Beauty Holiday Gifts 2016 | Editors' Picks
These Are the 16 Best Holiday Beauty Gifts and Sets, According to Editors
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Knowing what to ask for is half of the battle of gift-giving season. As editors, we get to test and see a lot of the beauty presents IRL. And we can help to make your decision easier by reviewing the top skin care, fragrance, makeup, and hair products before you send your list to Santa.
Here we have reviewed everything from a mega lipstick set to a $400 blow dryer (that's worth it!) and the sexiest fragrance-and-clutch combo on the market right now. Keep reading!
Kiehl's Faile Collection For a Cause Skin Care Collection
"Three of my favorite Kiehl's products — Ultra Facial Cream, Creme de Corps, and Daily Reviving Concentrate — have been outfitted by the Brooklyn-based art team Faile. The Kiehl's Faile Collection For a Cause ($45) has all of the basics I need for my Winter vacation. And the gold and black Art Deco designs are just sexy and chic." — Lauren Levinson, senior editor, Beauty
Diptyque Baies Scented Candle, 1500G
"Don't be deceived by this image. On first glance, it looks like just another gorgeous Diptyque candle. And you're right, it is gorgeous. The difference is that this five-wick Baies Scented Candle ($350) is three pounds and stands as tall as a gallon of milk. It's the perfect centerpiece your holiday tablescape and will leave your home (or patio) smelling divine, and with over 150 hours of burn time, it's worth the investment." — Kirbie Johnson, host and producer, Beauty Junkie and Pretty Unfiltered
Jo Malone Cologne Collection
"I am a sucker for anything in miniature, and this gift set ($115) combines that love with my passion for Jo Malone's flawlessly crafted fragrances. Tucked inside the festive packaging are five petite vials of the brand's bestselling perfumes, which can be worn individually or cocktailed together to create a signature scent. While each bottle holds an olfactory treasure, I'll be wearing the cozy-clean Mimosa and Cardamom all Winter long." — Emily Orofino, editor, Beauty
Oribe Geometric Gold-Plated Metal Barette
"Listen, an $80 barrette is a splurge, but that's what makes it such an awesome gift. I like to give (and receive) items I would not normally buy. This Oribe Geometric Gold-Plated Metal Barrette hair accessory is totally worth the price tag, too. It is just unique enough to garner you a compliment, but it's simple enough to wear every day. I have very thick hair, and the sturdy grip on the barrette easily kept my strands half back (without pieces sliding out). I plan to wear it to every holiday party with loose waves." — LL
Milk Makeup Holographic Stick
"For any die-hard beauty junkie in your life, the Milk Makeup Holographic Stick ($28) will give her the perfect tool to create a highlight from the gods. With a truly holographic finish, it's one of the only illuminators on the market that doesn't just make you glow. It makes you galactic!" — KJ
Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipstick Vault
"I have been singing the praises of Amuse Bouche lipstick since the line came out this Spring: the colors are impossibly vibrant, the formula is super nourishing, and it lasts for hours on your lips. This stunning vault ($195) contains a whopping 38 shades from this incredible range, all of which are in tiny tubes so they can be tucked away easily into a clutch. (Knowing me, I'll still stuff a minimum of three hues in my bag . . . I love them that much.)" — EO
Glossier Black Tie Set
"Glossier introduces four new products in its Glossier Black Tie Set ($50), and I honestly love each of them. The nail polish in the brand's signature "millennial pink" shade is actually elegant enough to wear to galas (I am old school and often choose to wear neutral nails to black-tie events). The black roll-up eyeliner is long-wear and looks even better a bit smudgy late night or the next morning. An ever-so-slightly pink tinted lip gloss offers gives you a glassy pout without any stickiness. And finally, a new shade of the beloved Haloscope highlighter is white and pearly. I actually love it on my eyelids as a dewy, glossy look. There's also a black ribbon to rock in your hair and around your neck. If you want this set, grab it now, since it will only be available through the end of 2016." — LL
