How is it the end of the year already? I feel like I’ve only just accepted summer is over and now I’m having to save the pennies for Christmas.
So are you in the midst of the headache that is guessing what everyone you know would like under the tree? I’m happy to say I’m here to help! I’ve got a combination of suggestions, from cheeky tipples to clothing accessories and everything in-between.
ESK Men’s Anti-Ageing Skincare Kit
The interest in men’s skincare is growing exponentially. But there are two clear issues. Firstly, most guys don’t know what to buy (most of my friends ask me for advice as they’re not very aware beyond a moisturiser). Secondly, traditional options aren’t always the best suited to men’s skin, which is thicker and more oily.
That is why I love this all-encompassing skincare set for men by ESK. You start with the Hydroxy Cleanser, which you can use to clear excess sebum and impurities from the face, the base before applying the other layers.
After this, you apply the Vitamin-C & E rich C Forte, using 1-2 pumps, which will brighten and hydrate your skin.
After this, you have the Zinc Shade, which is a zinc based moisturiser, with SPF15, which will protect you from UVA and UVB rays.
You then have my favourite ingredient, retinal! This comes in the Ultimate A night cream, which also contains Vitamin B3 and AHA, while this will be your secret weapon in tackling the effects of ageing.
Edifier WH950NB Noise Cancelling Headphones
The Edifier WH950NH headphones are completely wireless, something I was reluctant to try initially and it completely changed my world. When you’re working out you always feel the wire pull or you get it caught on a dumbbell, while you can never pop down to make a coffee with wired ones on if you’re plugged into your laptop. Wireless is a world apart!
These over-ear headphones have two active noise-cancelling modes, so you can focus on the music and not the side distractions. It also has 55 hours of playback time, which is why it’s worth every penny, as there is nothing worse than it running out after a few hours. Even more stunning, just charging for 10 minutes gives you 7 hours of playback time!
Motion X500 Portable Audio Speaker
Whether it’s cooking in the kitchen or working out in the garage, I love to have some music playing, however I normally drag a laptop around with me. But the Soundcore Motion X500 is absolutely ideal and the perfect laptop-replacement, easily portable and completely wireless so you don’t have to worry about tripping up or plugging it in somewhere.
It’s also fully waterproof, so you can take it in the garden for a BBQ in the summer. This is a brilliant and luxurious item for the person you love, while it includes free fast shipping to your home.
You can also set yourself up (or the person you’re buying for) on the Soundcore app, so you can tune the speakers to your personal preferences.
Marine Miracle Crème
I tried a sample of the Marine Miracle Crème about a year and loved it, it’s been on my personal buy list ever since! I’m a big fan of the Transformulas range, from their EyeWakeup serum to their PhotoGlow SPF30+, both of which are worth checking out.
The Marine Miracle Creme has won numerous awards, for good reason, while it’s the presence of algae, giant sea kelp and sea salt extract helping to provide the rejuvenating and anti-ageing properties. Your skin will feel smoother and will look radiant!
Edifier W320TN Earbuds
The Edifier w320TN earbuds come in two different colours (grey or ivory white), while they use adaptive ear-matching technology, detecting the shape of your ear and how you tend to wear them, then adapting the noise reduction parameters.
These earbuds offer 27.5 hours of battery life, while they also have speedy charging which gives you an hour of life from just ten minutes of charging!
Carolina Herrera Bad Boy Eau De Parfum
I love a new Eau De Parfum, something my dad first gifted me when I was 14 and I was fascinated by them. They make for an incredible gift for someone, male or female, young or old. Perfume Direct, a Lancashire based brand, have a number of great options, including the Bad Boy by Carolina Herrera.
The scent is incredible, I normally find you have to wait a minute before you can appreciate the aroma but this one instantly smelt blissful. Utilising Italian Green Bergamot, with notes of black and white pepper. You can pick up a 100ml bottle for £78.99.
Aber Falls Whisky or Gin
When it comes to whisky, it has to be a single malt, while this single malt whisky has been sourced, distilled, aged and bottled all in Wales.
You will get aromas of vanilla and toffee, offering that sweet scent, not to mention a hint of citrus and sultanas. After having a sniff, you then have to taste, where you will pick-up notes of spice , dried fruit and dark chocolate.
Of course, if the person’s preferred tipple is gin, like me, then you should check out Aber Falls copper distilled dry gin.
