Cleanse Facial Cleanser and Vital Glow Overnight Resurfacing Cream. I haven't tried either of the products as I'm giving the set as a gift however I can say they smell so fresh and amazing. Also I've yet to dislike an Elemental Herbology product, they are one of those brands that use only quality ingredient which make all their products highly effective. Plus the gift box is copper... what's not to love!

GLAMGLOW Gift Sexy Treatment Set
£39.00 BUY HERE
Talking of effective products you won't find better face masks than the ones from Glamglow. Unless you know someone that absolutely loves skincare and face masks and deserves thoroughly treating then this really is a set to snap up for yourself in the after Christmas sales in my opinion, especially if you are new to Glamglow. Included in the set are four 30g face masks that target anti-ageing, hydrating, clarifying and firming and all though not all will suit your skin type three out of the four masks will work well, although I wouldn't recommend this set to anyone with sensitive skin as these are some potent masks that really do get to work and fast! I of course love how effective these masks are but I also love how most of them also double up as a different treatment. For example the Supermud mask can be used as a spot treatment (it works amazingly well overnight), Youthmud is grainy so you can exfoliate with it and Thirstymud can be used as an overnight mask which doesn't need to be wash off. If you are into your face masks then this is the ultimate set that you may want to ask Santa for or treat yourself to!

Pai Everyday Hero Collection
£38.00 BUY HERE
Onto a good all round skincare set that is ideal for someone you want to treat and you know they will embrace a skincare routine thanks to the set. As Pai is rich is organic extracts this is perfect for anyone with sensitive skin or prefers natural feeling and smelling products. The set includes 3 of Pai's bestselling products – Camellia & Rose Gentle Hydrating Cleanser with face cloth, Rosehip BioRegenerate Oil and Chamomile & Rosehip Calming Day Cream. And with the cleanser alone costing £28.00 this set is mostly definitely good value for money. Ideal for a mum or aunt that deserves an extra special gift.

Dermologica Power Rescue Masque Trio
£43.25 BUY HERE
Back to face masks because I can't get enough of them, I have a trio of three 38ml Dermologica face masks. Dermologica is a brand I associate with spa facial treatments and again come up with highly effective products. The trio includes the Charcoal Rescue Masque, Multivitamin Power Recovery Masque and the Skin Hydrating Masque, which are suggested to be used at the same time for various areas of the face. Now I personally think they are all amazing stand alone face masks but they could be used together if you have a combination skin type. My favourite has to be the Charcoal Rescue mask as it's amazing at drawing out impurities in the skin and instantly brightens. However even on first use I can tell that the Multivitamin Power Recovery mask is something totally different are really rejuvenates the skin, perfect for ageing skin or after being ill. Comparing this to the GlamGlow set as they are similar in price I feel the masks here are just as effective however less commercialised; no pretty packaging and the scent of the masks leaves much to be desired. Basically if you love skincare and use face masks often then this set will impress you!



Body Care Gift Sets

Neal's Yard Shower Gel Organic Collection 
£15.00 BUY HERE 
This may seem an odd question, but do you know someone that loves having showers over baths? If you do, then an all shower gel set with no wasted bath products may be the perfect call. Also it's a gift you know they will use! This lovely gift set from Neal's Yard includes four 50ml shower gels in four glorious relaxing and uplifting scents – Geranium & Orange, Jasmine & Ylang Ylang, Rose & Geranium and Rosemary & Elderflower. My personal favourite has to be Jasmine & Ylang Ylang as it's such a relaxing and comforting scent, so much so that I'm tempted to treat myself to a full size bottle. A gift set just perfect for shower lovers or anyone that travels often.

Soap & Glory 12 Christmas Washes 
£30.00 BUY HERE
Next up possibly the ultimate bath & shower set that contains 12 mini S&G products! This pretty affordable set is ideal for any lovers of the Soap & Glory scents, new and old. First of all I feel I need to mention the amazing packaging as the box is not only huge but it actually lights up... I'm not sure of the purpose but it's a fab Christmas novelty none the less! The jumbo set contains 5 x 50ml products and 7 x 75ml, which would last anyone a pretty long time. What I really like about this set is that is contains a good mix of products from scrubs to body washes and even a face wash, plus there's even two of the new shower jelly's included to try out. I know a lot of people that would be thrilled to receive this gift set!

