Gifts for teenage girls

The 200gsm paper has a slightly toothy surface that suits coloured pencil, and the hard covers keep drawings flat and safe in a school bag. Rest your drawing hand on a scrap of paper to stop soft pencil smudging across the page. The pages are A4 in portrait format, 100 of them in all.

What owners say: Owners call it a heavy-duty book with thick paper that doesn’t bleed through, perfect for sketching and coloured pencils, and good value with more pages than most.

Nineteen LEDs sit behind the flat head, with three colours from 1800K to 6000K, each at five brightness levels, and it remembers the last setting. Clip it to the back cover rather than the pages and bend the metal gooseneck so the head sits just over the top edge. The lowest amber setting is enough for a paperback once your eyes adjust, and the gentlest on anyone asleep alongside.

What owners say: Owners rate it for reading at night, with brightness and colour to suit, from a softer orange to plain white, and are pleased with what it costs. It works well on a music stand too, and one has it on a desk as a mini lamp.

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Each bottle holds 59ml. Squeeze out a little at a time onto an old plate, since quick-drying acrylic skins over fast, and rinse the brushes before a break rather than after, as dried acrylic won’t wash out. Start big areas with the flat brushes from the set and save the small rounds for detail.

What owners say: Owners rate the spread of colours and the quality, and find the paint easy to use, quick to dry, good at covering and durable once it’s on.

Faber-Castell first made the Castell 9000 in 1905, and these are made in Germany. The tin lives happily in a school bag. A sharp craft knife gives a longer point than a sharpener, which helps when shading with the side of the lead, and a strip of swatches on scrap paper shows at a glance which pencil gives which tone.

What owners say: Owners find the leads smooth, easy to sharpen and good at keeping their point, and like how well the grades blend and how smart the tin looks.

First to 200 points wins, in about 20 minutes. The deck holds twelve 12s, eleven 11s and fewer of each lower number, so big numbers score well but are more likely to knock you out, and action cards add twists to each round. It’s marked for ages 8 and up.

What owners say: Owners find the rules take about two minutes to explain and the pace keeps everyone involved, and like that it packs small for a holiday.

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Its 325 teeth work on wet or dry hair, straight to curly, and on wigs and extensions too. In the shower it combs conditioner or a hair mask through evenly before rinsing. On long hair, grip the lengths nearer the root while brushing out a knot, so the pull stops at the hand rather than the scalp, and pick loose hairs out from between the rows every few days.

What owners say: Owners say it turns a long, tearful brush-out into a couple of minutes, copes with curls wet or dry, and gets through knots without hurting.

It keeps working while it charges over USB-C and remembers the last brightness used. It gives white, warm or mixed light, with six brightness steps or a smooth dim by holding the button, up to 8,860 lux. Physical keys rather than a touch panel mean a hand resting on the edge won’t switch it off, which matters when weeding vinyl or placing drills on a diamond canvas.

What owners say: Owners find the battery lasts well between charges, and like having both the brightness levels and the light colours to play with.

The 5,200mAh battery gives up to 24 hours of play, it charges by USB-C, and it’s rated IPX7 with 12W of output. Two soundcore 2 speakers can pair for stereo across a room, as long as both are the same version. After a soaking at the park or a session in the shower, dry it off and let the charging port dry out before plugging it in.

What owners say: Loud, punchy sound for its size, a compact shape, quick charging and a Bluetooth range that holds up well.

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An eau de toilette, 50ml, in the floral woody family, with jasmine in the middle and white woods, musk and vanilla underneath. Lighter than an eau de parfum, it suits daytime, and a spray on the wrists after lunch keeps it going through the afternoon.

What owners say: Owners love the scent; how long it lasts varies from one wearer to the next.

The fine end is 1mm, and the paint goes on wood, glass and fabric as well as stone, with the set in a presentation box. Wash and dry a stone before painting so the paint grips, and sketch the design lightly in pencil first. On a rock that’s going outside, finish with a coat of clear outdoor varnish once the paint is fully dry.

What owners say: Owners find the colours vivid and smudge-free, especially on stones, and like the even coverage, the quick drying and the way the paint doesn’t bleed through paper.