No Returns Necessary: These "Soft Life" Beauty Items Are 100% for Keeps
Gen Z Says is a bimonthly column chronicling the latest trends in the fashion and beauty space through the lens of Who What Wear's own Gen Z editors. Expect a download on the upcoming class of tastemakers, emerging designers, and shopping and style choices straight from the generation setting the trends.
In my largely Gen Z friend group, I’ve settled comfortably into the role of the "soft girl," which makes sense as I like to describe myself as a Charlotte York sun, Toni Childs moon, and Blair Waldorf rising. If you, like me, have landed yourself on the side of TikTok that’s full of skincare cabinets featuring aesthetically pleasing brands, the Dyson Air Wrap positioned precariously on marble countertops, and half-empty designer perfume bottles, then there’s a good chance the #SoftLife hashtag may have claimed a permanent spot on your For You page.
At its essence, #SoftLife is all about finding simple and practical ways to align yourself with a fuss-free life of leisure and luxury. With the holiday season right around the corner, I’ve scanned the farthest corners of the hashtag on TikTok to piece together an edit of the best Gen Z–approved little luxuries. You’ll find 20+ beauty products by world-renowned brands to gift the soft-life lover in your life.
Below is Who What Wear’s official Gen Z beauty guide featuring everything from elegant hair styling tools to fan-favorite fragrances. Heading into the holidays with a tight budget? No worries—I’ve ID’d products across a variety of price ranges so you can still end up with the best.
Keep scrolling to take a look at the products I’ve added to my soft life shopping list as a member of the digital generation. With all the amazing Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals coming up, you’ll want to snag these before they fly off the shelves and into the gift boxes of others before you can get your hands on them.
Haircare
This pocket-sized wide toothed comb melds fashion with function with its timeless design and hand-carved design with a smooth texture and rounded tips. It can be used to detangle both wet and dry hair, produce volume at the root, and for gentle scalp massages.
I’ve been seeing this chic hair accessory all over my For You page thanks to its popularity among fashion and beauty content creators. It’s just the right size for all hair types and textures and is offered in a number of eye-catching designs, making it perfect for all styles.
Heatless curls have been revived over the past couple of years with the help of heatless curlers like this one by Silke London. Simply leave it in for a few hours or overnight to create supermodel-worthy curls while you sleep. It doesn’t get more "soft” than this!
Oribe’s shampoo and conditioner bundle is a must-have for anyone hoping to restore their strands to their healthiest and shiniest state. They combine time-honored oils and extracts using the brand’s high-tech bio-restorative complex to reverse the effects of damage.
Would this be a Gen Z gift guide without at least one mention of a Dyson hair styling tool? The Airwrap’s styling attachments have been recently reengineered and a version designed for curly and coily hair has just been launched (a huge win for natural hair textures).
Bodycare
If you or whoever you’re buying for has had a long history of using sunscreens that bear an unfortunate white finish, it’s time to try Beauty of Joseon’s SPF 50+. Popular among Gen Z and millennial beauty lovers, it goes on smoothly and offers a barely there, glowy finish.
TikTok hasn’t been able to stop talking about this (and neither have I). It works like a multivitamin for the skin by providing long-lasting hydration, targeting dullness, supporting healthy elasticity, and minimizing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
This intensely hydrating lip balm by Rose Inc is completely vegan and visibly restores a pillowy bounce to the lips using a mix of rose hip fruit extract and squalane to replenish and restore. I love using this throughout the day for a gorgeous clear finish to the lips or as an overnight mask.
Will we ever be freed from the shackles of Summer Fridays? I hope not. Its Lip Butter Balm hydrates and soothes parched lips in seconds using skin-loving ingredients like shea and murumuru seed butters and a selection of vegan waxes. I want one in every shade!
I can’t say enough good things about this cleanser. Ideal for use on all skin types, it’s cleanly formulated, non-drying, and uses exfoliating natural salicylic acid and hydrating grape water to purify skin and absorb excess oil.
Everyone needs a gentle yet effective makeup remover in their skincare routine. The botanically based cleansing solution breaks down and removes makeup without causing irritation or stripping essential moisture and oils from the skin.
Le Prunier’s Plum’s multipurpose oil blends plum extract (naturally abundant in essential antioxidants), nourishing omega fatty acids, and polyphenols to seal in moisture and defend against environmental stressors. It also contains vitamins A and E to balance and heal the skin.
Fragrance
This is a modern version of Kiehl’s classic signature unisex scent based on the unique blend that is Kiehl's Since 1851 Musk. It blends bright, juicy citrus with notes of soft florals and, when it dries down, a warm and sensual mixture of tonka bean, patchouli, and musk.
If you’re an avid TikTok user who has found themselves on the beauty side of TikTok, then you’ll recognize this scent (and its chic bottle) in a heartbeat. The vivid greed fragrance captures, "the intimate feeling of cool,” with a brilliant blend of lush fig, cassis, and orris root.
Since its launch just weeks ago, I’ve spotted this on the vanities and bathroom sinks of countless fashion people. The elegant floral perfume is the highest concentration ever of YSL Libre and adds a new exclusive and irresistible white lavender accord to the mix.
Speaking of fashion people, following her star-studded wedding and meteoric rise as a style icon, Sofia Richie, became the face of this Jo Malone fragrance. Its scent transports me to sun-soaked orchards with notes of just-ripe pear, sweet peas, and powdery white musk.
The best way I can describe this unisex Byredo perfume is that it’s akin to the emotions and energy of your first slow dance (yes, I’m talking about the one that happened in middle school). Combining geranium, violet, patchouli, it’s altogether bitter, sweet, and youthful.
Gift Sets
Diptyque’s limited edition, Nordstrom-exclusive gift set comprises the brand’s beloved Eau Rose scent in a perfumed hand cream and perfume as well as a Roses candle. If you or your loved one is a fan of powdery fresh damascena, centifolia, and firad rose essence, this set is a gold mine.
Not sure which floral perfume to go for? Take a chance on this trio of travel-sized perfumes by Byredo. It features three of its best-selling fragrances including Blanche, La Tulipe, and Rose of No Man’s Land. They’re great for little touch-ups here and there.
Can you believe NuFace offers a microcurrent skin-care device set that includes their bestselling Trinity+ Smart Device and Effective Lip & Eye Attachment? Now you can tone and contour the face and when you’re done snap on the attachment to focus on smoothing and tightening the area around the eyes, brows, and mouth.
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