Makeup and Beauty Blog’s Holiday Beauty Gift Guide

I think the best holiday gifts are the ones you’re tempted to buy for yourself, so if you happen to “accidentally” keep a few things that were originally meant to be gifts for peeps on your list, well, far be it from me to deny you some fabulous holiday beauty booty. 🙂

From stocking stuffers to full-on luxury treats, I’ve rounded up my faves below for friends, family, frenemies and, let’s get real — yourself.

• MAC Mini Pigments, $10 — Technically, these aren’t under $10, but they’re close. Has anyone in the history of all MAC-kind ever finished an entire jar of MAC Pigment, ever? These minis should last you your gift recipient a long time, and they don’t cost an arm and a leg. Try Blue-Brown or Tan!
• Urban Decay Vice Liquid Lipsticks, $9 — These long-lasting, pigmented liquid lippies are usually $18 each but are 50% off right now.
• Topshop Bunny Veil Headband, $9.99 — For your glam friend who’s all about the extras and/or doesn’t leave the house without some form of animal accessory on her person. I’d actually love this for myself, even though I have no idea where I’d wear it.
• OPI Love OPI XOXO Nail Lacquer Duo w/ Cosmetic Bag, $9 — This set’s marked down from $18. What a steal for two full-sized bottles and a bag. OPI has one of the longest lasting lacquer formulas around, and that red and deep plum would look good all year long.
• MAC Mini Lipglass Kit, $10 — This adorable stocking stuffer comes with three minis.
• Ardell Mini Faves Lash Lookbook + Duo, $10 — Ardell does bad-@ss budget lashes that look luxurious and feel comfy, too! This kit has three pairs.



• OPI Love OPI XOXO 4 Pc Mini Set, $7.35 — OK, so, sometimes I have trubs painting my paws with mini polishes, but I could make it work for this price. Originally $14.50, this set comes with a red, black, dark purple and charcoal in OPI’s signature long-wearing formula.
• 3 Pack of EOS Hand Lotion, $5.97 — These cute and non-greasy EOS hand lotions easily fit into a purse or pocket. I know because I went through a phase where I was stashing them everywhere.
• Soap & Glory Hand & Foot Gift Set, $7.99 — I almost just wrote “Hoof & Foot Gift Set…” 🙂 But don’t worry, this hydrating set for hands and feet is for people. Not horses.
• Kristin Ess Signature Shampoo + Signature Hair Conditioner Set, $10 — Yo. So this lady cuts L.C.’s (as in Lauren Conrad’s) hair, and her aesthetic is on point. I haven’t tried these products yet, but I REALLY, REALLY WANT to based on the chic packaging alone. If someone gifted this to me, I’d assume it was from Nordstrom or SpaceNK.
• Kristin Ess Reconstructive Moisture Mask + Leave-In Conditioner Set, $10 — Another snazzy looking Kristin Ess hair set.

• Stunna Lip Paint Fenty Beauty, $24 — While I was Christmas shopping at Sephora the other day, half the staff was wearing this matte red liquid lipstick. It looked amazing on everyone, so I ended up getting a tube for a friend of mine. I have a feeling this red will universally rock.
• Zip Pouch by Catseye London, $12 — Because cats.
• Too Cool for School Max in Pocket Lip Balm, $12 — I have this and love it mostly because it’s cute. The lip balm’s pretty moisturizing, too! This would be an adorable stocking stuffer.



• Soap & Glory Pink Big Gift, $20 — A ton of stuff comes with this body set, like Clean On Me Shower Gel, Scrub Of Your Life Body Buffer, Righteous Butter, Hand Food Hand Cream, Heel Genius Foot Cream, and a super sudsy shower puff and headband. It’s originally $40 but on sale for 50% off right now, which is a total deal. I’ve tried all of the products in the set on different occasions, and I like them all. Soap & Glory products are pretty heavily scented, as an FYI, and the notes are on the girly side (think the old Dior Miss Cherie).
• Caudalie Winter Duo, $12 — This two-piece set has a lip conditioner and my favorite hand cream of all time. Seriously, it’s the best! It absorbs quickly, doesn’t make my skin feel greasy, and it moisturizes the living crap outta dry skin, cuticles and nails.
• Kevyn Aucoin Neo Trio, $35 (originally $58) — I reviewed this trio of face powders a couple weeks ago, and now it’s marked down from the original $58 price! Now, you could give the entire thing away, but nobody will judge you if you keep the bronzer and the highlighter for yourself. 🙂 I’m just sayin’.
• Kristin Ess Working Texture Spray + Beach Wave Spray Set, $14 — Clearly, I’m enamored with this Kristin Ess chick’s style.
• Essie Celebration, $12.99 — Four minis, including one of the best shades Essie’s ever done: Mint Candy Apple.
• Pacifica Roll On and Body Butter Duo Holiday Set, $12.99 — Pacifica’s moisturizing Body Butters don’t feel heavy, and this scent, Island Vanilla, smells like vacation.
• Dove Men Care, $14.99 — If you’re like me and live with a dude who would probably end up showering with dish soap if left to his own devices, please help save that man from himself. I buy Dove for Men stuff for El Hub all the time, and even though he won’t admit it (“They’re too fancy!”), I know he likes them.
• Real Techniques Eye Glam Set, $14.99 — I love Real Techniques brushes. They’re soft, they can take a beating, and they work great! They’re affordable too. This set has four eye brushes that someone could use day in, day out. Perfect for the makeup beginner in your life.
• Harry’s Grooming Gift Set – 5 Piece Winter Blue, $14.99 — Harry’s is new to me, but this set looks like a great, useful grooming kit for a hip brother, uncle, cousin or dad.

