5 hours Ago By Joy Montgomery
As anyone who has been struck down with a chronic case of doom-scrolling will know, planet earth isn’t the easiest place to be right now. And while it is, of course, important to stay plugged into the news cycle, it’s equally as important to push one’s inner “mute” button every once in a while. And with the festive gifting season just round the corner, what better way to do this than to embrace the joy of a little treat? Read more: The Best Gifts For Women That She’s Sure To Love In 2024 Indeed, last year saw the phrase “little treat” become a major TikTok trend, with endless videos of Gen-Zs semi-ironically sipping pumpkin-spiced lattes on sun-dappled park benches.
But, social-media trend or not, sometimes the smallest pleasures are the most important. So, as the mercury plummets and the days darken, I decided to ask the Vogue team which treats and rituals they indulge in to help keep them sane in a world that is anything but. From bath salts and micro bags to lip pencils and parmesan (yes really), scroll down to see what the editors picked.
Alice Cary, senior shopping writer Jewellery is the only thing I’ll never second guess treating myself to. Don’t get me wrong, I love receiving jewellery from other people (contrary to what a person in my previous life once said), but I can see why people might feel intimidated to buy it for me. Ultimately thoughtfulness is the greatest gift.
I see my collection as an archive, so adding to it adds to its value. A vintage cuff is next on my wish list. Julia Storm, contributing shopping writer When I’m in need of a little pick-me-up, I’ll often turn towards a beauty buy.
Victoria Beckham’s precision lip pencil has been the main character in my make-up bag for the past year – I use no.4 as an all-in-one eye shadow, blush and lip liner, so it’s inevitably in need of a top-up every now and then. A fresh, sharpened pencil gives me a healthy dose of dopamine and is the perfect little self gift.
For a slightly more indulgent purchase, I like to satisfy my magpie-like tenancies by treating myself to something sparkly. Top of my list at the moment? A silver ring from All Blues. Tracy Achonwa, beauty shopping writer There is something about minuscule bags that sparks joy for me.
While I can’t always justify a new handbag purchase, their lower price point often feels like a more reasonable treat. I tell myself they are a practical place to stash my coins and cards, as well as the mini make-up collection I travel with – and while that’s true, the reality is that their pint-sized charm is difficult to resist. My most recent indulgences are the Longchamp Le Pliage purse and Rare Beauty’s mini merlot tote .
We could all use a little treat every now and then, and these are, quite literally, the epitome of the term. Radhika Seth, film & culture editor Few things can change your mood as quickly and completely as a gorgeous candle. As the days get colder and darker (and my seasonal depression sets in), I find myself reaching for soothing scents that remind me of my childhood in India: Byredo’s Chai and Loewe’s Incense.
Lighting them can make ordinary moments – simple dinners at home or having a friend over for a bottle of wine – feel like a real occasion, and even gives me a little boost when working from home in the depths of winter. Laura Hawkins, fashion features editor I am very lucky to receive an annual wheel of parmesan from an Italian fashion brand each Christmas, and every time said hard cheese is removed from the fridge and grated into a risotto/pasta/stew, I feel a surge of culinary-obsessed joy. Eleven months into the wheel and I am down to a final feeble hunk of rind, which I plan to throw whole into a minestrone soup in a final gastronomic goodbye.
Over the Christmas period, fine crystals of parmesan may sparkle like the snow, but a parmesan pick-me-up can in fact last all year. Joy Montgomery, shopping editor Forget expensive jewellery and overpriced flowers, I find there’s nothing more gratifying than stepping into a bath filled with Westlab’s muscle-soothing Epsom Bath Salts, with a podcast playing in the background ( Fresh Air and The Daily are current favourites). It really is the ultimate pick-me-up for gloomy winter evenings.
I will usually follow said bath with a cup of tea and a good book – right now I’m reading Taffy Brodesser-Akner’s second novel, Long Island Compromise. You can’t say I don’t know how to have a good time..
