Who doesn't like to be pampered with a special gift they wouldn't normally buy for themselves, especially during the holidays or for another special occasion?
Whether you have nearly finished your holiday shopping or are just getting started, you can order these these beauty gifts and have them delivered quickly. I've included gifts at a variety of price ranges in this review, from stocking stuffers to splurges.
Happy gift-giving!
Beauty Gifts Under $25
These inexpensive gifts pack a big punch for their low price tags. They're perfect stocking stuffers for the beauty lovers on your list or anyone who could use a bit of pampering.
The Nishel Travel Toiletry Bag is far and away the best bag of its kind I have ever owned, and I have tried a lot of different brands and models over the years. It holds a LOT of products, from shampoo, soap, conditioner, deodorant, body lotion, razor, etc., to sunscreen, skincare and makeup — enough for quite a long trip, if desired — while keeping everything neatly organized and easily accessible throughout your stay.
Despite how much it holds, it folds and zips up into a compact size with convenient carrying handles.
I wrote an in-depth product review of the Nishel Travel Toiletry Bag last year that includes photos of how I pack mine so you can see just how much it holds and how you might want to organize yours. Also, although it is marketed as a women's travel toiletry bag, it would also be great for men who like to travel with more toiletries than can comfortably fit in a traditional Dopp Kit style bag.
The NISHEL Large Double Layer Travel Makeup Bag is for women who travel with a lot of makeup and prefer a train case style bag.
This large-capacity makeup bag measures 10.5 x 7.5 x 7 inches and has both top and bottom makeup storage compartments with a capacious center section with elastic straps that can accommodate even large fluffy makeup brushes easily.
The large main section can hold bottles, tubes, compacts, palettes, etc., and includes a removable divider that you can position as desired (or omit). The top section, inside the lid, is a shallow zippered compartment that's perfect for a larger makeup palette.
Like the travel toiletry bag, the outer shell is a soft, smooth, quilted microfiber material that is both attractive and easy to clean.
These 360-Degree Rotating Ice Globes are an extremely inexpensive alternative to the professional quality ice globes often used by estheticians when giving facial treatments. The difference is that those cost hundreds of dollars, while this set costs less than $20 and comes with its own fitted storage case to keep the ice globes clean when in the refrigerator in between uses.
One of the advantages of these rotating, gel-filled stainless steel globes over the professional model I looked at initially is that they can be used either cold or warm.
I recently wrote a product review of The Best Affordable Ice Globes that goes into more detail about the many ways these inexpensive, high-quality ice globes can be used for things like facial depuffing, lifting and firming, lymphatic drainage, enhancing skincare product absorption, and calming inflammation, as well as for soothing sore muscles, depending on whether you use them cold or warm.
This Maybelline The Blushed Nudes Eyeshadow Palette is absolutely stunning and is an incredible bargain for less than $12. It contains 12 extremely wearable, neutral eyeshadow shades in both matte and shimmer finishes that would be flattering on any eye color or skin tone.
The matte shadows could be used alone for an extremely subtle, conservative look, or can be paired with the metallic shimmer shades for a fancier evening or special occasion makeup look.
Maybelline is known for high-quality, highly pigmented makeup at very affordable prices. This would be great for anyone from a teen to a senior who enjoys "putting on a face."
Note: Although this eyeshadow palette comes with two double-ended sponge applicators, I would highly recommend giving your gift recipient a set of good makeup brushes if they don't already own some.
This NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP Ultimate Warm Neutrals Eyeshadow Palette is another terrific choice with 16 high-quality eyeshadow shades to suit any eye color or complexion. The highly pigmented shadows include a mix of safari-inspired neutral browns in a range of finishes, from matte and satin to shimmery and metallic shades.
The colors in this palette were curated by makeup professionals in Los Angeles. It is recommended to apply these shadows over an eyeshadow primer for the best color payoff.
NYX eyeshadows are now vegan, cruelty-free, and packaged with 30% recycled materials.
These Shower Steamers Aromatherapy Shower Bombs with Essential Oils are the perfect, affordable way to pamper someone who doesn't love makeup or skincare but loves a warm, relaxing shower. They will make the lucky recipient feel like they have escaped to a relaxing spa for a while, in the comfort of their own home.
