Everyone needs a bit of TLC and self care in their lives. This holiday season, remind your loved ones that they deserve a bit of me time with gifts that will invigorate the senses. Plus, there’s some pretty awesome makeup in here, too. Check out the beauty and grooming holiday gift guide below!
Makeup
MAC Nutcracker Sweet Pink Lipstick Kit, $42 CDN
This gift will help any makeup wearer have brighter days in the dreary winter months. This limited-edition collection from MAC features bright, bold and positively delicious lipsticks in pink and purple shades.
DIY: Pair any of these colours with a natural, fresh face to make your lips pop.
Quo Ultimate Beauty Eye, Lip & Cheek Kit, $35 CDN
Quo’s limited edition Eye, Lip & Cheek collection is the perfect travel companion. Great for those who are always on-the-go, this compact all-in-one kit can slip right into a purse or carry-on travel bag. It contains 12 eyeshadows, five lip glosses, four blush/face powders, a mascara and four mini applicators. This kit is available exclusively at Shopper’s Drug Mart.
Sephora Collection Glitter Happy Brush Set, $106 CDN
Sephora has released what is perhaps the most beautiful collection of makeup brushes in the world — they are almost too beautiful to use… almost! This gorgeous set includes a blush brush, powder brush, crease brush, precision concealer brush, allover shadow brush, and a lip brush. The biggest selling point for me is the glittering acrylic stand that would turn any vanity in a showpiece.
Laura Mercier Layer Up Caviar Stick Eye Colour Collection, $46 CDN
Laura Mercier’s Caviar Stick eyeshadows make all-day eye makeup easy. These sticks glide on easily and provide high pigment with crease resistance and transfer-proof long wear. This hand-picked collection contains shadow sticks in Rosegold, Amethyst, Aubergine and Tuxedo.
DIY: Apply Amethyst all over the eyelid and use your fingers to blend it out evenly. Using Aubergine, create a line in the crease of your eyelid, start in the inner corner of your eye moving to the outer corner. Use a fluffy brush to blend. Apply Rosegold just underneath your brows and in the inner corner of your eye and use your finger to blend. Finish the look off my using Tuxedo to create a thin line on your upper lash line, and if you’re feeling brave, wing it out.
Nails
CND Sparkle and Shine New Year’s Eve Limited Edition Pre Pack, $25 CDN
This stocking stuffer is the perfect New Year’s Eve companion. The set includes a Vinylux polish in Dark Diamonds and a Vinylux Top Coat. This limited edition kit is available at select salons across Canada.
DIY: Apply two coats of Dark Diamonds to your nails and seal it all together with the Top Coat and you’ll have a sparkly, party-ready manicure that will last days without chipping.
OPI Breakfast at Tiffany’s Duo, $24.50 CDN
This is a gift fit for fans of the iconic film, Breakfast at Tiffany’s. It contains the recognizable Tiffany blue shade, as well as chic classic black. This stocking stuffer also includes a a cosmetics bag that reads “I believe in manicures” on the front, a great way to carry an emergency nail kit. This OPI gift set is available at select Trade Secrets locations.
Skin Care
The Body Shop Vanilla Chai Festive Tin, $25 CDN
The Body Shop’s Vanilla Chai scent will give you the warm and fuzzies, a perfect gift for the holiday season. The set comes with travel-sized shower gel, body butter, body scrub, and body lotion. In addition to giving the gift of smooth and soft skin, proceeds from this gift will be helping to restore the rainforest in Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia.
Lush Ice Cube Gift Set, $42.92 CDN
Lush’s Ice Cube gift set is full of products that will wake you right up and invigorate your skin. The set contains Christingle Body Conditioner, Whoosh Shower Jelly, Salt and Peppermint Bark scrub, Candy Cane Shower Smoothie, and Outback Mate Soap. Each of the scents contain ingredients like peppermint, eucalyptus and citrus, a combination of scents that will surely wake you up in the morning.
DIY: Start the day off by using Salt and Peppermint Bark all over, followed by Outback Mate. Finish your shower or bath by using the Christingle Body Conditioner to soothe and hydrate skin.
Nivea Fairy Tales, $7.99 CDN
Nivea’s Creme is one of those products that everyone has known and used at some point in their lives. It’s got a scent that is so recognizable, it’s comforting. For this holiday season, the brand has designed four limited edition tins. Each design has a coinciding fairy tale book, $8.99 CDN, that was written by Udo Weigelt and illustrated by Joelle Tourlonias. Together, the duo makes for a wonderful stocking suffer for parents and children alike. This collection set will be available in select grocery and drug stores starting in December.
Burt’s Bees Mani/Pedi Kit, $19.99 CDN
Everyone loves a little me time. This Mani/Pedi Kit is perfect for those at-home, relaxing spa nights. The kit includes Peppermint Foot Lotion, Ultimate Care Hand Cream, Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream, a foot brush and a pumice. This kit is available in leading drug and grocery stores.
DIY: Start with a bath, keeping your pumice and foot brush close by. While in the bath, exfoliate, giving feet and hands extra care. While the exfoliator is still on, use the pumice stone to give the bottoms and sides of your feet a double exfoliate, making sure to glide the pumice gently across your feet. Once you’re out of the bath and dry, apply the Peppermint Foot Lotion to your feet — the peppermint and menthol will help to invigorate tired feet! Follow this by using the Ultimate Care Hand Cream. Lastly, apply the Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream to each of your cuticles and gently rub it in with your fingers. For best results, try not to wash your hands for at least 30 minutes.
Fresh Sugar Lip Entourage, $58 CDN
Give the gift of smooth, soft and hydrated lips. This kit will prep, nourish, and protect lips from the harsh winter cold. This gift set includes Sugar Nourishing Lip Balm Advanced Therapy, Sugar Nude Tinted Lip Treatment Sunscreen SPF 15, Sugar Rosé Tinted Lip Treatment Sunscreen SPF 15, Sugar Lip Polish, and Sugar Lip Serum Advanced Therapy.
Grooming
Proraso Beard Kit, $35 CDN
Gift the gift of a well-maintained beard this holiday season. Proraso is a well-trusted Italian brand that uses natural plant extracts, and all their products are free of artificial colours and are dermatologically tested. This set includes Wood & Spice shaving oil, a beard shampoo, a beard comb, and a firm-haired brush ideal for moustaches. This gift set is available at most pharmacies.
Jack Black Ultimate Lip Duo, $19 CDN
The beginning of winter tends to mean months of chapped lips. Help alleviate that annoyance with this lip kit from Jack Black. The duo includes a Limited Edition Intense Therapy Lip Balm in Black Cherry and an Intense Therapy Lip Balm in Natural Mint.
Main Image Photo Credit: The Body Shop
Original Post Date: November 24, 2016
Rosemina Nazarali
Author
Rosemina (@RoseminaN) is a writer and content strategist who has a special place in her heart for beauty. She’s always on the pulse of current trends and loves trying new products -- especially if they are brown-skin worthy! When she’s not playing with makeup, she’s travelling, going to concer...