Gifts for teenage girls, from hair tools to hobbies
For the teenager whose wish list changes every week: presents for her hair, her room and her hobbies.
Price guide: £ under £15 ££ £15–£40 £££ over £40
More ideas: Gifts for teenage girls
Teenage girls tend to know exactly what they want, right up until someone asks. The presents that land are the ones she’ll use every day: something for her hair, something for her room, and something for whatever she’s into this year, from singing to sketching.
Every pick comes from one of our top lists, where it was compared with the best of its kind. Hair tools are personal, so it’s worth a quiet look at what she already uses before choosing one.
Hair straighteners
Price band: ££For the teenager who straightens her hair before school every morning: quick to heat, with a heat setting to suit her hair.
Our pick
Remington Shine Therapy Hair Straightener
£20–£30 Price range
Argan-oil ceramic plates, a clear digital display and nine heat settings, and it’s ready in 15 seconds.
- Ceramic plates with argan oil
- 9 settings, 150–230°C
- Ready in 15 seconds
- Floating plates
- 5-year guarantee
What owners say: Owners say it rivals far pricier straighteners, heats quickly, and leaves hair silky, shiny and straight for days.
A closer look: The digital display makes it easy to start low on fine or coloured hair and only turn up the heat if needed. It switches itself off after an hour, which takes the worry out of rushing out of the door. The long guarantee (an extra year if registered) is unusual at this price.
A hot air brush
Price band: ££A salon-style blow-dry at home without a second pair of hands: it dries and styles in one go.
Our pick
Revlon One-Step Style Booster Round Brush Dryer (38mm)
£20–£30 Price range
A round-brush dryer that gives lift at the roots and a smooth, bouncy finish in one go, and brings back second-day hair too.
- 38mm ceramic round brush
- Root volume, curls and flips
- Ionic, less frizz
- Revives second-day hair
- 820W
What owners say: Owners say it works especially well on short, fine or flat hair, is easy to use and good value, and leaves hair looking shiny.
Heads up: It gets hot and is fairly loud, and some find the barrel big for short hair.
A closer look: It works best on hair that’s been towel-dried and left for ten minutes, rather than soaking wet. Rolling the ends under as you finish gives the salon bounce. A heat protection spray first is worth it with any hot tool.
A light-up makeup mirror
Price band: £££For the dressing table where the makeup tutorials happen: a big mirror with its own lights, so she isn’t chasing daylight.
Our pick
LuxeVue Vanity Mirror with Lights (40 × 30cm)
£30–£50 Price range
A 40 × 30cm mirror with three light colours (warm, natural and cool) and brightness from 10% to 100%, all on touch buttons. It tilts and swivels to the right angle, and a small 15x magnifier sticks on for close work.
- 40 × 30cm mirror
- 3 light colours, dimmable
- Touch controls
- Tilts and swivels
- 15x magnifying spot mirror
What owners say: Owners say it's a good size and looks lovely in a bedroom, with excellent, adjustable light that makes makeup easy even in a dark room.
Heads up: There's no battery, so it has to stay plugged in: check there's a socket near your dressing table.
A closer look: Tap M to change the light colour and hold P to dim it. The magnifier also comes off and goes in a handbag for touch-ups when you're out.
A karaoke machine
Price band: £££For sleepovers and Saturday nights in: two wireless mics and a speaker that sits by the TV for the sing-along.
Our pick
Singingmate Karaoke Machine with 2 Wireless Mics (K9M)
£50–£75 Price range
A 6.5in subwoofer for fuller vocals and noise reduction on the mics, designed to sit by the TV and sing along to lyrics on the big screen. A shoulder strap takes it to a friend's house.
- 6.5in subwoofer
- 2 wireless mics (2 × AA each)
- Up to 8 hours' battery
- Bluetooth, AUX, USB and TF card
- Colour lights, shoulder strap
What owners say: Owners find the sound good and Bluetooth easy, and think it suits all ages, though a few had a microphone that didn't work.
Heads up: It has no screen, and the mics each need two AA batteries that aren't in the box.
A closer look: Buy a pack of rechargeable AAs with it and the mics are never flat mid-song. Search '[song] karaoke' on YouTube for lyrics on the TV.
A portable record player
Price band: £££For the teenager who’s discovered vinyl: a record player that shuts like a little case and goes wherever the music does.
Our pick
Crosley Voyager Portable Bluetooth Turntable (3-Speed)
£75–£100 Price range
It shuts like a small case, so it can come out for a party and go back on the shelf, and its three speeds include 78 rpm. Bluetooth works both ways: stream a phone through its speakers, or send the record to a bigger Bluetooth speaker.
- 33, 45 and 78 rpm
- Built-in stereo speakers
- Two-way Bluetooth
- RCA out, aux in, headphone jack
- Pitch control
What owners say: Owners like how it looks and how compact it is, and find it simple to use and good value.
A closer look: The pitch knob fine-tunes the speed if an old record sounds slightly off-key, and the cueing lever lowers the needle gently. The replacement needle is Crosley's NP6.
Alcohol markers
Price band: ££For the one who fills sketchbooks: brush-tip markers for illustration, hand lettering and smooth blends.
Our pick
Ohuhu 48-Colour Alcohol Markers (brush and fine)
£39.99 RRP
Brush tips flex like a paintbrush, which makes these the pick for illustration, hand lettering and smooth blends.
- 48 colours
- Brush and fine tips
- Blends smoothly
- Fade-resistant alcohol ink
What owners say: High-quality colours that blend beautifully.
Heads up: Fewer colours for the money than the big chisel-tip sets.
A closer look: Press lightly for thin lines and harder for broad strokes, just like a paintbrush. Work the light colours first and layer darker ones on top while the ink is still slightly damp for the smoothest blends.
