Not had a chance to get to the shops of surf the net for Christmas gifts? Panic not, folks – neither have a whole bunch of us at The Courier HQ. Thankfully, our gift guide has loads of suggestions….
Are your gifts lovingly wrapped and under the tree or has your Christmas gift shopping list been sadly neglected this year?
If it’s the latter, don’t fret, as there’s still time to order online or make a speedy dash to the shops.
For more Christmas news and competitions, visit www.besteverchristmas.co.uk
Whatever you do, don’t be the person who ends up buying gifts in desperation at the service station on Christmas Eve.
Whether you’re buying for beauty buffs, fashionistas, outdoors lovers or gin fans (or even yourself – heck, you deserve it!), here’s our last minute gift guide…
Best gifts for gin lovers
Ideal for those who like to mix and match, or try a selection of new flavours, is the new Gin Bothy Tasting Collection. Five different 5cl mini gins including Original, Mulled, Raspberry, Rhubarb and Amaretto are now available in a ready-made gift box for £25. Or for seriously brilliant stocking filler gifts, stock up on the mini gins at £5 each, available in all 11 flavours. Available from ginbothy.co.uk, www.notonthehighstreet.com and independent stockists throughout Scotland.
Best gifts for fashionistas
Fantastic for the stylish man on the move – he’ll love this lovely tan holdall from River Island, £45. Just lush. www.riverisland.com
It might be chilly but that’s not going to stop the cold shoulder brigade! Check out this fantastic pink cold shoulder roll neck longline jumper, reduced from £36 to just £25. www.riverisland.com
Best gifts for outdoorsy types
UNDERLAYER
Stylish, tailored and multi-functional, the Odlo Blackcomb Evolution baselayer will keep you warm and sweat-free in the great outdoors. £65 each (crew neck top and long johns) www.odlo.com
BEANIE
You lose most of your body hear through your head so it makes sense to wear a hat when the mercury dips. Stay snug with the Geneva Women’s Fluff Cable Beanie, £9.99 from Mountain Warehouse. It has a fab fluffy pom pom – what’s not to like? www.mountainwarehouse.com
SOCK SENSATION
Walkers need good socks and you can’t go far wrong with the 1000 Mile Three Season Walking Socks, £15.49. A padded heel extends to cover the Achilles tendon while other padded zones cushion the ankle bones, toes and ball of the foot. The combination of soft merino wool with top and arch venting allows the foot to breathe and maintains an even temperature. 1000mile.co.uk
TOP TROUSERS
For mountain sports enthusiasts, the ranger mountain pant, £115, from Salomon is a go-to for three seasons. Stretch softshell feels great against the skin and enables a close fit with maximum mobility, and a stretch gaiter with reinforcement makes them great for ski touring or rugged hiking. www.salomon.com
SKI GOGGLES
The lush uvex Downhill 2000 goggles, with their rainbow mirrored lens, are simply epic. In powder, they score points with their frameless construction. Even heavier spray will glide easily off the goggle without sticking to the frame or affecting sight. The goggles, £109 from Craigdon Mountain Sports, have been used on the World Cup skiing circuit over the past four years. www.craigdonmountainsports.com
Best gifts for beauty buffs
EYE EYE
Late nights and too much booze can leave eyes tired and puffy so the lady in your life (or why not treat yourself?) will be glad to get their hands on Perricone MD H2 Elemental Energy De-Puffing Eye Gel, £60, from www.perriconemd.co.uk. Designed to melt on contact with your skin, offering the benefits of a treatment in a lightweight gel format, this soothing eye gel de-puffs and hydrates the sensitive eye area.
SLEEP TIGHT
Try Super Facialist Vitamin C Sleep & Reveal Night Cream, down from £16.99 to £11.99 at Boots.com. The delicately textured cream boasts a soft citrus scent and helps provide moisture and vitality to your skin. The anti-oxidant power of Vitamin C, together with tomato and liquorice extracts, works hard to help your skin recover from the daytime ageing effects of the sun and the environment. With regular use, skin feels rejuvenated and smoother, radiating with a healthy glow.
HAIR MASK
Designed to repair and condition damaged hair, Natura Siberica Alladale Repairing Hair Mask, £7.99, boasts extracts of wild thistle, the national flower of Scotland, and wild organic Siberian cedar from Natura Siberica’s organic farm in Khakassia. Wild thistle extract deeply moisturises hair and Siberian cedar extract makes hair stronger and healthier. Give you hair a deep conditioning treatment with the mask and feel the benefits of the natural yet powerful ingredients. www.naturasiberica.co.uk
GLOW LIKE A GODDESS
Skin hydration is the most important step to achieve youthful-looking skin. Murad’s Hydro-Glow Aqua Peel, £40, is a unique 2-step system which gives skin a gentle peel with anti-aging benefits by intensely infusing hydration to visibly minimize fine lines and wrinkles, retexturize and brighten skin revealing a youthful glow. The Aqua Peel contains 4 convenient, single-use treatments. www.murad.co.uk
SWEET TREATS
Time for some sweet – and most importantly calorie-free – body treats from bilou. Indulge in bilou’s quirky scents with their innovative Creamy Shower Foam and Gentle Cream Foam formulations designed to gently cleanse and moisturise – available in the UK from Superdrug for £3.99 each. www.superdrug.com. Try Cotton Candy – it smells like fluffy cotton candy and is caramelly and sugary sweet.
