Part 3 of the Glow Journal Beauty Gift Guide is always my favourite.
Is that because I’m a snob? You decide.
Where Parts 1 and 2 showcased Stocking Fillers and beauty gifts priced $40-80, respectively, Part 3 is, by its very nature, the crème de la crème of beauty gift guide- Luxury Beauty Gifts. Encompassing luxury fragrance (both personal and for the home), skincare and colour cosmetics, the “most luxurious” of luxury gifts here is priced at $497, meaning that across all three parts of this year’s beauty gift guide we’ve showcased over 100 gifts ranging in price from $14.95 to $497.
As noted in greater detail in Part 1 of the Gift Guide, not one product here has been included as a paid advertisement. The Glow Journal Gift Guides were born out of a need for a guide that contained gifts categorised by price, free from stock imagery and including more details than just the name and price. I personally selected each product based on a criteria of a) Would I be proud to gift this to a loved one? and b) Would I be thrilled to receive this gift? If the answer was “no,” the gift did not make the cut.
You can read the Stocking Fillers Gift Guide here.
You can read the $40-$80 Gift Guide here.
Usually I wrap things up with beauty advent calendars, as they are the bougiest of bougie gifts and I do love to end on a high note, however this year’s advent offering is too good to risk people not scrolling all the way down.
You’re welcome.
Most beauty brands release an advent calendar of sorts for the holidays, and this year I’ve whittled my list of favourites down to two. The first of those favourites is the Go-To Skincare 12 Days of Go-To advent, which houses (spoiler alert) full sized versions of Face Hero, Zincredible SPF 15, Lips!, Pinky-Nudey Lips! and a Transformazing sheet mask, plus travel sized versions of Properly Clean, Super Handy, and Very Useful Face Cream, a silk eye mask, shower cap and a fluffy peach headband. I’m not going to throw around lofty phrases like “Christmas miracle,” but…
Shop here: Go-To Skincare 12 Days of Go-To, $150
My other favourite beauty advent calendar is the Charlotte Tilbury Glittering Galaxy of Makeup Magic. This gift literally made me gasp as I opened it. The gifts sit within individual glittering boxes, and those boxes sit within what can only be described as a tower. A magical beauty tower. A glittering galaxy of makeup magic, if you will.
Said glittering galaxy contains a full sized Colour Chameleon, Matte Revolution Lipstick, Eyes to Mesmerise and Superstar Lips and travel sized Magic Cream, Wonderglow, Multi-Miracle Glow, Goddess Skin Clay Mask, Rock ‘n’ Kohl, Legendary Lashes Mascara, Supermodel Body and Take It All Off Cleanser.
Shop here: Charlotte Tilbury Glittering Galaxy of Makeup Magic Beauty Advent Calendar, $295
I noted in Part 1 of the Gift Guide that very few brands create magical Christmas gifts quite like Charlotte Tilbury, but another beauty-thing (technical term) I firmly believe Charlotte Tilbury is the undisputed leader in is eyeshadow palettes with a colour-by-numbers style application guide. Colour-by-numbers-esque palettes can often be a bit daggy, but the CT offering is 0% daggy and the advised application method just makes it look like you’re a professional makeup artist. Even if you have no skills! Not just in makeup- in anything! You can have absolutely no technical ability in any field, and you can still use Charlotte Tilbury’s eyeshadow palettes.
These are two beautiful holiday ones!
Shop here: Charlotte Tilbury Starry Eyes To Hypnotise Palette, $120
Shop here: Charlotte Tilbury Luxury Palette Of Pops, $80
I touched on Hourglass’ “Ghost” collection in Part 2, and the remainder of said holiday collection is just as impressive (arguably more so). Hourglass’ Ambient Lighting Powders are the products that made the brand famous, and the limited edition Ambient Lighting palettes they release each year always sell out (however they are both in stock as I write this, so be quick).
The Ambient Lighting Edit- Ghost includes three of the brand’s existing best-sellers and three new, limited edition shades (across the Strobe, Bronze and Blush finishes), while all four of the shades in the Ambient Lighting Blush Quad- Ghost are holiday exclusives.
Shop here: Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit- Ghost, $122
Shop here: Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Quad- Ghost, $89
Bobbi Brown are right up there with Charlotte Tilbury as far as festive magic goes.
The limited edition In A Flash Eyeshadow Palette houses 12 eyeshadows inspired by the sparkling lights of New York City’s Fifth Avenue, while the Love In The Afternoon Eyeshadow Palette contains eight shadows in the pink family across matte, shimmer and metallic finishes- both limited edition, both in festive packaging.
