Okay you guys. I think the holiday season is officially in full swing. My local mall was INSANE this past weekend. People are definitely shopping earlier this year!
Because of this, I’m making it a priority to provide you with a bunch of gift guides tailored to each person on your shopping list. I know a lot of bloggers do these types of posts this time of year, but I find that many just throw together a cute collage and a bunch of links. No real explanation of the items. I personally hate that and find it useless.
You’ve probably noticed that my gift guide posts are decently long. That’s because I want to provide some value and really give you guys insight on the items I’m recommending. Comment below or leave me a tweet if you like this format.
Today’s post is for the beauty lover in your life. Could be your best friend, sister, mom, whomever. Anyone who lives for new eyeshadow palettes, lip glosses, skincare and hair tools. Enjoy!
1. Peter Thomas Roth Cucumber Detox Eye Patches: I’ve mentioned these eye masks a few times here on the blog, so it’s no secret how much I love them. They are the perfect gift for someone who is short on time, but loves high quality skincare. When I’m getting ready for a big event and don’t have time to do a long skincare routine, I put these masks under my eyes while I’m curling my hair. They help get rid of puffiness and make you look SO rested, even when you’re not!
2. Wet Brush: The Wet Brush has been around for a while and it constantly gets rave reviews. My co-worker swears by it, so I think this is one of those products that I’m buying for myself this holiday season. Basically, it’s a hair brush that you can use right out of the shower. It doesn’t pull or tug on your hair and works wonders on knots.
3. Jo Malone Cologne Collection: Gah. I’m the biggest Jo Malone fan. Her scents are absolutely perfect for any occasion and the packaging is really luxurious. You really can’t go wrong with a Jo Malone gift. This gift set has samplers of four of the brand’s top selling scents: Lime Basil & Mandarin, English Pear & Freesia, Nectarine Blossom & Honey, English Oak & Redcurrant, and Wood Sage & Sea Salt {my all time fav!}.
4. Beauty Blender: I’ll be the first to admit that when the Beauty Blender launched, I didn’t get the hype. I refused to spend $20 on a sponge, and purchased a few cheaper knock-offs. Ugh, terrible mistake. In my opinion, the Beauty Blender can’t be duplicated. I use it every single day to apply my CC cream and believe it’s 100% worth the money.
5. Drybar Travel Blow Dryer: I’m one of those people who HAS to blow dry my hair before styling, because I have tons of cowlicks – especially in my bangs. So even if my hair is dry, I need to wet it and blow them down. When traveling, I used to just blow dry my hair with whatever crappy blow dryer was in the room. But then I got this Drybar travel blow dryer and decided that I couldn’t take trips without it! Not only does it have ionic technology to increase shine and reduce frizz {unlike many hotel blow dryers}, but it also folds down and takes up basically no space in your suitcase. If you know someone who travels a lot, I highly recommend this gift.
6. Mario Badescu Drying Lotion Spot Treatment: This stuff is the bomb dot com – I even dedicated an entire post to it! {read it here}. My husband, who is super picky about skincare, loves this product. If you have a blemish or feel one coming on, you use a Q-tip to apply a dot of this drying lotion on the spot. Leave it on overnight and by the morning you’ll notice it’s less inflamed and less red.
7. Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel Bronzer: I typically don’t spend a whole lot of money on makeup, but I made an exception for this product. It’s around $50, but it’s my absolute FAVORITE bronzer. I use it with a damp beauty blender every single day year round. It’s the perfect shade of bronze – not too brown and not too orange. It works with almost all skin tones, so it’s a product I had to include in this gift guide. One pot of this product will last you a very long time. I’m on my second container, and my first lasted an entire year!
8. Butter London Nail Polish: Nail polishes are a perfect gift for the beauty lover in your life, because it’s something that you can’t really have too many of. I was recently sent Butter London’s Patent Shine 10X polishes and I have to say that I’m very impressed with the application. I only needed one coat of the London Fog color for the perfect gray-blue shade for fall, and it wasn’t streaky at all.
