If you’ve left your Christmas shopping to the last minute, don’t panic - you’ve still got time! Here’s the best gift ideas I’ve seen this week…

For her

* Oroton has released the Lucky necklace (pictured here), which is a reinterpretation of the label’s iconic mesh purses. The original mesh purses are a collector’s item with vintage fans - I bought a 1960s version from a second-hand shop in Sydney’s Castlereagh Street several years ago and it was one of the finds of the year for me! Priced at $195, the Lucky necklace comes in antique gold, silver or gunmental.

* If you’re shopping for someone with wavy or curly hair, she’ll love the Curl-ease towel. Curly hair is notoriously tricky to wash and dry without ending up with a mountain of frizz. The Curl-ease towel is completely flat, so no strands can get caught and frizz up. It retails for $19.99.

* Hollywood Fashion Tape makes a great stocking filler for most girls, especially in the party season. It’s double-sided tape that sticks to both clothing and skin, so you can avoid any potential waldrobe malfunctions, particularly with skimpy tops and dresses on New Year’s Eve. You can find it at a range of boutiques, specialty stores, spas and beauty salons.

* Target has 20 percent off fragrance gift packs until Christmas Eve. I don’t recommend buying perfume for anyone unless you’re fairly confident you know what they like - fragrance is a very individual thing and what smells good on one woman may end up smelling like toilet cleaner on another.

For him

* The iconic Aussie Stubbies have been reinvented - and you’ll hardly recognise them. No longer restricted to those sporting the so-called trasdesman’s crack, they now come in a range of vintage prints and styles. Check them out at your local Myer stores in NSW, Victoria and Queensland. (They also make Stubbies for women, and they are oh-so-comfy…)

* If the man in question has some metrosexual tendencies - or just looks after his skin - Nivea For Men recently released some new products, including a Moisturising Body Lotion and Extreme Comfort shaving gel and balm. While I can’t vouch for the effectiveness of the men’s products myself, for obvious reasons, they have received good feedback from my male friends and I do love the women’s products, (the Nivea Visage Anti-Wrinkle Q10 Repair Night Cream is one of the best supermarket night moisturisers I’ve used).

* For adventure-seekers, the Oregon Scientific Action Cam is one of the coolest new gadgets around. Its maker claims it’s the world’s first amateur waterproof and shock-resistant hands-free digital vide camera - you can mount it on helmets, handlebars or even on your arm to capture all the action when you’re surfing, mountain biking or generally getting up to antics in the great outdoors. You can pick it up for under $200 from camera shops, including Camera House and Ted’s Cameras.

* For photography nuts, the Lowepro Flipside Camera Backpack is a great gift idea. It’s designed for carrying a dSLR camera with lens attached as well as extra lenses and accessories.

For kids and babies

* The Bonds Easysuit is one of the best products for babies to hit the market in recent times. There are no press studs, buttons, velcro or zips - it’s a three-step suit so mums and dads alike will have an easier time of changing baby.

* Little Tots is a brand new site that offers Australian-made clothing for sizes ranging from 1 to 5.

* If you’re shopping for a little girl who loves Dora the Explorer, how about the fragrance? It’s a bargain at only $14.95.

For your office Kris Kringle

* If your Kris Kringle at work thrives on stress, the new book Flip the Switch (available at major bookshops) offers tips for dealing with workplace stress and improving your quality of life.

* The Lloyds Christmas Chocolate Lovers gift box from Target is perfect for anyone with a sweet tooth.

* The holidays are a great time for BBQs, so the BBQ Sauce Triple Pack makes a nice office gift - for only $12.99.

By Caroline Warnes

Many people seem to be have the idea that the more expensive the beauty product, the better results wil be on your skin.

This is something of a controversial issue, and one to which there is no right or wrong answer. I’ve tried many products, right through from the very expensive (Creme de la Mer) right through to your cheap and cheerful options that you can find at your local supermarket. The results from all of them have been mixed, and naturally it all depends on an individual’s skin.

But I can honestly say that some of the best beauty treatments I’ve tried have been ones I’ve whipped up at home, proving that sometimes, the simple things in life can be the best. These can also be a godsend when you’re down to your last few dollars and payday is still a way off.

Apple cider vinegar

If I had to be stuck on a desert island with just one thing, it would most likely be a bottle of apple cider vinegar. Well, maybe not quite, but I seriously use this stuff for just about everything. You can make it into a solution to clean floors, to freshen cut flowers, kill weeds and more. According to the Internet, you can also use it to remove skunk odour from a dog, which is always handy to know.

But my all-time favourite use for apple cider vinegar is on my hair. It’s a fantastic method of removing product build-up from your hair and adding shine. It’s also good for any flaky skin on the scalp.

Once a week, I make up a solution of one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to one cup of warm water in a bowl. Don’t be too heavy-handed with the vinegar, or else you’ll smell like a salad is growing on your head. After wetting your hair, you dip the ends of your hair into the solution for a few seconds, then pour it over the rest of your hair, avoiding your eyes. Leave it on for a few more seconds, then rinse it off. I promise, your hair will be the shiniest it’s ever been.

I gave up shampoo and conditioner long ago in favour of natural cleansing agents, but you could also try mixing a little bit in with your bottle of conditioner for easier use.

Asprin mask

Another el cheapo beauty remedy of mine is an asprin mask for your face. This is a tried-and-true mask for exfoliating your face.

You simply take three or four asprins (note, this must be asprin, not Panadol or anything else!) and grind them up into a powder with the back of a spoon. Add a few drops of water, then a tablespoon of honey (which is a natural moisturiser) to make into a creamy mask. Apply to your face, leave for 10 minutes then rinse. This leaves your skin feeling so smooth.