This set of six shower steamers comes beautifully gift boxed for easy gift giving. The six scents, which come from fragrant essential oils, are eucalyptus, green tea, jasmine, rose, lemongrass, and lavender in the green box. If you choose the blue box, your giftee will receive eucalyptus, peppermint, green tea, lemongrass, salvia, and tea tree. The pink box contains rose, gardenia, lavender, chamomile, rosemary, and jasmine to make your recipient feel relaxed, restored, and well rested. The orange box contains orange, bergamot, pineapple, lemon, strawberry, and coconut — perfect for someone who enjoys the smells of the tropics.
These shower steamers are a cinch to use. Let your gift recipient know to unwrap one, place it in the corner of their shower away from the water stream, and allow the steam activate the fragrance from the essential oils.
This Burt's Bees Tips & Toes Kit makes a wonderful, unisex stocking stuffer for less than $13. It's a nicely boxed set of five travel-size products and a sixth, full-size product that would also be great for a purse, gym bag or briefcase:
- Honey & Grapeseed Hand Cream (travel size)
- Coconut Foot Cream with Vitamin E (travel size)
- A tin of Hand Salve (travel size)
- A tin of Burt's Bee's deservedly popular Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream (travel size)
- Almond & Milk Hand Cream (travel size)
- A tube of Pomegranate Lip Balm (full size)
Beauty Gifts Under $50
These affordable gifts are sure to please.
Jenny Patinkin makes my absolute favorite makeup brush cleaners, and now she is offering a Jenny Patinkin Spray Away Instant Makeup Brush Cleaner and Luxury Vegan Makeup Brush Soap bundle at a discounted price. (Note: I love her products so much that I became an affiliate partner and this is an affiliate link.)
As I have explained in previous reviews about washing makeup brushes, keeping makeup brushes clean and sanitary is essential for many reasons, including optimal performance and avoiding cross-contamination of bacteria between your brushes, your makeup, and your skin.
I use the Spray Away Instant Makeup Brush Cleaner with a microfiber cloth to clean my makeup brushes in literally just seconds after each use. Then, either once a week (if I'm wearing makeup most days) or every other week, I wash them properly with the Luxury Vegan Makeup Brush Soap.
With these two products, I am able to care for even my most expensive makeup brushes effectively yet gently. The set of both products would make a fabulous gift for any makeup wearer!
This Body & Earth Jasmine & Honey Spa Bath & Body Gift Set consists of a sleigh-shaped basked filled with 5 luxurious jasmine and honey-scented bath and body products:
- Hand Cream
- Shower Gel
- Bubble Bath
- Body Lotion
- Bar Soap
The contents are beautifully packaged in a white, gold, and silver pattern with a lovely winter scene. This gift looks much more expensive and luxe than its affordable price tag (less than $30)!
A similar set that isn't winter holiday themed is the Body & Earth Cherry Blossom & Jasmine Bath and Body Gift Set. This 8-piece set includes cherry blossom and jasmine-scented bath and body products in a bathtub-shaped gift basket. The set consists of:
- Bath Salts
- Shower Gel
- Bubble Bath
- Body Lotion
- Rose-Shaped Soap Petals
- Shampoo Bar
- Soap
- Reusable Bathtub-Shaped Basket
For the woman (or girl) who doesn't have a good set of makeup brushes, the Real Techniques Au Naturale Makeup Brush 9 Piece Set would be a great starter set or a nice but inexpensive upgrade (if she's just using whatever cheap brushes or applicators come with her makeup). It would also make a great second set to keep in a gym bag.
This set of cruelty-free, vegan makeup brushes for face, cheeks and eyes includes:
- Ultimate Powder Brush
- Light Layers Complexion Brush
- Perfecting Prime Brush
- Blurring Concealer Brush
- Precision Fan Brush
- Full Coverage Brush
- Shading Brush
- Defining Crease Brush
- Flat Liner Brush
The brushes have sturdy aluminum ferrules and custom-cut UltraPlush synthetic bristles that apply and blend makeup beautifully.
