Christmas Gift Guide for Her 2019

[Gifted items included] It’s that time of year again where Christmas shopping is starting to get into full swing. I’m someone who shops relatively last minute, I’m not someone who starts buying months in advance – so if you’re on the later shopping train like me, here are my top picks. Also if there’s a chance you’re receiving a present from me this year, please don’t read this – your gift might be inside.

There are some items in here which I might have thought not to include – however they are presents that I have bought as gifts this year so have been included.

Gaston Luga Backpack [Gifted]
Perfect for : Frequent Travellers, City or Country Dwellers, Fashionable Dog Owners
This is a backpack that looks great and is practical – it’s not huge so is perfect as an option which is a blend between looking great but also being practical. I’ve found I love backpacks when we’re out and about with the dogs as it’s so much easier than also juggling a bag, but I also took it to London with me over the weekend. I opted for the Brown and Sand colour in Parlan, as I thought it would match my wardrobe best year round, but this model also comes in black, burgundy, black and pink. There are also some lovely other styles available which suit different styles and sizes – the Parlan is the second smallest in the range. The Gaston Luga backpacks also come with a beautiful gift box which makes them a stunning present idea.
Purchase : Direct from Gaston Luga use code RACHAEL15 for 15% off (not affiliate)

Charlotte Tilbury Gift of Pillow Talk Lips – £25 @ Cult Beauty
Perfect for : Friend Secret Santa, Makeup Junkies, Family
Pillow Talk was a shade I always thought was going to be too pale for me however after I received a teeny tiny mini of it recently I’ve been using it so much I decided I was going to have to get the full size. When I went to pick it up I spotted this set which also included the matching lip liner for £25 (the price of the lipstick alone) and I thought it was such a good deal. I think this would be a pretty fail safe colour for most people and a nice introduction to the brand for a Charlotte Tilbury junkie. It’s turned into one of those shades that goes with every makeup look for me and I’d gift it to anyone!
Purchase : Out of stock most places online, try Charlotte Tilbury Counters

Friction Free Shaving Christmas Gift Set [Gifted]
Perfect for : Everyone, Stocking Fillers
I’m sure I’m not the only one who dislikes purchasing razors, but Friction Free Shaving make the whole process so easy! Their Christmas sets are a fantastic introduction to the brand and give someone everything they need to get started. Containing a free personalised handle (in silver/blue or rose gold), four razor heads, travel pouch & protective clamshell, shower hook and the full suite of skincare, containing the shave cream, pre-shave scrub and post shave balm. I’d also have loved this as a student as I loved receiving essential products which meant I didn’t have to buy myself! Order by the 18th December for guaranteed Christmas Delivery.
Purchase from Friction Free Shaving Direct : this set is £25, but smaller set also available for £16 (affiliate)

Pat McGrath Palette – Prices Vary
Perfect for : Someone Special, Makeup Junkies
If you want to treat a makeup junkie to something truly special, I highly recommend the Pat McGrath palettes. I recently saw them in person for the first time ever and I was honestly like “I get it”. So much so I “broke” my no buy and bought the Mothership Sublime palette (although that’s a story for my review!). There are lots of splendid colour combinations available and from the smaller sized quads to the larger sizes the quality felt fantastic across them all. Personally I think the green pop of colour in here is perfect for the festive season, but there are many different colour ways that would suit all styles.
Buy in the UK From : Pat McGrath Direct (super fast affordable delivery to the UK mine took 3 days) or Selfridges

Eyemajic Eyeshadow [Gifted]
Perfect for : People who aren’t great at eyeshadow, Secret Santa, Stocking Fillers
Honestly I was a little sceptical on these, but having tried them a few times they do work. These are almost like a temporary tattoo style transfer onto the skin, the pigmentation of these isn’t really bright – so it’s not like stamping something really bright onto the eyes, but it offers a soft wash of colour. There are several different colour ways available in these, and would make a nice idea for someone who maybe doesn’t know where to start with eye shadow – they are kind of pricey so would maybe be more of a special occasion. Just as a note, I don’t know how well these would work on an older lid as I can imagine they apply best on a smooth lid.
Available from Amazon : Available in 5 pair & 20 pair packs in multiple colours (affiliate)

Morning Glamour Satin Pillowcases [Gifted]
Perfect for : People who love pampering, People who like haircare, Skincare Junkies
I was really excited to be given the opportunity to try this as I’ve wanted to try Satin Pillowcases for some time! The Morning Glamour Pillowcases are available on Amazon for £12.99 for a single pillowcase, but double packs are also available. Satin pillow cases are to help prevent bedhead, and is more delicate on the hair and skin. They are also supposedly great if you have eyelash extensions as less tugging on the eyes happens as you shuffle around in the night.
Available from Amazon : (Multiple Patterns/Colours Available) from £12.99 (affiliate)

Amazon Echo Dot
Perfect For : Everyone
A year ago I don’t think I’d have included this, but I’ve started using our Amazon Echo a lot more recently – it’s so much easier beign able to walk into a room and saying “alexa, play…” than faffing about with plugging my phone into anything and finding what I want to listen to as I ultimately end up procrastinating. On my phone, we recently got an Echo Dot for the office, and it’s such a cost effective little gadget we’re thinking of getting another for our kitchen. They can often be found on offer, my office one cost just 99p in some freak offer on Amazon, but they were down to £22 over Black Friday, and are currently £24.99. I think they’d make a lovely gift idea for someone too and could be used easily by people of all ages.
Available from Amazon : Amazon Echo Christmas Gift Guide (affiliate)