T3 Twirl Convertible Styling Wand
"Get the waves of your dreams and look chic doing it with T3 Twirl Convertible Styling Wand ($185). Because this 'wand' is more of an curling iron and includes a clamp, it's easier to control than a standard 'wrap around the barrel' wand. If you choose, you can buy a separate attachment to create spiral curls, too. The best part, in addition to getting Jen Atkin-esque waves, is displaying this gorgeous tool on your vanity." — KJ
Hourglass The Curator Collection
"The star of the Curator Collection ($150) is a steel, bristle-free mascara wand. This majestic piece of beauty finery is reminiscent of the old-school tools from the 1960s, and it seems to magically lengthen, curl, and define lashes when used with the included primer and mascara. Every time I'll use it, I'll feel like a retro movie star." — EO
Eminence Oils & Serums Signature Series Discovery Set
"I can't say enough good things about Eminence, a natural line of skin care. I have personally seen results using the gentle yet effective products, and they smell amazing! For instance, the Citrus & Kale Potent C+E Serum, offered in the Eminence Oils & Serums Signature Series Discovery Set ($79), actually is fragrant of a pressed juice. This kit of minis is a fantastic way to try out the brand or just purchase some travel-size products for your Winter travels. I will personally be toting the Facial Recovery Oil on every flight I take." — LL
Smith & Cult Lip Trio
"For anyone who wants a chic addition to their lip repertoire, Smith & Cult's Lip Trio ($60) does the trick. Three nongoopy glosses come in essential shades like berry, melon, and taupe and are packaged up along with an adorable cosmetics case. And with names like The Queen Is Dead, you'll feel a bit spunkier during application." — KJ
Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer
"I have been dying to get my hands on this innovative beauty tool ($399) since it launched early this year. I gave up on drying my hair ages ago as I find it to be such a boring, painstaking process, but the Jen Atkin-approved technology of this product cuts styling time in half and leaves strands super glossy." — EO
Kilian Voulez-Vous Coucher Avec Moi fragrance and clutc
"The Kilian Voulez-Vous Coucher Avec Moi fragrance and clutch ($285) is a gift to ask your lover for. The scent is undeniably sexy, a combination of neroli, gardenia, and sandalwood. And the black clutch, which fits a cell phone, a lipstick, and a credit card (or the perfume bottle), is a conversation starter for cocktail parties." — LL
Giorgio Armani Limited Edition Pivoine Suzhou Soie de Nacre
"This breathtaking perfume ($185) features notes of peony, raspberry, and pink pepper, making it an elegant scent I'd love to wear all year. But what makes this limited-edition bottle really special is the iridescent pink cap and the shimmering juice: it's loaded with nacre flakes to give skin a subtle pearlescent sheen. Stunning!" — EO
Thrive Causemetics x Jamie Greenberg Glossy Lip Mark in Ruth
"Gifts that are gorgeous and give back are always the best! The Thrive Causemetics x Jamie Greenberg Glossy Lip Mark in Ruth ($26) is one of those presents. For every product sold, Thrive donates one to a woman undergoing cancer treatment. It is a collaboration with celebrity makeup artist Jamie Greenberg, who confirmed that Chelsea Handler, Jordana Brewster, and Kaley Cuoco are already fans. Jamie created the taupe shimmer (that's also vegan!) in honor of her late mother, who passed of ovarian cancer." — LL
Charlotte Tilbury Magical Mini Brush Set
"I'm obsessed with Charlotte Tilbury. The woman has the best accent and style. Because she worked with Tom Ford on his line several years ago, I knew I would be just as enamored with her own namesake collection when it launched a few years ago. And I still am! The lipsticks are to die for, the Magic Cream lives up to its name, and the palettes are the best quads out there. Part of creating a good face of makeup is having the right tools. The Magical Mini Brush Set ($65) is ideal for traveling, as it comes with four essential brushes in a portable clutch for creating a flawless face. You'll be Kate (or Naomi, or Kim, or whoever you want to be) in no time." — KJ
