Beauty lovers are some of the easiest people to shop for come Christmas time. Stores are jam packed with loads of options and limited edition sets of epic proportions.
But if you’re not a beauty lover yourself, you probably have no idea where to start, and going in store without any idea can be quite overwhelming- especially when the pushy salespeople just hand you random things and say ‘buy this’.
In my gift guide for Beauty Lovers this year, I’m recommending gifts that will be universally loved and super accessible to make shopping that little bit easier for you.
This post is in collaboration with the ever-so-talented Cindy Dang, who has also given some wonderful recommendations on her Instagram account which you can find here. Be sure to follow her while you’re there- you won’t regret it!
As always, I’ve provided a link to each item (simply click the title) if you’d like more information.
Eyeshadow Palettes
Any makeup lover will greatly appreciate any new addition to their palette collection, but it can be risky business as they will most likely already own most of the popular, mainstream ones.
This is why I suggest reserving palettes for beginners in makeup, or sticking to limited edition items and indie brands for those with larger collections.
Too Faced Natural Love Palette ($85)
This is hands down my top pick for beginners. It contains 30 pigmented and user-friendly shades in an array of colours that will create pretty much any neutral look imaginable.
If you’d like more of my thoughts on this as well as swatches of the colours, I have already done an entire blog post on it which you can read by clicking here.
Unfortunately it is limited edition and sold out online, so your best bet is to wander into a Mecca Maxima store and snatch it up there.
The Saharan Palette by Juvia’s Place ($23.50 USD)
This has been my most-loved palette of the year. A) The colours are on-trend and super flattering on every skin tone, B) the quality is the best I’ve ever experienced, and C) it’s incredibly affordable.
Again, I’ve done a whole post on this which you can read here.
It is only available on the Juvia’s Place website and shipping can take a while so order ASAP.
Highlighter
It’s no secret that 2017 has been the year of the blinding highlight, and any makeup lover would be happy to receive one in their stocking.
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Soft & Gentle ($48)
This was the first highlighter I ever purchased and it will always be my most loved.
The colour is suitable for anyone with light-tan skin. It creates an amazing candlelit glow and radiant finish that still looks super natural, meaning it can be used on pretty much any occasion.
Fenty Beauty Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter in Trophy Wife ($50)
Trophy Wife has been the most talked about highlighter of 2017 for good reason.
The blinding gold is like nothing the beauty world has seen before and looks stunning on anyone with a golden or olive undertone- especially on deeper skin. It’s not the most flattering on cooler/rosier skin tones though so be warned.
Whether it’s used every day or kept as a collectors item, this is a great all-round pick.
Kylie Cosmetics Santorini Ultra Glow ($14 USD)
Of the three mentioned, Santorini is the most intense and ‘blinding’. It’s great for a night out or any special occasion and would work on the majority of skin tones. It’s also at an excellent price point so that’s a bonus.
It’s currently sold out (at the time of writing this), but there are a few other colours still available.
If you can’t get your hands on this don’t fret, as any beauty lover would be over the moon to receive absolutely anything on the Kylie Cosmetics site. You’re welcome in advance.
MAC Snow Ball Collection
MAC Snow Ball Mini Lipstick Kit in Warm ($59)
The limited edition MAC Snow Ball Collection contains A LOT of gems this year and I am beyond excited about every item they’ve released.
For my own sanity and the comfort of my bank account, I didn’t purchase the entire collection, but I did test out everything in store and I can confidently give my stamp of approval to everything in it.
MAC holiday collections hold a special place in my, and most makeup collectors’ hearts. There’s just something super magical about them that excites the entire beauty community and if you can get your hands on anything for your special someone, you’ll instantly be the best person in the world.
Of the collection, the mini lipstick kits have got to be my favourites. These are available in warm, cool, pink and rose (online only) colour-ways so there will be a set for every taste and style. For Christmas time, I can’t go past a red lip so I chose the warm kit for myself.
StylPro
StylPro Makeup Brush Cleaner ($99.99)
Most people are guilty of neglecting to clean their makeup brushes- me included. It takes HOURS to wash them, and lets not even talk about the 12-48 hour drying time.
The StylPro is a brilliant invention which completely eliminates the hassle, as it both cleans and COMPLETELY dries brushes in seconds.
It’s quite a pricey gift and definitely isn’t an essential but if you have a makeup artist in your life, this is definitely a very practical choice.
It’s available in store and online from The Shaver Shop who do some epic sales at Christmas time so keep your eyes peeled.
Skincare
Sunday Riley The Power Couple Set ($114)
If someone in your life is a lover of all things luxe and loves skincare, this is your man.
Good Genes and Luna are treatments that have completely transformed my skin and confidence in the best way possible and I recommend them to absolutely everyone.
Of all the luxe skincare on the market, this is your most universal option, AND this set is excellent value.
Perfume
If all else fails, perfume/cologne is a pretty standard beauty gift that nobody ever complains about. Choosing one can be risky business, but if you do your research, you can’t really go wrong.
If you want to get a little scientific and reduce the risk, fragrantica.com will be your best friend. Do a little non-invasive snooping to find out which perfumes your giftee currently wears, look them up on fragrantica and write down all of the notes.
Next, pick out the notes that are common to two or more perfumes, then look for one in your price range which contains all of them. Simple!
This probably won’t be of any benefit to you unless you’re in a right pickle, but the following fragrances have earned me the most compliments over the past year:
Jimmy Choo Illicit EDP 40mL ($70)
Estee Lauder Modern Muse Nuit EDP 30mL ($110)*
One Direction Between Us EDP 100mL ($49)
And there we have it! I hope this has helped you out in some way and/or given you a bit of direction in the gifting department.
Also, if the specific gifts I recommended are out of your price range, don’t fret- I do have a stocking filler gift guide coming out later in the month with some less-costly alternatives so stay tuned.
If you haven’t already, be sure to enter your email address below to receive my newsletter so that you never ever miss a post.
Until tomorrow… 😉
Disclaimer: Products marked with a * were sent to me. This is not a sponsored post and none of the links are affiliates. All opinions are my own.
