It’s the most wonderful time of the year! I’m blasting Christmas songs since mid November. Isn’t Christmas just the best time of the year? Everyone seems a tad happier, we are surrounded with stuffed reindeers and trizillion of lights and it’s perfectly justifiable to have a cheeky G&T before midday! 

Buying and wrapping presents for my favourite humans (and four-leggers) is another favourite thing of mine. So I’ve put together a quick gift guide for those lacking ideas what to buy to a skincare lover! *sips on a G&T*

First, let’s set some ground rules:

Unless you have at least an idea of their’s skin type or you have their “dear Santa” list, avoid buying basic skincare products (cleanser, toner and moisturizer) as they are very personal and you can miss completely and instead of joy you’ll bring them breakout or irritation. 

Here are some ideas for all budgets …

1  Serums

There are gazillion different serums on the market. Some of them are tackling very specific conditions, some are very active but there is still a wide choice of “safe” ones. The ones that everyone needs in their routine. You can’t miss with hyaluronic acid!

Inkey list has Hyaluronic Serum for £4.99 or Collagen one for £8.99.

Pestle and Mortar is a great mid price range option (£33).

Dr. Sebagh is my favourite HA serum – £69.

Last but not least: Dermalogica BioLumin-C serum  £81

2  Face masks

The world of face masks is endless. Some of them are active and therefore not recommended for a lot of faces. To stay on the safe side, stick to ones that are hydrating, plumping, rejuvenating … Here’s some of my faves:

Dr Jart sheet masks are a perfect stocking filler – £6

Aesop Blue Chamomille Hydrating Masque is an amazing “slap on and go to bed” plumping mask. Perfect on a long haul flight as well – £33

Peter Thomas Roth has a wide range of face masks. You can be “brave” and choose one (£40+) or get a kit of 6 minis for £21.

If you want to really splurge on a mask (and win some extra points), there’s always Sysley Black Rose Cream Mask. Umpf. £105

3  Tools

The positive side of gifting some kind of skincare related contraption is that you don’t really have to know their skin type. Some of the most hyped tools this year:

Jade roller – it’s like a gym for your face – it boosts circulation and even helps products to penetrate faster. It’s a must have for a skincare junkie!

Nu Face – you can take face massaging to another level! If Lisa Eldridge is using it, we all should too. A perfect gift! There’s a standard version – £240 and it’s mini version – £125.

Body Brush – body brushing trend peaked a few years ago, but it still is the most efficient ritual to get your skin baby soft and skin a tad tighter. This is product for body, please don’t use it on the face!

The Body Shop £10

4  Kits

Gift kits can be a hit or miss. I often find them a way for a brand to get rid of stock that doesn’t sell. There’s always a “black sheep” product included, something you will never use. On the other hand, they are always a good value for the price!

I managed to find 4 awesome ones … without “that” annoying useless product:

Herbivore Hydrate and Glow kit

4 generous minis, all skin types, just gorgeous. £39 in Liberty and SpaceNK

Sol de Janeiro

Bum Bum Cream in a kit. Enough said. £56

Dr Sebagh Revive and Repair gift set

It contains three of my favourite products from the brand. Rose serum on its own is £129, so the price tag for the kit is, actually, a bargain. Not an obvious one, but it is! It’s £156 Selfridges or Liberty.

Omorovicza Miracle Facial set

Three skincare gems for normal to dry skin. £85

How is your Christmas shopping going so far?

I wanted to touch this controversial topic as the beauty industry can be misleading and not transparent about it.

Back in 2013, when the EU banned the sale of all cosmetic products tested on animals, we were all happy as bunnies (pun intended) and seemed to forget about all the animal cruelty shenanigans.

but …

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Skinity has taken a backseat for the past few months. In the meantime it was hacked as well. You might have read posts about dating sites and advice on getting a mail order wife. Wasn’t me. I’m still happily engaged and this place is still predominantly focused on all things skincare.

While I wait to start opening my precious Liberty Beauty advent calendar (aka the reason for my skincare buying ban), I still managed to squeeze a few new products on my overcrowded shelf. Some of them are true gems and have a potential to get a title of a holly grail product. Since using them I get more compliments on my skin than ever.

I thought I’d share with you my top three new serums worth trying …

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