This is the 3rd installment of my 2020 gift guide series! Check out the others here: Fitness Fans and For the Guys.
This one’s for the Beauty Junkies like myself. The ones who love trying new products and shades. The ones who love to experiment and express themselves in color and contour. Some may see this as a frivolous interest, but I see it as somewhat artsy, the face a canvas to shape and shade, endless colors and finishes to play and experiment with.
Any beauty lover will be happy to receive these items (I know I would!). I’ve also included items on the list that are beauty adjacent to go along with the makeup.
Here are my picks for the Beauty Mavens:
1. Beautycounter Get the Look Set
$115, beautycounter.com
Beautycounter is the leader in clean beauty and safer skincare, and the Get the Look set is not only better for you, it’s also as high-performing and high-quality as anything you’d find at Sephora. It includes four beautiful products that take an everyday look to the next level. This makeup set saves 10% versus buying each item separately. Choose an eyeshadow palette (Romantic, Classic, or Statement), eyeliner, bronzer or highlighter, and lipstick, and voila! You’ve got an awesome gift just about any cosmetic-loving woman or teen can’t wait to use. (If you have no idea what colors to choose, you can also purchase a gift certificate from me for the gift recipient to redeem later — just email me at beauty @ bkinetic.com for more details.)
Just make sure to order by December 11th for ground shipping, the 18th for 2nd-day shipping, and the 21st for overnight shipping in order to receive the set by December 24th.
2. ILIA Beauty Limitless Mascara
$28 (15% off your first order + free shipping), iliabeauty.com
My favorite clean mascara! Buildable and flake-free, this 99% natural mascara lifts, curls, lengthens and adds just the right amount of volume. ILIA’s lightweight and nourishing mascara is made with a blend of organic bee and carnauba waxes to weightlessly condition each lash. Gentle enough for sensitive eyes, the 99% natural formula also contains organic shea butter and fortifying arginine (keratin) to help boost and enhance lashes. In addition to the amazing formula, I love that the wand has lengthening bristles on one side and volumizing bristles on the other — brilliant! They also have a mini version for $13, which would make a great stocking stuffer.
3. Wyld Skincare Konjac Sponge
$16.90 for 1 / $39 for a pack of 3, wyldskincare.com
I’ve been searching for a more eco-friendly sponge alternative to the plastic poofs I used to use in the shower. And then I was sent a Wyld face sponge in one of my CauseBox boxes earlier this year and tried it on a whim. Completely dry, the sponges are rock hard and inflexible. But get wet, they become soft and more sponge-like. They provide gentle exfoliation and eventually biodegrade once thrown out, unlike those plastic loofahs. There’s also a larger body version to hit all those dry spots — elbows, knees, feet, and ankles.
These sponges are made from the konjac plant which grows wild in southeast Asia. Once it’s harvested, it’s infused with the ingredients from around the world, such as French pink clay or charcoal. Wyld Skincare is a woman-owned company, and was created out of concern about pollution’s effect on marine life. There’s also a larger body version to hit all those dry spots — elbows, knees, feet, and ankles.
Wyld Skincare pledges a portion of proceeds to Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, an action-oriented ocean conservation organization, which most notably uses ships to patrol critically threatened marine areas.
4. Beautycounter Lip Gloss Trio
$49 (10% off first order — join the email list at the bottom right side of the page), beautycounter.com
Unfortunately, a bunch of the Beautycounter Holiday sets are sold out at the time of this writing. 🙁 (I do have a several of the sets and items that I stocked up on for myself and my clients, so if there’s something you just have to have, email me at beauty @ bkinetic.com.)
The good news is that these limited-edition full-size lip glosses are still available! I looooove Beautycounter’s lip glosses. I have a ridiculously large stash in my makeup drawer and at least 2 or 3 in my purse at all times. I have no desire to buy any other brand, these are just that good.
They deliver high-impact shine and conditioning lip benefits—plus a sweet limited-edition Mandarin Violet scent. Formulated with a blend of waxes to lock in moisture (with no stickiness) and a shimmery, pearlescent, and bright sheer shade, this trio is ideal for gifting any clean makeup lover who loves a glam touch. All of Beautycounter’s cosmetics are formulated to work with any skin tone — warm, cool, neutral, from fair to dark and everything in between.
The limited-edition shades include:
Wild Berry:
bright cool berry
Lilac Shimmer:
soft lavender with silver shimmer (surprisingly neutral and flattering)
Iris Shimmer:
clear with blue shimmer
5. Silked Satin Pillow Sleeve
$29.50 for the satin / $69.50 for the silk (15% of your first order + free shipping on orders $35+), silked.co
The 100% poly-satin charmeuse open-ended pillow sleeve is another item that I received in one of my subscription boxes recently, and I’m a fan. It fits over most size pillows and is machine washable. The Silked satin and silk pillowcases help keep the hair and face from getting roughed up while sleeping. These fabrics are so much more gentle than cotton.
