Vintage soap sets, niche fragrances, top-rated skincare products, culty scented candles and lavish bath gifts: We’ve handpicked some of the best beauty products that are sure to dazzle just about anyone on your family and friends gift list.
As the holiday season gets closer, it’s time to start thinking about what special gifts to give the wonderful people in your life. We’ve selected seven cult beauty brands from Europe and Asia. Discover 17 luxury beauty gifts to surprise and delight your beloved ones on Christmas Eve.
THE GOLDEN DRAGON LIPSTICK OF THE EMPRESS
Have you ever seen a more mesmerizing jewel lipstick? Inspired by the Chinese Jinluan Palace (Imperial Throne Room), the golden dragon lipstick by Zeesea combines ancient legends and modern beauty rituals. The lipstick comes in two shades, Empress and Queen, and is said to bring harmony, success and prosperity. What better wish could you ask for?
SISLEY PARIS, THE PHYTO-COSMETOLOGY BRAND CO-FOUNDED BY A COUNTESS
One of the most beautiful spas in The City of Light is the Maison Sisley Paris, a beautiful intersection of beauty, modern art and wellness (read our article). Countess Isabelle d’Ornano, the co-founder of Sisley, whom I had the privilege to meet a few years ago (link), decorated it with items from her own home and impressive art collection. A voucher for an exclusive Sisley treatment would be a lovely gift for someone who will be travelling to Paris next year. But you can also opt for one of Sisley’s latest four products and recreate the magical feeling of the Sisley spa at home.
The Supreme Anti-Aging Eye Cream of the luxurious skincare line Supremÿa combats signs of aging around the eyes: wrinkles, puffiness and dark circles. The eye area is one of the first places aging starts to show. It has less collagen fibres and elastin. Sisley’s new complex stimulates the eye contour’s night regeneration cycle, the melatonin production and the production of so-called youth proteins. The light texture of the night cream seeps into the skin instantly, leaving it hydrated, refreshed and revitalized. The Supreme Anti-Aging Eye Cream comes with an exclusive zamac massage accessory. Use it with a four-step massage technique to smooth and stimulate the skin around the eyes. Last but not least: Sisley’s new eye cream comes in a magnificent golden gift box with adorned leaves.
A new dream team for a captivating look: The new Phyto-Noir Mascara by Sisley Paris not only lifts and volumizes lashes, but it also improves their strength and vitality over time. The mascara’s hourglass-shaped brush has been especially designed to coat lashes at the root and then glide on to sculpt length and volume to the tip. Moreover, the skincare-infused formula with vitamin peptides and plant extracts stimulates lash growth while reducing lash fall when make-up is removed.
As a beauty editor, I’ve tested numerous mascaras. The Phyto-Noir Mascara by Sisley is undoubtedly the best mascara I’ve tested in the past few years. It delivers volume, length and intensity without clumping or flaking, which is quite unique, because most mascaras clump when you add a few layers to get the false lash effect. The lashes look natural, whether you use only one layer or several ones. It makes your eyes look bigger, brighter and more awake.
Complete your lash look with Ligne Noire, Sisley’s new easy-to-apply black eyeliner. With a gentle yet firm tip, the highly- pigmented liquid formula glides on smoothly to create a sharp, clean line. Its smudge-proof color wears for up to 12 hours.
Shine like a star with Ombre Éclat Liquide, a collection of nine magnificent eyeshadows with a liquid texture and vibrant colours. The latest additions to the collection are the shades Antique Gold (right), Stardust and Plum (left). Three shades have a shimmery and sparkling finish (Champagne, Coral and Wild), while three shades (Copper, Pink Gold and Bronze) have a satiny finish. The lightweight texture fuses with the eyelid for up to 8 hours of transfer-proof long wear. Its foam tip ensures even application. Get inspired by this new video make-up tutorial.
GET IN THE FESTIVE MOOD WITH 24 MINI BEAUTY GIFTS
Add extra sparkle to the festive season with the Nuxe Advent Calendar. In shimmering pink with satiny gold ribbons, the 2024 version is making our eyes sparkle! Its 24 boxes are filled with iconic care products (face, body, hair, scents) as well as new discoveries. An ideal gift or a treat for yourself to count down the days to Christmas in style.
