Somewhere between the first holiday party invite and the moment you realize November is already a quarter of the way gone, your gift list starts growing on its own. The good news? Presents from the beauty category make it a lot more manageable. They’re easy to shop, hard to get wrong, and everyone in your life could use a little more of them, whether they like to admit it or not.
Vogue’s Favorite Beauty Gifts
- The Red Light Therapy Mask: Currentbody Red Light Therapy Face Mask: Series 3, $570
- The Under-$100 Hero: La Mer The Mini Holiday Essentials Set, $98
- The Body Care Essential: Osea Total Body Glow Trio, $128
- The Classic Beauty Gift: Chanel Finishing Touch Beauty Set, $161
- The Makeup Essentials: Westman Atelier Petite Party, $75
- The K-Beauty Set: Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Rejuvenating Skincare Set, $260
- The Trending Fragrance: Merit New Wave, $92
- The High-Tech Straightener: Dyson Airstrait, $500
It can be as simple as a lipstick in a case they’ll want to show off, or as big as the LED mask they’ve had in their shopping cart for months now. And there’s plenty to love in between, from skincare they’d never splurge on themselves and makeup gift sets to a beauty tool or two that turns the bathroom into something close to a visit to the facialist.
Every year, the same people are the hardest to shop for: the mom who insists she doesn’t need anything, the sister with impossibly specific taste, the friend who has genuinely tried it all. This list has them covered, along with a few names you’ll probably add later. Keep scrolling to shop the best beauty gifts and thank yourself in mid-December when you’re crowned ‘best gift-giver ever.’
Makeup Gifts
The best makeup gifts are the ones most people wouldn’t buy for themselves, like a designer lipstick in a case nice enough to leave out on the vanity, or a set of minis that finally gets someone to try a brand they’ve been curious about. This year’s holiday sets lean right into that, with limited-edition shades and packaging that looks just as good on a dresser as it does wrapped under the tree. Whether the person on your list does a full face every morning or rarely gets past mascara, there’s something here for them.
Finishing Touch Beauty Set
It’s hard to go wrong with Chanel, and this set is all about the small details that make someone feel put together. Tucked inside a limited-edition white pouch with a soft, knit-like texture, it includes the Rouge Coco Baume Satin tinted lip balm, which goes on sheer and builds to lipstick-like color with a few more swipes, plus one of the brand’s hand creams and a bottle of the Le Vernis nail polish in the classic shade Ballerina.
4-Piece Beauty Clutch Makeup Set
For the person who treats their makeup bag like an accessory, this one comes in a sleek metallic clutch that’s chic enough to carry on its own. Inside, there’s Prada’s Pradascope mascara for lifted, clump-free lashes, the refillable Monochrome lipstick in Tiepolo, a soft, diffused matte finish, plus two lip balm refills in Universal and Astral Pink that keep lips comfortable for up to 24 hours.
Essential Lip Contour Trio
For the friend who always has their trusty lip liner handy, you can’t go wrong with this set. Makeup artist (and Vogue Beauty Board member) Fara Homidi’s Smudge & Contour pencils are a cult favorite, designed with a creamy, almost balmy feel, so they glide on without dragging, can be smudged out with a fingertip, or sculpted into perfection with a makeup brush. The brand’s holiday trio comes in three neutrals, a cool beige, a taupe, and a deep brown, covering everything from a barely-there line to a deeper, more defined lip.
Petite Party
If someone on your list always runs late to holiday parties, you’re in luck because we’ve uncovered the perfect gift for them. Gucci Westman picked the four products she’d reach for with only a few minutes to get ready, and all four come in mini sizes that slip easily into an evening bag. A cherry-red blush stick and a rosy-taupe highlighter take care of the cheeks, while a charcoal eye pencil and Westman’s buildable mascara handle the eyes, so the whole look comes together fast.
Skincare Gifts
In our opinion, skincare is one of the easier things to gift, since almost everyone has a routine, and most people are quietly hoping someone will hand them the moisturizer or serum they’ve been too practical to buy for themselves. The best picks this season either upgrade a step someone already loves or introduce them to a brand they’ve been curious about, and a few come in packaging nice enough that the box doesn’t even need wrapping.
Concentrated Ginseng Rejuvenating Skincare Set
Sulwhasoo has built its name on ginseng, and this set is the easiest way to see why. It includes the brand’s full-size Concentrated Ginseng Rejuvenating Cream along with smaller sizes of the matching eye cream, serum, and cleansing foam, so their whole routine is covered from start to finish.
