I was so sure I was over Christmas Gift Guides but the truth is I enjoy reading them and enjoy writing them even more. There are so many exciting gift sets out there and I could not resist sharing some of my favourite beauty picks. Right let's get started...
Verso Skincare //Link
Verso Skincare is one of my favourite skincare brands and I have a review here. The great thing is that they are effective and contain Retinol 8 which offers all the benefits of Retinol (and more) while being suitable for many skin types without causing irritation which is commonly seen with many Retinol products. The perfect gift set which any skincare enthusiast will absolutely love as a gift is the Verso Star Serum Suite* which contains some of Verso's Bestsellers including: The Antioxidant Tumeric Booster*(£79), Super Facial Serum (£100)* and the Hydration Serum with Niacinamide* (£79) .
If you want to save some money, I will highly recommend joining the MMCL Pro family where you get as least 30% discount on Verso skincare products which goes a mighty long way. MMCL Pro is open to students, makeup artists, beauty enthusiasts, bloggers, etc. You can join here and check here for the registration requirements.
The Verso Enzyme Peel* (£80) is a perfect all rounder gift because it will work for many skin types. It contains AHAs and PHAs and it is excellent in gently but effectively exfoliating the skin. I absolutely love it and try to use it at least once a week.
Cult51 //Link
Cult 51 is another skincare care brand I love because they deliver above and beyond expectations. I am still very much in love with my Cult51 Day Cream(£100), Cult51 Night Cream (£100)* and Cult51 Immediate Effect Serum*(£95). They now do great bundles which are value for money if you were looking to spoil a loved one. They will make amazing gifts for Mothers, Aunties and even friends who approaching their 30s. Of course, anyone can use these products but I personally think they will suit people from their 30's (both male and female). I know this is not skincare but Cult51 also have the Luxurious Gardenia Scented Candle*(£35) which will be perfect as a gift for a loved one who has just moved homes. It is such a beautiful candle and burns well with no tunnelling.
Omorovicza //Link
If anyone told me I'd enjoy an introductory beauty set so much, I won't believe them but that's exactly how I have felt about the Omorovicza Christmas Introductory Set (£65). I am sure everyone must have heard about Omorovicza Queen of Hungary Mist and that's what drew me to this set because it contains a generous amount of the mist in it. This set has pretty much a complete skincare routine and that's why I love it. Inside you get the Queen of Hungary Mist (30ml), Balancing Moisturiser or Elemental Emulsion (30ml), Thermal Cleansing Balm (15ml), Deep Cleansing Mask (15ml) and Cleansing Foam (30ml). It's such an amazing set and I will highly recommend it as a great gift for anyone who is looking to try out the Omorovicza brand.
Pixi Beauty //Link
I am such a big fan of Pixi Beauty particularly their Glow Tonics which I have used for many years and made countless repurchases. They are a major game changer and I am so glad that they have expanded their Glow Tonics to include the Rose Glow Tonic and the Retinol Tonic. The great thing is that they come in such lovely and affordable gift sets (minis) which go for £10 each. You can even buy the Trio for £20 over here at ASOS which is amazing. They will make great stocking fillers and even proper gifts. The great part is there is no need to wrap them too much as they already come in a nice festive gift packaging. I picked up the Retinol Glow Tonic and Rose Glow Tonic Festive Gift Set from Harvey Nichols but I believe you can also find it from other retailers.
FOREO //Link
It will be a crime not to mention FOREO in this Christmas Gift Guide because they are one of my favourite skincare device brand. I use at least one FOREO product everyday and none of my skincare routines can ever be complete without them. The only product I have not tried yet is the FOREO UFO and it is already on my wish list. I will highly recommend at least trying the FOREO Luna Mini (£119)* or Luna Play (£29). They provide such value for money and I have actually purchased some for my sister and Mum. They have some great gift sets as well so they will make perfect gifts for this season.
Urban Decay Cherry Palette (£42) //Link (currently £35.70 in John Lewis)
I never wanted to pick this palette up because I am still very much in love with the Naked Heat Palette and still believe it is the best palette Urban Decay have ever made. The Urban Decay Cherry Palette is a great A/W palette and fits so well with the festive season. I could resist no longer when I was at the airport and had a chance to properly swatch it. The best part was it was in Duty Free so I saved some coins. Honestly, the gift sets in Duty Free are so tempting and I try my best to just pick up something that I really need. I think the Naked Cherry Palette will make a great gift for any beauty enthusiast and it comes in such great packaging. If you do find yourself going through Duty Free, I will suggest picking it up there or when there are discounts such as in John Lewis right now.