Egg

If you’re looking for a deeply moisturising mask, you can’t go past the humble egg (raw, of course).

Simply separate the yolk and the white of the egg. Apply the white to your face and neck, then leave it for around 15 minutes while it dries on your face. Wash it off with warm water and pat your skin dry.

Next, stir the yolk with a fork and apply that to your face and neck. This provides the moisture to your face, so leave it for as long as you possibly can - at least 15 minutes. Wash the egg yolk off and dry your skin. It should feel soft and deeply moisturised.

Note: try to avoid doing this one in front of housemates as you can look rather stupid.

There are plenty of websites out there that have heaps of suggestions for other at-home beauty treatments. I like Make Your Cosmetics. And don’t forget if you’re having a specific skin condition that’s causing you trouble, you should seek advice from a dermatologist or other skincare professional.

By Caroline Warnes

Hot rollers help you achieve that big, bouncy hair full of volume and body that you often see on celebrities without having to visit a hair salon.

The Vidal Sassoon Hot Sticks are a fantastic alternative to traditional hot rollers. They’re easier to use and allow you to manipulate the curls and waves in your hair to a greater extent.

The VS Hot Sticks come in a handy storage box that also doubles as the heating unit. You simply plug the unit in and within minutes you’re ready for hair styling.

When the sticks are hot, you simply wind a section of hair around the rubber sticks then bend the stick through its own loop to hold in place. Repeat this for wherever you want curls or waves then leave the Hot Sticks until they’ve cooled down. Next you carefully remove the Vidal Sassoon Hot Sticks and like magic you’ll have a head of professional-looking curls or waves. Finish with hair spray to hold your style in place and you’re ready to hit the town.

The Vidal Sassoon set comes with 20 Hot Sticks - 12 in the large size for bigger curls and loose waves and eight in the small size for tighter curls.

Click here to find offers on Vidal Sassoon styling products near you.

By Caroline Warnes

It’s hard to believe it’s almost the end of the year again. The end of the year means several things, most of them good, including holidays, lots of sun and, of course, Christmas parties.

In all honesty, I don’t get invited to that many parties. Perhaps that makes me lucky because then I don’t have to struggle through the next day as often. When I attend functions with an open bar, I usually make the mistake of deciding it would be uneconomical of me not to overindulge. This makes it hard to do an honest day’s work the following day.

However over the fast few years I’ve found a few tricks that make the next day that much easier.

1. Berocca is a great way to replenish those essential B-vitamins that alcohol seems to suck out of you. I have one before I go to bed and when I get up, washed down with lots and lots of water. Vegemite is also fantastic for this purpose.

2. If you wake up late and don’t have time to give your hair a full wash, your best option is a dry shampoo for a quick freshen up. The best on the market is Klorane - simply spray it in your hair, comb through and you’re ready to go.

3. If you’re like me and you suffer from dark circles under your eyes when you are tired or dehydrated, a good concealer is a must. I love the Yves Saint Laurent Anti-Cerne concealer stick. You could also try the YSL Touche Eclat (Radiant Touch), which is actually a highlighter but does a fantastic job of freshening up your face.

4. To avoid that wan pallor of death look you can get when you’re tired and dehydrated, make sure you always have a facial bronzer on hand. I like the Natio Bronze Shimmer Palette. Best of all, it’s priced at under $20.

5. Sunglasses are a good idea for the day after a big night. The ones from the Cancer Council have all been designed to offer the required level of UV protection. This is important - fashion sunglasses don’t always offer the maximum protection.

Happy party season!

By Caroline Warnes

Several years ago, I had what I thought was an ingenious product idea: a cordless hair straightener. I was inspired by the fact that I had been frustrated countless times by the cord on my own hair straightener.

If I wanted to wander around while I was doing my hair, I couldn’t; and the cord gets tangled in anything and everything, including chair legs and sometimes even around your limbs.

Little did I know that several manufacturers were already working on the idea, including Vidal Sasson, which came out with the VS Sassoon Total Freedom 230.

The Total Freedom 230 features a salon-standard ceramic heating system (you MUST use a ceramic straightener if you want to do the least amount of damage to your hair when styling it with heat) and comes with a docking station, so you can use it either with the cord or without.

The VS Sassoon Total Freedom 230 heats to 230 degrees, which is important - you want your hair straightener to get very hot so you’ll only have to go over your hair once or twice with a high heat than several times with a lower one.

Last but not least, the Total Freedom 230’s plates are also coated in tourmaline, which generates ionic conditioner to make your hair smooth and shiny.

Click here to find offers on the VS Total Freedom 230 near you.

By Caroline Warnes

If you loved the original, non-damaging formula of L’Oreal Casting semi-permanent hair colour, then you’ll love the new and improved Casting Creme Gloss.

Like the original, the Creme Gloss is a semi-permanent hair colour, but I think it’s far better. It leaves the hair soft and oh-so-shiny with natural-looking shimmer highlights, lasts a bit longer than the original and the colours you can choose from are absolutely divine.

You’ll find everything from blondes to brunettes to red-brown, each with delicious sounding names such as Iced Latte and Perle. What’s more, the formula comes with aloe vera and green tea to give your hair an extra bit of natural softness and shine.

Another bonus is that L’Oreal Casting Creme Gloss is highly effective in covering grey hairs - something you rarely find in a semi-permanent home hair colouring kit. And it’s very easy to use (although a tiny bit messy), even if you’ve never coloured your hair at home before.

By Caroline Warnes