Novel gifts for the festive season

IN the run-up to the year's end, and being mindful of the gift-giving that many of us are involved in during the festive season, Cult Status will be dedicating two columns (this month's and November's) to unique gift ideas.

True to our spirit of introducing the novel and unusual to you, our gift list will - hopefully - present offerings to you that are far from typical.

This month's column will focus on beauty and novelty gifts (since these seem to be the most popular category of presents), while November will cover fashion, accessories and a bit of home and decor.

I've also tried to keep suggestions to within the moderate price range, to preserve this within the realistic.

What do you get someone who has an extensive collection and is up-to-date with all the latest beauty launches? How about some green lipstick? Or a brush-on scent?

Lipstick Queen's Frog Prince (£22, cultbeauty.co.uk)

This innovative offering from lipstick maven Poppy King's Lipstick Queen brand will pique the attention of onlookers as its deep green bullet is twisted up from the tube; upon application, the lipstick changes to a wearable sheer pink. Far from being just a novelty item, Lipstick Queen products always boast exceptional quality and a luxurious texture.

Byredo Kabuki Perfume (£35, net-a-porter.com)

An innovative update to the traditional gift of fragrances is this brush-on offering from Swedish beauty company Byredo, known for its edgy creations and beloved by the likes of Victoria Beckham. You apply this by brushing on the micro-fine powder from the rectractable brush. No danger of accidentally spraying it elsewhere, and fantastic for stashing in one's bag without any fear of spillage.

Holistic Silk Eye Mask (£46, cultbeauty.co.uk)

Anyone who appreciates good sleep will appreciate this plush eye mask, which is lined in cotton velvet on the inside, raw silk on the outside, and filled with lavender to lull one to sleep. Not only do its decadent looks make for a handsome present, but its larger-than-normal size helps block out a lot of light.

The Whisky Advent Calendar, Red 2017 edition, by Drinks by the Dram (£124.96, masterofmalt.com)

Comes with 24 little drams of whisky for each day before Christmas, from single malt Scotch whiskies to exciting Irish and American expressions. And, Drinks by the Dram offers a host of other boozy calendars if this one isn't to your taste.

Tired of the usual baby presents? Stand out with this irreverent, tongue-in-cheek offering by Knock Knock, titled "How to Traumatize Your Children: 7 Proven Methods to Help You Screw Up Your Kids Deliberately and with Skill" (US$10.97, knockknockstuff.com); this humorous tome takes the mickey out of some of the more self-important parenting publications out there.

Cat lovers (who cook or bake) will squeal over these adorable Meow for Measuring Cups by One Hundred 80 Degrees (US$36.99, amazon.com); there are also cat measuring spoons (amazon.com, US$14.20) if you insist on having a matching set. Dog lovers will appreciate that there is a Labrador Retriever version of the measuring cups (US$12.99, amazon.com) too.

Look out for more gift ideas next month. Happy holidays!