20 amazing gifts for beauty, makeup, and skincare lovers
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Holidays are for giving gifts that people won’t necessarily splurge on for themselves but that they’ll cherish if given to them. It’s a time to spring for the extra-special hairbrush that’ll make an everyday chore more luxurious, or for a beauty subscription box that encourages experimentation with new makeup and skincare products. No matter who is on your list, we have something they’ll love. These are the best beauty gifts of 2019, according to Reviewed.
1. For the one who loves a fresh blowout: Our top-rated hair dryers
The thrill of a smooth, sleek, speedy blowout cannot be underestimated. Our favorite hairdryer is worth the investment. The Bio Ionic GrapheneMX Professional Dryer takes wet hair to out-the-door-ready in minutes with its ultra-powerful airflow and three heat settings. If you’re looking to spend (a lot) less, we also love the Revlon 1875 Infrared Hair Dryer—it’s lightweight, easy to use, and gives a poof-less, fast blow-dry.
Get the Bio Ionic GrapheneMX Professional Dryer at Sephora for $299
Get the Revlon 1875W Infrared Hair Dryer on Amazon for $21.99
2. For the one who wants shiny, tangle-free locks: A hairbrush upgrade
Many of us grab any old hair brush at the drugstore and don’t think much of it. But this one from Beauty by Earth takes quality up a few notches and even rivals the cult-favorite brush from Mason Pearson at a fraction of the price. This brush claims to condition the hair by distributing its natural oils using boar and nylon bristles. Your gift recipient is sure to thank you for their new hair-saver.
Get the Beauty by Earth Boar Bristle Hair Brush on Amazon for $19.99
3. For the one whose morning routine needs a boost: A light-up mirror
The best way to get ready in the morning is to be able to see the task at hand. Applying makeup or face-shaving is a whole lot easier with proper lighting and a good mirror. From our testing, our favorite DeWeisn Tri-Fold Mirror has super-bright, adjustable lighting, a clear reflection, and three magnification options. No more applying makeup—or nicking the skin—in the dark!
Get the DeWeisn Tri-Fold Mirror on Amazon for $30.98
4. For the one who can’t be bothered with a nail salon: A manicure kit
Everyone, everyone should have a manicure kit to turn to when a hangnail appears or a brow hair grows out of place. This 18-piece one from Esarora features cosmetic scissors, tweezers, nail clippers, cuticle pushers and nippers, and more. It has all your recipient needs for grooming the hands, feet, and face in this one portable case.
Get the Esarora Manicure Set on Amazon for $19.88
5. For the one who wants beach waves year-round: Our favorite curling iron
Whether the goal is tight ringlets or soft waves, this curling wand from GHD delivers. It stood out during our testing because of easy-to-use controls, well-designed barrel, and rapid heat-up time. This is a must-try for anyone desiring curly locks.
Get the GHD Curve Creative Curl Wand at Sephora for $199
6. For the one with dry skin: A cult-favorite body cream
If you’re thinking that all lotions are the same, there are over 4,000 people on Sephora ready to tell you otherwise. Sol de Janeiro’s Brazilian Bum Bum Cream is considered a body-care must-have because of its fast-absorbing formula that supposedly tightens and smooths the look of skin while it moisturizes. But what’s more, people are over the moon for its warm and spicy scent, with notes of salted caramel, pistachio, and vanilla—no, it’s not edible.
Get the Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream at Sephora for $45
7. For the one who could use some pampering: Our favorite foot spa
We put our feet through a lot—squeezing them into shoes that don’t quite fit, wearing flimsy sandals with no arch support, and traipsing through puddles in improper footwear. A foot bath is a spa-like experience that anyone can enjoy on their tired feet. After testing, our favorite is the Ivation Foot Spa Massager, which features adjustable heating, massage rollers, water jets, and a timer. We promise, after your giftee tries it once, it will not be relegated to the back of the closet.
Get the Ivation Foot Spa Massager on Amazon for $79.99
8. For the one who experiments with eye makeup: A shadow palette and brushes
Whether your giftee is new to makeup or a semi-pro, an eyeshadow palette is perfect for experimenting with color and improving technique. Urban Decay’s Naked palettes are among the most popular, with thousands of devotees. The Naked3 features shimmery and matte rose gold-hued neutral shades. For a more complete gift, include the Real Techniques Enhanced Eye Set, which comes with a crease brush, fine liner brush, medium shadow brush, shading brush, and eyelash separator.
9. For the one who always has a fresh mani: An LED nail lamp
If there was an option to always have a sleek manicure without ever having to go to the nail salon, who wouldn’t take it? Our tester loved the SunUV lamp because it works with any gel nail polish. It has a sensor to turn on when polished finger or toenails are placed inside, and the bottom plate is easy to clean in between each use.
Get the SUNUV LED UV Nail Lamp on Amazon for $39.99
10. For the one who’s passionate about skincare: An exfoliating serum
Behind the Sunday Riley Good Genes All-In-One Lactic Acid Treatment is a sea of fans waiting to sing its praises at any moment. The serum claims to clarify and smooth the skin using lactic acid, brighten the appearance of dark spots with licorice and lemongrass extracts, and soothe redness with prickly pear extract. Expensive? Yes. But there are more than 2,500 reviewers who say it’s worth every penny.