Skinnydip Skinny Mart Body Care Basket
Perfect for : Secret Santa, Teens & Uni Students
I thought this was a lovely little gift set for someone who likes fun scented body care – this is actually a gift for someone currently in university and I would have absolutely loved this when I was a student. I didn’t like buying things like shower gels and scrubs – but this is a nice set of treats without it breaking the bank. Plus I thought the packaging was lovely and something I could have totally seen myself reusing this to organise in my uni room! The set contains a body wash, scrub, lotion, mist and a cute peach shower pouffe.
Purchase from Boots : £16 but in 3 for 2 offer (Affiliate)

Sensationail Starter Kit [Gifted]
Perfect for : People who have gels done, Nail Addicts
This was the first gel kit I had, and I found it a pretty foolproof way to learn how to do gels myself so is perfect for a gel beginner. The kit features everything you need to get started – different kits have different polishes available. This kit does 10 full manicures, so will offer friends who get their nails done often a good way to save some cash and maybe convert to at home gel manis.
Purchase from Boots : Different Kits available from £34.99 (Affiliate)

Hollywood XPress Travel Mirror [Gifted]
Perfect for : Frequent Travellers
This year I’ve fell in love with my lighted desk mirror, so much so I wish I could take it every time we travel! Unfortunately it’s too big, but the Hollywood XPress Travel Mirror is exactly what I needed, I’ve taken it away with me twice in the past month and I’ve been super impressed! The mirror flips open and stands up sturdily, and you can change between warm white and pure white lighting depending on what you prefer. The Mirror also comes with a protective sleeve which makes it handy to travel and comes with a USB cord to recharge on the go, I’ve found that this lasts around 5 hours at a time before it needs recharging, but it also recharges quickly. These cost £29.99 and you can grab them here.

Showcase Beauty x Good Housekeeping Box [Gifted]
Perfect for : Skincare Junkies
I’ve reviewed this previously and was under no obligation to share it again, but I mentioned in my review I thought it would make a good Christmas present, so it seemed only natural to share it again! This is such a good value box worth over £170 and costs £49, mainly containing some great items of skincare but a few makeup basics too. This would make a fab gift for someone special, but could also be split up to make smaller gifts.
Purchase at Showcase Beauty : £49 inc free delivery here (affiliate)

Beauty Bay EYN Eyeshadow Palettes
Perfect for : Stocking Fillers, Budding Makeup Junkies, Secret Santa, Frequent Travellers
I put one of the larger ones of these in my review last year as an idea for budding makeup artists, but Beauty Pie’s own brand nine palettes are so small and dinky that these are also a great choice. When these go on sale they can be picked up for as little as £3.25, however they’re a really affordable palette even when they aren’t on sale (the 9 pan is £6.50 full price). The I have featured here is the Berry shades which is a mix of cranberry toned shimmers and mattes – but theres many different options available.
Purchase at Beauty Bay : From £6.50 (when not discounted) (affiliate)

True Skincare Facial Oils [Gifted]
Perfect for : Skincare Junkies, Cruelty Free Shoppers, Vegans, Stocking Fillers
I have been sent two of the face oils from True Skincare suitable for two different skin types, the Organic Nourishing Avocado & Evening Primrose Facial Oil for dry skin and the Organic Balancing Safflower & Basil Facial Oil for oily combo. these smell so good, and the packaging is lovely on these and they feel much more luxe than what they cost (£13.50 at full price).
Buy From : Direct or Holland and Barrett

Indie Nail Polish Brands (Featured Danglefoot and Prism Polish)
Perfect for : Nail Junkies, Stocking Fillers
Over the past 18 months or so I’ve not purchased a polish from a mainstream brand having discovered that Indie makers make things that are far more unique and last way better on the nails than mainstream polishes. They often also have fun collections around Pop Culture such as Danglefoot’s Marvel & Unpopular Disney Films or Prism Polish’s new “It Is A Christmas Film” featuring quotes from Die Hard as the shade names – meaning you could find something someone absolutely loves. I find it’s best to find and follow these makers of Facebook as stock is often limited as it’s handmade in small batches.
Purchase : Danglefoot here & Prism Polish Here

Anatomicals Face Mask Set
Perfect for : Stocking Fillers, Secret Santa, Teens
I picked these up to fill out a Secret Santa present as I had a few pounds left over! Anatomicals is such a fun and inexpensive brand, there’s a variety of different masks in here to suit skin at times when needs are different, there are three single use masks within this packet. These came in at around £3.50 for the three masks.
Purchase at ASOS : This exact one is out of stock but similar here £3.50 (affiliate)

Mad Beauty All The Jingle Ladies Bath Dust
Perfect for : Stocking Fillers, Bath Lovers, Secret Santa
This was padding out another Secret Santa gift, I got this for someone who I know likes sweet scents and baths – it’s Marshmallow scented and adds a pink and gold hue to the bath. The package is huge and it seemed way more economical than picking up something like a single bath bomb from lush, and I thought the cute little scoop on the side was a nice touch!
Purchase at ASOS : £6.99 here (affiliate)

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I hope you enjoyed my picks, I’m about half way through my Christmas shopping and do have a few different gifts left to pick up – I had a few things I was hoping would arrive in time, but they seem to be arriving very slowly and I wanted to get this post up, so it may get updated over the coming weeks. I also stand by my ideas in my 2018 Christmas Gift Guide so that may be worth checking out for some further inspiration too. So maybe I’ll do another mini last minute follow up should I be buying any more beauty for family and friends. Let me know any favourite gifts you’ve seen or that are on your wishlist to give others some inspiration.

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