What to get difficult to buy for daughter

[Graphista]

She's 15, no particular hobbies (partly due to disability, partly as she's up to her ears in schoolwork).

I'm struggling because the things my generation would have wanted at that age are no longer relevant.

CDs, DVDs, board games (yes I'm old )...

So what the blooming heck do I get her?

She is into - Netflix (vampire diaries, PLL, scream tv series, stranger things), she's not really a film person (that may be my fault I've spoiled her with 80's classics )

And...make up (too much in my opinion! Started with the zoella crap a few years ago she still practices with the tutorials etc it does seem to be the in thing now) problem is I don't know what brands/products she likes (I know nothing don't wear it).

Money not abundant but ok (I save throughout year).

She has a phone (of course she's 15 ) and laptop already (black Friday last year as she needed for school).

She's not really a techy person (I do more on my tech than she does on hers she doesn't even like texting ).

Also already has a Bluetooth speaker thingy (prize from a competition at school). Not a super snazzy one but does what she wants.

So...hit me with ideas please

Oh - have to be able to purchase online, not eBay though (long story).

While I'm at it she's 16 early Feb so I'd like ideas for that too please.

All my students have Pandora (or knock off ones) so maybe for her birthday?

my nieces of a similar age always ask for a Costa/Starbucks voucher

RealTechniques make up brushes
Face - beauty/make up book by the PixiWoo sisters (I think) or the Pretty Honest by Sali Hughes beauty boom.

Personalised necklace or jewellery from Etsy? Some sellers will transform your handwriting into jewellery.

Was also going to suggest real techniques make up brushes they are really good and not ridiculously priced. Also cinema vouchers, costa card. Nice handbag from accessorise. Nice watch? My dd chose a fairly plain watch analogue with a black leather strap for her Christmas present last year and she was 16 then, said she wanted something smarter than her previous Casio baby g one.

amazon prime subscription, they have diffrent things to netflix.
mac makeup lesson, £50 for an hour and a half then you get to choose £50 worth of makeup.

Could you not ask her to do a "wish list" of make up? I did this with one of mine, usually I like surprising them but I don't wear make up and have not the first clue. I know she loves it though so she gave me a huge list and I picked a few bits so there was still some element of surprise. Bloody hell it was expensive stuff!

A years subscription for Netflix? Or a T Shirt/hoodie/bag for her favourite shows, I have had great success in the past with American Horror Story hoodie, OITNB T-shirt.

You could buy her lessons, make-up or nail art, or even some professional products www.screenface.co.uk/. Possibly a good make-up mirror, professional manicure kit. What about something to make her bedroom more grown up, a chair, furnishings perhaps?

Oh a mirror with lights around it (like an old Hollywood style) went down very well in our house!

My dd sounds similar, started with zoella a few years ago and now into higher end stuff.
Her fave make up brands are:
Too faced
Urban decay
Benefit
Mac (only the lipsticks and eye shadows)
Tarte

She is coveting the Anastasia contour and highlight palettes for her Xmas, she already has the brow stuff and lipsticks and she loves them.

A really good set of brushes - I've managed to get my hands on a unicorn lashes brush set (don't ask!) but if I couldn't I would have bought zoeva ones. Also beauty blenders, and she has some of the revolution ones that look like toothbrushes that they all seem to use on YouTube.

Jewellery brands she likes are Tiffany, ted baker, Michael kors,Marc Jacobs etc

Other Ideas for my dd which you might be able to take from:

Good hair curlers
One of those weird professional hairdressing heads to practise hair styles and make up on
Fire stick with add-on
Hp sprocket (it's a tiny printer than connects to your phone to print Polaroid size pictures, I thought this was much better than a Polaroid camera itself as you can see and edit what you're printing beforehand)
'Posh' shampoo
Clothes (adidas originals, ck underwear, Victoria secret)
Lush gift box
Starbucks voucher and Starbucks coffee for using at home
Pre-paid visa for shopping trip
External hard drive for MacBook
Phone cases
Pyjamas & fluffy socks
Posh chocs
Fancy pens & art stuff

She still likes board games too, got her 'speak out' and 'exploding kittens' and a few others I haven't decided on yet.

Oh & if you know who her favourite you tubers are, most of them do a 'what I got for Xmas' last year or a Christmas gift guide for this year which might be worth watching to get some ideas too.

What about a spa day? She could have a pamper. Maybe more for her 16th though?

Not a Mac household (cruelty free and ethical preferred definitely not lining Estée lauders coffers)

Real techniques stuff looks ok, seems to be not ridiculously expensive and fairly ethical.

Hair stuff she already has hairdryer straighteners and crimpers (that never get used)

Why don't you just ask her what she'd like ............. I find these endless threads 'what shall I get DD/DS/DH/Best friend/MIL/ etc threads odd ........ I would much prefer people ASK me what I would like rather than endless surprises which you then have to pretend to like .

I have a 15 year old DS - I have no idea what his current tastes/likes are (seems to change every 5 minutes) so I have asked him to give me a list of suggestions ............. he only had one - cash - fine, that's easy .

Make Up Revolution cheap, great quality and a big hit with teens. They are also ethical, no animal testing, no third party testing and no sales in China. I recommend the palettes.

Real techniques, Anastasia, Zoeva, becca, tarte, Kat Von d, hourglass, too faced are all 100% cruelty free brand we use in this house.
We will use mac etc that has been gifted as we will not throw any out but will not purchase ourselves.

Agree just give a budget and ask your daughter for a list, we could suggest 1000+ things that won't suit you so that sounds like the easiest way.

Voucher for her favourite cafe a possibility.

Etsy jewellery a possibility too - we have some 'in' phrases between us that could work.

A watch also a good idea - is engraving only possible on super expensive ones?

Yea I was thinking Tvd hoody (as much as a way to get her to wear a jumper as anything else she seems permanently inappropriately dressed for winter)

We did her room up just this summer so nothing really needed there.

I like the mirror idea! Doesn't take up loads of space plus would stop her using the one in the living room and leaving make up everywhere!

She doesn't like strangers touching her (her disability means pain some days) so spa days and similar not really an option.

A relative works for a toiletries company so they always get her fancy bath and hair washing stuff (staff discount).

Do lush deliver?

I'll look at the different jewellery brands suggested too.

Thanks everyone

Fire stick - hopefully not offending but I don't get how this would be any improvement on what she already has access to? We have Netflix, I'm trying prime (though to be honest neither of us finding much we like to watch on there), catch up available via the apps anyway (she rarely watches 'real' tv). If anyone can explain any extra benefits ?

Makeup revolution looks right up her street colour/taste wise too thanks

Ragwort - cos it's like getting blood out a stone! 'Whatever' 'I don't mind usual sorta stuff' this is the first year I think even she doesn't know!

Yes Lush deliver.

Ask her for a list - doesn't mean you have to get everything on it though.

Yep lush deliver!

We downloaded an add on to the fire stick called 'kodi' (ok I might get a row here sorry as it's technically an illegal download) BUT it's so good we have cancelled sky. Can get absolutely anything we can think of on there, all the old films, all the current series. Everyone I know has one too it's bloody brilliant.

Yea I'm not keen on illegal stuff sorry.

LOVE that lush deliver. It's somewhere she likes but wouldn't expect me to be able to get this year (my agoraphobia at its worst for some years).

Sorry your agrophobia is really bad just now, glad your daughter will be surprised with a lush delivery.

Thanks J3NN1. I was hoping I'd be doing a bit better by now.