This has a beautiful citrusy taste, as well as a subtle kick of spiciness. They also offer a recommended combination on their product page which is worth checking out (or making for the giftee).
Philips VoiceTracer
Like a gadget from James Bond, this isn’t just your average pen (don’t worry, you won’t accidentally fire off a missile). It’s an audio recorder pen that plugs in via USB with a high quality built-in microphone.
It has an internal memory storage of 32GB, plenty of space to record whether it’s for a meeting or speech to text for a video. This is something I wasn’t aware existed before a month ago, but now I’m fascinated by it!
Magnitone Barefaced Massage Brush
Cleansing is a critical early stage of the beauty process, to remove impurities and excess sebum from the skin. However, whether you use a sponge or a flannel along with your cleanser, the results are limited compared to what you could achieve with the Magnitone Barefaced3 Vibra-Sonic Cleanse + Massage Brush.
Suitable for daily use, the BareFaced3 has three modes, gentle cleanse, deep cleanse or PulseLift massage, while it has a 60 second zonal timer.
Christmas Flowers
Whether it’s my mum, my fiancé or my great aunt, flowers were always a go-to and 100% appreciated. But people tend to think of them as a summer/spring based gift, however Serenata Flowers have some beautiful bouquets for the winter period.
Priced at £39.99, these can be delivered right to their door, ideal if you can’t pop over to give them in person. You can also get free UK delivery and you can pre-order for the Christmas period now.
Mixologist’s Garden Dried Fruit
It was the summertime, my dad and sister had come to visit and we were sat on the garden sofa as I poured them a glass of prosecco. It then brought me great joy to turn around and grab a raspberry from the bush behind my seat and add it to their drinks.
Of course, I unfortunately can’t turn all year round to pick a raspberry from the bush, nor do I have any strawberries growing, so having some dried fruit specially made for cocktails to hand is definitely a good go-to.
The Mixologist’s Garden range of dried fruit includes raspberries, lime blueberries, lemon and strawberry. While they have a best before of almost 2 years, so they’ll be ideal when the sun pops back out, or to add some excitement to your winter beverage.
Joby Beamo Ring Light
As a blogger, this instantly jumped out at me. I wasn’t aware ring lights were created for phones, so this was a great find!
These can be very easily attached to your phone and then can be used to light up either the selfie or rear cameras thanks to the flip-able design. The Joby Beamo is available for £45.95, while they also have Klarna if you’d prefer to pay over 3 months.
Smokehead Single Malt Whisky
The Smokehead Unfiltered Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky is a great option for whisky fans all over the world, with tasting notes of walnuts and dark chocolate, as well as aromas of ginger and vanilla.
The smokiness is clear, while it’s completely distilled and bottled in Scotland in the Islay area, one of the Inner Hebrides islands, famous for their peaty, smoky whiskies, often nicknamed ‘Scotland’s Whisky Coast’.
STM ChargeTree Go
I remember when I used to have an extension lead running across the floor towards my laptop, where I’d have 4 separate charging cables popping out to charge each individual item. It seems funny looking back, as the ChargeTree really does change it all.
You can charge up to 3 devices all on the single portable wireless charging tree. It can even fold flat down if you want to store it away at the end of the day. So if you’re getting stressed with the separate wires to charge your phone, smart watch and earbuds, then this is the solution for you!
Josh Wood Colour Thirsty Hair Kit Set
The Thirsty Hair Kit Set by Josh Wood Colour helps to bring salon-quality conditioning to your home hair routine. Raquel gets her dyed every few months, therefore the miracle mask lit up her eyes.
The Miracle Shampoo is ideal for dry, damaged hair, packed full of natural active ingredients such as quinoa extract and green walnut. Help them to add a shine to their hair with the Miracle System set this Christmas.
Me and McQ’s 3D Pop-up Cards
I love the creativity of these 3D pop-up Christmas cards! Forget about a boring flat card this year and really surprise your loved ones with these stunning cards that will be pride of place on the mantelpiece.
There are a number of brilliant options, costing £6.99 each, from a white lantern to Cinderella’s carriage. If there is a young one you’re buying a card for, this will certainly bring a smile to their face.
