Read our latest copy of Glow Magazine online now for beauty tips, our 12 step Christmas survival guide, gift ideas and lots more!

______________________________________________________________________________________________

With my favourite day of the year rapidly approaching and my window of opportunity to buy gifts for my loved ones disappearing equally quickly, I’m really starting to feel the pressure. Not that I’m complaining as it’s no secret I adore Christmas shopping – but for the first time ever it’s almost December and I haven’t bought a sausage yet (not a literal sausage, no one will be receiving one of those from me). Usually November sets in and I’m ready to go, but this year I seem to be flagging. Having looked at my diary I have deduced that I have exactly ZERO free weekends before Christmas itself, so I’ve taken it upon myself to book a day of annual leave in a couple of weeks (sneakily coinciding it with the day after my work Christmas party – an entirely strategic choice, I assure you) to hit the London shops.

In the meantime though I’ve started on some online shopping and have been making lists for all of the people who will be lucky enough to receive presents. I must say I’ve been absolutely overwhelmed by the abundance of gorgeous gifts out there this year – so much so I’ve been putting a lot of them on my own wish list that has been circulated to my nearest and dearest. I always think that buying ready selected gift sets is a wise move, not only because you usually make a bit of a financial saving but also because they’re so well put together and usually packaged beautifully – not to mention they do tend to save a bit of valuable time! I find myself drawn to presents that people wouldn’t usually buy for themselves, so this usually means something a little bit special or luxurious instead of lots of little bits and pieces that have been thrown together. The Pamper Hamper Ultimate Indulgence set  would make a fantastic stand alone present, whilst the Facial in a Box is a lovely idea for bringing a bit of spa therapy into someone’s own home. With a Mum who is an avid candle collector (you don’t even want to know how many were in our house when we last counted), I’ve spotted the Classic Fragranced Candle which will no doubt be sneaking it’s way into her stocking.

Aside from the Sanctuary’s offerings – which I must note are very helpfully 3 for 2! – my ever growing list of potential gifts includes a number of fragrance gift sets (I’m a firm believer that every girl should have her signature scent – Agent Provocateur is currently my fave but is so hard to track down!); the YSL Beauty Icon set (inclusive of my saving grace Touche Eclat – this needs to find a space in everyone’s make up bag); pretty much every item in the NARS Holiday 2011 collection; an array of Diptyque candles (candles once again – can you sense the theme here?); some beautiful Astley Clarke pieces … I won’t bore you with the rest of these extensive lists – and in reality they are broken down by person and assigned into categories (yes, I’m extremely sad but I prefer the word ORGANISED) – but I’ll finish by saying Benefit, Clinique and Jo Malone also have their usual reliable offerings too which is always a huge relief to me when I have a ‘don’t know what to buy’ moment – in other words, if my lists fail.

My own requests this year range from MAC goodies to a book on economics (no, really), but proudly taking number one spot on my ultimate Christmas wish list (and it shall remain there until the glorious day when one of these beauties finds it’s way onto my arm) is the one and only Mulberry Bayswater – preferably in the shade Chocolate but who am I to be fussy? In fact I’d probably sever an arm just to carry one of these on the other. I need one in my life and will not stop until I have convinced Father Christmas I’ve been a good enough girl to receive one. In fact, Santa if you’re reading this … pleeeeeeeeeease… ?

As seen on the Boots’ TV ad and ITV’s Lorraine’s Martin Lewis Money Saving Expert, this better than half price gift is set to fly of the shelves.

Packed with full size pampering products (and a very cute shower cap), this indulgent gift is all wrapped up in a beautiful presentation box, perfect for making someone smile this Christmas

If you’re looking for a gift for the woman who has everything or just someone you want to treat, this packed to the brim gift case has everything a woman could need to pamper herself head to toe.

Available for one week only, this offer has limited availability so don’t miss out!