SCENTED CANDLES INFUSED WITH ROCK AND POP
The perfect gift for Maneskin fans comes, obviously, from the Eternal City. The scented candles of Coreterno, a Roman brand, are a feast for the eyes. And they combine enigmas of long gone and forgotten artists and engravers with Rock and Pop symbols.
A CELEBRITY DERMATOLOGIST’S RED CARPET MASK
The ultimate experts who can provide medical guidance on achieving your best skin are board-certified dermatologists. Doctor Stefan Duve, one of Europe’s leading dermatologists, especially in the field of aesthetic and anti-ageing medicine, launched his own skincare brand in 2009 to meet the needs of his clients. The brand Doctor Duve is known for products that feature optimized active ingredients to combat leading skin issues.
Two of Doctor Duve’s skincare products have become part of my daily beauty routine: The Daily Detox Cleansing Mousse, which is ideal for normal skin with a tendency to combination or oily skin, combines pore-deep cleansing of the skin with hydration and protection. Moreover, the botanicals contained in the formula shield the skin from blue-light pollution (digital pollution), protecting the skin from premature aging.
With a high content of anti-aging active ingredients, The Phytoceutix Red Carpet Mask by Doctor Duve revitalizes, smooths and plumps skin in just 15 minutes. It contains hyaluronic acid, almond oil, matte bean extract and niacinamide. But the main contributor to the youthful glow is Vigna Aconitifolia Seed Extract, an effective botanical anti-aging ingredient that has a similar effect to retinol, but convinces with its higher stability and excellent tolerability – even for sensitive skin.
A PRECIOUS DRY OIL WITH SHIMMERING ROSEGOLD
The culty scented dry oils by Nuxe are bestsellers all over the world. Huile Prodigieuse Or Florale is a new dry oil with floral notes and an ultra-trendy rosegold finish. Its precious blend of seven 100% botanical oils and its cool highlights are perfect to smooth and illuminate your face, body and hair in a single step. The secret of its ultra-luminous rose gold glow is a combination of 4 ultra-fine natural-origin pearly particles. Zesty grapefruit, a luminous floral harmony of orange blossom/magnolia and a velvety base of white musk create an irresistibly fragrant trail.
MAGNIFICENT VINTAGE SOAPS MADE IN PORTUGAL
A Claus Porto shop is like a candy shop and makes you feel like Alice in Wonderland. The fragrances, the bath and body products and especially the iconic vintage soaps are a feast for the eyes. They are all inspired by the scents, the culture and the landscape of Portugal.
The art deco packaging with its elegant geometric design as well as the bold colours and patterns pay homage to the creative energy of the 1920s, while celebrating Claus Porto’s rich heritage, a legacy that has shaped the brand since 1887.
COLOGNE TWIST, THE PERFECT GIFT BOX FOR MEN
In 1806, Jean Marie Farina, an audacious dandy, inherited the Eau de Cologne formula. The fragrance that exuded bold freshness rapidly became a must have amongst European royalty. The bottle was so prized that Jean Marie Farina chose to sign it to prevent counterfeiting. A new legendary fragrance was born.
This year, Roger&Gallet revamped its Eau de Cologne with a formula full of contrast, with a zesty burst of citrus (lemon, mandarin, bergamot) and powerful white woody notes. Even though the new collection Cologne Twist was designed for men with a busy lifestyle, it is also suitable for women (except the shaving products). It features Cologne Twist Cleansing Bar for the Body, Face and Hair, composed of 94% natural ingredients, the plant-based Cologne Twist Shower Gel, which nourishes the skin with sage extract and aloe vera, as well as (one of my favourite products) the alcohol-, aluminum- and paraben-free Deodorant, a dry stick that remains effective for 24 hours.
Applied with a shaving brush or directly to damp skin, the Cologne Twist Shaving Bar transforms into a dense foam that protects and nourishes the skin, thanks to its composition, enriched in sweet almond oil and sage extract. It leaves the skin clear, silky smooth and supple. The Cologne Twist After-Shave Gel has a particularly sensorial icy effect, refreshes the face and soothes irritation, leaving the skin moisturized, soft, smooth and toned.
If you liked our article 17 Luxury Beauty Gifts To Surprise And Delight, read our latest articles about skincare, make-up and fragrances.
