CHY Gift Guide :: Beauty
Would it even be #Blogmas or a #GiftGuide if I didn’t post anything beauty related? The category of beauty is quite vast and can be covered in so many areas. I’m just going to share the few areas that I think would be great to gift! I also curated a selection of products that I already own / have on my own wish list further down below. Of course you don’t have to actually stick to beauty / makeup / skincare items for gifting - think outside of the box! Find storage units, makeup bags, mirrors, etc.! Things that might go on a vanity for instance would be a lovely and personable gift to give.
MAKEUP
Makeup can be a finicky area to purchase for others. It tends to be a safe bet to buy makeup accessories like makeup brushes. Zoeva brushes * are some of my favorite as I had a set that lasted me about 4+ years. They’re definitely still in usable shape but I was extremely happy to have these peachy pink ones arrive on my doorstep the other day. They have various brush sets that come with a lot of good staples makeup brushes. A splurge that any makeup enthusiast would absolutely love has to be the Artis Brushes. If you subscribe to their newsletter, you can definitely come across a ton of deals. I’m still subscribed from when I made my order and they often send 20-25% off coupons. I can’t remember who mentioned it, but someone posted about these being marked 50% off which is when I snagged it. I almost thought about picking up an extra to gift but I don’t actually have many friends that wear face makeup on a day-to-day basis.
A rather safe bet has to be blush/highlighter. The Cloud Paints are hands down my favorite products and you can buy the Cloud Paint Duo at Glossier and save a bit of $. Personally, my favorite shades are Dusk, Haze, and Storm. I find that a lot of their shades work on all skin tones, although you can definitely ask the recipient of the gift what hues they like more (pinks / plums / orange). Remember that you can shop with me through my Glossier Rep Link and get 10% off your first order, or just cause! I make a small commission on every order placed through my link and it helps a lot! A recent brand discovery this year has to be lilah b. These are those adorable little white pebbles that you’ve probably spotted over on IG. They have some of the best blushes and the divine duo (lip + cheek) in b. lovely has probably moved up the list as one of my most reached for products. These little pebbles are beautiful and multi-functional but they do have quite a steep price tag. If your love one is into beauty, one pebble would be more than enough to have her over the moon! Another makeup brand that’s eco-friendly with some luxurious and hefty packaging has to be Kjaer Weis. I have a few of their products and obsessed is an understatement. Cream products are honestly great for everyone - they just need that little courage to get there. Cream products always end up looking so seamless and natural, and the KW highlighters melt into your skin for that effortless dewy glow. I love that the product packaging is reusable and once you’re done you can pop the old pan out and place your replacement (in any other shade) in it’s place. It also makes it great when you want to travel and pop the pans out to put in their travel kit. If the person you’re shopping for is a fan of eyeshadows, assess what their day-to-day hues tend to be. If they love neutrals, obviously go with a neutral palette that suits their eye color. If they love to do event makeup and go all out, I highly recommend the Anastasia Beverly Hills eyeshadow palettes - I have Soft Glam* and Sultry* and both are perfect for accomplishing any eye look I want.
Nail Polish doesn’t really fall under makeup but I’m going to throw it in anyways. Nail polishes make great gifts and can even be perfect as stocking stuffers. This year I’ve definitely been more into cleaner nail polishes - many options these days are 9-free, cruelty free, vegan, you name it. Some brands that I’ve been trying more polishes from lately have been J Hannah (special shout out to Ghost Ranch for being my fav color of the year), Spela Cosmetics* (with all the neutral hues), Shop LVX* (for the deep pigmented colors), and Live Love Polish* (for making all my glitter dreams come true).
SKINCARE / HAIRCARE
When it comes to skincare, each person can be quite particular. Some safe bets tend to be face mists/sprays (I’m loving ones from Caudalie and Fresh Beauty), Leo Oil (which I’ve never heard a bad thing about), and my holy grail item discovery of the year - Caudalie SOS Hydrating Serum. There are a ton of holiday gift sets that include huge ranges of products that I think are great.
For any skincare lover, some skincare tools would be a lovely treat. I did an entire post on some of my favorite facial beauty tools so be sure to reference it here. Jade rolling and gua sha tools are probably one of my guiltiest pleasures. I actually keep a jar of jade rollers (yes, plural) in my fridge so I can pull them out and use them. Using them over sheet masks and eye gels, or just cause, feels great. Especially come warmer weather season. I use my gua sha tool almost every night and I really do think it helps with firming the skin over time. I suffer from really bad tech neck and I think with regular use of this (and stroking upwards at night) has actually helped to improve and reduce the appearance of the lines on my neck. That along with a luxe oil, heavy cream, and better posture. My favorite jade/rose quartz tools have to be from Mount Lai *. Stephanie is a true boss lady and I adore the brand she has created. Mount Lai sells at Sephora now which means you can easily get your hands on their products! Right now they are selling gift sets with the dual-sided jade roller and gua sha tool - in your choice of jade or rose quartz.
For any mask lovers, I think that a MakeupDrop along with a face mask of some sort would be a dynamic duo indeed. MakeupDrop has to be one of my favorite mask pairing discoveries as it makes it so easy to apply masks - whether it’s in a tub or in a tube. This helps you spread the product evenly across your face with minimal mess and wasted product. Once you’re done applying, just quickly rinse off the drop under the sink and voila - you’re done and ready to go. Honestly do not use this for makeup application because I think it just pushes the product around - just use it for masking purposes and you won’t be sorry. When I was in NY, I went to the Caudalie Spa was treated to a luxurious facial * ! One of the products they used on me was a Foreo Luna Play which I had already been toying with the idea of getting. I have fairly sensitive skin and while I did try the Clarisonic Mia a few years back, I did think it was a touch too abrasive for my skin. The Foreo Luna was gentle but did it’s job and left me with crazy soft skin. You can bet I snagged up the Foreo during the Sephora VIB sale when I returned from NY and I have not looked back since. There are various sizes and the small ones are not terrible price wise. I love that the whole device is a silicone material so it’s easy to rinse and you know there isn’t any lingering bacteria. I definitely want to pick one up for my boyfriend so he can have one to exfoliate with because that’s one thing I’m not down to share with him lol.
If you’re looking to buy THE best hair gift in. the. world (yes, saying it), please buy the Gisou Honey Hair Oil. Yes, it’s an extortionate amount of money but it smells like heaven and makes your hair silky smooth. They brought out a mini version which you can get directly from their site which is a lot more manageable price wise and let’s everyone experience silky smooth hair. The mini is sold out but keep your eye out and maybe it’ll come back in stock. I use this every time I wash my hair and I’m seriously amazed at how soft my hair is. My hair grows pretty fast and this has definitely helped keep it tame. For an extra extra splurge, I’d suggest buying hair styling tools. Obviously a Dyson Hair Dryer is probably one of the best hair tools ever invented and I honestly can never go back to normal hair dryers. I can dry my hair in about 5 minutes and it leaves my hair frizz-free and with no damage. I hate the feeling of walking around with wet hair and with the help of some Aquis hair towel turbans * (also a great gift suggestion), hair washing night is no longer a huge chore. I’ll put up my hair in the turban and go about my night-time skincare routine and wind-down. About 30 minutes later or so, my hair will be 80% dry and I can quickly dry the rest of my hair in a few short minutes. Done deals. Pass along this luxury in the form of the ultimate gift.
What are some of your favorite beauty gifts to gift?
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Products marked with (*) were gifted to me, but all opinions remain my own. This post also contains affiliate links.
Feel free to read more on my disclaimer.