Wee Birdy

December 2, 2008

Top 10 London gifts for under £10

In the first of my series of Christmas gift lists, I've found all manner of goodies from London for under a tenner. And with all of them available to purchase online, those birdies from outside of London can buy up, too.



1. Freedom SteamCream, £9.95, from Liberty
London’s number one cult beauty buy this Christmas, SteamCream uses steam-infused technology to create an ultra-light but deeply moisturising cream that can be used on face, hands and body. It’s made in the UK using oatmeal, orange flower water and soothing lavender oil. I dig the gorgeous collectable tin designs. Thanks to Cult Beauty blog and British Beauty Blogger for the tip.

2. Panama silver pencil, £7, from Smythson
For those who love their luxury brands, a stunning slim silver pencil from London heritage brand Smythson is an excellent gift for birdies on a budget. There’s also a lovely gilt version for £9, with lead refills from around £2. Thanks to the super-sharp Consume team at Time Out London who put me on to these little beauties.

3. Trafalgar Shaving Cream, £9.50, from Truefitt and Hill
For a wallet-friendly gift that comes with a royal warrant (that would be HRH The Duke of Edinburgh), look no further than Truefitt and Hill’s Trafalgar Shaving Cream. Established in London in 1805, Truefitt and Hill has over 200 years of expertise in grooming products and services, and their glycerine-based shaving cream makes a fine gift for the discerning gentleman.



4. Charbonnel et Walker Marc De Champagne Truffles, £10, from Liberty
With a sublime Champagne and butter ganache centre, Charbonnel et Walker’s Champagne truffles are the ultimate in Christmas chocolate decadence. I’ve been known to get stuck in first thing on Christmas morning – naughty (but oh so nice)! Established in 1875, Charbonnel et Walker is one of Britain’s oldest chocolate makers, and have also earned the Queen’s stamp of approval with a Royal Warrant.

5. Lavender vanilla lip balm, £4.50, from Content Beauty/Wellbeing
A glorious vintage-inspired tin of certified organic lip goodness is a snip at £4.50 from London’s luxury organic beauty boutique. It’s a dream to use with no artificial preservatives, and the pretty tin can be used afterwards to store hair clips and pins.



6. Liberty print handkerchief, £4.95 for one, from Liberty
If a Liberty silk scarf is way beyond your budget this Christmas, consider a pretty Liberty print handkerchief in super-soft Tana Lawn cotton instead. There are crochet-edged handkerchiefs for £5.95, and a pack of three for £19.95 (pictured above). I also like slipping them inside birthday cards to girlfriends back in Australia.

 

7. Rose Water, £7.80, from Neal’s Yard
A lovely old-fashioned beauty gift from legendary London apothecary Neal’s Yard Remedies, this handsome bottle of rose water has a faintly-retro sweet rose scent. Working as a toner to refresh the skin, it also removes final traces of make-up after cleansing.

 

8. Fortmason Tea, £8.25, from Fortnum and Mason
As London’s finest connoisseurs of tea, Fortnum and Mason is a good place to start for affordable Christmas presents. With a blend of Indian and China tea, the classic Fortmason Tea is scented with orange blossom for a deliciously fragrant cuppa. The gorgeous tea caddy can also be re-filled after use.

 

9. London Classic Mug, £7, from Cath Kidston
The new London print by Cath Kidston is inspired by vintage souvenir prints, and makes a very sweet mug design. Perfect affordable gift for Cath Kidston and London fans alike.

10. Archive poster, £7.78, from The London Transport Museum
With an archive of over 5,000 posters and 700 original poster artworks, prices at the London Transport Museum start at £7.78 for an A4 print. Search by decade, artist or keyword, and find the perfect gift for your favourite Londoner. This poster of the Tower of London (pictured above) is from 1956 by Hans Unger.

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