Gift guide · 12 ideas
Gifts for her under £25
For friends, sisters, colleagues and partners: small luxuries that punch above their price.
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A small budget doesn’t have to mean a small-feeling gift. The trick is to choose something that’s a nicer version of an everyday thing: silk instead of elastic, sterling silver instead of costume jewellery, a boxed set of soy candles instead of one cheap one.
These all usually come in under £25, which makes them good for friends, sisters, Secret Santa with a higher limit, or a stocking gift for a partner.
A silk scrunchie set
Silk feels a world away from the chemist’s bobbles she usually grabs, and she’ll use one every time she ties her hair up.
SILKIE Mulberry Silk Skinny Scrunchies (set of 4)
£10–£20
Four skinny scrunchies in 100% mulberry silk, in the brown and black tones of the Chocolate set, with a matching pouch to keep them together. The silk slides rather than grips, so they hold hair without snagging or leaving a kink.
What owners say: Owners find them comfortable and pretty and say they hold hair without pulling; durability is mixed, with some breaking within days, a few doubt it’s real silk and not everyone thinks them good value.
A closer look: Tying hair up loosely in one at night leaves less of a crease or tangle by morning. The dark tones go with work clothes as easily as gym kit, and the pouch stops them snagging in a bag. A gentle hand wash in cool water with a little mild shampoo keeps the silk soft.
- Four skinny scrunchies
- 100% mulberry silk
- Matching storage pouch
A hand cream trio
Cath Kidston prints make an everyday tube of hand cream feel like a proper treat, the kind she’d pick up in a shop and put back.
Cath Kidston Orange Blossom Hand Cream Trio
Under £10
Three 30ml hand creams in leopard and rose print tubes, with shea butter, cocoa seed butter and vitamin E, and a fresh, fruity orange blossom scent. They’re vegan and come in a printed card box.
What owners say: Owners love the scent and the soft, non-greasy finish and think the set good value, though some find the tubes much smaller than expected.
A closer look: At 30ml, each tube is small enough to go straight into the clear liquids bag for a flight. The scent is fresh rather than heavy, so it suits daytime use at a desk, and the cream sinks in quickly enough to carry on typing or driving. The tubes are made with half recycled plastic.
- 3 × 30ml tubes
- Orange blossom scent
- Vegan and cruelty-free
A scented candle
Candles suit almost any woman in winter, and with twelve scents in the box she can find her favourite before committing to a big jar.
Dsclavacy Scented Soy Candle Tins (12 × 2.5oz)
£10–£20
- 12 tins in 12 scents
- Pure soy wax
- Tins pack without breaking
Twelve little soy candles in patterned travel tins, each a different scent, from lavender and rose to fig and apple cinnamon, in a presentation box. Share them out or keep one for every room.
What owners say: Owners love the pretty patterned tins and the scents, and use them as party favours; some find the tins small and quick to burn down.
A closer look: The tins travel well, so pop one in a bag for a weekend away. Once they’ve burned down, the tins are handy for earrings and other small bits.
Satin pyjamas
Satin pyjamas feel like a hotel weekend at home, and they suit a Christmas Eve parcel or a Valentine’s gift from a partner.
SWOMOG Satin Short-Sleeve Pyjama Set
£10–£20
A two-piece satin pyjama set: a short-sleeved, button-down shirt with a notch collar and a pocket, cut to sit at the hip, and trousers with an elastic waist. Light and smooth, for lounging at home, warm nights or a weekend away.
What owners say: Owners find them comfortable and smooth with a good fit and think them good value, though sizing is mixed and some find they run quite small.
A closer look: Satin keeps looking its best with a little care: turn the set inside out, wash it at 40°C or below on a delicate cycle or by hand, and hang it to dry rather than tumbling. Short sleeves and a hip-length shirt suit anyone who runs hot under the duvet.
- Two-piece satin set
- Short-sleeved button-down shirt
- Elastic-waist trousers
A fluffy socks set
She’ll pull on a pair the minute she gets in from work on a cold night, with a fresh colour for every evening of the working week.
Niorasen Fluffy Bed Socks Gift Box (5 pairs)
Under £10
Five pairs of soft, fluffy bed socks in coordinated colours, light but warm for cold evenings on the sofa or in bed. They come in a gift box.
What owners say: Owners find them soft, warm and cute, and think them good value.
A closer look: The one size covers roughly UK 3 to 8, so they suit smaller and medium feet best. Washing them inside out on a cool cycle helps the fluffy pile stay soft for longer.
- Five pairs
- One size, UK 3–8
- Gift box included
Self-heating steam eye masks
Twenty in a box turns a one-off treat into a Sunday-evening habit she can keep up for months.
ProCIV Lavender Steam Eye Masks (20 pack)
£10–£20
Twenty eye masks that warm up by themselves once unwrapped and hold about 40°C for 30 to 40 minutes, with a light lavender scent. Soft fabric and stretchy ear loops keep each one in place while lying back.
What owners say: Owners say they warm up quickly and stay warm a good while, find the lavender calming and like that the mask stays in place.
