Wanna know the only thing more cringeworthy than your Uncle Joe telling the same dirty joke over latkes during the holiday season? Watching someone feign delight after unwrapping a gift they hate . . . especially if it’s from you. (Pro tip: the person in your family who geeks out over skin care and makeup probably doesn’t want an air fryer.)
To help keep the awkward level down to a manageable two — and because it’s hard to offend anyone on the other end of a fancy Diptyque candle or Tatcha skin-care set — we’ve asked POPSUGAR editors to share the foolproof beauty gifts they’ll be giving (and also most likely keeping) this year. No, really: some products are so good, they were recommended twice. Regardless of your budget or giftee, we’ve got you covered. Keep scrolling for some of the best skin-care, fragrance, hair, and body-care gifts.
As for how to deal with inappropriate relatives? Well, you’re on your own there.
Maison Margiela Replica Mini Coffret Set ($75)
“Buying someone a fragrance is like playing a game of The Price Is Right: it’s one big gamble, and there’s a 50 percent chance your guess is wrong. This mini gift set from Maison Margiela gives you a little bit of a safety net. It comes with five scents across every fragrance family — By the Fireplace is warm and woody; Bubble Bath is clean and fresh; Lazy Sunday Morning is bright and floral; Beach Walk is crisp and milky; and Jazz Club is spicy and bold — so guessing someone’s favorite becomes a little more fun.” — Kelsey Castañon, senior content director
Best Body-Care Gift Set
Sol de Janeiro Rio Body Cream Trio Set ($38)
“The Sol de Janeiro Rio Body Cream Trio Set is such a treat. It features three of the brand’s best-selling body butters: the iconic Brazilian Bum Bum Cream, the Bom Dia Bright Cream with Vitamin C, and the Beija Flor Elasti-Cream. They’ll leave your skin feeling silky soft and make you smell delicious.” — Jessica Harrington, senior beauty editor
Best Lip Balm Gift Set
Eos Holiday Lip Balm Sphere Trio ($10)
“Show me someone who doesn’t love the tiny orbs from Eos and I’ll show you a liar. These cute lip balm spheres have become somewhat iconic for anyone who’s ever experienced the chapped hell that comes every winter (slowly raises hand), and now they are available in three delectably festive scents for the holiday season. Divvy them up into three separate stocking stuffers, or gift it on its own to a very lucky person.” — Kelsey Castañon, senior content director
Best Blush Gift Set
NARS Invite Only Mini Afterglow Liquid Blush Set ($45)
“Perfect as three mini presents or one perfect gift set, the NARS Invite Only Mini Afterglow Liquid Blush Set is for blush lovers who prefer something on the more natural side. I’ve been enjoying this formula for a while and have been dying for new shades, and this kit delivered with the release of the exclusive-to-the-kit shade Orgasm Rush — a delicious rosy bronze.” — Ariel Baker, assistant beauty editor
Best Hair-Tool Gift
Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler Complete ($599)
“To know me is to know how much I love my Dyson Airwrap. I use it every single time I wash my hair, because there truly is no other tool that works as well. They recently released a new version with a bigger round brush attachment, and I’ve been using it nonstop. Overall, it’s the perfect tool for a bouncy blowout, loose waves, or even a straight-hair look. I don’t say this lightly: my hair could not survive without it.” — Renee Rodriguez, writer and social producer
Best Gift With Purchase
Drunk Elephant Trunk 7.0 ($465)
“Every holiday season, I look forward to Drunk Elephant’s limited-edition trunk gift like a giddy 13-year-old girl, and this year’s might be the most squeal-inducing yet. Not only is it brimming with 10 full-size skin-care goodies — shout out to my all-time favorites, the Protini Cream, C-Firma Fresh Serum, and D-Bronzi drops — but it also comes housed in a cool-as-hell green Baboon to the Moon backpack (which I already own two of in varying sizes already, so you know it’s good).” — Kelsey Castañon, senior content director
Best Lip-Oil Gift Set
Ami Colé Hydrating Lip Treatment Oil Set ($42)
“Ami Colé can do no wrong with these lip oils. Seriously. The formula is plumping — but not in a typical pain-inducing menthol-y way. They are so shiny — thanks to the addition of three oils in the formula — that they make your lips look bigger because of the way the light shines on them. The set is a must have and includes a new color: Romance, a gorgeous plummy burgundy shade that is a match made in heaven for the holidays.” — Ariel Baker, assistant beauty editor
By Kelsey Castañon