Tips and Tricks: The Ultimate Gift Guide

Black Friday and Christmas is coming around the corner real quick. Here are my recommendations for gift giving this holiday season!

Getting gifts for your friends, your family, and maybe even yourself can be stressful. So I felt that I should make it easier by recommending some great gift/gift sets for the most loved people in your life. Obviously gifts don't make the holiday special (it's the people that do) but it doesn't hurt to show them your appreciation. So let's get into it!

For your lipstick junkies

Smashbox Be Legendary Lipstick & Lip Mattifier Set - $22

This kit comes with 6 mini Smashbox bullet lip sticks and a min Smashbox Insta-Matte Lipstick Transformer. Smashbox liquid lipsticks and lipsticks are amazing. Maybe you're unsure of what shades someone likes but you're definitely sure they do not live on the more adventurous side of things; this is perfect for you. This gift set offers a wide shade range of flattering nudes and a dark shade (if they like to live a little bolder on the occasion). Also, the set includes the Mattifier Transformer to provide an optional matte finish = more variety of choice for the receiver of this gift!


Sephora Favorites Give Me Some Bold Lip - $28

We all have that one friend or family member that loves a colorful/bolder lip color. This multi-brand lip bundle is great for those that love a bright pink lip or the fun holiday red lip. The person you're giving this to might find their new favorite lipstick brand, all thanks to you. This kit does come with two full sized lip products that alone cost $45 when purchased separately (if my calculations are assumingly correct). Just as an FYI, this does come in a nude version but with only one full sized product for the same price.


Kat Von D Everlasting Mini Liquid Lipstick Set - $49

Sometimes nudes or bright berry tones aren't everyone's cup of tea. This vampy, long lasting, KVD liquid lipstick set (with decently sized minis) is amazing. From a darkish, nude pink, to brown tones, to a deep berry tone, to even a true black, this is a beautiful liquid lipstick set that is easy to gift. The set offers a lot of variety in a decently sized bottle for $49 USD. If you know someone loves these types of tones in their everyday lipstick wear, this kit is for them!


Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Gloss - $18 

This gloss is 100% what it says it is: a universal lip gloss. Literally everyone of any skin tone can rock this gloss. It's so flattering on everyone. If anyone you know likes gloss, they're going to love, this lip gloss. The formula is thick but not goopy, but adds a nice layer of shine to the lips without looking funky. A safe choice to pick if you're really unsure what someone's beauty preferences are. Plus, it's Fenty Beauty, one of the biggest brands (quite successfully I might add) to launch this 2017. Everyone is goo-goo gaga over this brand from packaging to product.


Huda Beauty Winter Solstice Mini Lip Strobe Set - $33

There's always that one adventurous person out there, you know it, I know it. These Huda Beauty Mini Lip Strobes are perfect lip toppers over a matte liquid lipstick or alone as a gloss. With a variety of colors to choose from, the person receiving this gift has the opportunity to take their lip look to the next level. The colors are super pretty and unique. The size of the Lip Strobe bottles are great to toss into your purse or travel with. Adding a pop of color on the lips while being on the go has never been much easier with this gorgeous lip set!


Some of my other recommendations of gifts for lip junkies...

• Huda Beauty Contour & Strobe Lip Set (Mini Liquid Lip, Lip Pencil, and Mini Liquid Strobe in 5 different shades) - $25 
• Marc Jacobs Beauty Enamored Hi-Shine Lip Laquer Lipgloss (Allure winning gloss, comes in 30 different, high pigmented, shades) - $28 
• Colourpop You're A Gem Lip Trio (2 comfortable Ultra Satin liquid lips and one Ultra Glossy lip) - $18 
• Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm (Contains SPF 25, comes in 5 different scents) - $7.50 

Disclaimer: All of these products above can be found at Sephora.com

For the eye makeup lovers out there, embrace...

Huda Beauty Obsessions Eyeshadow Palette - $27

These eyeshadow palettes are amazing. The formula of the mattes are super powdery and blendable and the metallic shades are very pretty. They're a decent size to safely travel with, making it easy to pop on a smoky for anyone constantly on the go. The price is amazing for the quality of the eyeshadows. Also, the variety to pick from is exceptional because some may like warm tones, others cooler, so on. They're great shadows for a great price! Definitely worth looking into getting for the people that love eyeshadow or for beginners using the more natural palettes.


