Stockings are one of the best things to gift at Christmas. They can be large or small, personalised, filled with an array of products, and can cost as little or as much as you like, based on your budget. There are a huge number of stocking filler gift options this year and below are some of my favourites...
First up is a stocking filler that would benefit many beauty-obsessed girls like myself. It is the Morning Glamour Satin Pillow Case (£12.99 amazon.co.uk) that helps keep your hair and skin intact. Available in a variety of different colours, this satin pillow case helps to eliminate frizz, and reduce hair loss, breakage, snagging, and matting. As satin is non-absorbent - unlike cotton pillowcases - this Morning Glamour pillow case helps your skin (and hair) maintain moisture and ensures your nighttime skincare products are only absorbed by your skin, and not your bedding. Even better, it also prevents you waking up with those pillow creases that can lead to wrinkles!
Paul Mitchell's The Book of Volume (£33 lookfantastic.com) makes a great stocking filler for the hair-obsessed. Contained in this great gift set is a volumising trio that work together to give fine to normal hair a weightless boost, thanks to the hero ingredient panthenol. It contains the Extra-Body Shampoo, which gently cleanses and volumises hair, whilst also helping to repair worn-down locks and maximise shine. The Extra-Body Conditioner is included to detangle, smooth, and volumise fine hair, leaving locks full of body, bounce, and shine. Finally, the Extra-Body Boost - a precision root-boosting spray - is included to delivers an extra oomph exactly where you need it.
For the makeup lovers, I recommend including an affordable beauty gadget and the EX1 Beauty Egg (£13 beautybay.com) is the perfect choice. It is a classic egg-shaped beauty sponge that - wait for it - comes with a handy egg-shaped case, to ensure the sponge stays protected and free from germs on-the-go. Girls who love makeup sponges will understand the pain of trying to keep them dirt-free. No matter how hard I try, specks of dirt, hairs and whatever else will always find their way onto my sponges and then onto my face, which drives me insane. So gifting a girl a protective case alongside a makeup applicator couldn't be more welcome!
For the skincare nerds, I recommend adding travel-sized skincare products to a stocking. Murad, one of the best British skincare brands, is offering limited-edition travel size versions of two of its popular moisturisers. My personal favourite is Dew Vibes, aka the Nutrient-Charged Water Gel. This oil-free gel-cream instantly plumps and hydrates the skin - for up to five days! - to bless you with baby-soft, smooth skin. Lip products also make good stocking fillers for the skincare obsessed, so I also recommend a good lip balm or treatment. One of my favourites is the Teoxane [3D] Lip (£29.99 amazon.co.uk). This daily lip treatment has a rich texture that delivers comfort and hydration to the lips. Formulated with hyaluronic acid, shea butter, and ceramides, [3D] Lip smooths, nourishes, and achieves a plumping effect for the lips. Its non-sticky texture absorbs into the lips quickly and is applied using a cooling applicator tip that gives comfort to sensitised and damaged lips.
Now not every stocking needs to be filled to the brim with beauty bits. Sweet treats always make for a fab stocking filler and one brand that makes sure every gal can get in on the action is Booja-Booja. This British brand make chocolates that are dairy-free and vegan but still taste unbelievably good. I recommend The Wonderbox (£17.49 ocado.com), a selection box of twenty multi award-winning chocolate truffles featuring classic and unique flavours (Rhubarb & Vanilla Fool, Toffee Strudel, and Cherry Cognac to name a few!).
For the book worms, I recommend including The Power of Nunchi (£12.99 Waterstones). Nunchi is the guiding principle of Korean life. Nunchi (noon-chee) means eye measure and it refers to the subtle art of gauging other people's thoughts and feelings in order to build trust, harmony, and connection. Nunchi is the art of reading a room - your way of understanding what other people are thinking and feeling, and using that to get ahead. Not a bad skill to posses, huh? The Power of Nunchi makes a perfect stocking filler for any girl that is into lifestyle, welling, and psychology.
For the girls who like to cook (and plan!), a 2020 Cook's Dairy (£9.99 amazon.co.uk) makes for a great stocking filler. A Cook's Diary is a beautifully covered, A5 week-to-view diary that is packed with essential calendars and planning tools to get the creative juices flowing. A sticker sheet is included to highlight important events and appointments and there is even a handy pocket in the diary to store all those loose recipies and receipts. The diary also features a simple-to-prepare recipe each week for those foodies that need a little inspiration!
Finally, it's important your gifted stocking is full of a little novelty, stockings are supposed to be fun, after all. My favourite novelty gift this year is a 'Ping for Gin' bell from Oliver Bonus. For just five pounds, your stocking receiver can lounge around, safe in the knowledge that gin is on tap, whenever she needs it. She, of course, will need a willing participant, but let's worry about that until Christmas Day...
Finally, it's important your gifted stocking is full of a little novelty, stockings are supposed to be fun, after all. My favourite novelty gift this year is a 'Ping for Gin' bell from Oliver Bonus. For just five pounds, your stocking receiver can lounge around, safe in the knowledge that gin is on tap, whenever she needs it. She, of course, will need a willing participant, but let's worry about that until Christmas Day...