I recently attended the Boots Virtual Christmas Showcase event, hosted by Davina McCall and Yinka Bokinni – it was like Christmas had come early! In fact, it was also an interesting snapshot of Boots‘ predicted Christmas bestsellers, as well as serving as a sneak peak behind the scenes of the brand. (The virtual event revealed how, for instance, Boots’ sustainable ethos is one which is continually getting stronger.)
Making the job of Christmas gift-buying easy for you, here are my TOP TEN picks to be found at Boots this year…
- BOUFFANTS & BROKEN HEARTS FRAGRANCED VOTIVE DUO
I love this Fragranced Votive Duo, £10.50, from Bouffants & Broken Hearts. The brand – by Philadelphia based artist Kendra Dandy – is a new addition to Boots, and it is great to see cool companies like this being made available at a leading, high street brand. Featuring Kendra’s sassy illustrations, the candles not only look fabulous but smell the same, too – with a blend of green citrus, florals, warm amber, musk and spicy notes. Perfect for someone to create an inviting home this season.
2. GUCCI FLORA GORGEOUS GARDENIA
Of course, Boots is always a great source for the latest perfumes and Gucci’s Flora Gorgeous Gardenia, £55, is my top pick for a special someone this year. The packaging is so covetable. The bottle is made of lacquered pink glass with a shiny gold stopper, while the packaging celebrates Gucci’s iconic florals – originally created by artist Vittorio Accornero in 1966. For the new perfume, the pattern has been reimagined by creative director Alessandro Michele. The fragrance is floral yet sweet and is built around the White Gardenia flower with Jasmine Grandiflorum absolute. Pear Blossom and brown sugar add light yet sweet accords. It’s so good, I might keep it for myself!
3.KYLIE JENNER LIP KIT
Finally! Kylie’s iconic Lip Kits are here in the UK and are available at Boots. This Matte Liquid Lipstick & Lip Liner, £26, is the perfect duo for kissable lips this Christmas. The Matte Liquid Lipstick is long-lasting, and comes in a variety of shades. The Lip Liner perfects your look and comes in a complimentary shade for the perfect finishing touch. All you need now is the mistletoe,
4. NO7 ELIZABETH SCARLETT TRAVEL BRUSH COLLECTION
How cute is this? This collaboration between Elizabeth Scarlett and No 7 is so brilliant. This No7 Elizabeth Scarlett Travel Brush Collection Limited Edition, £20, brings together an Elizabeth Scarlett’s embroidered velvet pouch (this version is fabulously fuchsia with flamingoes and stars) with a collection of No7 travel-sized, make-up brushes. Perfect for holidays or for your dressing-table, this is a definite keeper.
5. THE LITTLE BOTANICAL SHELFIE BUNDLE
Giving a nod to the rising trend for all things green and botanical, this little succulent is one of a line-up from The Little Botanical Shelfie Bundle, £50. The collection of five different succulents and cacti are potted in stylish grey and copper and classic black and gold pots and are the perfect size to create your very own plant shelfie.
6. DAVINA’S PILATES BANDS
Davina’s Pilates Bands, £16, are an essential part of anyone’s fitness kit. These bands are perfect for travelling – they come in their own case – and you can use them for toning, building up strength or improving your flexibility, no matter where you are. Each band has a different resistance level and can be used to target specific muscle groups or used for a full-body workout. It’s a great little gift for anyone, whether they are fitness aficionados or those wanting to kick-start a routine.
7. BOBBI BROWN SHIMMER BRICK
This is another top gift for beauty lovers. The iconic Shimmer Brick by Bobbi Brown is now available in a mini compact, £20. It is a shimmering, brush-on powder, which creates a soft glow with superfine pigments that reflect light for natural radiance. A great little find to discover under the tree and to give a hint of glitz for Christmas.
8. PACO RABANNE PHANTOM
One for the boys – Paco Rabanne’s Phantom, £55, comes in a futuristic robot bottle and has notes of Lemon, Vetiver, Lavender & Woody Vanilla. These refreshing, top green notes are warmed by the woody lavender and vanilla, so it smells fresh and clean yet very distinctive (in a good way!). Great buy for teens.
9. ALICE SCOTT EXERCISE BOOK PAIR
Shall I keep or these give away? These lovely lined A5 notebooks by Alice Scott, £8, will come in so handy. One has a forest-green cover with gold embossed writing and the other has a green leopard print cover. I’m always writing lists and notes, so these will come in useful for (me) anyone wanting to get organised!
10. FENTY SKIN START-R SET
Ri Ri’s Fenty label isn’t just about the aesthetics. Anyone who has tried a product from the range will agree that Rianna’s Fenty brand is all about results, with the latest beauty know-how behind it. The Fenty Skin Start’r Set, £32, consists of three products for a basic 3-step routine. They work together to brighten, target pores and dark spots, and hydrate and protect skin. The Total Cleans’r cleans without stripping and uses Barbados cherry and coconut-derived cleansers to nourish the skin. Then, the Fat Water Toner is a do-it-all toner serum combo that targets pores, improves the look of dark spots, brightens, smooths, and fights shine. (Rihanna calls it “fat” because of its unique thick texture that absorbs instantly.) Finally, the Hydra Vizor is a 2-in-1 sunscreen-moisturizer that’s lightweight, oil free, and invisible on all skin tones. All are travel sized so perfect for holidays. Christmas or summer!
*This review is based on press samples