 Stila Eye For Elegance Liquid Eyeshadow Set - $45

If you know the person you're giving these to is more experienced with eyeshadows, these are great for them. The Stila Liquid Eyeshadows have been a huge favorite for many and been raved about all year long. This set is a great deal for the variety of shades within. These shadows are so pretty to apply in the eyelid and will look fantastic on anyone. On a side note, these colors are gorgeous to wear for any holiday/New Year's Party. These are perfect to buy for yourself or for that important person in your life. 

Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner - $20 

These are just too cool to pass up. Depending on the color, this can be for anybody and everybody. The Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner comes in 13 different shades. They can be used to make a glitter eyeliner, but also to paint on the lid or inner corner of the eye for some pizazz to an eyelook. They're so pretty on the eyes and easy to stuff in a stocking for Christmas. It's really easy to layer on and looks amazing. I totally recommend for any of the glitter fanatics out there. 

Tarte Tartelette In Bloom Eyeshadow Palette - $46

It was bound for me to mention it. I talk about how this is one of my favorite eyeshadow palettes of all time in My Holy Grails blog post back in July. This is a great beginners palette but also a great eyeshadow palette for anyone who loves a natural look. It's great to travel with and the smell is a bonus. The formula of the eyeshadows are super soft and creamy and the metallic/glitter shades are super pigmented. It's a safe gift to get for anyone that loves eyeshadow. 

Some of my other recommendations for eyeshadow junkies...

• Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Eyeshadow Palette (a very pigmented and blendable warm toned eyeshadow palette) - $42 
• Huda Beauty Desert Dusk Eyeshadow Palette (a warm/purple toned eyeshadow palette with several different eyeshadow textures, I recommend pairing this palette with the Too Faced Glitter Insurance Primer) - $65 ($20 for the Glitter Primer)
• Colourpop Polite AF Super Shock Eyeshadow Collection (6 Super Shock Shadows, mostly Ultra Metallic/Glitter formula, review about the Super Shock Shadows here) - $30 

Disclaimer: All of these products above can be found at Sephora.com

Some fun face product recommendations...

Benefit Cosmetics Complexionista Face Palette - $32

This little face palette comes with two concealer shades, two of the Hoola Bronzer shades, and two highlighting shades. This palette is perfect for anyone of any skill, but this even better for beginner/intermediate level. The packaging is adorable and it's a decent size to travel with. Highlight, contour, and conceal with ease. 

Anastasia Beverly Hills Sugar Glow Kit - $40

The Sugar Glow Kit is a very universal highlighting palette that combines a flashy bold highlight and a natural everyday highlight. All the shades look stunning on all skin tones! If you know someone that loves highlighters (as much as I do), this is a stunning palette and definite recommendation. The top row consist of a natural, duo-chrome, highlight while the bottom row has the flashier, in your face highlight. So so so so pretty and a must have!

Tarte Park Ave. Princess Bronzer and Contour Palette - $46

A customized bronzing and contour is a great gift for those that always look chiseled. The rose gold packaging is simply gorgeous, as well as travel safe! With all the variety of shades, it makes a great gift for any intermediate/advanced makeup lovers. The palette comes with two highlighting/defining shades and 4 bronzing/contour shades. The palette includes the cult favorite shade that the palette was based around: Park Ave. Princess bronzer. Super cute, an adorable gift, and worth the money!

Some of my other face makeup recommendations...

• Anastasia Beverly Hills Moonchild/Aurora Glow Kit (Moonchild is an adventurous colorful highlighting palette for the fairer skin, while Aurora is for medium to darker skin tones with the same concept of a fun, colorful highlight) - $24 (usually $40) as of 11/23 
• Urban Decay Naked Skin Shapeshifter Palette (A contour, color correct, and highlighting palette that is very versatile for anyone and comes in two different shades based on skin tone) -  $45
• Becca Jet, Set, Glow Prep & Prime Kit (A trio containing mini sized Backlight Filter Primer, First Light Filter Primer, and an Under Eye Brightening Corrector) - $25 

Disclaimer: All of these products above can be found at Sephora.com

On a side note

Good luck fighting the herds this Black "Friday". May the deals (and the odds) be in your favor! Be kind to your fellow shoppers and be prepared! I will be indulging in a little bit of Black Friday shopping myself, maybe a Black Friday haul post next? We'll see. Happy Thanksgiving, I'm grateful for you guys who subscribe and read my blog. You guys are amazing!

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Question of the Post: Are you going Black Friday Shopping? If so, what do you want to get?

♛