• Origins Feel Good Candle, $35 — Serenity now!
• Tarte Pout Pleasures Lip Set, $42 — These five silky matte pencils feel fab on my lips.
• Tocca Hair Fragrance in Stella, $28 — Tocca’s stellar Stella hair fragrance is so indulgent and special. With notes of blood orange and freesia, it’s one of those universally appealing scents that I think most anyone will love. I use it after I work out to quickly freshen up. For your sister, best friend or work wife.



• R+Co Most Wanted Set, $49 — Whatever, I’m buying this for myself. 🙂 It has two of the best of the best R+Co products — High Dive Leave-In Conditioner (I’m on my third bottle; it’s that serious) and Death Valley Dry Shampoo.
• Slip Sleep Mask, $45 — I’d never buy this silky sleep mask for myself, but somebody gave me the pink one as a gift a few years ago, and I freakin’ love it! It’s soooo soft, and it doesn’t hurt my eyes or feel too tight on my head.
• Anything from the MAC Jade Jagger collection, $28-46 — Seriously, one of the best MAC collections in years. Everything feels high end and very Chanel- and Hourglass-inspired!
• Tocca Wardrobe Collection, $30 — I’ve yet to meet a lady who doesn’t love Tocca. This set has seven of their bestselling scents.
• BeautyBlender Gold Mine Set, $40 — A great value for two BeautyBlenders, a blotting kit and a cleanser.
• Burberry Festive Beauty Box, $40 — I wish this kit with Burberry minis had more color options available, but it sure looks luxe!

• Fresh Best of Beauty, $50 — How fun! You can color the box because this skin care set comes with a couple of coloring pencils. Includes the Soy Face Cleanser, Vitamin Nectar Vibrancy-Boosting Face Mask, Lotus Youth Preserve Face Cream with Super 7 Complex, Black Tea Age-Delay Eye Concentrate (I’ve used the Black Tea line and loved it) and Sugar Advanced Therapy Lip Treatment.
• Malin + Goetz Rum Body Set, $50 — I promise you won’t smell like a booze cruise. This scent is surprisingly clean and fresh, like laundry, and the body moisturizer is super rich.



• Smith & Cult Foil, Glitter and Shine Set, $50 — I wear Smith & Cult polishes because I can get a full week’s worth of color without chips. The glitters, especially, wear like iron. This set has three full-sized bottles, which are usually $18 each.
• Oribe Dry Styling Set, $75 — Say it with me now: oahr-BAE! Two famous products from the line grace this set — the volumizing Dry Texturizing Spray and blowout-extending Gold Lust Dry Shampoo. Both are cray expensive and cray good.
• Tarte Big Blush Vol. 3, $60 — Tarte’s amazonian clay blushes last hella long on all types of skin.
• Jo Malone London Miniatures Candle Collection, $100 — I haven’t tried any of Jo Malone’s candles, but if they smell like her perfumes, they should be nothing short of perfection.



• Sunday Riley Bright Young Thing Visible Skin Brightening Kit, $90 — Yep, I’m a Good Genes evangelist! You get a bottle of it, along with C.E.O. Rapid Flash Brightening Serum, and a moisturizer called Tidal Brightening Enzyme Water Cream (good for normal and oily skin).
• Tom Ford Eye Color Quad in Nude Dip, $85 — One of these days, all of the hints I continue dropping on El Hub about TF’s famous nude/neutral quad will be heard. Here’s another one that will probably go unnoticed, yet again.
• Molton Brown Mini Body Wash Collection, $50 — This is the BEST smelling body wash IMO. The only things that could make it better would be 1) if it were free, and 2) if the bottles were full size!

• Clarins Advent Calendar, $125 — This cute, practical gift is stuffed to the gills with Clarins body and face care faves like the Beauty Flash Balm, Hand and Nail Treatment Cream, and Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector.
• Chanel Eye Set in Go Neutral, $128 — Otherwise known as “When Chanel Superhero Products Come Together to Make Dreams Come True.” Includes three full-sized products — the Tissé d’Automne quad, Stylo Yeux Long-Lasting Eyeliner in Mat Taupe and a tube of Le Volume de Chanel Mascara in Noir. There’s a limited-edition signature pouch, too.



• Tom Ford Soleil Cheek and Eye Palette in Solar Exposure, $155 — Warning: your face may freeze into a ? emoji when you see the combination of purple and brown in this new eye and cheek palette.
• Jo Malone Cologne Collection, $115 — 0.3-oz. minis of five bestselling scents, including Lime Basil & Mandarin, English Pear & Freesia, Nectarine Blossom & Honey, English Oak & Redcurrant, and Wood Sage & Sea Salt.



• Slip for Beauty Sleep Pink Collection, $109 — This is the same pink sleeping mask I mentioned earlier in the list, but in a kit that also includes a matching silky pillow case.
• Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Set, $185 — Every person I’ve ever given this scent to loves it.
• Urban Decay Naked4Some Vault, $185 — Four versions of the Naked palette for the ultimate UD junkie.
• Molton Brown Rosa Absolute Sumptuous Collection, $150 — A luxurious body care set of rose-scented full-sized products. Includes a bottle of one of Molton Brown’s famous body washes, as well as lotion, perfume and body oil.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen