Your mother raised you right and taught you to never show up to a party empty-handed. But what, exactly, should you gift your hostess that's not the same old bottle of wine everyone else already brought over? The answer, you party animal, is (of course) beauty products!
From luxury candles she'd never dare buy for herself to liquid lipsticks that look great on everyone (even the hostess you don't know that well), we promise these ideas will get you invites to all the best parties this holiday season. Ahead, find 30 pretty things your hostess has never received before.
Thank your hostess for throwing a beast party by giving her these Beauty and the Beast Rose Bath Petals ($8). Much like bath bombs, these fake roses will dissolve into fizzy, floral-scented goodness upon being dumped in the tub.
If your party master has no chill, lend her some with this Uma Pure Bliss Wellness Oil ($85).
This is not a last-minute gift, but the forward-thinking, good noodles among us can opt to choose a favorite picture of their host to grace a Pinrose Personalized Bottle ($70). The cult-favorite perfume comes in nine unique scents (the vanilla-caramel Secret Genius is a popular option), and if you're unsure which will be suit her best, you can figure out via a personality quiz on Pinrose's website.
If your hostess drinks the most-ess coffee of anyone you know, chances are she'll raise a toast to this 21-pan The Beauty Crop Espresso Yourself Palette ($30). The vegan, cruelty-free powders are actually formulated out of caffeine, an ingredient that, coincidentally enough, is known to reduce dark circles. (BRB, slathering this over my lids right now.)
Ward off misfortune from your hostess's banger with this Sunday Forever Sage + Lighter Pack ($35), which includes real California white sage and a cheeky lighter.
Hopefully your holiday party won't be as lit as that infamous Game of Thrones Red Wedding, but you can still get a little gory with this Rodial Dragon's Blood Masks Kit ($40). Made from croton lechleri tree extract and hyaluronic acid, these patches firm undereyes and reduce redness — so no one will know how much wine your hostess drank the morning after!
Leave it to the chic Austrian spa maven Susanne Kaufmann to make foot cream chic. This Cooling Foot Cream ($64) is truly a decadent indulgence and honestly a very thoughtful gift considering your hostess will probably be on her feet all night and will need a little pampering once you all go home.
Match your hostess's gift to her preferred method of imbibing with the Malin + Goetz Vices Votive Set ($45), which includes a rum-, a mojito-, and a cannabis-scented candle. Spoiler: these puppies won't f*ck you up, but you'll definitely feel less stress after just one lighting.
Everybody likes a twofer product, especially of the fancy French variety. This Votre Vu Bébé Duette Lip Balm & Hand Crème ($24) nourishes both the mouth and hands and will definitely earn its spot as one of the most-used items on her vanity.
If you're unsure of your hostess's tastes, chances are she'll dig everything in this Space NK Holiday Heroes Gold Edition Gift Set ($99), which is made up of universal favorites such as Kevyn Aucoin's famously amazing Volume Mascara, Sunday Riley's much lauded Good Genes serum, and a Smith & Cult glitter nail polish, because 'tis the season.
The beyond-beautiful Chantecaille Limited Edition L'Abre Illuminé Palette ($75) isn't just another pretty palette — it also has a pop-up surprise inside floral packaging.
Makeup brushes are the gift that keeps on giving good face, so think about bestowing your generous host with a five-piece Bobbi Brown Travel Brush Gift Set ($139). It doesn't hurt that these goodies all come inside a luxe burgundy hard case.
Ditch the wine and opt to bring a different kind of bottle to the party with this colorful and festive Mullein & Sparrow Rose Blossom Soaking Salts ($45).
We guarantee that if you gift your hostess this crazy-refreshing and seriously addicting Jurlique Sweet Violet & Grapefruit Hydrating Mist ($35), she'll spritz it on her face approximately a hundred times throughout the night.
And then, there's Nest. This go-to brand is practically synonymous with beloved hostess gifts, because who doesn't want their home to smell like a Winter wonderland? This Nest Fragrances Holiday Room Spray ($28) accomplishes that feat.
Fact: nobody is immune to the charms of magnetic beauty product packaging. Not only does the Farmacy Honey Harvest Kit ($45) check off that box, but it also includes an uberhydrating trio of goodies that smell fabulous and plump skin like nobody's business. It also doesn't hurt that honey is a known acne-fighter.
Yes, Dior can be affordable. Exhibit A? This Dior Miss Dior Silky Soap ($26), which can turn even the most rushed showers into a spa experience.
The Aerin Limited Edition Discovery Set ($115) is what "oohs" and "aahs" were made for. If your hostess is a fragrance-phile, she needs this adorable collection of minis, like, yesterday. And since full-size Aerin perfumes can cost upward of $120, this kit is quite the deal, indeed.
There are so many wonderful things we can say about this Frudia Blueberry Hydrating Cream ($20). For one, it lives in the cutest little pot we ever did see. But more importantly, the K-beauty favorite contains a moisturizing blend of blueberry extract and tomato seed oil, which means it's a treat for the eyes and the skin, too.
For the hostess who peppers every conversation with "bonjour," "merci," and "when I studied abroad in Paris . . . ," there is no better gift than the new Madewell French Girl Body Silk ($27). Sweetened with scents of rose and ylang-ylang, this lightweight lotion is bound to give her a Joyeux Noel.
For the liquid-lipstick addict, look no further than the Ciaté Kiss Collection Snow Globe ($46). Five minis live inside a real snow globe, and the colors range from neutral to rosy pink, so just about anyone can rock the shades.
A manicure enthusiast might openly weep if you gifted them the Crystal Prism Holiday Gift Set ($45). A range of eight crazy different shades live inside this bundle, so your hostess will head into the new year with endless polish options.
Vintage-lovers and skin care addicts alike will swoon over this Mini Soaps Gift Box ($70).
When a Beautyblender touches your face, it basically turns it into gold, so the aptly named Midas Touch Travel Kit ($25) would be a welcome surprise for any hostess who likes to stock up on the tool.
Give the hostess who throws the most Instagrammable party a sampler set from one of the app's most double-tapped skincare brands. This The Avid Explorer Set ($112) provides everything she needs to get a bathroom worthy of an influencer.
OK, so the decidedly '90s packaging of MegRythm's Gentle Steam Eye Mask ($11) may not be as chic as some of the other brands on our list, but we can guarantee your hostess will appreciate this just as much — and maybe even more. This pack contains eight bestselling Japanese eye masks that heat up upon application to depuff skin and revive anyone, anytime — even the morning after a wild party.
At first glance, the Pout Case ($47) is a sleek phone container. But slide open the rose gold accoutrement, and you'll reveal a set of concealer, blush, and lip color for on-the-go application. This isn't just a gimmick — the shades really work, providing insane pigment and selfie-worthy coverage.
Lip balm is nice, but everything balm is nicer. This Trilogy Everything Balm ($22) calms stressed lips, hands, elbows, knees — you name it. If your hostess is a new mom, she'll especially love how this rosehip-oil-infused formula treats diaper rash.
If your hostess is the kind of woman who asks for donations to a local nonprofit in lieu of gifts at her wedding, then surprise her with a Starling Project Holiday Candle ($55). Proceeds from the sale of this light go directly toward building solar energy infrastructure in underdeveloped countries that lack other means of electricity. Plus, the minimalist candle burns for much longer than you'd assume by its small-ish size and gives off warm whiffs of pine that will get you in the spirit.
Waking up to classic beauty product samples is pretty much a Christmas miracle, so your hostess will treasure this Clarins Advent Calendar ($125). Eighteen makeup and skincare minis and six adorable accessories (such as a very chic wrap bracelet!) live inside this festive bundle. We're big fans of the hydrating Lip Comfort Oil, which boasts a color-changing formula that adopts to each individual's pH — giving your hostess a bespoke shade!