Chic gifts for women 2019

It’s the last of my Christmas gift posts today and I’m looking at chic gifts for women 2019, things you might like to put on your own list. I’ve tried to include a range of prices but a few are investment purchases because I don’t think anybody’s in the mood to buy throwaway stuff this year. So, let’s get going because as you know, we have a dinner to travel to.

The Airwrap

I’m starting with the thing I’d really like but won’t be receiving. Mr MC and I have decided that our Christmas present to each other will be to replace the railings that were taken down from the front of our house during the Second World War. He’s managed to find an archive photograph of them and he’s drawing the designs so that we can have them properly cast, as they would have been originally.

However, were that not the case I would (probably unrealistically) be hoping for an Airwrap. You see I was cynical about them until I was in John Lewis & Partners for the Leeds event. I thought they were probably good for long hair but not short styles like mine. Just before the event started, I realised that my hair had gone flat in the damp Yorkshire air. So Jess took me down to Dyson and with a quick misting of water and a few twists of the wrist, it looked better than it did when I’d just finished blowdrying it. I had a go myself and it was easy – I noticed a few of you kindly commented that my hair looked good and this is why. I have a Dyson hairdryer and I’m evangelical about it but the AirWrap is even better.

Airwrap Volume & Shape

Serious Readers Lamp

The other piece of investment equipment that I recommend wholeheartedly is a Serious Readers lamp. I’ve been wondering whether my eyesight is getting worse but I had it checked and my prescription was the same so the optician suggested that I readdress the lighting in the house. I resisted for a while because Serious Readers made me think of my mum and her macular degeneration but then they offered me the opportunity to trial one and I can honestly say that this lamp makes all the difference.

Now, on evenings when I’m not blogging, I can read in a pool of personal daylight without disturbing Mr MC’s movie watching. These lamps throw six times more light onto your book than an average lamp and it’s like having new glasses. Everything is so much clearer and I find I’m not getting as many headaches – not only because of reduced eyestrain but neck strain too. I have the Alex in white and nickel that you can see here but there are lots of other options.

There is an offer on at the moment and if you order a full size lamp, you’ll receive a table lamp worth £150 too. Use code X4090 at checkout (while stocks last).

Alex floorlight

Lumity Supplements

You asked me to let you know if I continued my subscription with Lumity and I have done. The Seven Seas Perfect 7 vitamins that I used to take were discontinued in the summer so the timing for my trial of these was good. I’m finding that my skin is in good shape, obviously I have no way of proving that it’s down to the Lumity supplements but I haven’t changed any other of my lifestyle factors so I’m keeping going with them. There’s a Black Friday offer on at the moment and I think you should still get the 30% discount that they offered last time if you’re a new customer – use code MIDLIFECHIC30.

Lumity supplements (I was gifted an initial month’s supply of these supplements)

Ark Skincare

Another personal recommendation here, Ark Skincare was recommended to me by my blogger friend Hayley Hall (aka London Beauty Queen) and she asked them to send me some samples to try. I have other products in my trialling queue so I’ve only had chance to test the moisturiser and SPF so far but I really like them. The moisturiser in particular penetrates my skin really well and there’s something about the fragrance that makes it feel healing. The range I’m trialling is Age Defy which is formulated for women over 50 but they have other collections for ages from teens upwards.

All of the products are made in Britain and nothing is tested on animals. They’re free from Parabens, SLS, mineral oil, S.D. Alcohol, Formaldehyde, and Artificial Colours and Fragrances. Ark say that they’re quietly challenging the beauty industry and I’d agree – you can read more about that here. This giftset is a great value way to try their products and they have 30% off everything else at the moment with code BF19.

Age Defy Discovery Collection (I was gifted samples to try)

Beauty Expert

Still on the subject of beauty, you know I’m a fan of Beauty Expert and the sets that they collate and the latest one is particularly good value. It’s called the Restorative Edition and all of the products are full sizes so it’s worth £195 but only costs £69 – and if you buy it before 30th November you’ll get an additional 25% off with code RESTORE25. The only product that I wasn’t keen on when I tested it was the Balance Me Primer because it crumbled underneath my foundation, I hate it when that happens.

Beauty Expert Restorative Edition (I was gifted a set to review)

Fragrance Subscription

This particular fragrance subscription is another gift that I’d really like to receive. I haven’t tried it personally but I’ve noticed that they’ve had some really niche fragrances this year from brands that I rate highly. You sign up and receive 8ml of fragrance to test each month. It’s a lovely way of finding something different or just having a specific fragrance to use when you go somewhere new so that you can associate your memories with it.

