Gift Guides — Skincare & Beauty Must-Haves
When we look great, we feel great. Beautiful skin & great makeup go a long way in helping us look and feel our best, so I'm sharing some amazing products that do a phenomenal job at what they're supposed to. Whether it's your mom wanting her skin to look 10 years younger than it is, boss babe friend wanting skin that looks like she gets her 8 hours every night, or sister who loves always having her hair & makeup flawless, I've got you covered with gifts sure to have them thanking you for months to come!
1. Sunday Riley Luna
By far the best retinol I've ever used, Luna is also the most fun skincare product I've ever used. It's a blue oil (so fun!) that turns clear after you massage it in, and it's basically magic. It's so gentle and non-irritating for a retinol. It also does a wonderful job with soothing wrinkles, minimizing pores, reducing redness, minimizing signs of aging, and leaving skin bright, even-toned, and beautiful the next morning. I wish I had started using it earlier on, and think it's a great gift for any woman, especially one wanting more youthful skin!
2. By Terry Cellularose Brightening CC Lumi Serum
If you've been following me for a while, you know this is a 'holy grail' product for me. It's so, so beautiful on the skin, adds a beautiful glow, and smells great. In shade Sunny Flash, you get a bit of a 'tan', as it adds a golden hue to your skin, but it does come in 3 other shades if this isn't of interest! It's $91 but lasts me 6-9 month using almost daily, so it's well worth it in my book! Instant, flawless glow and a special gift!
3. Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Mask
I am a HUGE fan of Peter Thomas Roth Skincare. I've tried many of their products and they work SO WELL. I know, that's a lot of all caps words, but I mean them. One of my all-time favorites is this Pumpkin Enzyme Mask. As I've shared before, I'm big on skincare that provides experience and results. This goes above and beyond for both. Not gonna lie, this mask stings the first 3 minutes it's on. Power through though, because of the results? They're insane!!! The most amazing results I've ever had from a mask. I couldn't believe how my skin looked after leaving it on 7-8 minutes. It was like I took a few years off of my skin. It was plump, bright, and luminous, my pores were so much smaller, and it just looked flawless! Also, it smells like pumpkin pie. The cherry on top. Oh, and the price point is so great for how effective and quality the products are! I would be over the moon if someone gifted me another tub of this!
4. Tarte Pineapple of My Eye Collector's Set
Or honestly, any sets involving their toasted palette, man-eater eyeliners or mascara, or lip quench rescue tinted balms. I adore those products, and really like quite a few others that I've gotten to try! Tarte products are vegan and cruelty-free, which I love! But they're also amazing quality. The eyeshadows are very pigmented, but easily bendable and go on very smooth & silky! The lip quench rescues have become a product I never leave the apartment without, adding a gorgeous natural color to my lips while being totally casual and nourishing them. And I love how juicy and long-lasting the man-eater liquid liner is, as well as how creamy the self-sharpening gel pencil is. I could go on, but this is already getting long! Basically, these amazing products will make a wonderful gift for a make-up lover!
5. Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir Major Volume Mascara
Say hello to the fluffiest lashes ever! I was so impressed when I tried this mascara, and while I've loved the Marc Jacobs beauty products I've tried in the past, I was not prepared for how much I'd love this mascara! It gives so much volume without the tiniest bit of clumping, resulting in stunning, natural yet bomb lashes!
6. GHD Iron
I've gone through quite a few curling irons in my days, as it's the only tool I usually use when styling my hair. I didn't think it was possible to see such a difference in results from an upgrade, but I definitely did! I went from $30-$60 irons from Target to this $230 one from GHD and am SO glad I invested the money. I've seen much less heat damage the past 5-6 months I've used it and am constantly impressed with the frizz-free glossy curls I'm always left with after using. A GHD iron is such a great gift for someone who uses s straightening or curling iron regularly; they won't be disappointed!
7. Clark's Botanicals
My skin erupted with acne a few weeks back, and then became red and flaky (while still ridden with acne) after I ODed on the acne killing products. It was a nightmare! Nothing was helping till I pulled out some of my Clark's Botanicals products, especially their smoothing marine cream and retinol rescue serum. I know, it sounds crazy that I used a retinol, but their retinol is no ordinary retinol. It's incredibly gentle, and actually soothes and nourishes the skin! As does the marine cream, which also calms and balances skin while protects against free radicals and dramatically softening skin. These are a great addition to any skincare routine, but especially so for someone whose skin is not happy!
8. NuSkin Lip Plumper
No one likes flat, shriveled up lips, but lip injections aren't on most people's to-do list. I love how this balm naturally makes my lips plumper while giving them a slight pink color and hydrating them! The difference it makes on my lips is very noticeable, and the price point is so good! Great gift for natural looking beauty and results!
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9. Boscia Luminizing Black Charcoal Mask
This mask is one of my absolute favorites! It's a peel-off, which automatically gives it stars (I do wonder sometimes why peel-off masks are so satisfying, haha), but it also works wonders on the skin. My pores are noticeably smaller, skin much brighter & tighter, and overall complexion much better. The results are great, the price is even greater, and it's fun to us, what more could a girl want?
10. Alpha-H Liquid Gold
This is like an overnight facial in a bottle, meaning you can gift a loved one dozen of facials with just one $45-ish bottle. Pretty amazing, right!? I love the results using this. You wake up with firmer, smoother, brighter skin the next morning, and over time those results increase! It also can help with acne, as it's exfoliating and ridding skin of dead cells that clog pores and end up causing acne. A great addition to anyone's skincare routine!
11. Clarins Double Serum
Hello bright, beautiful skin! I just finished my bottle from August, and I'm so sad. I loved using this and how brightening it was! A great product for someone looking to work on upping their skin's natural glow!