9. Oribe Maximista Thickening Spray: I’m a big fan of Oribe hair products. Sure, they are a bit on the pricier side, but they are worth it and they make great gifts. Not only do they work well, but they smell amazing too. I’ve been using this thickening spray for years anytime I curl my hair for a special occasion. Basically, you just spray it on damp hair, then blow dry. It helps give a TON of volume to my otherwise limp hair.
10. Fresh Brown Sugar Body Polish: This natural exfoliant contains brown sugar crystals, jojoba oil and almond oil which helps get rid of dead skin while nourishing and moisturizing the skin. I smelled this at Nordstrom, and OMG you guys… it’s heaven on earth.
11. Bobbi Brown Evening Glow Eyeshadow Palette: Eyeshadow palettes are great gifts because there’s a good chance that your friend will enjoy at least one of the colors!
12. La Mer Moisturizing Cream: La Mer is one of those beauty brands that you read about and see in Instagram photos, but have probably never tried because they are so insanely expensive. This is why gifting one of their products during the holidays is an unexpected, but useful present. Their moisturizing cream is great for all times of the year, but especially during frigid winters.
13. Tory Burch Cosmetics Case: I have a cosmetics case from Tory Burch that I bought years ago and it’s still holding up really well. I think it would be fun to give someone this cosmetics case filled with a few other products from this post – maybe the hand cream, blush, and lip gloss!
14. Joanna Vargas Forever Glow Sheet Masks: These anti-aging face masks from celebrity facialist, Joanna Vargas, are the perfect gift for anyone who loves pampering their skin. I use one at least once a month and keep it on while I’m cooking dinner, watching TV, or doing chores. They help to minimize fine lines, improve circulation and reduce inflammation. The ingredients are organic and on point: cabbage rose extract, gingko rose extract, kelp, olive leaf extract, niacinamide, penta-peptides and hyaluronic acid.
15. Diptyque Mini Candle Set: Candle sets are such an easy gift to give, because who doesn’t love candles? This one from Diptyque is sure to make anyone’s holiday season a bit better. It comes with the following scents: Feu de Bois {woody}, Ambre {woody, patchouli, aniseed, incense, spices}, Pomander {orange, cloves, cinnamon}, Cyprès {cypress tree, honey, resin}, Santal {sandalwood}.
16. L’Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream: I’ve never tried this hand cream, but it wins tons of beauty awards and is somewhat of a cult classic. It’s supposedly super moisturizing and great for chapped hands in the winter time. I like this cream because it doesn’t have some crazy scent like pumpkins or peppermint, so most people will enjoy it.
17. Ouai Hair Kit: Ouai is a newer hair care brand, so it’s nice to be able to give this sampler kit to try before buying any full-sized products. It comes with dry shampoo, texturizing spray, smooth hair mist, and a treatment masque – all of which are paraben-free!
18. Bobbi Brown Blush: Bobbi Brown is definitely one of my personal favorite beauty brands, which is why there are a few BB items on this list. Her products are high quality, but a bit more affordable than some other luxury brands. I’ve been using her blushes for years now and they’ve become a staple in my everyday makeup routine. My favorite shade is “peony.”
19. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder: I’ve seen countless Youtube videos featuring this product, so this is an item that I will probably pick up for myself this holiday season. It’s a finishing powder that comes in various shades {or “lights”} each designed to give your skin a different glowy look. For example, the Mood Light brightens the complexion, the Dim Light highlights, and the Radiant Light gives a sun-kissed glow.
20. Moroccan Hair Treatment: If you’re not familiar with moroccan oil… it’s a versatile product that can be used as a conditioner, finishing tool, and so much more. It helps to restore hair by leaving it healthy, shiny and more manageable. I love this treatment specifically because it’s alcohol-free, sulfate-free, phosphate-free and paraben-free.
21. Nars Lip Gloss: If your friends are like me, they prefer glosses over lip sticks any day. This one from Nars comes in a bunch of shades, so I’m sure you’ll be able to find a shade for anyone on your list. It’s got a great formula that’s not sticky and actually hydrates the lips.
22. Philosophy Sweet Escape Trio: This super festive shower set features some of Philosophy’s best selling holiday scents: Pink Marshmallow Buttercream, Hot Cocoa, and Christmas Cookie. Each item can be used either as a shampoo, bubble bath or a shower gel.
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