Banish the yoyos and the weird miniature plastic photo frames from the allegedly ‘fancy’ bon bons on your table this year, and think Australian-made, socially responsible beauty products, instead. The Summer Essentials Beauty Bon Bon by the makers of The Beauty Advent Calendar includes four products from major brands they will know and love (hi, Lanolips) as well as products from more niche brands they’ll be excited to discover (a scrub from Three Warriors is included that uses real Tassie sand).
Nothing says Christmas cosmetic decadence quite like opening a new palette from Charlotte Tilbury. The cheekily-titled Nudegasm Face Palette features two bling-it-on highlighting powders and two to sexily sculpt, housed in a gorgeous, properly heavy, rose gold compact. Santa, baby, indeed.
Which leads me to people who go to bed hot. No, the other kind of hot. If you are thoughtful-present-shopping for someone who schvitzes while they slumber, like my good self does, I can happily recommend the Dry Chill singlet and shorts by the makers of the ingenious Chilly Towel. In terms of sleeping temperature, these are the next best thing to going to bed starkers, while still allowing you to feel both snug and ready-for-any-emergencies-at-any-time smug, the way you nudie sleepers simply can not.
I do understand that a Country Road t-shirt dress might say ‘casual day at home’ more than ‘festive Christmas gifting’ but hear me out – thick, good quality cotton that isn’t hot. A flattering, not-too-short length. Shoulder pads (yes, please, always and forever) for subtle shaping. Yes, I have worn it both running errands in Birkenstocks, and out to dinner with sleek pumps and a red lip. Truly the gift that keeps on giving.
The makeup gift that suits the novice, the expert and anyone in between – of any skin tone, no less – is rare indeed. Be thankful, then, for Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty and their Resting Peach Face duo, which features a miniature (though not too miniature – these are still decent sizes and will last well) Cream Bush and Gloss Bomb Cream duo in enlivening, glow-giving peach tones. The blush stays all day and the gloss isn’t drying in the least. Oh, and the cutest little touch? The gloss is ever so lightly peach scented. Stock up.
And finally, all of that online shopping is exhausting, if only mentally and emotionally, so now you deserve a treat, too. Cire Trudon’s Fir candle may just be the most luxurious ‘why hello, white Christmas, my old friend’ olfactory option you could imagine, and it doesn’t hurt that this year’s vessel is particularly visually decadent; it uses real gold leaf, if you don’t mind. All that’s left to do is inhale the grounding yet fresh scent of a Siberian pine forest and congratulate yourself on gifting well done.