I have a lot of high-quality makeup brushes, but I still covet this Jenny Patinkin Brush Babies Mini Makeup Brush Set.
This tiny pink zippered pouch holds 6 mini makeup brushes that feature full-size vegan, synthetic bristle brush heads on palm-size weighted handles that give them the same balance as full-length brushes without the size. The brushes in this set are:
- Complexion
- Powder/Blush
- Concealer
- Eyeshadow
- Crease
- Smudge
Jenny Patinkin claims that her brushes have 2.5x the number of bristles as other brushes. I'm not sure which brushes she's comparing them to, but her brushes definitely have ultra-fine bristles and a luxurious feel and deliver an extremely smooth makeup application.
This mini but mighty set is perfect for an avid makeup lover who appreciates good quality brushes. Even if your gift recipient already has a good set of makeup brushes, she will love this one for her purse, car, desk, gym bag, or carry-on bag.
Note: This set retails for $58, but at the time of this review's publication, it's available on Amazon for less than $50.
The DRMTLGY Pumpkin Enzyme Face Mask with Jojoba Beads is one of my favorite treatment masks. It's a great way to get a spa-like facial-treatment affordably, in the comfort of your own home.
This mask uses a combination of enzymatic and physical exfoliants to brighten dull skin and leave it feeling soft and silky. It reduces the appearance of large pores, deeply hydrates the skin, cleanses impurities, and gently exfoliates the dead surface layer of the skin for a smoother, more radiant complexion.
Key skin-loving ingredients include pumpkin, jojoba oil beads, kaolin clay, vitamin E, peptides, ceramides, enzymes, and colloidal silver.
You can read more about this outstanding rejuvenating face mask in my detailed product review that explains why it's The Best Exfoliating Enzyme Mask for Brighter, Softer, Smoother Skin.
Beauty Gifts Over $50
By now you know that I feel strongly about the importance of good makeup brushes for a beautiful, professional-looking application. Although it took me many years to bite the bullet and invest in a really good set, I finally did. In fact, I have become a bit of a high-end makeup brush collector by now. I wish I had made the investment sooner, as the positive difference in my makeup application when using good brushes is really noticeable. Of course, it's also important to learn good application techniques, but with the right tools, it's so much easier.
My very favorite makeup brushes of all time are this set of BK Beauty x Nikki La Rose Pro Artist Makeup Brushes. Nikki is an incredibly talented makeup artist with a long list of celebrity clients and her work is amazing. The collab she did with one of my favorite brush companies, BK Beauty, to create this 7-piece set of professional makeup brushes is simply superb. The set includes:
All seven of the brushes are multitaskers that make them worth their weight in gold for anyone who loves a beautiful, professional-looking makeup application. In fact, pro makeup artists love this set!
Oribe is a luxury salon hair care brand, one that is out of reach for most people. The products are not only expensive but also really good. Since it's something that most people wouldn't buy for themselves, it makes a wonderfully indulgent gift.
Oribe has many different lines for different types of hair. My favorite, by far, is their Gold Lust line, designed to repair and restore damaged hair.
The Oribe Gold Lust Collection set includes the three most often-used products in the line in a limited-edition box featuring original artwork by award-winning Kenyan fine art photographer Thandiwe Muriu:
- Gold Lust Repair & Restore Shampoo (Standard, 8.5 oz)
- Gold Lust Repair & Restore Conditioner (Standard, 6.8 oz)
- Gold Lust Nourishing Hair Oil (Travel, 2.5 oz)
In a 7-day consumer panel survey of 101 women using Oribe Gold Lust shampoo & conditioner, 91% saw an improvement in the appearance of their hair and 82% felt damaged ends were more reinforced and sealed.
In clinical tests conducted on human hair against a control group, hair treated with Gold Lust Nourishing Hair Oil was 2x softer and more manageable and was protected from frizz for up to 72 hours.
My own experience with this line makes me wish it were less expensive, because it's so darn good for my long, dry, frizz-prone, greying hair.
I hope this review of the best beauty gifts for last-minute gift giving helps you find the perfect gifts for people on your list!
The Best Beauty Gifts for Last Minute Gift Giving by Margaret Schindel
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