HYDR/O Barrier Moisturizer
This is the moisturizer to give the person who has tried everything. Dr. Diamond’s HYDR/O is a sheer cream that sinks in quickly but delivers serious hydration, thanks to a long list of hyaluronic acids, ceramides, and squalane that help strengthen the skin barrier over time.
Star-Powered Skin Kit
Dieux’s got loyal fans for a reason, and this kit pairs two of its most popular products in one, reusable and decorative tin. The full-size Deliverance Serum helps calm redness and soften the look of wrinkles and dark spots, while a mini Instant Angel Moisturizer locks in moisture and leaves skin dewy enough to wear under makeup. Both are fragrance-free and gentle enough for sensitive skin, so it’s an easy gift even if you’re not sure what someone’s routine looks like.
Mask Discovery Collection
For the friend who loves a Sunday night face mask, this set is basically a week of spa nights in one box. It includes five of 111Skin’s sheet masks, each one targeting something different, from hydration and brightening to de-puffing, plus a lifting mask for the neck. Each takes about 20 minutes, and at a $161 value, it’s a fun way to try the brand’s bestsellers and find out which one is best for you.
Beauty Tool Gifts
Beauty tools tend to be the gifts people secretly want most and are least likely to buy themselves, mostly because the price tags make it hard to justify. That’s exactly what makes them such a good present. This year’s picks bring the kind of treatments you’d normally book at a dermatologist’s office or a facialist into the bathroom at home, from LED masks and laser caps to a hydro-facial that takes about ten minutes.
LED Red Light Therapy Face Mask: Series 3
Currentbody’s LED masks already have a cult following, and the Series 3 is its most advanced yet. It packs 750 LED bulbs and six different wavelengths, including red and near-infrared light for firmness and fine lines, and blue light for breakouts. The brand’s MyDose technology works out the right treatment for your skin, and there are four preset modes if you’d rather not think about it. A touch-screen controller with a countdown timer makes it easy to stick with, which matters, since LED works best with consistent use.
Spectrum Laser Red Light Therapy Cap
For anyone dealing with thinning hair, this is one of the most serious tools you can give. The Capillus Spectrum looks like a regular baseball cap, but inside, it uses red and infrared lasers to stimulate hair follicles, and it’s FDA-cleared to treat hereditary hair loss in both men and women. It only takes six minutes a day, and the cap shuts itself off when the session is done, so it’s easy to wear while you answer emails or make coffee.
Pro Laser Renewal Wand
Think of this as a facialist that fits in your hand. HigherDose’s just-debuted wand pairs a cold laser with red, near-infrared and blue LED light, so it can help firm and smooth fine lines on one setting and calm breakouts and redness on another. A cooling attachment swaps on to depuff under-eyes and sculpt along the jawline, and most sessions take 10 to 15 minutes. It even comes with a travel case, plus minis of the brand’s peptide serum and facial mist to prep skin first.
FacialPro Glow At home Hydro-Powered Facial System
For the person on your list that splurges on a bi-weekly or monthly facial, the Shark Beauty FacialPro is most likely sitting high on their wishlist. An easy way to unclog and clean pores plus infuse skin with powerful ingredients like hyaluronic acid, this gift takes its owner into the driver’s seat, giving them the power of visiting their favorite spa right at home.
Hair Care Gifts
Hair gifts are a safe bet for almost anyone, since even people who barely think about their routine still have a shampoo they’re loyal to or a styling tool they’ve been eyeing for months. From a splurge-worthy straightener that skips the hot plates entirely to travel-size sets that are perfect for stuffing into a carry-on, there’s something for the person who does their own personal blowout every morning and the one who simply wants their strands to feel soft.
Airstrait Wet-to-Dry Straightener
Anyone who’s ever waited for their hair to dry before reaching for a flat iron will understand the appeal here. Dyson’s Airstrait dries and straightens at the same time, using airflow instead of hot plates, so you can go from towel-dried hair to a sleek, finished look with one tool. It has three heat settings and a separate mode for touching up dry hair, and the arms lock together so you can rough-dry your roots first. It’s a splurge, but it cuts out an entire step of the routine.
