As we enter the holiday gift giving season, I imagine many of
you are feeling as lost and unsure about what to get some of the
people in your life as I am. I'd like to offer some suggestions to help you get a
handle on your gift list. I've scoured all my favorite online
stores for what I think are some of the best goodies out there.
Happy Shopping!
For Teens and Tweens
Whether you're buying for your sister, niece, baby sitter or
granddaughter, it's never easy to know what a teenage girl wants
or likes. If she's old enough to wear makeup, a Pupa Yo-Yo
Makeup Kit ($20) from ULTA.com is a great little gift that looks
cool and has some fun colors inside. Each compact has an
ultra-shiny lip gloss, three compact eye shadows, and two
metallic body sheens, and there are three shades to choose from
(blues, browns or "fashion" pinks/purples).
If she's into doing cool things with her hair, she might like
Plaid Print Hair Pins in blue or Glitter Hair Pins in red, both
by MiMCo from Sephora.com ($12 each). These are above and beyond
a basic elastic ponytail holder or boring headband and can be
worn in any design she can think of.
For older teens or the college-aged set, SKINMARKET Black Magic
All-in-One Black Light Pencil ($7.95) is both fun and practical
- by day, it's a regular liner pencil in shades like mauve taupe
frost and opal frost, but by night, they glow ultraviolet under
black light.
For Girlfriends with Kids
I am in this category, so I can tell you that both gifts for the
kids and something special for herself is very appreciated by us
Moms :) . For a brand new mom, Weleda Mind Your Baby Starter Kit
($30) from Sephora.com is a terrific gift. She'll get Calendula
Baby Diaper Cream for daily diaper changes, Diaper Care Cream to
take care of diaper rash, Calendula Baby Soap, and a cute little
cotton doll for the baby. These products smell much better than
the drugstore baby potions, and they're all natural. For daily
baths, Davies Babies All-Over Baby Wash ($14.50) is another
excellent choice, even for moms with toddlers or preschoolers.
Another idea is Sephora Animal Pearls ($7.50) in different
animal shapes; kids can play with the fun lions and elephants, then they break open in warm bath water and release fragrant bath oil.
Since moms with kids can always use a break, give her something
she can enjoy on a daily basis. SKINMARKET Deliciousness Orange
Vanilla Brown Sugar Scrub ($18.95) and Creamy Body Wash ($9.95)
from SKINMARKET.com bring a little luxury to her shower (when
she has a chance to take one!). Aromapharmacy Mind & Body
Moisturizer - AM ($13.95) from Sephora.com with grapefruit peel
oil, tea tree oil, eucalyptus leaf oil and orange oil will get
her revved and ready to start another day, even on three hours'
sleep!
To help remind her how pretty she is, give Flower Pony Holders
by France Luxe ($15) from Sephora.com. They make a bad hair day
great, and they are a definite improvement over boring elastics.
For the Diva in your Life
For the beauty buff who knows all about the latest colors and
products, a gift of excellent tools like Sephora Collection
Professional 5 Essential Brushes ($38) is always
appreciated. If she's into playing with color, she'll love the
limited edition Chanel Holiday Aqualumieres Multi-Effect Water
Palette ($60) from Gloss.com - eight colors (four creams and
four glosses) to use in any combination on eyes, lips and cheeks
(wet or dry). If she's into more subtle shades, Bobbi Brown
ShimmerBrick Compact for Eyes and Face ($35) from Gloss.com is a set of pearl
shimmers perfect for adding a little glamour. Here are some more ideas:
Laura Mercier Le Weekend Colour Palette ($50)
For 40 or 50 Somethings
She might be your sister, mother, daughter, grandmother, cousin,
coworker or friend, but she can definitely be hard to buy for.
Don't risk buying a lotion for the wrong skin type or a perfume
she might not like. A nice treat instead would be Fresh Formula
f21c Milk Hand Wash ($20) from Sephora.com. She can keep it in
the bathroom or in the kitchen for soft and silky hands. How
about some risk-free pampering? Philip B. Deep Conditioning
Creme Rinse ($21) from LUXbeauty.com is a sure winner. It's rich
with shea butter (perfect for dry or treated hair) to make hair
incredibly soft.
For Ms. I Have Everything
Give her something special and unexpected, like Tocca Laundry
Delicate ($12.50) from sasabee.com or Clarins Hand and Nail
Treatment Cream ($22.50) from Gloss.com. You also can't go wrong
with a gift certificate to her favorite online store.
A little something for yourself...
Why does everyone else get to have all the fun?! While I was
shopping for all of these ideas, I spotted Hair Sticks by Mei Fa
at Sephora.com ($15) and ordered a pair for myself. They are
interesting and different, and not something I would normally
buy.
I also couldn't resist Naturopathica Aqua Latte ($38) from
Sephora.com; it's a moisturizing, foaming vanilla bath milk that
can also be used as shampoo or body wash. Yum!
Considering what we all have been through over the past couple
of months, this holiday season, may I suggest that you spend
time with family and friends, eat all the foods you love, tell
everybody how much they mean to you, and above all, enjoy
yourself!