Last Minute Christmas Gift Guide 2016

December is always a great time of the year, when everything starts calming down, and the holidays are around the corner. And of course, the Christmas Collections are out in full force. But, the shops are a nightmare as everyone rushes to buy gifts for their loved ones. So, today I am bringing you a Last Minute Christmas Gift Guide with both affordable and luxury goodies to make your Christmas Shopping a bit easier.

last minute christmas gift guide

Below are some affordable and luxury gift ideas for the makeup lover, homemaker, skincare addict or just someone who needs a bit of spoiling! Some products can be paired with others to make a stunning personalised gift set, just put them in a gift box, cover in cellophane and add a ribbon.

beauty gift guide

The *essence light up your face luminizer palette (R89.95) is a great stocking stuffer, or pair it with the *essence 2in1 lipstick and liner (R54.95) for a little beauty gift.

The MAC Nutcracker Collection is a huge holiday collection that would make a perfect gift for any makeup lover. My pick is the Sweet Copper Face Compact (R595) that features the famous Whisper of Gilt highlighter. It is sold out online, but you can still find it in-store. The dazzling MAC Mariah Carey Collection is also a great option, it is a limited edition online exclusive, and is only launching in the US on the 15th December, so we got a head start in South Africa. The prices are also super affordable here in SA compared to the US. I have already bought the Extra Dimension Skinfinish in My Mimi (R410) and the Powder Blush in Sweet Sweet Fantasy (R280).

*Lancôme L’Absolu Rouge (R399) is probably the most stunning lipstick I have seen ever. This lipstick comes in 25 shades from nude to bold and bright and 2 finishes, matte and cream. This is an absolute luxury spoil, and a perfect gift to make someone feel super special. It is housed in a sleek black case, and has a click release, that my boyfriend finds extremely fun to play with.

The *Catrice Prêt-à-Lumière Longlasting Eyeshadows (R69.95) are soft and buttery and look so luxurious with the intense colour and embossed design. For an eyeshadow lover, a few of these compact eyeshadows wrapped up in a pretty bow would make an excellent gift. These are so finely milled, they work well as  highlighters too.

*essie Gel Couture colour (R169.95) and top coat (R179.95) is a long-lasting at home Gel polish set that doesn’t need a UV lamp or a soak-off. It dries so quickly and comes in a huge range of colours. If you know someone who loves doing their nails, but hates that it doesn’t last longer than a day, then this is the gift! Choose a few colours, but remember to buy the top coat, and you will be their favourite person! The bright red in Flashed is my favourite, you can see it on my nails here.

christmas gift guide 2016

These *Glitter Holders (R150) from Belleblushh are a makeup lovers dream to hold brushes, lipsticks or add some prettiness to a dressing table. There are different colours, and different sayings and the black Makeup Addict one is my favourite!

The Little X-Mas Factory Contouring Palette (R69.95) and Hand Cream (R34.95) from the essence Christmas Collection would make great stocking stuffers. There are also 4 stunning nail polish shades and a pack of nail stickers in the collection, add the hand cream and that would make a stunning Christmas themed gift.

Love your Tangle Teezer, but find it awkward to hold? Well, meet The *Ultimate Finishing Hairbrush (R300). It is designed to dry-style and finish the hair, with longer teeth and softer tips, it lightly detangles and smooths cuticles for a high shine. I have been using this on towel dried hair too instead of my normal Tangle Teezer, and it works just as well on wet hair. This is a perfect gift for anyone with long or unmanageable hair.

the body shop candles

*L’Occitane Hugs & Kisses – Arlésienne (R250) is a luxury gift at an affordable price. It contains a lipgloss and a hand cream in a delectable scent that really does linger. The description of the scent says it all “The elegant and gracious woman of Arles – the Arlésienne – is embodied in this feminine fusion of three flowers. Elusive and mysterious, she leaves in her wake a unique trail that lingers wherever she goes.” There are many other scents and gifts available that would make anyone feel special!

The Christmas Collection from The Body Shop is always amazing, and their gift sets too. But why not make your own personal gift set? My picks would be the Vanilla Chai Body Butter (R170) and Candle (R220), and you can even throw in some other products from the Vanilla Chai range if you want to. If you want to up the luxury, opt for the Spa Of The World Japanese Camelia Cream (R380) and candle (R240).

Last minute christmas gift guide

Skoon is a local skincare brand with some of the best natural products available. Their Ruby Marine Overnight Hydrating Mask (R225) is one of the best overnight masks I have tried (the other one is from Origins), so this mask is the best one available locally. It leaves skin plump and healthy, and smells amazing too. For a skincare buff that is all about that retinol, the *Retinin Cream (R325) is a bright yellow cream to kickstart your skin for more refined clear skin. Their Solid Body Oil would also make a great gift, my mom loves her Frangi Flowers one. Skoon products also come gorgeously wrapped, so that is one less thing to worry about.

For some skincare on a budget, the new Freeman Beauty Infusion Masks (R149) are a great pick. These masks are infused with serum to target specific skin concerns. There is a Hydrating Cream Mask, a Revitalising Peel-Off Mask and a Purifying In-Shower Mask which sounds pretty convenient. There is also meant to be a Brightening Overnight Mask which I have not seen yet, if anyone sees it, please let me know. There is also a Cleansing Clay Mask that only comes in a sachet for some weird reason.

A skin or spa treatment is also a great gift! It is even more special when that gift is personalised.  Loved one complaining about pigmentation, how about a course of Mela Peels, or complaining about shaving, how about a course of Laser Hair Removal, or complaining about how stressed they are, how about a massage voucher?

What is on your Christmas Wishlist?

*Press Sample

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This Post Has 6 Comments

  1. R Fourie

    On my wish list: an overnight mask, a manicure and a pedicure 🙂

    1. admin

      The Skoon one is fantastic, there is also the Freeman Honeydew and Chamomile. And hopefully the new Freeman Beauty Infusion will be out soon. I need a mani pedi too!

  2. Lucinda Singh

    Hey Azraa,
    Where can we buy the Ultimate Finishing Hairbrush? Looks like a nice option to Tangle teezer.
    The glitter holders from Belle blush is on my wish list!! And agreed they will make stunning gifts to xo

    1. admin

      Hi Lucinda. Tangle teezer is available at clicks, and retail box. But I haven’t seen them out yet. They have a Facebook page, so maybe check there? Yip the holders are stunning!

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