Yellow Sweats-Approved Holiday Gift Guide
Welcome to the strangest holiday season of your entire life! Your inbox is filled with family Zoom invites, you eat outdoors bundled in a coat, hat, and scarf, and surgical masks now make an acceptable gift. Fun!
The art of gift giving is a tricky skill to begin with, but with this year’s social distancing, lame duck president, and what can only be described as a series of unfortunate events, it can feel almost impossible to find the right present for everyone on your list. That’s why I’m here.
In my perpetual pursuit of attention, I’ve somehow found a way to make gift-giving about me—even if I’m not buying or receiving the gift myself. I know, I’m very talented.
Below, I’ve curated an expert-level beauty gift guide that’ll cover everyone on your list (seriously, everyone). It’s listed from least to most expensive, because I appreciate organization.
A quick note before I go: If you do end up purchasing one of the products suggested, please consider using my link below to do so. It’ll give me a (very tiny) portion of the sale made, which would be cool since I do all this for free! Actually, if you ever feel like supporting me while purchasing something I suggested, message me and I can send you an affiliate link for it. If not, never mind. Okay, thanks!
Mini Starlight Succulents Set, Bite Beauty; $10.50
I’m a huge fan of Bite’s Agave+ line—this is not your average lip mask. It’s so thick and goopy that it quite literally takes strength to squeeze it out of the tube sometimes, which makes it perfect for bone-dry lips during the winter.
Best of Box Giftset Mascara Edition, Target; $14.99
I do not discriminate against mascaras—drugstore, high-end, I love them all. So, I was very excited to see a beauty set like this from Target. As someone who has never celebrated Christmas, I think this would make a great stocking stuffer.
Mini Juicy All The Way Lip Jelly Set, Tower28; $20
I really do heart lip gloss. Tower28’s are especially good. They’re non-sticky and über hydrating, leaving behind the perfect dewy lip. The colors in this set are very, very subtle—I’m actually a huge fan of the purple one, and I hate color on my lips. I definitely suggest getting a set of minis vs. one full-sized gloss, because minis are more fun, variety is key, and who finishes an entire tube of lip gloss?
Sugar Lip Treatment Set, Fresh; $29
I have gone through maybe six tubs of Fresh’s sugar coconut lip balm. It is just so damn luxurious and smells like a dream. I keep it by my bed and find myself reaching for it almost every night. I’m also a fan of Fresh’s colored lip balms, so I love that two mini ones are included.
Baggage Claim Upgrade Gold Eye Masks Set*, Wander; $45
I honestly don’t have much to say about this; it’s just a large set of some good eye masks. It comes with 18 pairs, which makes for a really substantial gift. Plus, the gold foil makes them very insta-worthy.
Pillow Talk Lip Secrets Set, Charlotte Tilbury; $45
This set is so damn good that I bought it for myself despite already having the lipstick and liner. Pillow Talk is the lipstick that made me believe in lipstick—it simply can’t be beat. This set is an amazing gift to anyone who’s a fan of a nude lip.
The Youth Minis Kit, Youth To The People; $48
Full disclosure: I’ve only tried the cleanser, oil, and adaptogen cream in this set, but by and large, I really trust Youth To The People’s products. I reach for YTTP when my skin is feeling angry or sensitive, because I know that their products will soothe my temperamental skin. This is the perfect gift for someone who wants to get into skincare but just isn’t really sure where to start—I’d also suggest Drunk Elephant’s The Littles set.
This is such a good deal, I don’t know why more people aren’t talking about it. Tarte’s shadows smell amazing and blend fairly seamlessly. If you’re looking to bulk up your beauty collection, this is a great place to start. I find that I use the Lil’ Bloom and Lil’ Toasted palettes more than the Lil’ Juicy, but all three feature great nudes in a variety of finishes.
The Littles Head To Toe, Drunk Elephant; $49
I feel like this is a great gift for someone like your boyfriend’s mom or an aunt. I think it’s a great price point for seven deluxe samples (and a free comb!), and Drunk Elephant is generally just a good, trustworthy brand. The set comes with shampoo, conditioner, leave-in spray, body wash, body lotion, natural deodorant, and a scalp scrub.
Hydration Sensation Set, Peter Thomas Roth; $52
I like all three of these PTR products. The Water Drench Moisturizer is what I’d call a gel-cream hybrid—it’s super moisturizing and I like to use it occasionally in the morning. The Cucumber Gel Mask is great for dehydrated, angry skin, and we always love a good vitamin C serum. Given that the Water Drench Moisturizer is $52 alone, this set is a no brainer.
Instant Look in a Palette—Stone Rose Beauty*, Charlotte Tilbury; $52
Charlotte Tilbury brought back this limited edition palette for holiday season only, and I highly suggest jumping on it ASAP. It’s great for those who want to get into makeup but feel completely overwhelmed. There are tons of videos online walking through how to use the palette (though it’s fairly self-explanatory). It’d also be perfect for someone who travels a lot or is just looking to consolidate their products. I gave this to my mom last year, and she still uses it to this day.