Baylis & Harding Miidnight Fig Body Wash Cracker 
£6.40 BUY HERE 
Baylis & Harding offer some well priced gift sets so I had to feature something from the fairly large range. This large cracker shaped gift includes a huge 500ml Midnight Fig & Pomegranate Balancing Body Wash that makes a great extra gift or a gift for someone you don't necessarily know so well. Paired with a box of chocolates you've got a fab gift for under £10!

Wilko Handwash Duo 
£3.00 Wilko in-store
Staying with budget gifts I had to include another amazing Wilkos gift set that's only £3.00! This duo hand wash & hand lotion set is ideal for anyone older or anyone you've noticed likes to have duo hand products next to the sink. Not only is the outer packaging really well presented for the price but the bottles really are lovely and could definitely be re-filled after they have been used up. Skip the supermarkets for budget skincare gifts and head to Wilkos, you won't be disappointed!



Skincare Cleansing Devices

Foreo Luna Play Cleansing Device
£29.00 BUY HERE
A few years ago cleansing devices were pricey, and quite a few still are, but thankfully Foreo had made trying out sonic facial cleansing accessible to all budgets. This Foreo Luna Play is a mini version of their larger Foreo Luna and offers 100 uses. This means you can cleanse with the device for a few months to see if a Foreo is worth the investment. Having used this device before I can say it's just as good as larger cleansing brushes and really does remove makeup well. I also love that the bristles are silicone which means they don't splay and the entire device dries quicker without any bacteria forming. A perfect gift for anyone that's into cleansing or is wanting to improve their skin. To make it into a gift there is a gift set available for the same price here or you could pick up the day cleanser 100ml which will last the same amount of time as the Foreo Luna Play if used together. Even though the Foreo Luna Play is under £30 this would seem such a generous gift to give.

Magnitone Daily Cleasing Brush 
On Sale £50.00 BUY HERE 
Another well priced cleansing brush that certainly gives the Clarisonic a run for it's money is the Magnitone Daily Cleansing Brush. This can be currently picked up from Look Fantastic for the amazing price of £50 – this is the time to try one or ask for one if you've never used a sonic cleansing brush before. Unlike high-street versions which still cost around £30 it's the sonic element and the brush quality that makes the difference of how well the brush cleanses your face. Having tried of the Magnitone brush and the Clarisonic I can say that they are pretty much identical, in fact the Magnitone is much more lightweight and the magnetic charger (it's literally the best thing!), plus the 12 month warranty make this the one to go for. A perfect gift to ask for or sneakily buy for yourself for amazing skin in 2017!

So there you have it, my skincare gift picks for Christmas 2016!

Make sure to look out for my Beauty Gift Guide on Monday – it's gonna' be a big one!

Fee xo.

This year it seems I have a different gift buying technique. It's called 'One for you. One for me' and I wouldn't recommend it! I blame Black Friday to be honest... it has a lot to answer for, but oh the deals! Since then I've been in frenzied gift buying mode and just can't seem to stop treating myself - oops. 

So as I'm still creating all my Christmas gift guides (to come at the end of the week!) I thought I'd throw a Christmas gift haul at you... which is kind of a gift guide in that it's a glimpse of what's out in the shops right now that I clearly couldn't resist. There's a bit of everything here so hopefully it will inspire you to get spend-y much like I've been doing!



Next Ring Holder 
£6.00 HERE
When browsing the Next website recently I came across this beauty and being a magpie for anything shiny and unusual I had to get it. This is not only dainty but a totally different way to store rings or jewellery in general. Though I'm tempted to store a few of my midi rings in the glass pyramid, I'm also thinking it would make the sweetest littler terrarium for a teeny tiny succulent plant as they only require a few stones and some moss to thrive.   

