Most of us are feeling the pinch this Christmas, but fear not, stylish gifts don’t have to cost the world. Here are some affordable must-haves for the discerning shopper.
Lip service
Here’s a nifty little treat for make-up minimalists. Yves Saint Laurent’s NU Lip and Cheek Balmy Tint comes in an elegant black and white tube and glides effortlessly on the skin, leaving a pretty natural flush of colour.
It’s especially good for teenagers and much more affordable than YSL lipsticks and glosses which are a third more expensive. £20 and available in three shades; selfridges.com
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Fashion for good
The perfect white T-shirt comes with added benefits this Christmas. Basic Rights (founded by guitarist Freddie Cowan of The Vaccines) has teamed up with Shelter to donate 100% of the sales from their best-selling white heavyweight T-shirt to the UK charity throughout December. Crafted from thick pure cotton, this is a solid wardrobe staple with a stylish boxy fit and wide collar. It’s unisex and doesn’t budge or crease when it’s on. No wonder it has an A-list following counting Aaron Paul, Alexander Skarsgaard, Ryan Reynolds and Alexa Chung. £45; basicrights.com
Face plump
Charlotte Tilbury’s cross-generational appeal is epitomised by this magic-in-packet: her Instant Magic Facial Dry Sheet Mask is used by both Nicole Kidman and Sydney Sweeney. Rejuvenating and nourishing, it has been clinically proven to smooth and hydrate skin. Perfect for a bit of New Year’s Day pampering. £18; selfridges.com
Hoops of happiness
London-based jeweller Tessa Packard makes irreverent and imaginative fine and high jewellery pieces. She’s also a big believer in widening her brand to a younger generation of female shoppers who may not yet be able to afford her luxury gem-set pieces. Here’s her Christmas offering exclusively available via Instagram: gold hoop earrings with cute plastic alphabet charms. They are £15 a pop including two letters, with extra letters just £1 each and postage is a mere £2 to anywhere in the UK. As always, they come beautifully packaged. instagram.com/tessapackardlondon
Magic wand
We defy you to find another lip gloss that makes the same satisfying “pop” as this one does when you pull out its wand. As with all R.E.M Beauty products, this nifty gloss has been thoughtfully and technically designed: you load the oil onto the lips with the wand’s cooling metal tip and blend with the sponge. It’s vegan too. £15; selfridges.com
Hug in a mug
It’s amazing to think that Kate Moss popularised Bella Freud’s famous black knit emblazoned with her “Ginsberg is God, Godard is Dog” motto nearly 20 years ago now. It’s still a classic, though the sweater’s price tag has also risen with the passing years. This fine bone china mug decorated with a 9ct gold rim is a great alternative, plus you can use it every day for the ultimate fashion statement. £35; bellafreud.com
It’s a goal!
These talismanic chaps bring happiness in more ways than one. They are Daruma Luck Dolls, historically made by silk worm farmers in southwest China and made in papier-mâché to represent Bodhidharma, the eastern carrier of Zen Buddhism. Their purpose is to help you achieve your dreams, plus they are interactive. You draw in the left eye when you set a goal and the right eye when you have accomplished it. Much better than a New Year’s resolution list! £20; pantechniconstore.com
Fragrance hit
Candles can be expensive and a little predictable at Christmas. These dinky hibi matchstick boxes are actually incense sticks that release a crisp fragrance on a slow burn for ten minutes. Made in Japan, they come in a variety of different scents including yuzu and Japanese cypress. You simply strike the match on the box’s rough surface and lay the smoking stem on the included mini mat. Quite ingenious. £10; kits-london.com
Cheers to looking good
Buying wine can be a minefield if you don’t know someone’s palette, so opt for the easy option and the gift that keeps giving with this elegant Claridge’s corkscrew. Crafted from rosewood and stainless steel, it has an ergonomic design that includes a folding blade for cutting labels as well as an integrated bottle opener for beer or soda. £18; claridges.co.uk
Pop-up pleaser
Full of exotic flora and fauna, the Hermes pop-up book is pure joy. Every page is an explosion of colour and the paper is so beautifully cut too – you can see why this brand has never lost its allure. It’s one of the most affordable products made by the Parisian maison, but it’s exquisitely crafted right down to its bright signature orange cover. £30; hermes.com
Stylish bedding
This really is an object of desire for keen gardeners. Made of reinforced steel, the trowel is handcrafted in Sanjō City, Japan, famous for its skilled metalworking industry. Sturdy and well proportioned, it is ideal for planting and weeding. £18; japanhouselondon.uk
Rise and shine
Know someone who fancies themselves as a bit of a star baker? Or maybe they just love The Great British Bake Off. Either way this limited edition risograph print by UK illustrator Louise Lockheart is a sure win. It features all the essentials for a good baking session. £15; theprintedpeanut.co.uk
Artfully dressed
What Artists Wear is a handy little Penguin edition full of interesting facts about the sartorial choices of famous artists including Yves Klein, Andy Warhol and Cindy Sherman. Author and style guru, Charlie Porter, has filled all 376 pages with original images and anecdotes that relate to life in and out of the studio. £14.99; pallantbookshop.com
Cash in your chips
Fashion designer-turned-ceramist Henry Holland now has a burgeoning business selling beautiful hand-made objects fired in his London studio. There are new drops almost every month, but if you don’t know what to choose, these ceramic gift coins are an artistic alternative to the dreaded plastic gift card. They are lovingly made using a stylised version of the Japanese marbling technique Nerikomi, whereby coloured earthenware clay is built up in layers. The best bit is you get to keep the coins because all you need is the included code to complete a purchase. From £10; henryhollandstudio.com
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