This year, all I want for Christmas is to run wild in Mecca Cosmetica. Unrestrained, unhinged, slightly crazed; lock the doors and let me go. From festive Diptyque to Byredo anything, no pocket – or stocking – would run deep enough for the beauty I would be looting.

But, it’s not all just blush Mecca boxes. I would also like to run rampant in Sephora. Scale the walls of Chanel, Christian Dior, Aesop and the like. Heck, don’t even start me on the cyber world with its infinite e-boutiques and endless scrolls.

Here, my short, little, not-greedy-at-all Christmas wish list. Fingers crossed Santa didn’t see me at the Christmas party this year.

a festive fragrance
To be completely transparent, I am typically not a N°5 wearer. But this isn’t any kind of N°5. For the first time in the iconic fragrance’s history, she is dressed in red. That rich, expensive, Chanel red. And I want her to be mine. For an utter Chanel-ophile like myself, their limited edition red N°5 is atop my Christmas wish list.


Chanel N°5 Eau de Parfum Limited Edition, $278. shop now

a heaven scent room spray
When I first became privy to Byredo’s Christmas offering some months ago, I gasped. Could it be? Could I truly want every single piece? Yes. I did. And I still do. A brand that touches my beauty soul like no other (La Tulipe is my favourite scent, ever), I am particularly excited by another of my favourite Byredo scents – Fleur Fantôme – making its debut as a room spray (after only previously holding candle status). In the words of Veruca Salt, “I want it now!”

Byredo Fleur Fantôme Room Spray, $148. shop now

a beauty advent calendar
You may or may not have noticed I have a slight obsession with Charlotte Tilbury. I mean, I only write about her at least once a week, gushing over every genius product she creates. And every year come Christmas time, I wait with open arms, skin and lips for her unashamedly festive goodies. This year, I have my eye on the prize, Charlotte’s Beauty Universe Advent Calendar featuring all her (and my) favourites.


charlotte tilbury charlotte’s beauty universe advent calendar, $295. shop now

a cute clip
I have this one image of a model with perfectly placed hair pins saved on my phone. I recreate this image in my mind at least three times a day, and on Christmas, I want to recreate this look IRL. With these Valet clips. In all colours. Thanks.

valet studio lulu barrette in mint, $35. shop now 

the perfect cameraphone
Ask any Beauty Editor what the most important thing is in beauty, and they will tell you an excellent cameraphone. Because how else are you meant to capture all the glorious beauty products (read: yourself)? The latest smartphone from Oppo is exactly this, and more. The incredible new features of the R17 Pro are seemingly endless, but for me, the most exciting thing is the 25MP AI Beauty Camera. Yes, that’s right, a camera dedicated to beauty. It features face slimming (perfect post-Christmas after my ham and pudding blow-out), makeup (also great to disguise hungover skin courtesy of the silly season) and six other fully configurable modes as well as a live preview option, so you can decide in the moment whether the lighting is right, or not. It also learns your beauty tricks from the settings you use, so the more you use your camera (read: A LOT), the better it gets at taking your photos. And it comes in this jazzy emerald green so you’re happy to flash it at swanky New Year’s soirées and the like. Give me the gift of the perfect selfie any day of the week (but also on Christmas).

Oppo R17 Pro, $899. shop now

a hair hero
If there is one thing I am midly obsessed with, it’s my hair. Blame the lush mane of my Zodiac spirit animal – Leo the lion, obviously – but I touch, brush, fluff, poof, rake my hair all day long. So, haircare is very important to me, (particularly when I’ll be swimming and Spritzin’ on repeat). This beautiful little travel bag from ELEVEN Australia will be making the journey with me from Bondi and beyond. An artful collaboration with Jan Juc-based artist, Rowena Martinich, its painterly case will also moonlight as a playful beach pouchette for all the important things: Miracle Hair Treatment, 3 Minute Repair, a comb – oh, and phone, wallet, keys, etc.


ELEVEN Australia x Rowena Martinich Travel Bag, $43. shop now

a dreamy candle
I love candles. I love candles so much, often my abode looks like the setting of a seance rather than a humble home with some candles. Maison Balzac’s La Rose was the first candle I ever bought, so I forever hold a soft spot for the whimsical French-Australian brand in my heart. My wick of choice this festive season is Bonne Nuit, composed of a single note – pure organic lavandin oil from France (of course) – this dreamy lavender scent is just the thing to calm a frenetic festive soul (read: what I’ll be lighting post-Christmas shop at Westfield). And I will also be taking heed of designer Elise Pioch’s glorious advice: please play “une chanson douce” by Henri Salvador while lighting this candle. Side note; I am also eyeing off all three exquisite ceramic pieces by Carron and Maison Balzac because I love them so much and deep down I really just want to be Elise Pioch. Vraiment.

maison balzac bonne nuit candle, $69. shop now

a cheeky coupelle
Enter my room and you might confuse it for a Cire Trudon boutique, such is my devotion to the brand. And I perpetually seek to add to my Trudon shrine. This year however, I’ll be adding something not of the wick variety, rather, a collection of satirical, beautiful, cheeky coupelles – or coasters. Rendered in glass with a fine velvet bottom, they are just the thing to hold Trudon candles or sit solo on my vanity. The humoristic drawings mirror the stories behind Cire Trudon’s iconic perfumes, and I’m particularly fond of Carmélite, who like Carrie Bradshaw, knows good sex.

Cire Trudon LA MARQUISE COUPELLE, $79. shop now

a pine-themed twin-set
No one quite captures the woody, warming, oh-so-festive scent of pine quite like Diptyque. And this year’s limited edition, pine-devoted, painterly set taps their iconic Christmas scent with a Room Spray and Candle, to perfume your interiors with the true smell of Christmas.
diptyque Sapin de Lumiere Room Spray And Candle Set, $200. shop now

a fancy cracker
Because Christmas isn’t really Christmas without a cracker, and the only cracker I will settle for is one filled with Jo Malone, of course.

jo malone christmas cracker, $78. shop now

vanity art
Hear me out. Whilst this glorious Alex & Trahanas plate is designed to be eaten off, I couldn’t bear covering his beautiful painterly face with pasta and the like. So instead, I’ll have him sitting on my vanity serving the purpose of art rather than food. Just the thing to accompany my indulgent fragrance collection. 

Alex and Trahanas Apulian face plate, $80. shop now

a skin saving kit
Two words for you: chic, always. Add Iris van Herpen to the equation and send me to amber bottled heaven. This stylish quartet of all my Aesop favourites comes housed in a chic zip-top amenity case with an artful laser-cut sleeve designed by the Dutch couturier, so I can revel in Aesop’s splendour on-the-go, too.

Aesop Contours of discovery kit, $120.shop now

festive bubbles
I hate champagne. A rather shocking admission, I know. But let me give it a little context, I hate champagne when prosecco is on offer. Specifically, I hate champagne when Brown Brothers prosecco is on offer. Perhaps a byproduct of my Mediterranean heart, prosecco is my bubble of choice when the silly season hits (or any time of the year, for that matter). My favourite prosecco to pop is this limited edition Brown Brothers Prosecco, which features an artful sleeve by talented Australian artist George Rose, and is crisp, light and a little too easy to drink. Not technically a beauty product, but I definitely look (read: feel) more beautiful when I’ve have one / five.


Brown Brothers limited edition, $19. shop now