A jelly gouache paint set
Price band: ££Bright, chunky pots of paint for cards, sketchbooks and posters for her wall, all in one case.
Our pick
HIMI Jelly Cup Gouache Set (24 colours, with brushes and palette)
£20–£30 Price range
Everything comes in one carry case: 24 colours in 30g jelly-cup pots, three brushes and a palette, so it's ready to paint straight out of the box. The chunky pots are quick to dip into for sketchbooks, cards and bright, poster-style pictures.
- 24 colours in 30g jelly cups
- 3 brushes and a palette
- Portable carry case
- Rewets with water once dry
- Non-toxic (EN71, ASTM D-4236)
What owners say: Owners love how vivid the colours look on paper, find the paints easy to work with, and like getting the brushes and palette in the box; many call it an ideal first gouache set.
Heads up: Give each pot a quick stir before painting and press the lids shut afterwards, so the paint stays creamy.
A closer look: The sealing lids keep the paint soft between sessions, and a pot that does dry out comes back with a few drops of water. It's a lovely first set for teenagers and sketchbook painters; anyone who wants very opaque mixes for layering light over dark may prefer artist-grade tubes.
A beginner’s crochet kit
Price band: ££A cosy new hobby for winter evenings: one cute project with a video to follow, and a finished turtle at the end.
Our pick
Cookie Box Crochet Kit for Beginners: Hugo the Turtle
£10–£20 Price range
One small, cute project with a video of the whole thing, so there's a finished turtle at the end rather than a pile of practice squares. It all comes in a keepsake tin.
- Makes a 13–15cm turtle
- Full video tutorial plus PDF guides
- Left- and right-handed photo guides
- Yarn, hook, stuffing and safety eyes
- Reusable tin
What owners say: Owners find the materials lovely and everything needed in the tin, and think it's good value.
Heads up: Amigurumi (crocheted toys) works in small tight spirals, which some beginners find fiddly at first, so allow a patient evening or two.
A closer look: Watch the video once all the way through before starting, then follow along a section at a time. Use a stitch marker at the start of every round: it's the easiest way not to lose count.
A silk pillowcase
Price band: ££For the one who takes her hair routine seriously: a silk pillowcase in a colour to match her room.
Our pick
ALASKA BEAR 100% Mulberry Silk Pillowcase
£20–£30 Price range
A long-running favourite that comes in lots of colours, so it’s easy to match the bedroom. The silkworms behind mulberry silk are so thoroughly domesticated that they no longer live in the wild, and they’re raised on mulberry leaves.
- 100% mulberry silk
- 19 momme, double-sided
- Hypoallergenic
- Lots of colours
What owners say: High quality and beautifully soft, and owners say it helps with morning creases.
A closer look: Check the pillow before ordering: it’s cut for a UK standard size of about 50 by 75cm, and a hidden zip at one end stops the pillow wriggling out overnight. The inside edges are stitched over for a neat finish, and as a present, a silk scrunchie tucked inside makes it feel like a proper set.
An aroma diffuser
Price band: £For a calm bedroom to revise in or wind down: a diffuser with a remote and a timer, so it switches itself off.
Our pick
Trace 300ml Essential Oil Diffuser with Remote Control
£10–£20 Price range
Remote control, 2- and 4-hour timers and a 300ml tank that lasts up to eight hours on its low setting, with a UK plug in the box.
- 300ml tank
- Remote control
- 2- and 4-hour timers
- 7 LED colours
- UK plug included
What owners say: Owners find it easy to use, love how the scent carries through the house, and find the changing colours calming.
A closer look: Set the 4-hour timer at bedtime and it switches itself off once you've dropped off; if the water runs out first, the auto shut-off steps in. On low mist a full tank stretches to about eight hours.
A slide-top tumbler
Price band: ££For school, the bus and the library: a leakproof tumbler that keeps her drink hot or cold for hours.
Our pick
Owala SmoothSip Slider Tumbler (355ml)
£20–£30 Price range
A tumbler-style cup with a smooth, wide spout that feels more like drinking from a mug, and a slide-top that closes completely, so it's leakproof. Drinks stay hot for up to six hours and cold for up to a day.
- 355ml
- SmoothSip slider lid
- Leakproof
- Hot 6 hrs, cold 24 hrs
- BPA-free
What owners say: Owners say it's leakproof, lovely to look at and easy to carry about.
A closer look: At 355ml it holds a small coffee-shop order. The lid goes in the dishwasher; wash the cup by hand.
A yoga mat
Price band: £For yoga videos in her bedroom or a class with friends: a grippy mat with lines that help place hands and feet.
Our pick
Core Balance TPE Yoga Mat with Alignment Lines
£10–£20 Price range
A proper yoga mat for not much: closed-cell TPE that grips on both sides, with alignment lines that help beginners place hands and feet.
- 183 × 65cm, 6mm thick
- Closed-cell TPE foam
- Non-slip on both sides
- Alignment lines
What owners say: Good quality with a grippy surface that stays put, and not so thick that balancing gets hard. Owners say it takes the hardness out of the floor.
A closer look: At 65cm it’s a little wider than most, handy for bigger movements, and 6mm is a good middle ground between cushioning and a steady base for balance poses. Closed-cell foam doesn’t soak up sweat, so a wipe with a damp cloth and time to air-dry is all it needs.
Tips for teenagers’ presents
- Check which hair tools she already has, so a new one adds to her routine rather than repeating it.
- The karaoke machine’s mics take batteries that aren’t in the box, so wrap a pack of AAs with it.
- The markers, paints and crochet kit also make good add-ons to a bigger present.
Photos are illustrative. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. How we pick · How this works.
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