Shop here: Bobbi Brown In A Flash Eyeshadow Palette, $99
Shop here: Bobbi Brown Love In The Afternoon Eyeshadow Palette, $85
The brand’s Luxe Illuminating Powder comes from the “Luxe Gems” holiday collection. Inspired by glistening jewels, this finely milled powder gives the complexion a sheen that sits somewhere between champagne and gold that, despite being a powder, looks like a dewy cream on the skin.
Shop here: Bobbi Brown Luxe Illuminating Powder, $80
The Tarte Winter Wonderglam Luxe Eye Palette is perfect for the genuine makeup lover in your life, containing 24 eyeshadows in three different finishes (including glitter gel shades that you can apply with your finger! Glitter gel!) an eyeshadow brush, mascara and eyeliner. I say genuine makeup lover because, while all 24 shades are very wearable (almost unheard of for a 24 pan palette), you need to genuinely love makeup just to find the time to try them all.
Shop: Tarte Winter Wonderglam Luxe Eye Palette, $86
I’ve spoken ad nauseam across Parts 1 and 2 about how truly high the value of NARS’ Holiday products/sets are, and the same applies to their festive palettes. The brand is, arguably, best known for their cult cheek colours, so their limit edition Holiday palettes always sell out- particularly those that include cheek powders.
The NARS Free Lover Cheek Palette includes six powders (five blushes and a highlighter), while the Hyped Eyeshadow Palette contains 12 shadows within the pink, purple, peach and neutral family.
Shop here: NARS Free Lover Cheek Palette, $90
Shop here: NARS Hyped Eyeshadow Palette, $90
Did I mention how high value the NARS Holiday sets are?
The NARS VIP Room Essentials Set is perfect as either an introduction to the brand, or to gift to a NARS purist who appreciates the brand’s truly iconic products. This beauty vault includes a full-sized Climax Mascara, two Velvet Matte Lip pencils in Dolce Vita and Dragon Girl, a travel-sized Multiple in Orgasm, Blush in Orgasm, Bronzer in Laguna and a pencil sharpener.
Shop here: NARS VIP Room Essentials Set, $90
Housed within a disco-ready sequinned brush roll is the Studio 54 Brush Set- a Blush Brush, Highlighter Brush, All Over Eyeshadow Brush and Eye Crease/Blending Brush. I sincerely believe that great brushes are the key to beautiful makeup, and this covers all bases (quite literally).
Shop here: NARS Studio 54 Brush set, $130
I filmed a Mecca Cosmetica takeover recently (that was sponsored, this is not) in which I explained that matching your lip and cheek colours is the simplest way to tie your entire look together and give it some “polish.” This Chantecaille Cheek and Lip Duo makes achieving that level of polish truly foolproof, containing a blush and lip veil in soft, wearable pinky-nude. Sales of the blush directly support the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary, while the lip veil was created to benefit Space for Giants and their innovative work protecting endangered Elephants in Africa. A beauty gift with a greater purpose.
Shop here: Chantecaille Wild Pairs Cheek and Lip Duo, $135
YSL’s Black Opium Eau De Parfum isn’t technically a holiday-specific gift, it is an iconic fragrance in a sparkly bottle and, therefor, deserves to sit beneath your Christmas tree. I consider fragrance to be highly personal thing, so if you do choose to gift a fragrance make sure you know the recipient well enough to gauge their tastes.
A product that is from YSL Beauty’s Holiday collection is the Le Cushion Encre De Peau High On Stars Edition- the brand’s best-selling medium coverage cushion foundation, housed in limited edition Christmas packaging.
Shop here: YSL Beauty Black Opium Eau De Parfum, $225
Shop here: YSL Beauty Le Cushion Encre De Peau High On Stars Edition, $93
I have used the NuFace Trinity device for upwards of two years now and, while expensive, it’s one of the best things I’ve ever done for my skin. The device, on its own, ordinarily costs $477. For just $20 more, this limited edition Holiday collection includes the Trinity (a microcurrent device that works to non-invasively lift and firm the face), the Hydrating Leave-On Gel Primer, Fix Line Smoothing Serum, a rose gold mirrored compact and a matching dust bag. If you’ve been considering investing in a NuFace device, do so now while you can get a bit of added value.
Shop here: NuFace Trinity Shimmer All Night Collection, $497
Tatcha’s Luminous Dewy Skin Mist is up there amongst my Desert Island products, as it just makes everything on your face look better. I’m actually yet to try a Tatcha product that I’ve not fallen deeply in love with, and this Tatcha Little Luxuries Obento bundles together a selection of the brand’s best-sellers- which also happen to be some of my all time brand favourites.