Choosing the right Christmas present for the woman in your life can be stressful. Women vary on tastes, preferences and ideas, but one thing we have in common is a desire to be pampered and to feel special… beautiful. In amidst the busy schedules of life it’s hard to find “me-time” which is something most women need and value immensely but don’t get enough of!

Here are some great women’s present ideas for Christmas:

• Spa Gift Vouchers are a great Christmas gift, offering a chance for your mum, sister, or partner (or all together!) to spend a day or half-day of pure unadulterated luxury and pampering at one of our world class spas. There are many options to choose from, and better still, we’re now offering 15% off!
• Scented Candles are a lovely option for a bit of luxury and relaxation at home – something you can even enjoy with her (if she’ll let you). Options include bath candles, relaxing aromatherapy, and night-time stress relieving.



• Treatment and Spa Sets look great, and contain many exciting, delectable samples for the woman who hasn’t tried many spa products yet, or who may be interested in trying something new.

The choice is yours; these are just some of our very popular Christmas present ideas for women.

If the woman in your life is expecting, we have a choice of fantastic Christmas presents ideas for pregnant women too. Our “Mum to Be” range features a range of products specifically for your yummy mummy to be.

Exclusive to the Sanctuary shops (not available in Boots) this convenient sized beauty bag is packed with Sanctuary favourites and is yours, absolutely free when you spend £25 or more in our shop in Floral St.

Our friendly skin consultants are on hand to offer advice on our latest products and you can try before buy (something you can’t currently do in Boots stores) and discover the full Sanctuary range for yourself.

20% discount day at the Sanctuary Floral St, Covent Garden

If you’re around the Covent Garden area on Thursday 24th March, take time to pop into our Floral St shop for 20% discount on all Sanctuary products, live demo’s on St Tropez application techniques (we sell a range of other brands such as OPI, St Tropez, Berts Bee’s) and introduction tours of our facial Skin Spa.

They’ll also be serving up a welcome glass or two of Cava and canapés so pop along for a visit.

As modelled by our gorgeous Katie, our new bathrobe not only looks fab but feels lovely too. Its extra soft, fluffy texture makes it the perfect choice for lazing around or wrapping up in after a soak in the tub.

The new robe is available from the end of June so keep your eyes peeled so you can be first in line to grab yourself one. If you’re feeling generous you could always buy one as a gift too!

With Easter just around the corner the lucky ones will have a long weekend away planned (if you don’t, there’s still time to hint for one!) so invest in a cute travel bag which contains everything you need to stay groomed and glamorous on your weekend away.

For those of you with some spare time on your hands, why not plan a pamper day? Choose your favourite Sanctuary goodies, lock the bathroom door and lie back and relax. Emerge from the bathroom a new woman… sleek, smooth and utterly pampered!

‘Chance would be a fine thing I hear you shouting!’ If you have people of the smaller variety to entertain, why not arrange an Easter Egg hunt? An hour of fun for them, a minute or two’s peace for you! Perfect.

So if you can’t face the roads (or probably the rain) this Easter then a pamper day is definitely what the Doctor ordered.

Now where did I leave that ‘Do not disturb’ sign?…

These gorgeous reed diffusers are going down a storm so get yours now as the offer finishes on 28th March.  Available in 3 divine fragrances your mum will be as pleased as punch with her pressie.

For those of you unable to get to our London store, visit any Boots store for a free gift worth £10 when you spend £10.

Re-opening on the 16th March after a transformation, a visit to the spa is just what the doctor ordered.

Treat your mum to a gift voucher which can cover anything from exotic treatments to indulgent Champagne lunches. To make her day really special why not go along as well and catch up on some girly gossip.

If your budget won’t stretch that far, then take a look at our gorgeous gift collections, starting from as little as £4.89 to £48.94 there’s something to cover every taste and budget.

Not sure which voucher or gift set to choose? Then why not let her choose. Our monetary vouchers offer the perfect solution and will allow your mum to choose her own indulgent treat.

We love to offer our customers value for money so for a limited time only, spend £20 on products and receive a FREE gift worth £10. So that’s products for you and a gift for mum. Perfect.