Fragrance subscription

A great value Jo Malone collaboration

Now this is a bargain. You’ve probably heard that Jo Malone (i.e. the woman herself who now runs Jo Loves) has collaborated with Zara to bring out a range of fragrances. I’ve often told you that Zara are serious about the noses behind their fragrances and this is yet more proof. Not having a store near me I haven’t had the chance to sample them but this is a great way to do it – a 5ml vial of each one in a discovery set. Eight fragrances for £15.99.

Fragrance Discovery Set

Handbag sized hand sanitiser

This would be great for a Secret Santa or stocking filler. I use gels like this when I’m down in London and when I come out of the gym but none of them are as pretty as this one.

Hand sanitiser

Silver geo hoops

Moving on from beauty, you can’t go wrong with a pair of silver hoops and these are the ones that I wear all of the time. They have tiny pearls embedded in the end of each one.

Silver geo hoops (I was gifted these in 2016 and wear them almost every day)

Leather travel jewellery box

These little quilted leather jewellery boxes from a family run company are lovely to pop in your bag when you go away. They save you from losing things or finding that your necklaces are all tangled up. Various colours available.

Travel jewellery case

Ilse Jacobsen wellies

Now available in the UK so it’s much easier to buy these iconic wellies. They’re sturdy and the laces mean that they’re adjustable so you can wear them if you have wider ankles or legs without having to resort to wellies with expander straps. Also available in navy, red or yellow.

Ilse Jacobsen wellies (taller calf height option here)

Statement sweatshirt

I’ve just bought one of these but I haven’t had a chance to photograph it yet so you’ll have to wait until I can show you the statement that I briefed. They’re designed by Lisa, an artist who is based in Wales and she has a few that are ready to buy (ignore the swearing ones, she’s a nice person – honestly) or you can commission your own.

You have an option of machine stitching or handstitching but there’s a three week order time so you’ll need to be quick if you want one for Christmas. One thing I would say is that they come up big – I ordered a medium but would have been happier with a small.

Statement sweatshirts

An uplifting umbrella

Since I gave up sugar, the nearest thing I have to a vice is my obsession with umbrellas (and no, I don’t count wine because I only indulge in that if we go out – which admittedly is going to be quite a lot over the next few weeks but… moving on…) This is my current favourite, it feels as though shafts of sunlight are shining on you even when it rains.

Sunburst umbrella

A plant subscription

This wouldn’t be a good present for me – or maybe it would because I’m known as the houseplant terminator. Even succulents don’t survive for longer than three months – maybe if I had a new one each month it wouldn’t matter but I don’t think that’s the point. Anyway, I do like this idea for anyone who is greenfingered.

Houseplant subscription

Flower delivery subscription

Mr MC set up one of these with our village florist a few years ago but when she closed down it stopped. It’s lovely to have a fresh bouquet delivered regularly and this starts at £20 which is better value than most others I’ve looked at. You can choose to have them monthly, fortnightly or weekly, use code SAVE20 for 20% off your first delivery.

Flower delivery subscription

Special gin

I’m not a big fan of gin but this raspberry gin is lovely. It sounds sweet but it isn’t and it works well as an apéritif with fizz as well as with the usual tonic. It has to be said that John Lewis & Partners have done a fabulous job with the relaunch of their food and drink gifts this year, there are some very enticing flavour combinations. You can see the full collection here.

Raspberry gin

And with that I must dash, as you know we have another dinner to get to in Burnley which is miles away. The President’s medallion is still firmly in its box… but I may have slipped said box into my bag. We’ll see! On Friday I’ll be bringing you a list of all the Black Friday offers as they go live so it’ll be an early start. Be ready.

Disclosure: Chic gifts for women 2019 is not a sponsored post

Black Friday offers now live

The White Company 20% off everything here until Monday
Mango 30% off everything here with code VIPBF
Selfridges 20% off using code SELFCCE here (exclusions apply)
Boden have 30% off everything here with code 6T2C
Liberty up to 30% off here plus 15% off all beauty
Heist tights 25% off everything here
Beauty Expert 20% off almost everything until Thursday with code CYBER
John Lewis & Partners are price matching all of the Black Friday offers that have launched so far so their Black Friday portal is a good place to start.
Whistles has 30% off everything for a short time here
Finery has 40% off everything here.
Pure Collection have a 50% off Black Friday launch here
Hobbs has 25% off everything for a limited time here
White Stuff has up to 25% off everything here for 3 days with a promise it won’t be cheaper on Black Friday
The Joules Black Friday sale has started here
Kitri, 30% off partywear with code PARTY30TREAT
Jigsaw has a Black Friday collection here
Laura Ashley up to 40% off all home and fashion here
The Book People Black Friday page here and 15% off handpicked favourites with code ACTIVE15

Chic gifts for women 2019 – ideas for you