Phyl Clarkewrites an open letter to Santa Claus
The only person left in our house who believes in Santa is me. Last Christmas, my son played that game of pretending to believe, for the sake of his parents, but this year, all pretence is gone. He goes to secondary school next September, and in fairness, the time had come.
So I'm on my own, excited by the prospect of surprises on Christmas morning, and making sure I'm on my best behaviour for the next few weeks, hoping to garner a few extra brownie points from Mr Claus.
Of course my letter to Santa is private, and went off weeks ago (to give him time to source those hard-to-get items), but I am willing to share my Christmas wish list.
First, a bit of vintage glamour for my dressing table in the shape of the gorgeous, oversized Estée Lauder bronzing compact (€55). To go alongside is a seriously good hairbrush in the shape of Frédéric Fekkai's boar bristle brush. Handmade in France, this gives hair bounce and shine and should last a lifetime (£67 from www.space.nk.uk).
Christmas is a time for lovely colour palettes, and I would not be disappointed to find any of the following in my stocking. The Giorgio Armani Black Gem palette costs €66 for four eye shadows and a shimmering face powder, in a handbag-friendly size. has a lovely collection of palettes this year, with eyes, cheeks and lips all covered. The one called (€80) caught my eye. While you're at the Nars counter, Santa, you could also pick up their dinky brush set, encased in a festive red leather roll (€150). Benefit's Big Beautiful Eyes is one of the cutest palettes around, with concealer, three eye colours, and a foolproof step-by-step instruction leaflet (€27).
Laura Mercier's Beauty Books are clever little collections of her beautiful, understated colours. Available in single books for €42 or, if you're an avid reader, a library of three costs €141. While we're on the subject, I always like to ask for a book, for a bit of light reading over the holiday period, and this year my choice is The Beauty Bible by Sarah Stacey and Josephine Fairley. This is a "tells it like it is" guide, with everything from make-up tips from experts, to how to get a perfect haircut. A great stocking filler at €22.50.
In the hopes that I will be getting in a bit of travel over the next few months, I am putting the Eve Lom Travel kit (€80), on my list. This is a wonderful introduction to the skin guru's fabulous skincare collection and includes her famous cleansing cream. This takes up no space at all, and can be left in a suitcase, ready to go if you have a last-minute lunch date in Paris.
Aveda has a lovely openwork candleholder in its Atmosphere set (€40). This would be perfect in my bathroom, gently flickering patterns of light as I soak my cares away. My body product of choice at this time of year would be Bathina Body So Fine from Benefit (€33.50). This is a shimmering pink balm which polishes your skin to a silky sheen.
Leaving the big presents till last, I would be beside myself with joy if I found either of the following in my stocking: Crème de la Mer Lambertson Truex gift set (€465), containing a selection of the cult brand products, should see me into spring with glowing skin. And Bobbi Brown's beauty organiser (€240) unfilled, is a classy, green leather travel case that means business. I would never lose anything again. Honest.