(with pictures)

[STANDFIRST] Festive minis hidden within a Christmas cracker or bauble make a brilliant - and beautifying - special touch. Katie Wright rounds up her favourites

Groan-worthy jokes and flimsy paper crowns are all well and good, but if you really want to impress diners on December 25, adorn place settings with a cracker that conceals a pampering treat or two - goodies that will last long after the pudding's been polished off.

And you'll score even more hostess points if you pluck a beauty bauble from the tree for each guest to send them on their merry way.

We've picked the decorations that will delight this Christmas...

CRACKING CRACKERS

Molton Brown has a selection of five crackers, each containing a trio of heavenly scented miniatures (we love the rich Orange and Bergamot), and you'll find them all in the 6-Piece Signature Crackers Box, £120 (www.moltonbrown.co.uk).

Concealing three bath and shower minis each, L'Occitane's boldly-hued Festive Crackers Collection, £20 for three, will brighten up any festive table (www.loccitane.com).

If 'dark and decadent' is your Christmas decor MO, Decleor Surprise Skincare Crackers, currently reduced to £10.80 from £12 each, John Lewis, will fit right in, and with each containing a 50ml hand cream they're actually surprisingly good value (www.johnlewis.com).

Emblazoned with a dapper harlequin design, Jo Malone Christmas Crackers, £33 each, deliver a travel sized cologne, body wash and body creme to each lucky recipient (www.jomalone.co.uk).

With their smiling snowman exteriors, it doesn't get much cuter (or bargainous) than these Dirty Works Crackers About Beauty offerings, £3 for three, Sainsbury's (www.sainsburys.co.uk).

Sleek, chic and shiny, Rituals' The Ritual Of Light Fortune Crackers, £19.50 for six, each come with a luxurious gift and a wise saying to set the tone for a grown-up gathering (www.rituals.com).

Go for gold with Baylis and Harding's Sweet Mandarin & Grapefruit Cracker Set, currently reduced to £5 from £10 for four, House of Fraser, each of which contains a body lotion or body wash in the succulent scent (www.houseoffraser.co.uk).

BEST OF THE BAUBLES

Inside the sizeable pink metallic Melvita L'Or Bio Bauble, £11, FeelUnique.com, you'll find a stash of goodies all scented with the gorgeous L'Or Bio fragrance (www.feelunique.com).

So pretty you'll want to keep it for many Christmases to come, the snowflake-emblazoned Bronnley Christmas Apple & Cinnamon Soap Bauble, £6.50, hides a full-size soap from the classic beauty brand (www.bronnley.co.uk).

Give the gift of a good night's rest with the This Works Sleep Tight Bauble, £12, Boots, which contains three of the brand's addictive sleep-inducing solutions (www.boots.com).

Unscrew the cap of Zoella Deck The Baubles, currently reduced to £5 from £6, Superdrug, to reveal the tempting aroma of spicy gingerbread and warm vanilla bubble bath (www.superdrug.com).

In stylish black, gold and burgundy, the Baylis & Harding Signature Assorted 3 Bauble Set, currently reduced to £10 from £20, House of Fraser, comes with a differently scented body wash and lotion duo - just add ribbons to dangle them from your tree boughs (www.houseoffraser.co.uk).

Say hello to a decadent decoration and goodbye to split-ends, with the on-trend copper coloured GHD Advanced Split End Therapy Bauble, £15, Very, which comes with a travel-friendly tube of the hair-repairing treatment (www.very.co.uk).

Are you forever rummaging in your handbag during winter in search of lip balm? The pretty pink Mandara Spa Shimmering Lip Butter Treats bauble, £3.50, Sainsbury's, hides a pair of lip butter pots, so you'll always have one to hand (www.sainsburys.co.uk).

TRIED AND TESTED

:: Is the Veet Sensitive Precision Beauty Styler just the gadget you need ahead of the party season? Gemma Dunn finds out...

"'Tis the season for socialising, and if you will go to the ball(s), you should probably prep for it - which is where Veet's new Sensitive Precision Beauty Styler could come in handy. The first of its kind from the hair removal maestros, the device is tailored to gently trim and precisely shape your delicate body parts, such as bikini line, underarms and eyebrows. It's designed so the cutting blades don't actually touch your skin, minimising the risk of knicks and cuts. If, like me, you're in search of a pain-free path to perfectly groomed brows, give it a whirl. There's a two-sided precision head, which after a little bit of practice can catch great angles, plus a separate pink attachment you can pop over the razor if you need to trim the length of hairs. A bit of practice later and it's my new fave tool - perfect for catching those light hairs that can be tricky to detect with tweezers alone."

:: Veet Sensitive Precision Beauty Styler, currently reduced to £15.99 from £23.99, Boots (www.boots.com)

BUY IT NOW

New from 3INA, the limited-edition Dark Holiday collection has everything you need to create a smouldering seasonal make-up look. The six shimmering shades in the 001 Eyeshadow Palette, £14.95, offer endless smoky-eye combinations, while the Powder Pearls, £15.95, lend skin a candlelit glow, and the dark red Ulti-Matte Lipstick, £10.95, imparts a rich, long-lasting rouge. Paint your pout and head for the mistletoe (www.3ina.com).

BEAUTY BULLETIN

:: HAPPY WHIFF-MAS?

Do you wish the whiff of Brussels Sprouts emanated from your kitchen more than once a year? Well you might soon be able to, er, enjoy the aroma of the polarising vegetable whenever you like, with Eau de Brussels Sprouts, part of Febreze's La Collection de Stinks. Along with Stinky Stilton and Bin Bags, the trio of scents is based on the worst seasonal smells, as voted by 2,000 Brits. The pongy perfumes probably won't be available to buy, however - unless there's a huge demand. Somehow we don't smell success with this one...

:: DYE-ING TO STAND OUT?

Superdrug's annual sales stats show that youngsters are embracing grey hair in a big way, with sales of silver and grey dyes up a staggering 3,000% in 2016 - and these hues most popular with 22-28-year-olds. Rainbow brights like purple, pink, blue and red, on the other hand, are favoured by those aged 42-56.

STEAL OF THE WEEK

Skincare gadget supremos Foreo have unveiled a whole sleigh's worth of gift set savings this Christmas, all of which come with a high-tech Luna sonic cleanser. Beauty junkies will love the Complete & Customisable Cleansing Collection, £119, which comes with a Luna Mini 2 and a pair of day and night cleansing gels, worth a total of £154 (www.foreo.com).

ends