Vital Proteins Beauty Collagen
Collagen is a form of protein, which is found in the skin, hair, muscles and bones. Collagen helps to keep your skin youthful, preventing sagging and increasing elasticity. Over the past decade we have seen a growth in people consuming collagen drinks to help improve the health of your skin and hair.
The Vital Proteins Beauty Collagen pack is strawberry and lemon flavoured, while it contains 15 grams of collagen per portion, as well as hyaluronic acid and biotin, all pivotal ingredients for your skin care routine.
Pickering’s Gin Crimbo Limbo Calendar
What’s better than a single gin? A whole pack of different types so you can celebrate the festive period a little bit tipsy!
There are a number of great tasting alcoholic beverages by Pickering’s, but it can be hard to pick just one, so this Crimbo Limbo calendar offers you five bottles to open between Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve. Or you could just open them all at once, depending on your level of patience.
Milk Chocolate Salted Caramel Truffles
These truffles are truly melt-in-your-mouth, leaving you wanting more and more, if you open the pack, expect to eat them all. Joe & Seph’s is a brilliant popcorn brand, offering so many different flavours, however they’ve now ventured into some very interesting gift options, such as this pack of milk chocolate salted caramel truffles.
The salted caramel sauce flows beautifully, encased by the Belgian chocolate shell which breaks apart perfectly as you bite in.
As I mentioned, Joe & Seph is an amazing gourmet popcorn brand and they have introduced a new festive flavour for 2023, Mince Pie!
I’m a big fan of a mince pie, eating way too many every year, while this festively fruity flavoured popcorn is made with 10 year old Spanish brandy.
Mens Trunk Holiday 2-Pack
Boxers and socks are such a staple idea for Christmas time, a perfect point to top up on your underwear and get some really high quality options.
These moisture wicking trunks by Modibodi help to keep sweat and odour at bay, while they’re really comfortable as well. The pack of two costs £26, while they offer 5 different sizes, from medium to 3XL. The choice in colours is also spot on what I’d go for, with the burgundy definitely my favourite!
CleanCo Non-Alcoholic Spiced Rum
Founded in 2019 by entrepreneur and British TV personality Spencer Matthews, CleanCo has rapidly grown to become the world’s leading independent non-alcoholic spirit brand.
With a portfolio spanning Clean T (Tequila), Clean G (Gin), Clean G Rhubarb (Rhubarb Gin), Clean R (Rum), Clean V (Vodka), and Clean W (Whiskey), CleanCo offer an unrivalled range of non-alcoholic equivalents to full strength spirits, without compromising on experience, taste, aroma, or mouth-feel.
You can also order a bundle and combine your order with the Fever Tree Ginger Ale, a perfect accompaniment to your non-alcoholic beverage. The sharp ginger snap combined with the rum is absolutely scrumptious.
Clean Cocktails Recipe Book
Of course, a spirit is only half the job, it’s the combination that truly makes the drink special. Why do alcohol drinkers get to have all the fun? Learn how to make some great tasting cocktails with your CleanCo drinks with the help of the Clean Cocktails Recipe Book.
Including alternative cocktails for gin, rum tequila and vodka, you can find the drink that suits your tastebuds.
Wild Natural Deodorant
Wild have released these planet-friendly refillable aluminium cases with a range of deodorants, the one in the picture being spiced orange & pear (which smells incredible). There are a number of case options, while you can even pay an extra £5 for an engraving, maybe a good option if buying as a gift.
For £25, you can get the case with 3 refills of deodorant, or you can subscribe at £10 for one case and one deodorant. They have both regular and sensitive deodorant options, all of which are vegan friendly and using natural ingredients.
Simply Roasted 24 Pack Crisps Box
Crisps are such a guilty treat, I love them! Me and Raquel get through a shameful amount every month. So the idea of the Simply Roasted crisps having 50% less fat and still tasting just as good is something that really caught my eye.
They have 92 calories per bag, meaning they easily fit into our daily allowance (for anyone counting, you know the struggle), while they also contain 25% less salt, meaning they’re better for your ticker.
You can go for 24 small packs for £24, or 12 big packs for £27.50, depending on whether they want a quick snack or a sharing pack.
Hemy Waterproof Socks
Ever since I turned 30, I became fascinated with country walks, climbing up hills and pushing my step count further each time. It’s also a great opportunity to catch up with my mates and talk about all the stress of the week.