Get the Sunday Riley Good Genes All-In-One Lactic Acid Treatment at Sephora for $158
11. For the one who wants sleek, straight strands: Our must-have flat iron
Straightening the hair becomes infinitely easier and quicker with a stellar flat iron. The Paul Mitchell Neuro Smooth Flat Iron stood out on our tests for its 1.25-inch plates that hold hair firmly and smoothly without snagging, its easy-to-use heat adjustments, and its customizable auto shut-off. The results—a sleek, shiny ‘do—are worth the higher-than-some price tag.
Get the Paul Mitchell Neuro Smooth Flat Iron on Amazon for $150
12. For the one who loves a clean face: Our favorite facial cleansing brush
We all have that one part of our daily routine that we look forward to. If cleansing the face is your giftee’s favorite time of day, consider wrapping up a facial brush. The Clarisonic Mia Smart came out on top during our testing because it leaves the skin feeling thoroughly cleaned without stripping it of moisture. Mia Smart is compatible with all Clarisonic brush heads, is adjustable in intensity, and has a waterproof handle that’s comfortable to hold.
Get the Clarisonic Mia Smart on Amazon for $118.30
13. For the one who plays with makeup: Sephora’s subscription box
If you’re not sure exactly what your favorite beauty junkie would want in a gift, a monthly subscription box of samples is just the ticket. Our favorite is the Play! by Sephora Monthly Subscription Box, which includes five sample-sized makeup, skincare, and hair care products for $10 per month.
Get the Play! by Sephora Monthly Subscription Box for $10
14. For the one who wants a glowing complexion: A charcoal face mask
Face masks are easy crowd-pleasers for skincare fanatics. This peel-off mask from Bio Miracle claims to remove blackheads, impurities, and excess oil, and minimize the appearance of pores. It’s a dupe of the popular Boscia Luminizing Black Charcoal Mask, but at its lower price, you can give three for the price of one.
Get the Bio Miracle Skin Therapy Detoxifying Peel-Off Mask Treatment on Amazon for $12.21
15. For the one who hates waxing: A facial hair removal wand
The best gifts are ones that fulfill a need you didn’t even know you had. A great example of this is the Finishing Touch Flawless, a battery-powered facial hair remover that uses a spinning wand head to pare down unwanted hair at the skin's surface without causing it to grow back darker or coarser. During testing, we found that it’s gentle on the skin and catches all of the hair, leaving zero mess. Goodbye waxing!
Get the Finishing Touch Flawless on Amazon for $19
16. For the one who runs hot: A cooling facial roller
After a workout or on a hot day, using ice-cold products on the skin feels incredible. This ice roller from Esarora is similar to a jade roller, which is used to work in facial treatments and increase blood circulation, but packs a freezing punch. With over 2,000 Amazon reviews and a 4.7-star rating, this little device makes a big impact on many people’s skin routines. Not to mention, cooling products are said to reduce the signs of aging.
Get the Esarora Ice Roller on Amazon for $19.99
17. For the one who craves straight but voluminous hair: A straightening brush
If you’re giving to someone who likes to straighten naturally curly hair—and wants an alternative to a flat iron, which can leave locks looking flat—we suggest this heated straightening brush from Amika. It takes kinky, curly hair to straight and sleek with just a few passes. Yes, it’s that simple.
Get the Amika Polished Perfection Straightening Brush 2.0 at Sephora for $120
18. For the one who's always on the go: A travel makeup case
There’s nothing worse than aimlessly shuffling through luggage to find a lip gloss that migrated to the bottom of the bag. To make traveling a bit easier for your on-the-go loved ones, give them a makeup or toiletry case, like this one from Relavel. Over 1,500 Amazon shoppers agree that this case is a must-have, with its several compartments, including designated storage for makeup brushes.
Get the Relavel Travel Makeup Case on Amazon for $25.98
19. For the Fenty fiend: The Pro Filt’r foundation and sponge
Any makeup lover is sure to rejoice when opening this fan-favorite foundation and beauty sponge kit. This complexion perfecter from Fenty Beauty—founded by R&B singer Rihanna—is widely praised for its diverse shade range, coverage that layers from light to heavy, and long-lasting wear. In your gift, toss in a beautyblender, a reusable, edgeless sponge with a tapered tip. The duo is sure to give a smooth complexion that’ll last all day.
20. For the one who wants to avoid frizzy hair: A silk pillowcase and microfiber hair towel
Friction between your hair and a regular cotton or polyester pillowcase can cause damage and breakage. If you’re buying for someone who wants to avoi tangles, breakage, and frizz (a.k.a., everyone), consider a silk pillowcase. This one from Slip comes in a queen and king size, as well as a variety of colors to suit your recipient's style. While you're at it, pick up a microfiber towel, like this one from Aquis, that dries the hair without stripping it of moisture or causing breakage.
The product experts at Reviewed have all your shopping needs covered this holiday season. Follow Reviewed on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
This article originally appeared on Reviewed.com: Best beauty gifts of 2019: 20 amazing makeup and skincare gifts