Thermal Brush Blowout Boost 1.5″
If holding a round brush and a dryer at the same time has never worked out for you, this is the fix. Wavytalk’s thermal brush works on dry hair, so you get the volume and bend of a blowout from a single tool, with five heat settings up to 420°F and a ceramic barrel that heats evenly. Negative ions help keep frizz down, and since it’s dual voltage, it’s easy to pack for trips abroad.
Acidic Bonding Concentrate Holiday Gift Set
As frustrating as it can be, you can’t reach your hair goals if you don’t repair damage first. If your giftee has been trying to assuage breakage, heat damage, or dry, brittle strands, Redken’s Acidic Bonding collection is like their golden ticket. Powered by Bonding Care Complex and citric acid, the products are formulated to reinforce weakened or broken bonds for smoother, stronger hair—and even protect hair color from fading.
The Mini Essentials Set
For the person in your life who’s always on a plane, this set from RŌZ packs a full routine into carry-on-friendly sizes. The masterwork of celebrity hairstylist and Vogue Beauty Board member Mara Roszak, this set includes the Foundation Shampoo and Conditioner, the Santa Lucia Styling Oil for frizz and shine, and the Milk Hair Serum, a leave-in that works whether you air-dry or blow-dry. Plus, everything is sulfate-free and smells as good as it performs.
Fragrance Gifts
Yes, buying perfume for someone else can feel like a gamble, since what smells amazing on you might not work on them at all. There are two easy ways around that—you can go with a classic that almost everyone likes, or you can give a discovery set and let them find a favorite on their own time. We’ve rounded up a shortlist of both, so whether they’ve been wearing the same scent since college or still haven’t found their signature, there’s something here that’ll end up in their perfume collection.
Coco Mademoiselle Set
If you’re shopping for someone who already loves Coco Mademoiselle, this set is a no-brainer. It pairs the full 3.4-ounce bottle with the Twist and Spray travel size, so there’s one for the vanity and one for their bag, all in limited-edition holiday packaging. The scent opens with bright orange, softens into jasmine and May rose, and settles into patchouli and vetiver. It’s easy to see why it’s become one of Chanel’s most recognizable fragrances.
Perfumes Discovery Set
For someone who loves fragrance but hasn’t found their signature yet, this set from Hermès makes the search a lot more fun. It includes minis of four of the house’s best-known scents: the warm, spicy Eau des Merveilles, the ginger-and-tuberose Twilly d’Hermès, the green, mango-tinged Un Jardin sur le Nil, and the luminous floral Jour d’Hermès.
New Wave Perfume
If someone on your list loves a perfume that makes them stand out, put this one at the top. Merit’s New Wave is an extrait, made with nearly 30 percent fragrance oil, so it lasts a lot longer than most eau de parfums. It starts out a little spicy from pink pepper and gets warmer and sweeter as it wears, with orange blossom and honey up front and vanilla and incense underneath.
La Panthère Mini Fragrance Discovery Set
Not sure whether they’d like something light or something a little more intense? This set lets them try both. It comes with four minis of Cartier’s La Panthère, an eau de toilette, two eau de parfums, and the parfum, and they all share the same mix of gardenia and soft musk. The eau de toilette is the lightest of the bunch and works for daytime while the parfum is deeper and better for a night out.
Wellness Gifts
Some of the best gifts aren’t about what goes on your face but about how you feel day to day. Wellness picks make sense for the person who’s always trying to sleep better, drink more water, or finally figure out why they wake up tired, and they tend to get used every single day. These four are easy upgrades that fit right into a routine, whether they’re total wellness devotees or just curious.
Filtered Showerhead
Most people filter their drinking water without thinking twice, but the water they shower in every day rarely gets the same attention. Jolie’s showerhead swaps in for your regular one and filters out chlorine and heavy metals, which can leave hair dry and dull and skin feeling tight after a shower. Over time, they should notice softer hair and clear, glowing skin becomes the norm.
Oura Ring 5
Oura’s new Ring 5 is about 40 percent smaller than the last one and made from lightweight titanium, so it’s easy to forget it’s on—perfect for the person that has been complaining about their sleep for years. Each morning, the app shows how well they slept, how stressed their body was, and how they’re recovering. The battery lasts up to nine days, and the charging case holds about a month of backup power, so there’s no need to pack a charger for a long weekend away.
DiamondClean 9900
If anyone you know is obsessed with their oral hygiene, getting them the Rolls Royce of toothbrushes will keep you slated as the ultimate gift giver forever. Polish, prestige, and next-generation cleanliness make Philips’ latest in dental technology the ideal present for those who like to get five stars every time they visit the dentist.
HexaPlate Lite Vibration Plate
For the person who needs a little bit of calm in their life and has getting bigger muscles on their resolution list, the vibration plate is the perfect addition to their 2027 health goals. This version from HexaPlate uses side-to-side oscillation to tamp down an active nervous system if you just want a little bit of relaxation or to challenge the body when doing squats, lunges, or push-ups.
Under-$100 Gifts
The Mini Holiday Essentials Set
La Mer is one of those brands people love but rarely buy for themselves, so this set is a smart way in. For under $100, you get four minis worth $250 in total: the brand’s lightweight Moisturizing Soft Cream, The Resurfacing Treatment, a gentle liquid exfoliator, The Renewal Oil and The Concentrate, a serum made to calm stressed, irritated skin. Everything comes zipped inside a velveteen case, which works just as well for travel once the minis are gone.
Total Eye Renewal System Set
This is a great gift for anyone who’s been eyeing red light therapy but isn’t ready to spend hundreds on a mask. The set pairs True Botanicals’ Pure Radiance Supreme Eye Cream, made to firm and smooth the skin around the eyes, with a small red light wand that you glide along the orbital bone after applying the cream. The wand shuts itself off after two minutes, so there’s no guessing how long to use it on each eye. Worth $215 in total, it’s another Nordstrom exclusive.
Vanilla Favorites Set
If you know someone who’s obsessed with anything vanilla-scented, this set from Summer Fridays will go straight into their bag. It includes the brand’s cult-favorite Lip Butter Balm in Vanilla in full size, plus travel sizes of the Body Butter Balm and the Sunlit Vanilla Eau de Parfum, which smells warm and a little like dessert. The perfume also slides into an exclusive keychain holder, so it can clip onto a purse or keys for touch-ups throughout the day.
Bal d’Afrique Mini Fragrance Set
Byredo’s Bal d’Afrique has a way of turning up on just about everyone’s vanity, and once you’ve smelled it, it’s easy to see why. If there’s a fellow fan in your life, this mini set lets you give them the whole ritual without the full-size price tag. It includes the fragrance, a body wash, and a body lotion, so the scent carries from the shower through the rest of the day, plus a tiny keychain filled with the perfume that clips right onto a bag for touch-ups on the go.
Body Care Gifts
When winter hits, body care quickly becomes one of the most practical gifts you can give. Between the cold air outside and the heaters running inside, skin tends to feel tight and dry by mid-December, and most people don’t realize how much they need a good body oil or scrub until it’s in their hands. These sets cover every step, from a scrub that buffs away dry patches to a rich cream afterward, and a few come with scents nice enough that they double as a fragrance. They’re also an easy pick when you’re not sure what someone’s skin type is, since nearly everyone could use a little extra moisture this time of year.
Total Body Glow Trio
For the friend who reads ingredient lists and actually wants to see results, Osea’s holiday set is a smart pick. It starts with the brand’s body scrub, which buffs away dry, dull skin and leaves it glowing, followed by its algae-infused body oil to lock in moisture and help skin look firmer and more elastic over time. And a dry brush, for daily lymphatic drainage and sloughing away dead skin, that will remain useful long after the body-care runs out.
Jasmine Damask Rose Bathroom Set
Fit for the king or queen in your life, Flamingo Estate’s Jasmine Damask Rose Bathroom Set takes their bathroom experience to the next level. It includes hand wash, a scented candle, and a bar of soap that indulge the senses in the rich and luxurious fragrance note that David Lynch himself deemed “intoxicating.”
Signature Santal 3-Piece Set
If there’s a Salt & Stone fan on your list, this three-piece set is an easy way to stock them up for less. It comes with the brand’s bestselling scent in three minis, a fragrance, a body wash and a deodorant, so they can layer it from the shower through the end of the day. The body wash is made with nourishing botanicals that keep skin from feeling dry, and the deodorant lasts up to 24 hours, which makes the set as practical as it is nice to smell.
Deskside Lumelo
Soft Services’ bestselling hand cream was made for the nightstand, and now there’s a version for the desk, too. The new Lumelo Weightless Hydrator is a great pick for your office bestie or the friend who’s always applying hand cream between meetings. Instead of the rich texture of the original, it has a light, gel-like feel that sinks in fast, so it’s easy to work into a midday break without leaving fingerprints on your laptop.
Source: www.vogue.com