This holiday set includes deluxe travel-sizes (I say deluxe because, despite being “minis,” they’re actually quite big) of the aforementioned Luminous Dewy Skin Mist, The Silk Cream, The Silk Canvas (a primer unlike any primer I have ever tried in my life), Violet-C Radiance Mask and Camellia Cleansing Oil and a full size Camellia Gold Spun Lip Balm.
Shop here: Tatcha Little Luxuries Obento, $135
You know what will make you look even better than any of these products? A nice night’s sleep*.
While this Go-To Skincare Sweet Sleeps cannot physically buy you 8 hours of sleeping time, what it does deliver is a) a much better quality beauty sleep (as you’ll wake up with smooth hair thanks to a silk pillow slip, no pillow face creases thanks to the aforementioned pillow slip and a silk eye mask, and lovely hydrated hands thanks to a tube of Super Handy. Thanks!)
*Based on a study by me on me.
Shop here: Go-To Skincare Sweet Sleeps, $85
Eve Lom’s Cleansing Balm is, undoubtedly, the product they are most famous for. And with good reason- it’s the product that cemented balms as my very favourite cleansing texture.
This holiday gift set includes four sizes of the brand’s Cleanser plus three essential muslin cloths. If you’re a Eve Lom Cleanser devotee, buy this for yourself to replenish your supplies (given that the value of the set is $337, but you’ll only be paying $298). Alternatively, save one for yourself and gift the remaining tubs (I’m not going to say that that’s what I’m doing, but let’s just say a number of my friends and family members might be getting some new cleanser this Christmas).
Shop here: Eve Lom Decadent Cleanser Gift Set, $298
I’ve used a crystal roller in my facial massage routine for years, and while my Gua Sha is a newer addition, I can’t imagine my life without it. Zove Beauty make the best crystal facial tools. THE BEST. I love working through a facial routine before bed because a) it’s good for circulation and b) it keeps me off my phone, so this Zove Beauty Luxurious Rose Gift Set is perfect for anyone who needs to be lulled into a deep beauty sleep (so, everyone). Aside from a Rose Quartz Roller and Gua Sha, it also contains a rose hued silk pillowslip to ensure you wake up with glossy hair and crease-free skin.
Shop here: Zove Beauty Luxurious Rose Gift Set, $109
As above, but swap the rose quartz for jade and a pink pillowslip for an ivory one. I wanted to include both because I love this brand so much, and one mention was nowhere near enough.
Shop here: Zove Beauty Luxurious Jade Gift Set, $109
The Body Shop has made multiple appearances across this year’s Beauty Gift Guide because, as mentioned, they quite literally make a holiday set for everyone. You could quite easily do all of your Christmas shopping in there. For those who prefer something a little more elevated than a bath bomb kit, opt for the Get Your Bounce Back Drops Of Youth Collection- a festive gift box, home to a Drops Of Youth Youth Concentrate and Drops Of Youth Youth Cream.
Shop here: The Body Shop Get Your Bounce Back Drops Of Youth Collection, $85
An equally luxe Body Shop gift is the Spa Of The World Relaxing Escape set, a beauty trove containing an African Ximenia Body Scrub and Japanese Camellia Cream, designed to deliver smooth, nourished, post-spa-treatment-quality skin. It’s essentially a day spa in a box (a great gift for those “people who already have everything” types).
Shop here: The Body Shop Spa Of The World Relaxing Escape, $80
Bangn Body’s original Firming Lotion, aka the “Yellow Tube of Goodness,” is one of my all-time favourite body moisturisers (although many also use it on their face) and is an essential step in my pre-tanning routine. The latter part of this year has seen the Aus brand launch two new products- a Smooth Skin Scrub and Lip and Eye Beauty Balm, both equally as beautiful as their predecessor. This Holiday season, Bangn Body have released an Ultimate Glow Bundle, a branded beauty bag containing all three products.
Shop here: Bangn Body Ultimate Glow Bundle, $110
I mentioned earlier that fragrance is a highly personal gift, which is why I think fragrance collections make for the perfect gift as they show thought, but also allow the recipient to pick and choose as they wish.
Jo Malone London’s Limited Edition Cologne Intense Collection is my pick for the perfect holiday fragrance gift, containing a lineup of Jasmine Sambac & Marigold, Velvet Rose & Oud, Oud & Bergamot, Myrrh & Tonka and Bronze Wood & Leather mini colognes.
Shop here: Jo Malone London Limited Edition Cologne Intense Collection, $200
The Christmas gift purist will appreciate Diptyque’s “Lucky Charms” Holiday collection, featuring artwork by Olaf Hajek and celebrating end-of-year festivities. My pick from the collection is the Luck Candle, which features notes of rose, cloves and aniseed, all of which are culturally synonymous with prosperity-granting rituals.
Shop here: Diptyque Luck Candle, $105
