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Holiday Gift List 2020

Here are my suggestions for your 2020 Holiday Beauty Gift List! They range from luxe to budget friendly gifts. In this guide, I've included a mix of products from the major beauty retailers in Australia (Sephora, Mecca Cosmetica/Maxima, and Priceline). Overseas, they can be found at Sephoras and other major retailers. I haven't included prices as prices differ from country to country.


They are beauty centric, because I just love beauty products and I think most people do too. Both ladies and gentlemen appreciate great self-care/self-pampering products. It is a lot easier than buying a toaster or a clothing item.


So my list is divided into:

  • Advent Calendars

  • Luxe Makeup Gifts (I consider anything from Sephora and Mecca Cosmetica/Maxima as "LUXE" or "High End")

  • Skincare Sets

  • Fragrances and Home Fragrances

  • Beauty Accessories

  • Stocking Stuffers

I hope you find some inspiration from this guide. A thing to note, 2020 and COVID19 has put a lot of people out of jobs/income. SO, this is a very trimmed down version of my past Christmas guides. Ideally, choose brands that have partnered with charities like The Body Shop. That being said, if you can afford, I think the gifts I have picked out below will bring a smile and loads of appreciation from your loved ones.


Holiday Gift List 2020


 

ADVENT CALENDARS


Advent Calendars are great. They are fun to open and a great way to discover a range of products from the brand. Some that I recommend are the Body Shop ones, Mecca Max, Kiehl's, Fresh Beauty and By Terry. Though most calendars are meant to be opened from 1 December, I'm sure they are still welcomed as Christmas Gifts.

 

LUXE MAKEUP GIFTS



Just a few picks of what I call Luxe Makeup Sets. I love anything by Hourglass, NARS, Urban Decay, By Terry, Becca, It Cosmetics and Anastasia Beverly Hills. Also who can pass up on a super pack of Beauty Blenders? No one, they are ex compared to copies BUT SO MUCH BETTER!




Too Faced always comes in top with super cute sets.




Laura Mercier is another LUXE brand that I like and this year, they have gone with a different theme: "Ballet à Paris Holiday Collection". Think soft tones and pastels. It is a pretty collection.


From palettes to limited edition packaging for their translucent setting powder, you can pretty much gift the whole lot and get loved for the next 12 months. Shop it here: https://www.lauramercier.com/ballet-%C3%A0-paris-holiday-collection/



Bobbi Brown Christmas 2020

As you might know, I am a huge fan of Bobbi Brown. It was the first makeup brand I ever tried. I had to look professional for my first job out of University and I chose Bobbi Brown because the brand was one of the first to have foundations for Asians (and others of ethnic background i.e. non-white).



There are gorgeous palettes and sets to choose from. What I like about the collection is not just the gorgeous packaging, but also that the colours are all very wearable for day and night. Shop the Bobbi Brown Collection here: https://www.bobbibrown.com.au/



For my vegan friends who love makeup, I like to turn to Tarte Cosmetics. You can always find something lovely from Tarte. They offer everything from eyeshadow kits to skincare kits. It is a good brand and the quality is consistently good (I'm never disappointed by Tarte. They work well for me). Shop them here: https://tartecosmetics.com/en_AU/home




Other brands I would recommend are Fenty Beauty, Nudestix, Pat McGrath!




Huda Beauty also has a huge range of sets. I highly recommend the Nude Light Obsessions Kit and Nude Medium Obsessions Kit. These kits cost less than the actual palette on its own. Shop Huda Beauty at Sephora or Huda Beauty.com

 

Skincare Sets


Skincare sets are also a really great way to go if you are familiar with the skincare concerns of the giftee or if your giftee is just a skincare junkie (as a lot of people are these days). Skincare sets work for both Women and Men. Everyone loves good skin!




I've picked the above skin sets based on reputation of the brand and value for money. My picks are:



IS Clinical is a new brand that I have just gotten acquainted with. They have two great sets.

1. NEW YEAR SKIN CLEAR: The brands best-selling products to reveal your glow RRP $325.00

Benefits:

Gentle, effective cleansing with mild exfoliation

Diminishes the appearance of uneven skin ton and blemishes

Helps revitalise the appearance of aging skin

Cool, soothing hydration


2. TRIPLE CLEANSE: A luxurious spa-worthy cleansing experience RRP $175.00

Benefits:

Gentle, effective cleansing with mild exfoliation

Powerful botanicals help to refine and balance skin

Helps to hydrate and protect the skin barrier



Of course, I can't leave out my beloved Murad Skincare. These products have such great actives and they work really well. You can shop these cute gift boxed sets at https://www.murad.com.au/holiday-gift-guide




Of course, Queen of the skincare/selfcare sets would be The BodyShop. Anything and everything is lovely and certainly would be appreciated. I did a separate article on the Christmas Offerings from The Body Shop which you can read here. Note, as with prior years' they have teamed up to donate a portion of sales proceeds to a charitable purpose. Read more about that in my separate article (click here).



 

Fragrances and Home Fragrances



Jo Malone Scent of the Seasons

I find myself turning to Jo Malone on a yearly basis for Christmas gifts. It is just too easy. They have a great Christmas collection this year. Colognes, candles, diffusers, bath oils and more. Plus the scents are all unisex. So when I git a couple, they get excited ("oh two new scents for us to share!").