TONE UP
Odylique’s Toning Fruit Butter, £20, absorbs quickly to provide intense hydration for smooth, supple skin with a subtle uplifting aroma. Apply after sun exposure (you might be on holiday in a sunny climate after all!) or bathing for a sublime skin toning treat. The balm-like consistency of Toning Fruit Butter and rich moisturising qualities make it the perfect soothing treat for both winter ravaged skin and when you need a summer glow. www.odylique.co.uk
COCOA TIME
Cooca Brown Ice Goddess Oil, £9.95, is a natural body oil packed with pale, silvery-white micro-pearl particles. Perfect for highlighting or skin finishing, with or without a tan! The oil has cool, violet undertones so it’s perfect for giving a brightening lift to dull or sallow skin. It has a multitude of uses for face and body – smoothe it along the centre of shins to create the illusion of longer legs, use it to highlight collarbones, or apply a little under foundation for a stunning radiant glow. Add a few drops to your body lotion or moisturiser for a subtle all-over glow. Made with natural oils including Coconut Oil to hydrate and nourish skin. www.cloud10beauty.com
EYE POPPING
For gorgeous peepers that pop, check out the Magnif-eyes eyeshadow palette from Rimmel, £8.99. Featuring 12 high-shimmer shades with a double-ended applicator to create multiple, expert looks. Available from Boots.com
Best gifts for fitness fans
LEGGINGS
OW Fit sportswear is a blend of boldness and comfort. If your style is fashionable, casual or sporty, this range is perfect for you. OW Fit’s versatile pieces are made of environment-friendly products and high-tech breathable fabrics, featuring elastic waist bands for ultimate comfort. Check out these epic midnight blue leggings, £60. www.ow-fit.com
EPIC EARPHONES
The Avanca D1 Wireless Sports Headset, £40.60, is a must-have for all runners, bikers and gym goers. Connect these flexible headphones to a smartphone, MP3-player or other Bluetooth device and listen to music or audio coaching during your work out. The stylish in-ear earbuds are carefully designed make sure they never fall out of your ears and to maximize the sound output. The headset comes with three different sizes of earbuds, so you can make it fit exactly. You maintain 100% percent freedom of movement and won’t be bothered by a headset that slips off your head. The removable all-weather protective covers protect the ear buds from dust and rain. Traffic and city sounds are reduced to a minimum, so you can hear your music and digital audio coaching loud and clear. The compact control panels in the ear buds let you skip songs, change volume and answer incoming calls. The headset automatically switches from music to call mode when someone is trying to reach you. Available www.amazon.co.uk
BLUETOOTH MUSIC
The Brainwavz BLU-100 Bluetooth 4.0 aptX Earphones, £33.94, boast style in a wireless Bluetooth capacity, taking audio listening to a whole new level. Enhanced for audio quality and designed for easy mobility, the BLU-100 houses a micro 60mAh battery that will delivery 4 hours of continuous audio playback, 100 hours of standby and can be fully charged in under 2hrs. With a range of 30ft, you can use the BLU-100 as close or as far away from your audio source with no disruption to audio quality or performance and no more long cables! The light body design, low profile cabling, remote and comfy fit of the earphones make them versatile while being active, allowing for ear buds to stay snug in your ears with no chance of them falling out! The BLU-100 comes with 3 sets of silicone ear tips in small, medium and large sizes and 1 set of Comply™ for added comfort and enjoyable listening. www.brainwavzaudio.com
GORGEOUS GLOVES
Don’t let cold wet hands ruin your outdoor fun! Showers Pass have developed fab Crosspoint lightweight waterproof knit gloves, £34, to solve the soggy digits problem and keep your hands dry while cycling, running, hiking and any outdoor adventuring in the rain. The gloves are fully waterproof with 3 bonded layers: a wear resistant knit exterior that feels like a regular knit glove, a waterproof-breathable Artex membrane, and a Coolmax moisture-wicking antibacterial knit lining. Silicone print on the palm offers an improved grip in wet conditions. showerspass.co.uk
RUNNING JACKET
The Dashing Womens Reflective Jacket from Mountain Warehouse is highly visible, designed to keep you safe outdoors. Featuring 360° of reflectivity for better visibility, water resistant material and microfleece lined collar, this jacket is the ideal choice for some extra comfort when on the move. Reduced from £69.99 to £34.99. www.mountainwarehouse.com
