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For a while there, beauty sets as Christmas gifts were getting a bad rap. Written off as thoughtless and impersonal, many seemed to think there was nothing worse than opening a box of ‘smellies’ on Christmas morning. Certainly, any gift that appears to have been picked up at the last minute or without thought is less than ideal, but the reality is that beauty sets have come a long way.
These days, almost every beauty brand has a large spectrum of gift sets available at this time of year, many of them so covetable you’d be tempted to buy them for yourself. With that in mind, here are some of this year’s best beauty gift sets, whether you’re buying for yourself or someone else. Living Proof Reveal Clean Hair Dry Shampoo Gift Set 1.
Living Proof Reveal Clean Hair Dry Shampoo Gift Set (€44.80 via millies.ie ) — This time of year can be a great opportunity to stock up on products you already know and love, for a discounted price.
Living Proof’s Perfect Hair Day Advanced Clean Dry Shampoo is one of the best on the market, in my opinion, and this gift set includes two full-size products. Individually, these cost around €30, so you’re making major savings with this gift set. Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa Perfume Mist Set 2.
Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa Perfume Mist Set (€33 via spacenk.com ) — There is no brand more loved by young women than Sol de Janeiro, and this gift set is the perfect way to win brownie points with your niece/goddaughter/young person of your choice. Worth €44, this set includes four different scents from the brand’s range of cheerful fragrances.
Laneige Midnight Minis 3. Laneige Midnight Minis (€21 via boots.ie ) — Korean brand Laneige’s Lip Sleeping Mask is a cult favourite thanks to its richly hydrating formula.
This set includes five miniature versions of the product in a range of flavours from the classic Berry to two new flavours, Peach Iced Tea and Watermelon Pop. While these are sold as sleep masks to be worn overnight, I like to use this as a lip balm at all times of the day, so minis you can pop in your bag are very handy. Vieve Glowbe Trotter 4.
Vieve Glowbe Trotter (€32.70 via cultbeauty.com ) — Holiday gift sets are a good way to try out products without investing in full-sized versions of them, and this Vieve kit offers a great opportunity to get into this relatively new brand.
This kit features travel-sized versions of three of its most popular products: Skin Nova, a radiance primer; Skin Dew, a golden liquid highlighter; and Lip Dew, a gold, multi-dimensional lip oil. Saie Mini Dew Blush Trio 5. Saie Mini Dew Blush Trio (€28.
25 via cultbeauty.com ) — Liquid blushes are all the rage and this formula is absolutely gorgeous, leaving the skin dewy and bright. With these products, a little goes a long way, so minis are ideal.
This trio includes three beautiful shades which will suit most complexions, and I’ve already ordered it. Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Mini Setting Spray Kit 6. Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Mini Setting Spray Kit (€30 via charlottetilbury.
com ) — This is one of the best setting sprays in the market, one which I personally use every time I do a full face of makeup, and there are great savings to be made here. One travel-sized bottle will usually set you back €20, so €30 for two is a great price. Read more Lost in Translation If you’ve ever breastfed, you may be familiar with panthenol, a soothing ingredient included in most nipple creams.
However, this ingredient has many useful properties beyond the nipple. A humectant, it helps to attract and hold moisture, as well as soothing irritation and strengthening the skin barrier. Expect, therefore to see this popping up in lip masks, anti-irritation cream and many other skin treatments.
Hourglass Phantom Volumizing Glossy Balm Something old...
Glossy balms are all the rage now as shiny lips are back in fashion and we search for comfortable, non-sticky options. It was Hourglass , though, who brought out the first product which truly delivered on shine without compromising on formula. The brand, which focuses on luxury, cruelty-free products, launched Phantom Volumizing Glossy Balm (€41 via brownthomas.
com ) last year to much applause. This product hydrates like a lip balm but delivers a high-shine finish and the appearance of plumpness as well as a beautiful tint. Available in 16 shades, from rosy pinks to deep berries sand browns, and packaged in a sleek gold tube — this product is absolutely beautiful.
The only drawback is the price tag, which feels a little exorbitant for this type of product. Hildun Melting Moisture Lip Balms ..
. Something new Hildun Beauty is an Irish brand which has developed a loyal following thanks to the success of their Silk to Set Kajal Liners both in Ireland and the UK. These beautiful eyeliners glide on easily, blend beautifully, and stay where you put them, making them a dream to use.
Now, the brand has launched a lip collection, including Longwear Lip Pencils (€20) and Melting Moisture Lip Balms (€23, both via hildunbeauty.com ). The lip balms are a ‘lipstick/balm/lip gloss hybrid’, which essentially means they deliver shine, colour and comfort.
The formula is rich and smooth, delivering lasting comfort and shine. Currently, the lip pencils and lip balms are each available in three shades of pinks and peaches, which work beautifully together. I’d love to see the shade range expand, though, as I haven’t stopped wearing these since they landed in the door! Read more.
