Beauty confidential: Top treats for under a tenner!

Don’t panic if you’ve left everything to the last minute, our gift guide has something lovely for everyone on your list — and even better, nothing costs more then £10.

Season's treats: Here's a list of things you can slip into almost anyone's stocking

MAGICAL MUM

Soap & Glory Peace  Hand Love, £10 (Boots)

Perfect for leaving next to the sink, this hand pampering kit includes Wash Your Hands Of It liquid soap and Hand Food hand cream. Smells delicious.

NSpa Relax Exotic Spa  Retreats, £8 (Asda)

This big box of goodies will be loved by any mum. It contains hand soak, hand lotion, body spray, pillow mist, hair conditioning treatment and a giant body scrubbing puff. Fantastic value in a box they’ll want to keep.

Comfort and Crumbs Gift Set, £8 (Asda)

A huge gift set in pretty vintage style packaging, it contains bath fizz, bath confetti, body lotion, body scrub, body wash and cosy slipper socks.

PAMPERED PA

Mr Grumpy Soap on a Rope, £4.49 (Sally Salon Services)

A fun gift that can be hung in the shower to remind them to cheer up in the mornings.

Blue Energy Body Spray and Shower Gel Duo Gift set, £6, (M&S)

Scented with bergamot, pine and apple, this gift set is a lovely bright blue, with full-sized products. Great for dads who don’t like fussy toiletries, it looks and smells classy.

Ted Baker Soap For The Best Duo Gift Set, £10 (Boots)

this is a little piece of designer luxury at a great price. Scented with sandalwood, cedarwood and musk, the set includes soap on a rope, body wash and body spray in a gift box.

From left: NSpa Relax Exotic Spa Retreat Pampering Treats, Mr Grumpy Soap on a Rope and Brrrr-illiant box from Lush

LADY IN YOUR LIFE

Perfect Sanctuary  Essentials, £10 (Boots)

this contains Essentials Body Wash, Body Scrub, Foaming Bath Soak, Body Lotion and Luxury Bath Float. Should last for a few relaxing evenings.

Baylis & Harding Beautilicious Pink Cashmere Set, £7.99 (Sally Salon Services and Tesco)

A gorgeous set containing bath milk, shower gel, hand and body lotion and body polisher scented with a Pink Cashmere fragrance in an elegant box.

Lush Brrrrilliant, £7.95 (nationwide)

Lush gifts are beautifully packaged and ready to pop under the tree. This box contains Whoosh shower jelly and Snow Globe soap, both with zesty lemon and grapefruit oils.

MAN IN YOUR LIFE

Natural Men’s Heated Pillow, £4.99 (Superdrug)

Great for aches and pains, this green mint-scented pillow takes less than a minute to heat in the microwave and will also help relieve stress and tension.

Men’s Maca Root Gift Duo, £8 (thebodyshop.co.uk)

Containing Maca Root from Peru and Brazil nut oil, this face scrub and face wash are invigorating and refreshing. A good gift for the man who enjoys no-fuss skin products.

Champneys Men’s Spa Essentials Refreshing Duo, £10, (Boots)

packaged in masculine colours and generously-sized, this set contains  24-hour protection deodorant and a body and hair wash.

From left: Natural Men's heated pillow, mini hair straighteners and a woods of Windsor fragrance pomander

GLAM GIRL

MUA Professional Immaculate  Collection, £8 (Superdrug)

A GOOD value eye shadow palette containing 24 highly-pigmented eye shadows in both matte and shimmer. A lovely gift for the girl who has everything.

Santa’s Little Helpers Gift Set from Bliss, £10 (Debenhams)

This gift set is a mix of hand and lip products. Containing Fabulips, a lip-softening balm and a trial-sized tube of High Intensity Hand Cream.

Things I Love … Mini Hair  Straighteners, £9.99 (Superdrug)

In bright pink, these are perfect for popping into a handbag to take you from day into evening and are also great for travelling.

GRANDPARENTS

Yardley Perfumed Talc and Luxury Soap Gift Set, £8.99 (Boots)

Lots of women still love talc, and it doesn’t come more traditional than this gift box from Yardley. Choose from English Lavender, Lily of the Valley or English Rose, with a generous-sized tin of talc and a pretty soap.

Baylis & Harding For  Him 3 Pack, £8.99 (Tesco)

VALUE for money gift set containing hair and body wash, aftershave balm and shower gel, all lightly fragranced with black pepper and ginseng.  

Woods of Windsor Fragrance Pomander, £9.95 (Lloyds pharmacies)

pretty pomanders, which gently fragrance the air, and are perfect for hanging along with Christmas baubles. They’re  a good size and decorated with flowers. Choose from True Rose or Lavender.

From left: Yardley luxury soap gift set, Floozie by Frost French Tea Cup Candle and Gilette gift set

BEST FRIEND

Limited Edition Born Lippy Gift Pop, £10 (The Body Shop)

This is a unique lip balm set that looks like a giant lollipop stick, containing five lip balms in Strawberry, Raspberry, Satsuma Shimmer, Watermelon and Passionberry.

Cath Kidston Wild Flowers Shower Gels Set, £6 (Cath Kidston stores)

These travel-friendly sized tubes of shower gels are perfect for a weekend away. In pretty rose print packaging, there are three fragrances of honeysuckle, bluebell and wild rose. They contain no parabens or sulphates.

Floozie by Frost French  Tea Cup Candle, £10 (Debenhams)

This fabulous range always has something special for Christmas and this tea cup candle is perfect for a dressing table.

GORGEOUS GUY

Jump Start Pack, £9.99 (Sainsbury’s)

This Moosehead gift pack contains Gritty Styling Clay to give hair a strong hold, and Invigorate Hair and Body Wash, a refreshing and reviving wash, as well as a loofah.

FCUK Man and Bodywash, £8 (Boots)

Containing full-sized products of Urban Body Spray and Bodywash, this classy gift set is scented with refreshing citrus, amber and musk.

Gillette Urban Explorer Washbag, £10 (Boots)

A robust toiletries bag contains a Fusion ProGlide Razor, mini moisturiser and Cool Wave deodorant. Great for boys who play sport.

SURVIVAL TIPS FROM SAVVY SHOPPERS

Lulu says: 'Always wear flat shoes. Decant your bag so it¿s as light as possible or, better yet, use a small bag with a cross body strap with essentials only'

With only three days to go, there’s nothing for it but to hit the High Street and face the Christmas crowds. Help lighten the load with some top survival tips from these self-confessed retail junkies.

Nicky Kinnaird, founder and president of SpaceNK

Shop alone, because having to deal with someone else’s dilemmas is never helpful and definitely will distract you from the job at hand. I also always carry a small bottle of water to keep thirst at bay.
Don’t forget to pick up wrapping paper, ribbon and cards — you don’t want to be heading back into the fray later on.

Lulu, singer and 2011 Strictly Come Dancing contestant

Always wear flat shoes. Decant your bag so it’s as light as possible or, better yet, use a small bag with a cross body strap with essentials only. Go early before shops get too busy. Ask for gift wrapping if they have it — it saves so much time. And buy yourself a little something as a reward!

Retail shopping expert  Lorna Mackay

Talk to the sales assistants. The staff should be polite, knowledgeable and keen to please and if they are not, shop somewhere else.
Ask what promotions they have, what their best deal is and what their recommendations are. Will they do any specials for Christmas?
Ask about gift receipts and if there are any benefits if you are buying more than one, or if you spend a certain amount.
Do not be embarrassed to ask. If you don’t ask you will not get. It is okay if they say no, but at least they know you mean business.