Pretty Stationary 
With 2017 looming I've been on the look out for some new stationary bits to get myself organised. My go-to place for all thing stationary is Homesense or TK Maxx as both stores have such an amazing range of notebooks and planners. I picked up a set of 3 floral paper notebooks for only £3.00 as they were reduced and a lovely weekly planner notebook which I unfortunately forgot to photograph! I also picked up a super handy Oh Deer Weekly Planner from ASOS for £4.99 here, which is just perfect for bloggers or students. I will definitely be looking at Oh Deer for a few other bits come the new year.

Makeup Geek Eyeshadows 
One of my main Black Friday treats was to finally start a Makeup Geek eyeshadow palette. I have more than enough eyeshadows but after seeing a few MG swatches, especially of the foiled shadows I knew I needed some of them pigmented babies in my collection. Now I won't divulge all the eyeshadows I picked up as the bulk of them came in gift seft from this range from Beauty Bay here which I will be featuring soon in an upcoming Christmas gift guide, but you can view all the amazing gift sets here (any would make an amazing gift for a beauty lover!). But I can say I also picked up two foiled Makeup Geek eyeshadows in Grandstand and Untamed, both £9.25 here, which are just 'wow' shades due to crazy pigmentation! And as my eyeshadow pans will be needing a home I picked up a 9-pan Z palette for £9.50 here.

Thierry Mugler Alien 30ml EDP 
£45.00 Very HERE
A few weeks ago now the team over at Very kindly gifted me a voucher for their #LoveGiving campaign which comes with a rather lovely Christmas advert - have you seen it? Instantly I knew what part of it would be spent on; my favourite winter fragrance! Having just used the last drops a month or so ago I was glad to pick up Thierry Mugler's gorgeous Alien scent in the eau de parfum version. This is a truly luxurious and rich scent that you will instantly recognise on people if you are a fan of the fragrance. I would explain the notes of this but really you can only understand how rich and unique this scent is by smelling it, which I highly recommend you do next time you are  out Christmas shopping. One of my most cherished purchases this month!



Asda Santa Winky Mug 
£3.00 Asda  - In-store 
Each year I make sure I pick up at least one extra special festive mug to add to my collection. Last year it was a lovely mug from Cath Kidston and this year it's one that I instantly loved from Asda. This is just the most loveliest vintage Christmas mug I've ever seen and I really can't believe how affordable it was! You can also find a few other designs including a polar bar in the same chunky tankard style in-store.

ASOS Shiny Silver Loafer 
£12.00 On Sale HERE
Whilst picking up a few gifts from ASOS over the Black Friday period I  also snapped up these super shiny and slightly festive loafers that are still in stock in ALL sizes would you believe! These aren't my usual style however I think they will go well with skinny jeans and even black tights over the party season. Really can't wait to wear them out now. FYI ASOS currently have a huge 30% off gifts right now which you can find here!

Next Set of 6 Fragranced Candles 
£12.00 Next HERE
Another Next gift I couldn't resist was this amazing candle set that really does look quite luxurious due to the packaging and colourful metallic candle holders. This would make an ideal gift for any candle lover as it contains 6 winter scented candles that all smell delightful. I'm currently burning Under The Mistletoe which is filling my home with a fresh but festive scent, but you also receive - Gingerbread, Figgy Pudding, Cream Liqueur, Mulled Wine and Roasted Chestnuts. I can't get enough of this set! If you love the Christmas Diptyque metallic candles but they are out of your price range then these are a great substitute. 

Arthur Christmas DVD 
£1.00 Poundworld - In-store
My last treat to myself was a bargain find in Poundworld of all places! I always add to my Christmas DVD collection in December and realised I didn't own one of my favourite Christmas movies; Arthur Christmas! If you haven't watched this then seriously get on it because it's such a wonderful film! You can also find it on Amazon for only £2.95 here.

Hope you've enjoyed this rather self-indulgent Christmas haul and it's helped with gift inspiration. 

Fee xo.