It’s that joyous time of the year again – the holiday season
It’s that joyous time of the year again – the holiday season – when we are given the opportunity to express our love and thanks to all the wonderful friends and family in our lives while celebrating the meaning of our chosen holiday. Although it may be cold and the daylight hours short, the merriment and festivities of the season help keep our spirits high. While gift giving, Kris Kringle, and holiday parties can be tons of fun, searching for the perfect gift can at times seem challenging. Finding a gift that has purpose while also making your loved ones feel pampered and gorgeous is always the way to go, especially for the beauty junkies in our lives. So if you have been procrastinating or stressed, here are some covet-worthy beauty picks to add to your list, and possibly even for your own stocking as well!
What better gift for that special person in your life, than the gift of youthful looking radiant healthy skin. This luxurious anti-aging skin care set is from one of the best known Korean skincare brands – Sulwhasoo. Their TimeTreasure Line features an exclusive and decadent collection of anti-aging skin care products all containing their very special blend of Korean Red Pine and other medicinal herbs and botanicals. The exquisite formulas provide incredible time-reversing results to restore complex signs of aging, including loss of energy, dullness and lack of nutrition. The beautiful holiday set looks divine with Sulwhasoo’s elegant and rich designs, complete with their effective formulations for the perfect gift of beauty. The set includes full size TimeTreasure Renovating Serum, Cream, Deluxe Size TimeTreasure Perfecting Water, Emulsion, along with TimeTreasure Renovating Eye Cream, First Care Activating Serum and Luminature Essential Finisher.
Available at Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, NeimanMarcus.com; $720
MICROTHERM STORMDOWN JACKET
If you are looking for a jacket that packs down small, is lightweight and is a great insulator,then MicroTherm® StormDown™ Jacket is for you. MicroTherm technology is First Ascent’s lightest and warmest down construction. The jacket uses high quality 800 fill to give it high warmth to weight ratio. This also reduces the bulk of the jacket without sacrificing the warmth, making this jacket extremely packable. The MicroTherm also uses narrow- channel construction to prevent down from migrating, preventing or minimizing cold spots. Comes in cool, fabulous colors.
Available at Eddie Bauer http://www.eddiebauer.com, $120
AMOREPACIFIC MOISTURE BOUND COMPLETE CARE REGIMEN
This four-piece set, Moisture Bound Complete Care Regimen from AMOREPACIFIC, is the ultimate gift for the woman looking to take her skin care regimen up to the next level. Formulated with their super hydrating bamboo sap, Moisture Bound collection helps diminish the appearance of fine lines and delay these subtle but much dreaded signs of aging. It also delivers superior antioxidant protection which is the foundation to an effective preventative skin care routine. This set includes a Serum which boosts skin’s ability to retain moisture while helping decrease the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, a Creme/moisturizer that delivers 24-hour time-released benefits, as well as a lightweight Eye Treatment Gel offering intense hydration while also reducing the appearance of puffiness and dark circles. The last piece in this set is one of my favorites – the Sleeping Recovery Masque, which is the perfect addition for an overnight treatment or while traveling for a refreshed and youthful-looking complexion.
Available at Sephora and NeimanMarcus.com; $150
SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE 4
The 5.7-inch display makes it the perfect smartphone to watch movies and work on-the-go. the screen resolution is higher and there’s built in monitoring for blood saturation, heart rate and even UV light. The Rear-facing camera’s Optical Image Stabilizer corrects camera shake for clear, crisp holiday pictures and selfies. S Pen makes it easy to handwrite e-mails and texts in addition to selecting, dragging and dropping and is unique to Samsung. Our favorite feature is the Ultra Power Saver which shuts down Wi-Fi, stops most background apps and turns the screen black and white. This allows you to get about 24 hours out of 10 per cent charge. The Note 4 is one of the best phones on the market.
Available at www.samsung.com, $299
EQUITANCE SKIN CARE TRIAL KIT
Give the gift of bright, beautiful skin with Equitance’s Skin Care Trial Kit. Perfect for the girl on-the-go to pack in one of her bags or carry-on, this sampler showcases all products within the Equitance Brightening Collection. With so many products out there it’s nice to have a line that specifically has devoted so much time to addressing some of Asian women’s biggest concerns of pigmentation, uneven skin tone and discoloration. The Equitance Brightening Collection works from within to restore radiant beauty to skin using both ingredients from nature and innovative formulations. The Kit includes:
Brightening Foaming Cleanser, Toning Lotion, Brightening Serum and Spot Corrector, Hydrating Brightening Cream, Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF36, and Skin Radiance Dietary Supplements (3 packs). Available at equitance.com; $37
CAUDALIE POLYPHENOL C15 OVERNIGHT DETOX OIL
One of my favorite brands this season has been Caudalie, a French beauty brand hailing from the vineyards of Bordeaux, that utilizes the best nature has to offer.Their formulations are antioxidant powerhouses focusing on the the vine and grape extracts which have amazing anti-aging and renewing properties. This holiday season, after all the decadent treats and late night festivities, Caudalie’s Polyphenol C15 Overnight Detox Oil can help your skin reverse the day’s damage while you sleep. The 100 percent plant-based dry oil is loaded with antioxidant properties that assist in the removal of toxins and promotes cellular turnover for a rejuvenated and radiant complexion, all while you are sleeping the night away! Another great option is Caudalie’s VINOPERFECT RECOVERY OIL which is also a dry oil and formulated with a blend of six 100 percent natural plant and essential oils. This oil is for those with more dry and sensitive skin and is deeply nourishing and reparative. With such excellent options from Caudalie your mornings will never be the same – soft, supple and transformed skin. Caudalíe Polyphenol Detox Oil, $52 & Caudalíe Overnight Recovery Oil, $52, caudalie.com
BOSCIA TSUBAKI SECRETS
Incorporating all the must-have items from the past year such as konjac sponges and beauty oils, Boscia’s Tsubaki Secret Gift Set bundles together all the essentials to attain baby-soft skin radiantly dewy skin. Paying tribute to the beauty practices of the geishas, this best kept Japanese beauty secret incorporates the anti-aging botanical blend of cold-pressed Tsubaki (Camellia) Oil, protein rich Wakame (Japanese Sea Kelp), and nourishing Rice Bran Oil. The set includes a full size of this top-selling Tsubaki Beauty Oil, the innovative Konjac Cleansing Sponge with Deep Hydrating Clay which thoroughly cleans all skin types, and a deluxe Tsubaki Cleansing Oil-Gel. Together, this set exfoliates, cleanses and deeply nourishes and hydrates for refreshed and glowing skin. And a major bonus, Boscia’s beautiful packaging means you can skip the wrapping paper.