But one of the biggest changes I had to make was adapting my clothing, from the shoes I wore to the socks underneath. The Hemy socks are completely waterproof, so you don’t have to worry when walking through muddy puddles. They’re crated for daily wear and intense training sessions, while you can order them as ankle, crew or knee high style.
Lift Activ Energy Boost Chews
Whether I’m going for a spin session or heading for a night out, I love to give myself a boost beforehand. Traditionally, I’ve relied on coffee (or going back a long way I used to drink energy drinks), but this means loading up on caffeine or lots of sugar & taurine.
But Lift have released these chewable tablets which will give you a natural source of energy, with the carbohydrate dextrose, along with plenty of vitamins and minerals. Plus, an added bonus is they’re chewable, as I’m terrible at swallowing tablets, while they come in four great flavours, being tangy orange, zesty lemon and lime, fruity tropical or juicy raspberry.
Exogrip
For any gamer, one issue you can come across is an ache in the hands, coming from a poor grip. The Exogrip is fascinating, as it creates a brilliant hand grip support for increased comfort.
The mouldable grip is designed to suit hands of all shapes and sizes, so it can be adapted to you. The outer layer is heated to allow it to mould to your grip, while it won’t damage the actual controller at all.
CEWE Personalised Wall Calendar
Not just are calendars a great organisational gift, but having that personalised touch means it can cheer them up every day when they look up at the picture, especially with a new one for each month.
Put some time and thought into the 12 pics you want to go for (plus one for the front page). You can pick the size that would work best with the area they have, whether that be A2, A3, A4 or A5. You can also opt for landscape or portrait, while you have the option of an additional wooden cover.
Floozie Cookie Box
I always used to ask for cookies from my dad for my birthday every year, as when they’re made by a great bakery, there is no better taste! The Floozie stuffed cookies are beyond luxurious, while you can get a box of 6, 12, 18 or 24.
The different flavour options include black forest, celebration, chocolate chunk, cinnamon crunch, peanut butter & jam, pecan pie, triple chocolate and the monthly special. Also, make sure to sign up to their mailing list in order to get free delivery.
British Baby Socks
Have you ever seen something so adorable? With four little creatures, this is the perfect present for any new parents this Christmas.
Including the badger, hedgehog, red squirrel and bumblebee, they’re made from 85% GOTS certified organic cotton and feel very soft. They also come in a cardboard box, meaning no plastic involved. Designed for babies 4-12 months, this is ideal for my niece Lucy.
Also, 10% of all sales of these brilliant socks goes to WWF for their work for endangered species.
Burns Festive Turkey Wet Dog Food
Christmas is the time for feasting on tasty food, but why should your dog miss out? Burns have released a festive pack of wet food, containing potatoes, parsnips, carrots and turkey so they can enjoy their Christmas dinner.
Available as 6x 395g packs for £15.99 or 12x 1250g packs for £13.99, Ruby and Nova will love these! Made in Wales and using ingredients from British and Irish farmers, you should also look out for the special discount code on their page.
Campari Aperitif
Campari is an Italian aperitif which is an integral ingredient for a number of different cocktails which your loved one may want to enjoy over Christmas. In fact, you could buy all of the ingredients and make it up for them on the day as a treat.
The most famous option is the Negroni, of which Campari is a third of the glass. You can also use it in a Spritz, Americano, Boulevardier and a festive Christmas spiced Negroni.
Palmers Coconut Oil Formula
Palmers offer a range of high quality haircare products, while their coconut oil formula utilises fair trade coconut oil and Tahitian monoi. There are four products which I want to discuss. The first is the shampoo, which is free of sulphates and will help by adding natural reparatives that lock in moisture.
The conditioner will help to restore dry or damaged hair, while it makes your hair feel incredibly smooth afterwards. The Leave-in conditioner can be sprayed directly onto damp hair after washing to increase moisture and improve flexibility.
But the part I was most excited about was the Protein Pack, which you apply directly after washing and leave in for up to five minutes for softer and healthier hair.
Step One Santa Boxers
Maybe the gift you’re after is meant to be a little more light-hearted, such as a stocking filler for the husband. Then Step One are certainly worth checking out. But while the theme might be a little silly with dancing santas, the quality is undeniable.
With ultraglyde friction resistant panels, a 3D comfort pouch for your bits and super soft bamboo viscose, these will feel great as well as look brilliant.