Deluxe Mini Coffret Set, ‘Replica’ Maison Margiela; $68
A single, full-sized ‘Replica’ perfume costs $130, and I can pretty much guarantee that you will never use up the entire bottle. That’s why I love this set. I’m all about options, and I’m honestly impressed with how large these deluxe sample sizes are. The set features a mix of scents meant for men, women, and both genders (according to the brand), but gender is a social construct and I really would consider nearly all to be fairly unisex. Give this to your brother, your sister, your boyfriend, your girlfriend—it works for anyone!
The Hydration Set, Summer Fridays; $75
This set, which features two full-sized products and one mini-sized, is worth $111—meaning it saves you $36 and adds in a free makeup bag just because you’re cute. I’m honestly tempted to pull the trigger on this set myself. The CC Me serum is a staple in my morning routine, and everyone and their mother loves the Jet Lag mask. I’ve yet to try the lip balm, but I’ve pretty much heard exclusively good things.
Ambre Plume Limited Edition Scented Candle, Diptyque; $78
I am absolutely one of those girls who is weirdly into candles—perhaps problematically so. Regardless, this makes for a super thoughtful gift. Diptyque candles scream Cool Girl; you can spot them everywhere from burning on a bedside table to emptied and holding Q-tips in the bathroom. I love that this one is limited edition, making it Basic Bitch But Elevated (my personal brand). A great gift for a girlfriend, cousin, sister, etc.
The Mani System*, Olive & June; $80
If you want to learn how to paint your nails, this is the kit. It comes with six colors of your choice, clippers, a nail file, a nail buffer, their super glossy top coat, a polish remover pot, clean up brush, cuticle serum, and the Poppy, their patented polish bottle handle for easier application. It is truly a game changer.
The Pedi System*, Olive & June; $100
Olive & June’s newly released pedi system is just as good as the OG mani system—if not better. The pedi iteration comes with six colors of your choice, large flat-edged clippers, a nail file, mini nail buffer, their super glossy top coat, a polish remover pot (with a unique sponge cap for toes), clean up brush, silicone toe separators, foot serum, cuticle pusher, cuticle remover, foot file, and the Posy, their patented foot rest for easier pedicures. It truly comes with everything you could need, and I have to admit the foot file is wildly satisfying and gross.
Beauty Sleep Gift Set, Slip; $125
I love my silk pillowcase and eye mask. There’s something about the sheer ridiculousness of it all that makes them so fun to use. Plus, I’ve seen major benefits in my skin and hair thanks to the pillow. I’ve even turned my boyfriend into a silk pillow case/eye mask fan—a personal win that I love to remind him about. Just trust me on this one.
Hibiscus Palm Eau de Parfum*, Aerin; $125
This is one of my top two favorite perfumes of all time (see the second below). While it’s classified as a floral scent, notes of coconut milk, vanilla, and musk add a warmth and depth that you simply don’t find in most florals. It’s truly unlike anything else I’ve ever smelled, and I love that it’s so unique. Plus, the packaging looks absolutely amazing on a vanity.
Glide Hot Brush Gift Set*, GHD; $169
I’m usually not a fan of a hot brush, mostly because my hair naturally dries super well and almost mimics the effects of a hot brush (humble brag). So when I got this, I told my boyfriend to try it, and surprise, surprise, he loved it. It takes him less than 5 minutes to use, and when I asked for his input on the brush, which he uses nearly every day now, he said the following, “It makes my head feel warm and straightens my hair. Less frizzy, more sexy.”
NuFACE Mini Break The Ice Collection, NuFACE; $180
I talked a bit about my thoughts on NuFACE here, but, TLDR, if you have aging skin or feel like your face lacks definition and contour and you’re willing to use it five to seven days a week, then the NuFACE is a great investment for you. If not, don’t bother. This limited edition sparkly one is super fun. I prefer the mini NuFACE over the regular because it’s significantly cheaper and is pretty much identical to the regular NuFACE except for the attachments and different heads.
La Tulipe Eau de Parfum*, Byredo; $180
And here is my second favorite perfume. While most people go for Mojave Ghost or Bibliothèque, I prefer the light, floral notes of La Tulipe. It smells like peak summer, with hints of vetiver and blonde wood to ground the scent. I’ve used almost my entire bottle and have turned countless friends onto this under-the-radar scent.
Riki Skinny*, Riki Loves Riki; $195 (currently on sale for $146.25)
This mirror is so Danielle that it is almost comical. My boss recently gave me one that was sent to her, and I’ve been obsessed ever since. The portable LED vanity features 5 light settings, a stand, Bluetooth capabilities, a magnetic magnifying mirror, and a magnetic phone holder that makes for top-notch selfies. It’s about the size of an iPad and weighs about 1.5 pounds, making it perfectly portable. Plus, it was named one of Oprah’s Favorite Things, and anything good enough for Oprah is good enough for me.