Available at Sephora.com; $48
AUBREY ORGANICS ALMOND BLISS BODY SPRITZER
Nothing is more exciting than delving into holiday stockings or secret santa surprises to discover small gifts of beauty that are practical and delightful. Aubrey Organics offers a great assortment of such gift ideas, from their sweet deliciously fragrant Almond Bliss Body Spritzer, indulgent Pomegranate Crème de la Shave, to their Rosemary Peppermint Shampoo. All these products feature natural fragrant oils and healthy ingredients to get you in the holiday mood while also nourishing skin and hair without any added chemicals or irritants. Available at Aubrey-organics.com; All under $20
SHISEIDO BIO-PERFORMANCE ADVANCED SUPER RESTORING COLLECTION
Shiseido, the ultimate brand and leader in skincare technology is offering this exclusive holiday gift – a stunning red tote filled with the best from their Bio-Performance and Benefiance collections. This eye catching luxurious gift includes their rich Bio-Performance Advanced Super Restoring Cream (Full Size), 1 Benefiance Pure Retinol Intensive Revitalizing Face Mask, Benefiance WrinkleResist24 Balancing Softener, Benefiance Extra Creamy Cleansing Foam and the newly launched Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate. This collection will surely get your loved one ready for all the holiday festivities with glowing and hydrated skin.
Available at shiseido.com; $124.00
Le Mieux’s Bio Cell + Mask
The ultimate gift for any woman is the gift of relaxation and beauty. De-stress and pamper skin with Le Mieux’s Bio Cell + Mask. These high quality innovative sheet masks are formulated with marine collagen, potent peptides, botanical extracts and vitamin C, and incorporates wound care and peptide technology in advanced microencapsulation delivery system for instant results. This mask hydrates, brightens, firms and lifts sagging skin, an excellent choice for those looking to give the gift of youthfulness in a box! Also be sure to check out Le Mieux’s Moisture Infusion Mask ($25) which is excellent for plumping and hydrating skin. This serum-infused mask soothes and hydrates dry, sensitive and stressed skin and also contains vitamin C, peptides, botanical extracts and marine collagen to promote smooth, brighter looking skin.
Available at www.myskincarebox.com; $30
ELIZABETH ARDEN UNTOLD ABSOLU EAU DE PARFUM
Untold Absolu Eau de Parfum by Elizabeth Arden is the ideal holiday gift for the sophisticated and sensual woman. Whether to complement for a holiday party or for a night out on the town, Untold Absolu is a wonderful addition to the Untold Collection. Untold Absolu is a deeper, more sensuous interpretation of Untold with warmer notes. The luxurious floral absolutes, red plum and black raspberry accents work in perfect harmony with its magnetic golden amber base, speaking to the more glamorous and modern woman, with a hint of mysteriousness for the perfect fragrance of the season. Available at elizabetharden.com; $69.00 (1.7 fl. oz)
NANETTE LEPORE FOR ORIGINS COSMETIC BAG
Fashion meets beauty in this exciting collaboration between Origins and Nanette Lepore. Known for her amazing designs and inspired by her passion for travel, this top notch designer created a limited edition cosmetics bag, using motifs and print designs from around the world to inspire her. This design goes perfectly well with the Origins brand which has a global approach to its products, sourcing only the best natural ingredients from all over the globe. Mirroring both brands’ sustainable practices, the Nanette Lepore for Origins cosmetics bag is made with 100% recycled cotton and will surely look fabulous in any woman’s bag. This exclusive limited edition offer includes the Nanette Lepore Cosmetic Bag plus a travel size Drink Up Hydrating Lip Balm with any $65 purchase. Available at orginis.com and select stores.
JULEP Nailed It! MINI POLISH SET
Every girl loves to experiment and change up her nailpolish. With Julep’s Nailed It! Set, you can give the gift of exuberant color. The collection features 12 minis of this year’s most loved best sellers. Plus, you should feel great supporting this impressive brand, founded by Asian entrepreneur Jane Park. Julep is such a perfect example of high quality products that are always keeping up with beauty trends while keeping customer’s needs in mind. It’s a subscription box service that is worth every penny. Mix and match, create your festive nail works of art with these fun nail color minis sure to brighten your day and complete that holiday look. Available at Julep.com; $48