LoveRaw Vegan Chocolate Starter Mix
Available either as a one-time purchase or you can subscribe to save 15% on each order, the starter mix contains a range of vegan chocolate by Love Raw that tastes just like chocolate-chocolate.
What I love about these is that vegan chocolate has generally been slow to make chocolate bars like the ones we love, but these options are stunning. You’ve got the cream wafer bars available as white chocolate, milk chocolate or salted caramel, plus the peanut butter cups, orange milk chocolate bar and the nutty chocolate balls.
Tea India Mixed Chai & Tea Bundles
I’m a massive fan of chai tea, especially in the winter months, while this bundle offers the opportunity to try a number of different flavours.
The bundle includes four chai tea’s, being masala, coconut, ginger and cardamom, all a special family recipe by Jimmy Jal Medhora, using Assam tea leaves and spices. Also, they offer free delivery on orders over £20, so you may want to get an extra bundle for yourself.
Pure Evening Primrose Oil Dropper
Pure Evening Primrose Oil is a great skincare product to add moisture and nourish the skin. The presence of Vitamin E will help to protect cells from the damaging oxidative stress.
The oil can be taken orally or rubbed onto the skin for smooth and nourished looking skin. Efamol have a range of high quality supplements, while they utilise seeds grown in the same farms from New Zealand and the Netherlands for forty years.
Artificial Wisdom Hardback
Whether it’s for my girlfriend, my mum or my dad, I seem to be buying about 10-15 books at Christmas, so this is always a go-to idea. But sifting through Waterstones can leave my head in a spin, so today I want to talk about one book that’s worth picking up this festive period, Artificial Wisdom.
A brilliant and gripping murder mystery set in 2050, with plot twists and a scary vision of a potential future where the world is struggling with heatwaves and political turmoil. You can order this for £12.79 as a hardcover or £1.99 on the Kindle. What better way to welcome in the bad weather by curling up with a book to read.
Fruu Tangerine Blossom Shampoo Bar
I first used a shampoo bar about 5 years ago as a bit of an experiment, but I never expected to love them as much as I did. This comes in plastic-free packaging, while they have used wonky fruit in the ingredients, something I love and respect.
Each shampoo bar will get you 45 washes, not bad when you think about the space it takes up in comparison to a bottle of shampoo. Fruu utilise a coconut-based surfactant to cleanse your hair and scalp.
Brazilian Single Origin Coffee
A great pack of coffee is a brilliant gift, it’s actually what I asked my mum for last year. The smell of freshly roasted beans as you open the pack up will leave them smiling, trust me!
This mild & sweet Brazilian Single Origin coffee has tasting notes of toasted peanut brittle, chocolate and dry fruit. Costing £8.50 for a 250 gram pack, you can also get the style that suits them, whether they’d prefer whole beans, grounded or set for a French press.
Long Tail Mixers
I do love a cheeky tipple, but I find myself getting bored of the same mixers, such as coke with rum or tonic/lemonade with gin, therefore it’s brilliant to see an emergence of new mixers being brought to the UK market.
Long Tail Mixers have some great options, all working well with different beverages, with five flavours to pick from, being ginger & lime, Island spice, hibiscus & blackcurrant, blood orange and lemon sour. The blood orange was my favourite, working perfectly with a dry gin.
Munchy Seeds
The winter weather means it’s the start of soup making, as everyone unearths their hand blender from the drawers and begins experimenting in the kitchen. Well often the soups lack some protein, therefore a few seeds on top can be the perfect nutritious boost.
Munchy Seeds have a number of dry roasted options. As you can see from the pic, you have warm cuming & fennel sunflower, pumpkin & cumin seed mix, which I think will be ideal on my vegetable soup. There is also a pack of coconut, mango & banana seed mix, which would go well on cereal. Finally there is the Toasted Tamari mega omega 7 seed mix, which could do the job on a salad or a Thai curry.
ChicP Hummus
I remember introducing Raquel to hummus, it was love at first sight for her, while we loved visiting different food festivals to pick up unique flavours or independently run brand’s options. Well if you’re the same, you’ll love this rich and indulgent truffle hummus, with a rich creamy flavour.
They also have a breadstick & hummus snack pack, ideal if you need a quick tasty break at your desk or after the gym. It’s 100% natural and tastes amazing, the only issue is it went too quick, I might need two next time!
