Gerard Butler goes Christmas shopping with Marie Claire

* It’s a one-way ticket to (retail) heaven *

Words: Fiona Embleton

He’s the man who utters the now-infamous line, 'I don’t believe in less', in his Hugo Boss ads. So who better to ask for Christmas shopping advice than rugged Scottish actor and face of Boss Bottled, Gerard Butler? Instead of aimlessly buying gifts, use his pearls of wisdom to cross off everything on your list in record time…

 Do… take a sneak peak at the fragrance someone already wears. 'But don’t buy them the same one for Christmas. Maybe go and see if you can introduce them to something new. Without a doubt, what fragrance they wear, their clothes and their personality should influence your decision. Ask yourself are they a more classic type or more curious? Do they spend more time in the office or are they more fun-loving and gregarious?'

Do…choose an aftershave with a masculine dry down. It’s universally pleasing and sexy. 'I really like spiciness and wood tones with a citrusy flavour in there. My favourite scent, though, is musk. So for me, personally, the sexiest scent is Hugo Boss’ Boss Bottled, £54 for 100ml EDT, [a blend of citrus, cinnamon, cloves, sandalwood, cedarwood and musk] and Boss Bottled Intense, £60 for 100ml EDP. I also sometimes use this aftershave called Le Labo Musc 25, £295 for 100ml EDP. It has a really skin-like smell.'

Don’t…bypass the beauty hall. 'There’s a description Hugo Boss uses to describe its man: “he grooms his rawness”. I’d say, yeah that’s me. I groom but it’s not something I spend a lot of time on. I used to be terrible about looking after my skin but one time I had to go and see a dermatologist about something and he said [in mock American accent], "Hey you need to start using facing cream. You look like a weathered farmer." And I was like, "Oh, thank you”. I started using moisturiser and I could not believe the difference it made. Literally within a week I felt like I looked five years younger. I really like Dr Nigma Talib Serum No1, £150, and I use Crème de la Mer Moisturizing Cream, £110, sometimes, which is great for harsher climates like when I’m in Scotland.'

Don’t…buy slippers. 'One awful thing that I bitch about a lot is that I always get slippers. I don’t even wear slippers – even if there’s broken glass on my floor. And yet I seem to come back from Scotland every year with another three or four pairs. I’m the Imelda Marcos of slippers.'

Do…show knitwear some love. 'I remember a few years ago shopping in Notting Hill when I found these incredible lamb’s wool cardigans at Donna Karan. They were really Christmas-y but really cool and, you know, they zipped right up to the neck? I decided to get one for every single member of my family: my four nieces, mum, stepdad, my brother, my sister, their husbands and wives. I then had to get 11 Donna Karan bags in the plane from London to Glasgow! Those cardigans were my favourite gifts I ever gave. Everyone loved them.'

Do…give something homemade. 'The best present I ever got given was a sled that my uncle made for me, my brother and sister when we were little. It turned out to be a fantastic sled although none of us could stay on it; you’d just slide off it. But it went fast as hell. That Christmas was a white Christmas so we could use it straight away. My mum was a single mum bringing up three kids and he’d made this sled himself rather than buying into the whole commercial thing. It’s strange how some things really touch you.'