Touch in Sol Metallist Collection //Link
Touch in Sol is one of the brands that I have fallen hard for and I am so impressed with all the products I have tried. You can read my review about them over here. I love that they are not resting on their oars as they launch really great new products. I love the packaging, the quality of their products and how affordable they are. For Christmas Gifts, they can work as regular gifts or stocking fillers. I highly recommend checking their Metallist Collection especially their Liquid Foil and Glitter Shadow Duos* (£20), Liquid Foil Lipstick Duo* (£20) and the Metallist High Shine Bouncy Cream Shadow Palette (£34). If I did not have them, they will be one of the products on my Christmas Wish List. The No Poreblem range is also amazing and it works great for many skin types.
I recently tried out their Pretty Filter Waterful Glow Cream* which seriously gives your skin the much needed hydration it needs especially with the current season. I love that it works both as skincare and makeup. If you love dewy skin and makeup, I will highly recommend adding it to your wish list or getting it as a gift for that loved one who adores dewy skin.
Hourglass Ambient Palette //Link
I have always loved Hourglass products because they are such great quality and very unique. I got the very first Hourglass Ambient Palette as a gift from my husband a few years ago and I still absolutely adore it. This year, I saw that they were launching the Ambient Palette (Unlocked)//£69 and I was in love because I knew it will be perfect for my skintone. I was so delighted I finally got my hands on it and I think it is the best Ambient Palette they have made ever (in my opinion). I am so glad they launched two versions (Unlocked and Volume 4) which is such a brilliant move as it suits many skin tones.
While I was waiting for the Unlocked Palette to make its way over to me, I got the Ambient Lighting Blush Palette (£60) which I have always had my eye on. I know I don't need to say this but Hourglass packaging is just so luxurious. I can't think of anyone unwrapping these palettes as gifts and not being over the moon.
Fenty Beauty//Link
I love Fenty Beauty so much and whenever I check my Harvey Nichols Rewards App and see how much I have spent on Fenty Beauty since 2017, I actually can't believe it. I don't think I have spent as much on a single brand ever but I will do it all over because all the products I have purchased are amazing. I already have a proper review of my first ever Fenty Beauty Haul over here if you want to have a read.
For their Holiday collection (Chill Owt), I only picked up the Frost Bunny Metallic Eye and Lip Crayon Set (£30) and I can't get over it. It was love at first swatch. The other products in the collection are great but I only want to buy products I will use regularly. For your wish list or as a gift guide, I will highly recommend trying out the Stunna Lip Paints// £19 (they recently added four new shades which are stunning) and The Moroccan Spice Eyeshadow Palette (£42).
OUAI Haircare and Fragrance //Link
OUAI is another brand that has not rested on their oars for one second at all. They have expanded and diversified which I absolutely love and I am hoping they continue this way. I also have a a few posts about OUAI here. This year, I got to try their OUAI Scalp and Body Scrub* (£32) which smells so heavenly. I use it more on my body than my hair but either ways, it just feels so soothing and relaxing and I love that the fragrance gently lingers on my skin. For their holiday collection, they have several gift sets which are affordable and offer great value for your coins. I have the Swing Both OUAI Gift Set (£40)* which contains the OUAI Texturizing Hair Spray and OUAI Hair Oil. I was filled with so much delight to see that there is an XL OUAI Hair Oil in it because that's one of my favourite OUAI Haircare product. I also love the OUAI Leave-in Conditioner * (£22) and my natural hair (Afro) loves so much. I will highly recommend checking out the great gift sets OUAI has.
I saved one of my favourite purchases for last and it is none other than the OUAI Fragrances. The first time I tried OUAI Haircare, I just wished there was a matching fragrance to the products and I know many people felt the same way. I am so glad Jen Atkin listened to everyone because we can finally smell like our favourite OUAI haircare products. There are 4 fragrances in total- North Bondi, Mercer Street, Rue St Honore and Melrose Place. I picked up North Bondi (£46) and Mercer Street (£46) because they are my favourite scents and I have not stopped using them. I will write a separate review at some point. Basically, if you want to try them out, this is the best time to purchase them (maybe as a gift for a loved one but I am keeping both of mine) because I hear they are limited edition. You can purchase them in-store at Selfridges and online at OUAI website and Cult Beauty.
I hope you enjoyed this year's Christmas Gift Guide even though it is slightly late. These are some of my favourite products and I know I'd be delighted if I received them as gifts. I hope this Christmas Gift Guide serves both as a guide and a wish list for boxing day if you want to get a discount. What product would you want to try?
*Gifted PR product + Affiliate Links uses, read my full disclaimer here
