THE 10 BEST BEAUTY GIFT SETS

WITH the shops filling up with beauty gift sets for Christmas, JENNY WOOD picks ten of this year’s best offerings — and has a peek inside to see what you get for your money . . .

BEST FOR ... NATURAL BEAUTY

Liz Earle Botanical Skin Saviour (£26, lizearle.co.uk) WHAT YOU GET: Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser 100ml, Skin Repair Moisturiser 15ml, Instant Boost Skin Tonic 50ml, Eyebright Soothing Lotion 50ml and two muslin cloths. VERDICT: This all-in-one cleanse, tone and moisturise set will be a hit with both newcomers and fans of Liz Earle’s legendary botanical regime — you’ll save £13 compared to buying the contents individually.

SOMEONE SPECIAL

House Of Jo Malone London Gift Set (£130, jomalone.co.uk) WHAT YOU GET: Red Roses Bath Oil 30ml, Lime, Basil & Mandarin Cologne 30ml, Peony & Blush Suede Body Creme 50ml, Grapefruit Body & Hand Wash 100ml, Pomegranate Noir Travel Candle 60g, English Pear & Freesia Body and Hand Lotion 100ml, plus a gift box. VERDICT: Everything about this feels luxurious, from the chic products to the cream box. It’s difficult to estimate the value of the contents, as several are ‘special’ sizes, but they all feel far from small, and the full-size cologne alone is worth £42. The beauty of this gift set is that each item has a different scent, so you can wear

them alone or layer.

SKIN SAVIOUR

Body Butter Festive Dome (£20, thebodyshop.co.uk) WHAT YOU GET: Five 50ml Body Butters in Strawberry, Coconut, Shea, Mango and Moringa, plus a decorative dome box. VERDICT: These thick body creams are among The Body Shop’s biggest sellers. Overall, the set will only save you £5 on buying the items separately, but five body butters should last you the whole year!

PARTY ANIMAL

no7 Instant Glamour Kit (£20, Boots and boots.com) WHAT YOU GET: Two No7 Stay Perfect Eye Shadows 1.5g, Natural Blush Tint Powder in Soft Damson 3g, Stay Perfect Amazing Eyes Pencil in Black 1.2g, Limited Edition Lip Gloss 5ml, Directional Powder Brush, box and make-up guide. VERDICT: A nifty set, which claims to contain all you need to create three looks. The suits-all pink blusher and black eyeliner are fullsize, while the lipgloss and eye shadows are handbag-friendly. A saving of more than £20.

BUSY MUM

Elizabeth arden Eight Hour Cream Beauty Set (£42, counters nationwide) WHAT YOU GET: Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant 50ml, Night-time Miracle Moisturiser 7ml, Intensive Daily Moisturiser For Face SPF 15 15ml, Intensive Moisturising Hand Treatment 30ml, Lip Protectant Stick SPF 15. VERDICT: The Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream has a loyal following, thanks to its myriad uses — from adding shine to cheeks to smoothing feet.

This set has a full-size version, as well as a twist-up lipbalm. With the contents valued at £69, it is a great bargain, especially as everything comes in this red patent make-up bag.

TRENDY TEENAGER

Soap & Glory In The Bag (£18, Boots and boots.com) WHAT YOU GET: Clean On Me Moisture Shower Gel 75ml, Heel Genius Foot Cream 50ml, Hand Food Hand Cream 50ml, The Righteous Butter Body Butter 50ml, Glad Hair Day Shampoo 50ml, The Scrub Of Your Life Body Buffer 50ml, body puff and washbag. VERDICT: Handy for holidays, this washbag has six travel-size bestsellers. Bought separately, the products would cost £15 — but you do get the bag and puff, too.

JETSETTER

Molton Brown Women’s Weekend Stowaway (£33, moltonbrown.co.uk) WHAT YOU GET: Pink Pepperpod Body Wash 100ml, Body Lotion 100ml and Hand Cream 40ml, plus a washbag. VERDICT: Perfect for weekend getaways, this set contains three products from Molton Brown’s most popular scent range for women. A thoughtful present for anyone who travels often.

BEAUTY QUEEN

Clinique Days Of The Week Lipstick Set (£35, clinique. co.uk) WHAT YOU GET: Seven limitededition Long Last lipsticks, 2.4g each. VERDICT: These long-lasting purse-sized lipsticks come in wearable shades — one for each day of the week.

And even better still, the whole set costs the same as just two ordinary Clinique lipsticks would.

HARD WORKER

L’Occitane Secret To Beautiful Hands (£39, uk.loccitane.com) WHAT YOU GET: Shea Butter Hand Cream 75ml, One Minute Hand Scrub 100ml, Nail & Cuticle Oil 7.5ml, a ‘Magic Key’ and gift box. VERDICT: A beautiful kit that does what it says on the tin, with products for moisturising and protecting hands. The scrub is surprisingly effective, the cream is luxurious, and the oil is a thoughtful extra — all totalling £46 if bought separately.

The star, however, is the ‘Magic Key’, a clever reusable gizmo that helps you squeeze every last drop from any beauty product that comes in a tube.

FASHIONISTA

Limited Edition Sophia Webster for Toni & Guy Washbag Gift Set (£30, Boots and boots.com) WHAT YOU GET: Limited Edition Shampoo for Fine Hair 250ml, Conditioner for Fine Hair 250ml, Firm Hold Hairspray 250ml, 3D Volumiser 150ml and a washbag. VERDICT: Unlike many gift sets for hair, this contains four full-size products — all of which are useful. The stylish graphic bottles were created by fashion designer Sophia Webster, and the shampoo and conditioner smell as good as they look — like those used in salons.

The packaging also includes a guide to help you make the most of the volumising spray inside.

Elsa Mcalonan returns next week.