My Beauty Gift Guide: Part 2!
Hair tools, makeup sets, skin care stocking stuffers, and the under-desk elliptical that'll change the way you work. Plus: my two cents on Nylon magazine returning to print
Hi everyone, hope you had a nice holiday week! I shared part 1 of my gift guide last week and, as promised, here’s part 2, which includes a few “beauty-adjacent” ideas as well:
Merit Beauty Five Minute Morning Set
$140.80 on sale
I’ve been really impressed with a lot of the Merit stuff I’ve tried—the tinted lip oil in particular has become one of my favorites. This 7-piece set includes a complexion stick, cheek color, tinted lip oil, blending brush, balm highlighter, mascara and brow pomade. I’ve also grown to love balms and sticks. They truly make application so fast and easy. (Full disclosure: I’m not the biggest fan of stick foundations but, they’re good in a pinch.) Scoop this set up right away while it’s on sale.
Drybar Single Shot Round Blow Dryer Brush
$108.50 with 30% at Ulta
I mentioned the Revlon dryer brush last week (which is about half the price) but the Drybar one comes in a variety with a smaller barrel, the Single Shot, which is good if you have shorter hair (their larger barrel original is called the Double Shot). Both brands are very similar but some people say they feel like the Drybar model makes their hair a bit smoother.
Olive & June Mani Prep Set
$20.49
As much as I’m a nail fanatic, I’m extremely lazy when it comes to nail care and prep. Cuticle care? Ugh, I just can’t bother sometimes. This 5-piece set includes manicure basics to get you started. Throw in a few nail polishes of your choice to bulk it up to make a bigger gift.
Luminara Flameless Candle
$36.99
I picked one of these up on a whim one day at the Container Store a few months ago. I love candlelight but have cats and a toddler so I’m, frankly, sometimes nervous about having an open flame around. These flameless, faux candles are so convincing. The “flame” waves around slightly, really helping to sell the illusion.
Rechargeable Clip-on Selfie Light
$18.39
The most photogenic people know that the trick to getting a great photo is “finding your light.” A nail artist friend showed me her handy LED light and I ordered one as soon as I got home. It clips easily on to an iPhone or laptop and it’s made a big difference in balancing out shadows and getting clearer photos.
Seasons Soni 2.0 Diffuser
$120
There are lots of pretty essential oil diffusers on the market now (I also like this Vitruvi one). I’m partial to this extremely chic Seasons one, which looks like a little objet d’art on a coffee table.
Inmotion Under-Desk Elliptical
$129
Okay, this is not the sexiest looking gift but it’s so useful! I got one of these to stick under my desk at home and it’s been life-changing. I’m under no illusion that I’m getting an actual heart-pumping workout but, they say that sitting is the new smoking, so getting your legs moving even a little bit throughout the day is super helpful. My mom saw mine and immediately ordered one for their house!
bkr Big Smooth Teddy Water Bottle
$48
Similarly, sometimes you just need a physical reminder to do something healthy for yourself. Yes, I could fill a glass of water. But somehow, having this giant pink water bottle (it’s glass and covered in silicone for safety) is the visual kick I need that reminds me to hydrate.
Stocking Stuffers
E.L.F. Total Face Sponge
$6
I mostly use brushes for makeup but there are just those times when a sponge still blends better. You can wow them with a Beautyblender ($20) in their stocking or opt for this more affordable E.L.F. one.
I Dew Care Mini Scoops Face Masks
$17 for three
Similar to the spring water sprays above, I’d buy this 3-set and split them across multiple stockings. These Korean wash-off masks are so cute and come in fun scents.
Mini Avène Thermal Spring Water
$10
You can buy one of these mists alone or buy a set of 3 for $25 if you have more stockings to fill. Their Cold Cream Lip Balm is also nice.
Skin Care Giveaway!
And this holiday season, I partnered with RéVive to give away a $300 gift card for reviveskincare.com! I’ll be posting about how to enter on my Instagram @heymichellelee in the next few days. So follow me there if you don’t already!
A few products to spend that $300 gift card on: Left to right: RéVive All About Face Collection, Masques des Yeux, Intensité Volumizing Serum Ultime, Fermitif Neck Serum, Moisturizing Renewal Oil
*Special thanks to Nadia Suttle for flagging some of these news stories for me!
Sally Beauty to Close 350 Stores by Year End: The Sally stores were such a part of my youth. They were still a place to grab harder-to-find nail tools, hair-cutting accessories, and stuff you’d generally not find at larger stores. This makes me sad.
Dior Addict is the Most Talked About Lip Oil: Rare Beauty’s Soft Pinch Tinted Lip Oil came in at No. 2 followed by E.l.f.’s Glow Reviver Lip Oil, according to a new Launchmetrics report. I don’t think lip oils will be going anywhere (I personally love balms and oils) but trends are cyclical so let’s all get ready for the return of the super-matte lip soon.
Nylon is Relaunching Print: Before I was the Editor in Chief of Allure, I was the Editor in Chief and Chief Marketing Officer at Nylon and Nylon Guys. It was one of my favorite, most fulfilling jobs—the small and mighty team was so creative and produced some very cool stuff. The brand has switched ownership since then but I will forever be a cheerleader for print (and I do think that people are craving more tactile, tangible items). I’m excited to see what the editors cook up and look forward to seeing the first relaunched issue. I’m hoping its success can help usher in a new era of print, done in a thoughtful, selective way. Thoughts? Feelings? Which magazines would you love to see come back?
That’s it for this week. Next up, I’ll tell you more about the Moxi laser treatment I got recently. The process has been super interesting. If you enjoyed this edition, please hit the “like” button and consider sharing it with a friend!
I miss Lucky and Marie Claire!
Omg that is AWESOME NEWS about Nylon!!!!