The beauty of Christmas: the best gifts for €30 or less

Makeup, skincare and scent that’s sure to please

Clinique Whole Lotta Chubby Limited Edition Christmas Set €28.00

It’s hard not to love collections like this one because a) they can be personalised and b) they’re great value for money. This is a failsafe stocking filler or Kris Kindle gift which contains three Chubbys For Lips with sheer to intense formulas. A Chubby For Eyes and one for cheeks completes the package. A guaranteed crowd pleaser.

Benefit Pucker Up & Party Limited Edition Christmas Set €29.50

Two tinted lip balms (Benebalm and Posiebalm) and matching cheek stains are packaged with signature Benefit quirk. I could stick to recommending this set for tweens to teens, but to be honest the Benefit love has never been contained to these age groups. This would be a great girlie gift for just about any woman who likes to have a bit of fun with her makeup.

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JO MALONE Christmas Ornament Limited Edition €28.00

Giving Jo Malone as a present always gets results. You can of course spend as much as you like, but this little box with miniature English Pear & Freesia Cologne and Nectarine Blossom Honey Body Crème is a nod to sophistication and thoughtfulness.

Sanctuary Home Sweet Home Fragrance Gift €26.00 Boots

This is the kind of gift that I keep in the house around Christmas time as an “emergency” present. You know the kind of situation I mean; someone turns up with a present for you and your heart sinks with dread because you haven’t bought anything for them. This set is excellent value; packed with two reed diffusers, two votive candles and a room mist. It’s also a good little gift for a female boss, your significant other’s mother, or a neighbour.

Real Techniques Core Collection Kit €29.60

The Pixiwoo sisters Real Techniques brushes are a present any makeup user will adore. Included in this set are a Detailer brush which you can use with concealer; a Pointed foundation brush and a Buffing brush(good for powder and mineral foundation). There is also a Contour brush which is good for blusher, highlighter or illuminator .

REN Grab & Go Kit €28.20 FeelUnique.com

With a value of €53.58 this is an opportunity to try out lots of Ren bestsellers. Ren are one of my favourite brands and this kit of travel sizes includes Rosa Centifolia Cleansing Gel, Vita Mineral Daily Supplement Moisturising Cream, Vita Mineral Lip Balm (full-size) Vita Mineral Active 7 Eye Gel; Oat & Bay Shampoo; Pro-Vitamin Conditioner and Neroli and Grapefruit Body Wash; Neroli and Grapefruit Body Cream. Hard to beat this kind of value.

MAC Enchanted Eve Lips €25.00

The Mac Christmas collection this year is as suitably glittery and fabulous as you could hope for. There are plenty of well priced gifts in the Enchanted Eve collection and this pocket sized lip kit will make a lovely stocking filler or Kris Kindle gift. It’s available in a variety of shades and will also bring much joy to a lipstick lover. I wouldn’t leave it to the last minute to buy this though; I was in Mac getting my makeup done at the weekend and spotted lots of people scoping out the Christmas collection.

Trilogy Everyday Must-Haves Gift Set €26.79

Another great value kit that will please almost every woman. Trilogy Rosehip Oil is deservedly a cult skincare product and this box contains a full size bottle of oily goodness. Also included is a limited edition Trilogy Everything Balm to soothe chapped lips and dry skin. A good stocking filler for just about any woman.

NYX Butt “Naked” Eye Palette €28.20

NYX bats well above its weight in terms of quality and the brand is recognised as a producer of good quality makeup, Cheeky names are de rigueur in this sector of the market which tends to emulate Benefit as much as possible in terms of packaging and branding. The NYX Butt “Naked” Eye Palette is great value with 15 neutral matte and shimmery eyeshadows, four blushers, two illuminators and a bronzer. Give this to a teenager and you’ll be so popular you might even persuade them to eat their Brussel Sprouts.

Dermalogica Favourites Kit €30.00

This favourites set is a winner because it will suit all skintypes and ages. Dermalogica are a quality brand and here’s the opportunity to pick up four decent travel sized bestsellers including Daily Microfoliant.

Urban Decay Shadowbox €30.00 Debenhams

Shadowbox is ultimately a travel sized box of Urban Decay Shadows, but at this price I’m not complaining. With twelve shadows including three new ones, ranging from matte to sparkle, you can experiment to your hearts content. This box of tricks is perfect for both a newbie to the world of makeup and the old hand who wants an easy palette for nights away and holidays.