A closer look: Open one just before settling down, since the warmth starts as soon as the pack is unsealed. Lying back for the full half hour after a day at a screen gets the most from it, and a few slipped into a washbag make a calming end to a long flight or a hotel stay.
- 20 self-warming masks
- Warm for 30–40 minutes
- Lavender scent
A guided journal
Given at Christmas, it’s waiting on her bedside table for the new year, and suits a friend who keeps meaning to slow down.
The 6-Minute Diary
£10–£20
A gratitude journal with a few short guided prompts for each day, based on the ideas of positive psychology. It’s an undated A5 hardback with a linen cover, so it can be started on any day of the year, and it’s printed and bound in Germany.
What owners say: Owners find it a simple, easy way to refocus and feel more grateful, and like the starry cover, though some feel it’s expensive for what it is.
A closer look: Leaving it on the bedside table with a pen tucked inside makes the habit far easier to keep than stashing it in a drawer. A missed week just means carrying on from the next page, with no blank dated pages staring back. At 288 pages, it keeps going well past the first few months.
- 288 pages
- Linen-covered A5 hardback
- Undated, start any day
Sterling silver stud earrings
Real silver in its own jeweller’s box feels like a proper jewellery present, and plain studs go with her work clothes and nights out alike.
Heather Needham Silver 925 Sterling Silver Ball Stud Earrings (3 pairs)
£10–£20
Three pairs of plain polished ball studs, 2, 3 and 4mm, made from solid 925 sterling silver rather than plating. Heather Needham is a British jeweller in business since 1984, and the set comes in its own branded gift box.
What owners say: Owners find them shiny, comfortable and well made, and handy for second and third piercings, though some had the backs fall off and a few doubt they’re really sterling silver.
A closer look: The 2mm pair is small enough to forget about at night and suits a second or third piercing, while the 4mm pair is the usual everyday size for a lobe. With three sizes in one box, they can be worn together up the ear or swapped round through the week.
- Three pairs, 2–4mm
- Solid 925 sterling silver
- Gift boxed
A travel makeup bag
Weekends away, hen dos and the gym bag: she’ll stop tipping everything out of her old pouch to find a mascara.
Lifewit Large Toiletry and Makeup Bag
£10–£20
A roomy wash bag, about 30 × 21 × 16cm, with mesh pockets and elastic loops in the main section to hold bottles upright. A separate back pocket with a waterproof lining keeps a damp flannel or toothbrush away from everything else.
What owners say: Owners find it spacious enough for all their pots and bottles, like the many compartments, the small net pockets for make-up and the soft fabric, and say it’s handy for travel.
A closer look: Padded quilting on every side helps it keep its shape in a packed suitcase, and the two-way zip opens wide so everything is in view. Brushes, mascara and eyeliner go in the front pocket, and the handle makes it easy to carry to a gym shower or a hotel bathroom.
- Elastic loops hold bottles upright
- Waterproof back pocket
- Padded, quilted sides
A loose-leaf tea gift set
She’s always got the kettle on, and six London tins look much smarter on her shelf than a box of teabags.
New English Teas Iconic London Tea Tins (set of 6)
Under £10
Six small metal tins shaped and printed like London sights, among them Big Ben, a red phone box, a Routemaster bus and a post box. Inside are three loose-leaf black teas: English Breakfast, English Afternoon and London Tea. The set comes in a display box.
What owners say: Owners find the tins charming and like the taste of the tea, though several say the tins are smaller than expected.
A closer look: Loose leaf needs something to brew it in, so a simple infuser or a small pot with a strainer means the first cup can be made straight away. The maker suggests a teaspoon per 240ml of water, brewed for one to two minutes. Once empty, the tins suit spices, sweets or small keepsakes.
- 6 landmark-shaped tins
- 3 loose-leaf black teas
- Display gift box
Heads up: The six tins hold about 135g of tea between them, so it suits tasting more than stocking up.
or compare other optionsA bamboo bath tray
A bamboo tray across the bath looks like something from a spa hotel, and her usual weeknight soak starts to feel like a night off.
Banlilu Expandable Bamboo Bath Tray
£10–£20
A lacquered bamboo tray that slides out from about 70 to 90cm to sit across most baths, with four silicone pads to stop it slipping. A stand holds a book or tablet at three angles, and there are holders for a wine glass, a cup and a phone.
What owners say: Owners find it well designed and practical and say it sits well across the bath without slipping; some call it sturdy, but others find it chips easily.
A closer look: Measure the bath from outer edge to outer edge before buying, so you know it will reach. The lacquer keeps water out, but wiping it dry and standing it somewhere airy after each soak keeps it looking good for longer. Two small side trays hold soap or a candle within easy reach.
- Extends about 70 to 90cm
- Bamboo with non-slip pads
- Wine glass and phone slots
A bonsai tree kit
For the friend whose windowsill is already full of plants, a tree she grows from seed is something new to look after.
See options on AmazonMaking a small budget go further
- Choose the nicer version of an everyday thing rather than a bigger cheap thing.
- Presentation matters: good wrapping or a gift bag makes an under-£25 gift feel special.
- Bundle two small things together, like a candle with a hand cream.
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