Beauty gifts
Under £5
A lovely stocking filler, this Ducky Lip Balm is only £1.05 at Heals and you can save up to 70% on all these other novelty toiletries.
If you’re shopping in-store at The Body Shop look out for Chocomania mini heart soaps for £4 and this mini manicure set for £5. But if you’re buying a few things, use this printable voucher to save £15 when you spend £30 right up until Christmas Eve.
Under £10
Play one for you, one for me at Christmas! At Boots if you spend £6 on Barry M you get a limited edition sparkling nail varnish in gold or pink for free, which would make a lovely Christmas prezzie. I got myself a Lip Paint for £4.49 in a lovely coral (number 161 if you’re nosy!) and an oh-so-sparkly nail varnish for £2.99 coming to £7.48 in total – not bad for two varnishes and a lippie!
If you buy two Models Own nail varnishes at £5 a piece (or any other two Models Own items) you get another fab freebie at Boots – this time it’s a free Models Own Nail Art Kit.
It pays to shop around for make-up tools too, which can be seriously overpriced. I like this neon Models Own 5 piece Brush Set (includes Powder Brush, Lip Liner Brush, Shading Brush, Angled Brush and Blending Brush) which is £10 in both Boots and Asos.
Under £25
Play it safe with perfume and increase the odds of getting her one she actually likes with this Dior collector's edition which is £16.66 (RRP £25) at Debenhams. It contains J'adore Eau de Toilette 4ml, Dior Addict 2 and Hypnotic Poison Eau de Toilette 5ml, and Miss Dior Eau de Parfum 5ml.
You can save 20% on this Rio Professional Nail Art Pen Kit at Argos, perfect for fashion-conscious teens, costing £19.99 (RRP £25.49).
Department stores always have lots of gift sets on offer at Christmas, but make sure you separate the wheat from the chaff – some are rubbish value for money and you’re just paying for the packaging.
One that caught my eye was this Benefit Project Flawless Make-up gift set costing £19.66 (RRP £29.50) at Debenhams. It contains Benefit bestsellers Bella Bamba, Ultra Shine, BadGal lash and Girl Meets Pearl – and you can even personalise it with a photo!
Fashion and accessories
Under £5
There are a few fleece mittens and gloves for under £5 at Debenhams, including these purple ones and these cream ones for £4.90.
There are also some decent jewellery bargains such as this Matthew Williamson ring for £3 (was £10), this Johnny Loves Rosie pearl hairclip for £4 (was £8) and this Red Herring heart-shaped mirror and silver star keyring, both for £4 (was £8).
Under £10
A splash of colour makes a boring hat an instant Christmas hit but don’t spend over the odds – you can pick up cheap winter sets in good old Primark and H&M.
[SPOTLIGHT]But I like this purple multi knit hat (£4.99) with matching gloves (£4.99) and scarf (£6.99) – all at Store Twenty One. Shop online or find a nearby store.
Under £25
Charm bracelets are a lovely gift and quite handy for future gifts too, because you can keep buying them charms.
Start them off with one already adorned with charms – this One Button Heart Charm Bracelet is £20 and this gold Adele Marie Assorted Charm Bracelet is £25, both at John Lewis.
Or buy a plain bracelet such as this Silver Figaro Bracelet for £19.99 at H. Samuel and let them pick their own charms.
Homely gifts
Under £5
I saw some pretty, thoughtful stocking fillers at Paperchase including this silk mini address book for £3.50, this cloud hand mirror for £4, this luggage tags writing set (ideal for anyone off travelling) for £4.50 and this cute daisy design photo frame, which is also £5.
Under £10
Red is a fab coffee table book – published by Waterstones in luxurious red hardback, it will look great, but it is also well worth a read, featuring newly commissioned writing from 18 top authors including Cecelia Ahern, Emma Donoghue, John Gray, Victoria Hislop, Anthony Horowitz and Will Self, all for £9 (RRP £10).
Under £25
Department stores and supermarkets usually have the best cookware bargains on the high street. At Tesco Direct, this black Castello 5-bottle wine rack is £10 and this pretty Carousel cupcake stand is £11.78, both available for free ‘Click and Collect’ in-store.
Christmas booze is always a good gift for foodies. I’ve recently discovered Southern Comfort Bold Black Cherry which is only £16 (RRP £20.80) at Sainsbury’s and Tesco – and makes a delicious cocktail with soda, lime and cranberry juice! Other liqueurs are reduced to just £12 including Tia Maria and Disaronno.