Silked products are made in the USA, and the company was founded by two women of color. In addition to the pillow sleeve, they have a silk eye mask, face masks, and hair scrunchies (who knew those would make a comeback???) delivering more natural, gentler alternatives for preserving skin and hair.
6. Beautycounter Luminous Lids Cream Shadow
$39 (10% off your first order — join the email list at the bottom right side of the page), beautycounter.com
This holiday set features silky cream eyeshadows in four shades: Amethyst, Amber, Onyx, and Soft Gold. The creamy formula features a blend of nourishing jojoba esters and plant waxes, plus shea butter that lends smoothing, softening, and conditioning benefits. Infused with coconut oil, the shadows blend easily for buildable color — play with a subtle wash of color or layer for a smokier look (it’s so easy to use!). The multidimensional, light-reflecting sparkle is courtesy of responsibly sourced mica (an industry notorious for using child labor and forced labor).
- Amethyst: soft pink lilac
- Amber: warm copper brown
- Onyx: shimmering gunmetal
- Soft Gold: shimmering warm gold
7. Kendra Scott Jewelry
$110 for the Elisa & Lee set / $228 for the Davis necklace, kendrascott.com / (2% cash back on Rakuten)
This is another woman-owned business based out of Austin, TX. The Elisa Satellite Necklace & Lee Earrings Gift Set is classic Kendra Scott. This set in Iridescent Drusy is a sure winner — the jewelry is on the small side for those who aren’t into big statement earrings or necklaces. Drusy is the natural crystallization on a rock surface and has a rich sparkling appearance. I personally love the white Iridescent shade the best, but the Platinum and Rose Gold are also gorgeous. And it comes in a pretty box for easy gifting!
The other Kendra Scott piece that I recommend is the Davis Triple Strand necklace. This one’s 18K yellow gold vermeil plated over sterling silver, so it’s more of a splurge. It also comes in sterling silver. I love the multi-strand yet still minimalist look of it. The disc can be engraved as well.
And Dallas Cowboys fans may appreciate the Star & Boot Charm Necklace Set in gold. 😉
8. Custom Canvas Makeup Pouches
price varies, etsy.com
I’ve gifted my best Beautycounter customers with customized makeup pouches in the past and they were a big hit. And I think you can never have enough storage or organization for beauty products (or anything else, really). Etsy is the best place that I’ve found to get these at an affordable price. You’re also supporting a small business, which is a good thing these days. The “I Don’t Even Believe Myself” pouch shown can be found here.
9. Unique Face Masks
$39 Slip silk masks, nordstrom.com / $24 Tokki x Gravitas masks, etsy.com / $48 and up Sieme silk mask/scarf combo, wearesieme.com
Full disclosure, I have not personally tried these masks, but they came highly recommended from several credible websites ranking the best (and cutest) face masks. The Slip Pure Silk Adult Pleated Face Mask is washable, reusable face covering with an adjustable nose wire and adjustable ear straps that features a mulberry silk outer layer and an inner cotton lining. The Tokki x Gravitas High Density Cotton Face Masks are from a woman-owned company. They are a fitted design with 2-layers of tight-weave 100% quilter’s cotton with an interior pocket for a filter. They’re made in the USA, with a mask donated for every mask purchased.
I’m also excited to share a new-to-me company, Sieme, that my physical therapist shared with me (it’s his girlfriend’s sister’s company in Italy). The company was founded as a response to the excess material generated by luxury brands in the production process in Tuscany that was just going to waste. Sieme repurposes those materials before they end up in landfills, creating beautiful, high-quality accessories made exclusively by local independent artisans and family-owned factories in a process they call Restorative Production.
They make Italian 100% silk masks, mask/scarf combos, and so much more. Each batch is unique and makes a statement, perfect for those who don’t want to wear just any old mask. Each mask has an interior pocket for a filter (medical grade filters included). I plan on purchasing one for myself as well as one or two as gifts.
10. Herbivore Jade Stone Roller
$30, herbivore.com
Jade stone rollers are one of the latest trends in the beauty industry. Using a roller is relaxing and soothing, a kind of gentle massage for the face. And when you store it in the fridge, you can help diminish those puffy undereyes even more. It can also help with product absorption. I don’t have this specific roller, but I do have a pink quartz one that I got in one of my CauseBox shipments, and I love it for those mornings when I’m sleep deprived and my eyes are super puffy. It just feels really good.