What better gift to give loved ones this Christmas than ones that keeps on giving?
Do you have a niece who loves makeup? Does your Grandad look like Santa Clause with his wild bushy beard? And does mum and dad need a well-deserved bit of rest and relaxation!?
Never fear, we have eight great Christmas gift ideas that family and loved ones will enjoy. Plus, the bonus with health and beauty gifts – long term value!
According to Jeff Galak when discussing ‘The science behind giving good gifts’, with the BBC, “When givers give gifts, they’re trying to optimise on the moment they give the gift and see the smile on the recipient’s face right in that moment,” says Galak. “But what recipients care about is how much value they’re going to derive from that over a longer time period.”
Lush – Snow Fairy Christmas Gift
This is one of our favourite Lush products here at CSW. Lush customers also agree, as Snow Fairy is their most successful range. If you’ve never smelt Snow Fairy, Lush stores are in most major cities, so go and have a smell. Imagine bubble gum, strawberries and candyfloss – heaven!
Lush are well known for their ethical stance, with all their products being suitable for vegetarians and a large number being suitable for vegans too. Lush also uses recycled plastic, paper, and board to package their products, and encourage customers to return empty Lush pots to their stores for a store credit in the ‘Bring It Back‘ scheme.
You can purchase the above present for your lucky loved one from Lush.com at a cost of £60.00.
Nikura – Luxury Essential Oil Gift Set
If you’re wanting a luxury gift for a loved one you can’t go wrong with quality essential oils. It’s such a thoughtful gift, as they can be used in so many ways: a few drops added to a relaxing bath, mixed with a base layer for a sensual massage, infused in water to add sumptuous scents throughout the home, and to cosmetics and soaps to make homemade gifts. If you’re inspired to make your own gifts next year using essential oil, see this guide by Bottega Zero Waste here.
Clearly labelled on their packaging, Nikura states that their essential oils are 100% pure and natural, they are ethically made in the UK using vegan friendly products, and they have also not been tested on animals. Making it a great gift for friends and family that like to support UK products and love animals. *
Another great idea would be to purchase single bottles of essential oils as stocking fillers, as they are the perfect size.
At the time of writing you can purchase the Nikura Luxury Essential Oil Gift set at Nikura.com for £17.99, usual price £20.99.
KVD (Kat Von D) – Moongarden Vegan Eyeshadow Palette
Drop dead gorgeous! The KVD (Kat Von D) limited edition pallet not only has 12 dazzling high-pigment, high performance colours, the artwork on the box is stunning too. Kat Von D a tattoo artist herself made famous for her highly sort after work on US TV show Miami Ink, and LA ink, also employs talented tattoo artist like Miryam Lumpini (see artwork above), to adding something extra special to each makeup box.
The makeup range did not start out as vegan, but as of 2016 the whole range is now fully vegan. And it’s great to know Cat Von D is vegan too.
A tip if you’re buying for fashion conscious loved ones, according to Cosmopolitan the beautiful blue colour within the pallet is seriously on trend this year.
If you’re in love with this as much as we are, you can buy it as a Christmas gift at kdveganbeauty.com for £38.00.
Neals Yard – Invigorating Skincare Set For Men
Organic, natural skin care products should be for all! As we all deserve a good pampering! And what better way to truly pamper your skin, than using organic products, as they are so much better for your health and the planets.
Neals Yards products are not only healthy, they are an ethical company too. Thanks to their organic, vegetarian and vegan products, that are also not tested on animals and are handcrafted in their eco-factory in Dorset, Neals Yard became the first company to receive 100 out of 100 for their ethics in the category health and beauty, by the ‘Ethical Company Organisation’ in 2014 – what an achievement!
Neals Yard state that they “fuse the apothecary’s ancient expertise with natural, organic ingredients and cutting-edge innovation”. Don’t you just love the word ‘apothecary’!
If you are looking for a gift for someone that loves traveling, this set would fit perfectly within their rucksack. You can find the set at Neals Yard for £25.00.
Skingredients – The Rockstars Key Four Gift Set
Nowadays it’s not difficult to find ethical vegan gifts. The Rockstars Key Four Gift Set is no exception. Skingredients are awaiting their cruelty free ‘Leaping Bunny‘ logo, but they have already been certified RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil), and all their ingredients are vegan, recyclable and refillable.
If the lucky person you’ve gifted the Rockstars Key Four gift set to isn’t that confident about skin care, do not worry, as they have a quick guide you can find here on YouTube.
Selling out recently due to its popularity, they have thankfully recently restocked just in time for Christmas. You can buy the complete set including a free cleanse off mitt for £159.00 ( £181.00 if purchased separately) at Skingredients.co.uk.
Delilah – Vegan Travel Brush Collection
Such stylish looking brushes and case! What a treat! This four Piece Mini Brush and case, as their name states are completely vegan and come from a company called Delilah, that is certified by PETA as cruelty free. It’s hard to believe this gorgeous travel case, that’s perfect to use when traveling or on the go, is vegan too.
The set includes a mini powder brush, a mini lip brush, a double ended eyeshadow brush and a double ended liner brush – what more could you need!
Costing £42.00 at the time of writing, the usually price would normally be £66.00 from delilahcosmetics.com.
Woodsman Beard Company – Mountaineer Gift Set
Is your loved one going for the messy beard look? No problem! Or, are they going for a manicured beard look? If it’s the manicured look we’ve got you covered! Using the finest organic, vegan ingredients, and handmade in the UK, the Woodsman Beard Company have put together a great gift set, perfect to tame any wild beard this Christmas.
A much appreciated part of this gift is the calming balm and beard oil, as beards can get itchy when growing them out. The beard shampoo bar will get the beard clean and conditioned, then the beard oil or balm can be used to soften the beard and skin, and help sooth any irritation.
The Woodsman Beard Company Mountaineer Gift Set is on sale at the time of writing for £24.99 usually £29.99.
Organic Essentials – Bath Bomb
First things first, check your friend has a bath! It sounds an odd thing to check, but even though the Organic Essentials Bath Bombs look beautiful displayed in any bathroom, it would be rather frustrating if your loved one couldn’t actually use them in their own bath. The hint is in the name after all!
You’ve double checked and you’ve ticked the bath box, then these are going to go down a treat! Lovingly made by hand in Yorkshire, the bath booms are a mix of their own blends, from Earthy and floral, to lively citrus aromas. It will feel like a spar experience at home.
To buy the organic, ethically sourced and vegan bath bombs, that are carefully wrapped in eco-friendly tissue paper, you can visit Organic Essentials at Etsy.com UK. The price is between £12.79 and £12.99 for a set of three.
* Remember essential oils should not be used around animals.