Help! What to buy for 12yo Niece who is cooler than I am?

[soupforbrains]

Hello!

Tomorrow is my niece's birthday I had wanted to get her the cute Kurt Geiger raindbow tennis bracelet but the small size has been out of stock forever. And then i had zero ideas, and although i asked my sister a LONG time ago for suggestions she didn't respond and so when i saw niece on Sunday I asked her. She then texted me a list of things she would like yesterday. This list is either a) specific items of tat from Temu/Shein which won't arrive in time. or b) nicely vague like 'clothes' and 'skincare'.

I'm aware that skincare is HUGE among the tweens and teens and so I'm happy to buy her some, but i am hoping you can all give me advice on which brands are both 'cool' to that age group and not just overpriced tosh?

Or any other alternative gift suggestions would be appreciated, so long as it is something I can buy in a shop tomorrow.

Thanks!

I'd just get her a voucher for somewhere like Superdrugs or Primark.

That's not really the style of gift I like to give to be honest. I will be giving her some clothes vouchers but i was raised never to give gifts made up only of gift cards.

Byoma or drunk elephant skincare, Sol de Janiro or Victoria’s Secret spray, anything from Sephora, Nike half zips, Pandora and white fox!

My dd and her friends are crazy for Laneige lip balms. I got her a set of minis for Christmas

Maybe take her on a shopping trip and let her pick what she wants but make a day of it and do lunch too.

Sol de janeiro
Bubble
Nike
White Fox
E.L.F make up

Summer Fridays lip balm, Rhode skincare, Sol de Janeiro something, Drunk Elephant.

I’d go for Summer Fridays lip balm (it’s about £25 for one or you can get a set of minis) or Sol de Janeiro

My dd is 12, skincare wise she likes bubble, byoma and the ordinary, all you can get in boots, and lots of gift sets atm. Arianna Grande Cloud perfum is a favourite. And Ouai haircare. Clothes she's happy with h&m and new look. She's also massively into rings and necklaces!

also Rare Beauty for blush

DD12 recommends Glow Recipe, Drunk Elephant or Byoma :)

white fox is seen as vulgar now

@Flapjacker48 guess it depends what area you are from, still worn by all the teens round here!

Bubble skin care, you can get it from larger Boots or online. My 12 yr old raves about the moisturizer cause the pump makes a flower shape. I don't get it but apparently super Cool 😎

I got my niece the Sol de Janeiro gift pack with 4 of the fragrances. I got it in Space NK.

Byoma, Sol de Janeiro, Sumner Fridays, La Neige, elf makeup, but get it from Space NK/Sephora/Selfridges so it's in great packaging too!

Can’t keep up! 😂

DD is currently into Byoma and has recently got a Pandora charm bracelet.

Nomination bracelets are the in thing for us just now

Thank you so much everyone! I've managed to gather from my other niece, (birthday niece's sister) that the Sol de Janeiro number 40 spray is something she would like, so I'm going to get that and some Bubble skincare for her.

I had already though of Pandora, but she has a pandora charm bracelet and her dad always gets her a charm for that so i don't want to 'gatecrash' their thing as it were.

She's not massively into makeup just yet but i'll keep an eye out for if there is any eye palettes or blush from the brands mentions here too.

I'll steer clear of White Fox then! Thank you all so much, my only child is a boy and he's now 17 so I'm not at all in touch with what's cool for the tween girls.

I'll come back with an update of what I buy.

Oh and thank you also for the suggestion of Nomination bracelets I don't have time for that to be ordered and arrive, but I am looking into getting those for both of my nieces for christmas instead.

Drunk Elephant is not suitable for young skin!
ELF halo glow is always a winner
White Fox also not cool around here
John Lewis stackers jewellery box
Voucher for Sephora?

Good to know about Drunk Elephant, and Halo Glow. She has a lovely jewellery box already. but thank you for the tips!

I bought Bubble skincare in the end I got her:
Soft Launch Cleanser
Water Slide Hydration Serum
Slam Dunk Moisturiser
and Solar Mate Sun Protection.

I also bought her Sol De Janeiro 40 fragrance mist spray thing and Elf Halo Glow blush.

She was thrilled when she opened them this evening so thank you all for the help! Pretty sure when i was twelve my skincare routine was using dove soap and occasionally a clearasil face scrub... XD

I was noting ideas as have a niece of a similar age.

It's a different world! My skincare was the same as yours at 12. And possibly still is 😂

My DD recently turned 12. Birthday gifts/money was spent on Bubble face cleanser, pyjamas, white fox hoodie, colouring books, notepad set and metallic pens, Sabrina Carpenter perfume that looks like a chocolate bar (already has Sol de Janeiro), clear mascara, sweets, CD’s, beads and spinner to add to collection for bracelet making, lip balm, new fiction books, new phone case.