I Test Beauty Products for a Living—Here's What My Dream Gift List Would Include
Every holiday season, I tell myself that I shall not, will not, cannot accrue any more beauty products. (For context, I wish I were being dramatic when I tell you there are parts of my bathroom floor I've never seen thanks to the constant mountain of products in my "to-test" pile.) However, somehow, some way, I always manage to break my well-intentioned rule. I write about beauty products for a living—can you blame me?
This year, I'm giving my "please no more beauty products" schtick a rest and am happy to admit that I have a very healthy, very luxe wish list waiting patiently in my notes app. Curious? Keep scrolling to find out which products I have my eye on and am personally recommending for any beauty lover on your holiday shopping list.
If you can't gift a loved one with a vacation to the Italian Coast of Portofino, I solemnly swear gifting them with this shimmering body oil from Victoria Beckham Beauty is the next best option. Inspired by an early rendezvous between Victoria and David Beckham (steamy!), this lightweight blend of botanical oils imbues dull winter skin with a touch of shimmer and a lush, citrus-meets-woods scent.
One of the best things about beauty gift sets is that they almost always come in the most beautiful packaging, and this one is no exception. This limited-edition color control shampoo-and-conditioner set also includes a leave-in treatment that can help extend the life of your salon color. It comes ready to gift in a beautiful reusable box featuring an art-inspired botanical design.
If you think gifting a friend or family member with a set of brushes is boring, think again. As a beauty director, I've tried my fair share of makeup brushes, and Hourglass makes the absolute best. I literally dream of doing a complete sweep and replacing every single brush in my collection with one from the iconic makeup brand. They give *the* most superb blend, and I love that they're made from high-grade, PETA-approved Taklon bristles.
I, like every other Who What Wear editor, have a fixation with burgundy at the moment. Paint it onto an ultra-chic vanity case from Bottega Veneta, and you've automatically given yourself the title of Best Beauty Gift Giver of 2025.
IMHO, these adorable pocket blushes are the standout product from Hailey Bieber's beauty line, Rhode. It's impossible to choose just one shade—I know this from experience—so you might as well make your life easier and buy your favorite beauty lover the entire collection of hues. (Plus, half the fun is mixing and matching for the perfect customized shade.)
I recently traveled to Seoul with Korean beauty brand Sulwhasoo and I was introduced to an overwhelming number of truly amazing beauty products. You know that friend who reapplies their lip balm every five minutes? Make their habit chicer by gifting them with this conversation-starting tube, a standout discovery from my stay in the K-beauty capital of the world.
Name a better gift than relaxation. I'll wait. This bath-and-bodycare set includes mineral-rich soaking salts and a nourishing body lotion, both with a house-crafted aroma that helps reduce feelings of stress.
Honestly, I find a lot of claw clips on the market cheap and tacky looking. Machete's are an exception, and this one just looks rich. Plus, the quality is there, so it will actually last and not break a claw if it get's jostled around in a handbag or drawer.
When in doubt, gift Chanel, I say! Opting for a trio of the brand's cult-loved nail vernis delivers a luxe designer touch without totally breaking the bank.
Before you protest and tell me that a candle is such a cliché and predictable gift, let me interject that this isn't just any candle. Nette makes the crème de la crème, and anyone who loves sophisticated home décor (that will also make your space smell heavenly) is sure to adore my personal favorite candle from the brand, Pearl Dust. The melding of white musk, amber, and orris is perfect for wintertime.
I'm really picky when it comes to supplements, but I've been so locked into Lemme ever since it launched. This bundle of three (Lemme Sleep, Lemme Chill, Lemme Matcha) happens to feature my three favorite formulas and makes the perfect gift for the wellness lover. But also, the gummies taste so great and work so well that I'd wrap them up for just about anybody.
I'm desperately manifesting that Josie Maran turns the decadent scent of this bodycare set into an actual fragrance. If my skin could smell like Vanilla Vibezzz and Vanilla Vibezzz only for the rest of my life, I'd be happy. Until then, I'll be using (and recommending) the brand's award-winning body butter and scrub to my heart's content.
I'm at the age where anything that will make my laundry, car, and home space smell dreamy—sans nasty chemicals—automatically becomes a prized possession. Trust me when I say this laundry detergent, room and linen spray, and air freshener will change your giftee's life. My favorite Dedcool scent happens to be Taunt (a mix of bergamot, amber, and vanilla), but the brand allows you to choose whichever scent you want for each item. Blonde is another favorite of mine, and the brand's collaborations with Ouai's beloved fragrances are bound to be crowd favorites as well.
As someone who has received a facial from celebrity aesthetician Shani Darden, I can wholeheartedly attest to the magic of her fingertips. (The glow and clarity post-facial is truly unreal.) If you can't set up a loved one with a facial from Darden at her L.A. studio, I suggest gifting them with this next-level set of her staple formulas and tools.
Most beauty lovers know by now that silk pillowcases reign supreme for a multitude of reasons, and they're also one of those purchases you love to have but hate to actually have to buy for yourself. Help a friend out and re-up their supply, but make the gift feel more personalized by opting for one with their embroidered first initial.
Erin has been writing a mix of beauty and wellness content for Who What Wear for over four years. Prior to that, she spent two and half years writing for Byrdie. She now calls Santa Monica home but grew up in Minnetonka, Minnesota, and studied writing, rhetoric, and communication at University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. She studied abroad in Galway, Ireland, and spent a summer in L.A. interning with the Byrdie and Who What Wear family. After graduating from UW, she spent one year in San Francisco, where she worked as a writer for Pottery Barn Kids and PBteen before moving down to L.A. to begin her career as a beauty editor. She considers her day-to-day beauty aesthetic very low-maintenance and relies on staples like clear brow serum (from Kimiko!), Lawless's Lip Plumping Mask in Cherry Vanilla, and an eyelash curler. For special occasions or days when she's taking more meetings or has an event, she'll wear anything and everything from Charlotte Tilbury (the foundations are game-changing), some shimmer on her lids (Stila and Róen do it best), and a few coats of the best mascara-type product on earth, Surratt's Noir Lash Tint.