Louise McSharry: Six frivolous beauty treats to spend your Christmas gift voucher on

For beauty lovers, a voucher or cash gift can open the door to a product you simply can’t justify buying the rest of the year. With that in mind, here are some frivolous or expensive items I would happily spend a voucher on:

1. Danessa Myricks Lightwork VI Freedom Palette (€160 via danessamyricksbeauty.eu) — I admit, I bought this for myself as a Christmas present this year. I’ve been obsessing over it for months, and I’ve no regrets about making the purchase. Aside from its truly innovative packaging, the shadows themselves are stunning. From formula to shade range, if you are someone who likes to experiment with make-up, this palette will bring you joy.

2. Haus Labs Bio Radiant Gel-Powder Highlighter (€46 via hauslabs.com) — This blush/highlighter hybrid needs to be seen in real life to be fully appreciated, which makes it a risky purchase for us in Ireland since it’s not on display in any of our shops. Trust me, though, it’s worth the risk. This formula delivers a tone-shifting sheen which leaves you looking absolutely radiant. I have Fire Opal, which is a peachy shade with a pink sheen, but I’m craving Rose Quartz, which is a gorgeous light medium pink. These come in a beautiful opalescent compact, too, making it a pleasure to have in your handbag.

3. Westman Atelier Pressed Skincare Powder in Pink Bubble (€80 via brownthomas.com) — Westman Atelier is a luxury brand which truly feels luxurious. Each product is beautifully packaged and feels heavy and expensive in the hand, and they perform just as nicely as they feel to use. My current craving is this powder which is finely milled and delivers a beautiful finish to the skin. It’s available in five shades, including translucent, but I would like this pink shade which brightens the undereye with ease.

4. Byredo Tobacco Mandarin (€300 via brownthomas.com) — If I’m honest, I wish I’d never tried this perfume, because ever since I did, it’s been on my mind. It perfectly blends sweet, spicy and smoky, with notes of mandarin orange, cumin, coriander, leather, tobacco, frankincense, oud and sandalwood. It smells sophisticated but lively, and I am absolutely desperate for it.

5. Isamaya Liplacq 3.0 in Beetle (€36.16 via cultbeauty.com) — While I fully accept that a black, glittery lip gloss won’t appeal to everyone, this one by cool-girl brand Isamaya feels like exactly the thing which will help me reach my own cool-girl heights. Unlike some black glosses, this is quite pigmented and does genuinely leave the lips dark. What could be better for January, when winter darkness is lingering and heavy?

6. Victoria Beckham Beauty Reflect Highlighter Stick (€46 via brownthomas.com) — While softer, more blurred make-up looks are coming into fashion, I will never let go of the desire to glow. This cream highlighter stick contains fine pearlescent flecks of pigment which bring light to the cheekbones, cupid’s bow or wherever you would like them to. Packaged in a sleek gold tube, this feels almost like an accessory as well as a beauty product.

Buying Irish

Act+Acre is a haircare brand built around the importance of scalp health. This product is designed to refresh the texture and shine of your curls, as well as hydrating and soothing the scalp via glycerin, aloe vera and watermelon extract. According to the brand, the scalp’s delicate microbiome struggles to maintain moisture, which can lead to dehydrated curls and waves with compromised texture. This spray will work to solve that problem, along with immediately giving your hair a boost in appearance.

Something old…

If I was writing a list of my top 10 all-time favourite products (a future column perhaps!), Laura Mercier’s Caviar Sticks (€31 via next.ie) would certainly feature. These cream eyeshadow sticks are excellent, and have always been so, since their arrival in 2012. Available in a range of shades and finishes, from matte to shimmer, this formula glides onto the lid with ease and blends beautifully. Once set, it stays where it’s put until it’s removed, making it the perfect base for any eyeshadow look. Frequently though, I wear a Caviar Stick on its own, simply applying it across the lid and along the lower lash line before blending the edges with a brush. My favourite shade for this purpose is Brick, a warm reddish-brown, which makes blue and green eyes pop.

… Something new

Glossier became THE make-up brand for millennials when it launched a decade ago, thanks to its clever branding and fun products. While the range has grown since then, new product launches are relatively rare, so when they happen, I pay attention. The latest launch from Glossier is Shadow Stick (€27 via glossier.com), a lightweight, creamy eyeshadow stick which glides on easily to deliver a slightly undone effect. Available in five shades, from a shimmery champagne to warm metallics and a deep matte midnight blue, these were inspired by the music scene of the late 1980s and early 2010s (aka, the Indie Sleaze era). According to Glossier, these are for those who are looking for a ‘perfectly undone effect’. I think Charli XCX would love them.