CHRISTMAS GUIDE

Christmas is here once again and I have to say I'm really excited. What's not to love about this magical time of the year? It's a time to spend with our loved ones, eat and drink merrily, kiss under the mistletoe and swap presents. Ha, presents. Despite once rushing around on Xmas eve and eventually spending £300 on a camcorder that the receiver didn't even care for, I've yet to be put off by the task of present buying. So, being the kind soul that I am (or more truthfully the overgrown kid who still gets up early on Christmas morning to see what's under the tree) I've selected an array of gift ideas for all pockets, ages and types, to hopefully inspire you and ease the stress of Christmas shopping. This week I've put together a selection for those beauty aficionados who already own every cream and potion out there and for whom only the latest thing will do. Luckily technology has made a big appearance on the beauty counters this year and here's my pick of the crop.

MaxiMasque

 

 

A genius mask designed to combat wrinkles, maximise hydration and plump up the skin. Plug in the MaxiMasque and let it warm up for 10 minutes before placing on your face in conjunction with your moisturiser of choice. Sit back and let MaxiMasque do its magic. Your skin will immediately appear smoother, softer and more radiant. Use as a pick me up when you need it or as part of your daily skin care regime. Clinical trials at the Department of Dermatology at Amersham Hospital (part of the Buckinghamshire NHS Trust) showed that 59% of its participants noticed a dramatic improvement to their skin hydration after an hour of using the mask with their favourite cream, compared against the use of moisturiser alone. A fantastic present for those who take their skin care seriously. MaxiMasque costs £49.95 and comes with seven reusable sponges (approx 6 months use). Available at 0844 567 9374 / www.anhealth.co.uk Replacement sponges cost only £6.99 for a pack of 10 sponges.

Clarisonic Skin Cleansing System

 

 

Developed by the team behind the Sonicare sonic toothbrush and loved by celebrities like Courtney Cox and Cameron Diaz, Clarisonic is a new way to cleanse your skin using sonic oscillation technology. Use this cordless electrical brush on your face with your cleanser of choice (or with the excellent Clarisonic ones if you prefer) and let it clean deep into your skin. The gentle bristles move fast to clean deeply and reach areas (for example inside existing wrinkles) that our fingers or cotton pad can't reach. A minute is all it takes and the Clarisonic brush has an inbuilt system that beeps when it's time to move the brush to different areas of your face. Suitable for all skin types, including sensitive and oily, the Clarisonic brush has been proven to clean 6 times deeper than any other system, improve skin conditions like acne and rosacea and reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines by cleaning them thoroughly, taking away the dirt that weighs them down and makes them appear deeper than they actually are. Clarisonic is waterproof and can be used on the body too with the appropriate interchangeable brush. Use once or twice daily and see the appearance of your skin improve in a few weeks. Clarisonic Skin Cleansing System costs £146.81 for Clarisonic Classic or £171.28 for Clarisonic Plus, replacement brushes are priced at £19.57 is available at Space NK, www.spacenk.co.uk , visit www.clarisonic.com/uk or telephone 0800 988 4864.

Lee Stafford Lee's Triple Box Of Trix
This gorgeous and girly gift box contains all you need for styling your hair on the go: a portable hair dryer, mini straighteners and a curling iron. Small enough to carry in your handbag but big in quality, Lee Stafford's Triple Box Of Trix is perfect for creating different looks for different occasions. Every girl should own one. Lee Stafford Lee's Triple Box Of Trix is priced at £69.99 but hurry and get it for less than half price for a limited time only exclusively at Boots www.boots.com. For more info on celebrity hairdresser Lee Stafford and his products visit www.leestafford.com

 
by Stef Bottinelli