My gifting philosophy is pretty simple: useful but make it cute. That means I only want to give my friends and family presents that they'll actually use, hopefully, every day or at least regularly. And a useful or practical present doesn't have to be completely boring. It's all about presentation, right?
This year especially, I'm zeroing in on the self-care market. I'm exclusively looking for gifts that will help my loved ones relax and unwind because, well, it's been a year. Because everyone has their own self-care methods, I'm hitting up all sorts of gifting categories. For my friends who like to de-stress by working out, I'm going the fitness gifts route. For others who use reading as their key to escape, books are a no-brainer. And for loved ones who have a specific unwinding nighttime routine, you really can't go wrong with some skincare.
Skincare can be tricky to gift because you've got to keep the receiver's skin type and needs in mind or at least have access to their shelves, but I find you can never go wrong with a lotion gift set. It's so easy because it's all curated for you and is most likely a collection of best sellers, so you know they won't disappoint. Plus, most don't require any extra bells and whistles when it comes to wrapping. All you need to do is add to cart and sit back in satisfaction that you've got your gifting to-do list all set.
Take a look at some lotion gift sets below that you'll definitely want to consider.
Dry skin is really just front and center during the winter. Chalk it up to the weather, indoor heating, and lack of humidity to name a few factors. This gift set has everything to keep skin hydrated: a cream, a hydrating scrub, and a mask.
Upgrade your friend's nighttime bath ritual with this set of ultra-nourishing body creams. They'll feel so luxe when applied post-bath or shower. The set includes three body Soufflés: ginger, grapefruit, and a smoothing option.
There, hopefully, will be brighter days ahead, but there will definitely be brighter skin ahead for whomever you gift this Sunday Riley set to. It contains the brand's brightening best sellers: the Good Genes Lactic Acid Treatment, the CEO Brightening Serum, and the Tidal Water Cream.
Tatcha's The Dewy Skin Cream was one of my favorite skincare product discoveries this year. It really saved my dry skin in the beginning of quarantine. This set combines The Dewy Skin Cream, The Rice Wash, and The Silk Peony eye cream for a gently cleansing and hydrating experience.
Burt's Bees is always a trusted brand, so I don't think you'll find someone who won't appreciate this set. It comes with five travel-size products: a deep cleansing cream, hand salve, body lotion, foot cream, and lip balm. And at under $10, you can get multiple kits without going over budget.
Charlotte Tilbury's Magic Cream is already a staple in so many beauty vanities (including a number of Who What Wear staffers). This set combines the award-winning moisturizer with a travel-size Magic Serum, which brightens skin thanks to vitamin C.
Gift all of Eminence's best sellers in a stylish little cosmetic bag. It has hydrating and anti-aging products such as a moisturizer, eye serum, gel wash, dermafoliant, and a firming fluid.
Everything in this set is made for head-to-toe hydration. For the face, there's the Ultra Facial Cleanser and Ultra Facial Cream. For the body, you've got a hand salve and body moisturizer.
This La Mer gift set is sure to impress. It's filled with the brand's moisturizing essentials (in travel sizes): the Treatment Lotion, the Eye Concentrate, the New Concentrate serum, and the classic, cult-favorite Crème de la Mer Moisturizing Cream.
These make for a good stocking stuffer. Each hand cream is housed in a festive Christmas cracker box, so they're already wrapped up for you. There are six creams to choose from: Moringa, Almond Milk & Honey, Strawberry, Shea, Mango, and British Rose.
You get two iterations of First Aid Beauty's popular Ultra Repair Cream here: the original version and a lightly scented pomegranate one. The whipped cream formula relieves dry skin and eczema.
A splurge but 100% worth it, this set is specially formulated for mature skin. It contains Tata Harper's Crème Riche, a night cream that is infused with avocado peptides and vitamins E and F, and Elixir Vitae, a serum that plumps skin.
I've been loyal to Clinique ever since I was a teen, mostly because the brand's ultra-hydrating products work so well on my dry skin. If your friend has similar dry skin woes, this set has everything they need to get through any dryness. The set includes oil-free products, including a full-size gel-cream and travel-size versions of a mask, lip treatment, and eye water-gel.
With all the handwashing we've been doing, hand creams have become so necessary. This trio of best-selling hand creams comes packaged in a festive tin, so again, no extravagant wrapping required, just regular gift wrap or a gift bag.
Caudalie's trio of products contains all the essentials for brighter, glowy skin. Apply the Brightening Essence after cleansing and then the Radiance Serum and the Brightening Moisturizer to finish. All the products together will work to diminish dark spots, blemishes, and redness.
If you really want to splurge on a gift for that very special person in your life, we have to suggest this set from celeb and editor favorite Augustinus Bader. There's a reason why The Cream is so buzzy—the moisturizing is top-notch. This set includes full-size versions of The Rich Cream and The Body Cream. The great news is it really only takes a little bit of product at a time to properly hydrate the skin, so this set will go a long way.
Glossier's Comfort Collection might be the epitome of self-care. It's got three products to keep your skin oh-so smooth and calm: Bubblewrap (the silky face cream), hand cream, and an ultra-rich moisturizer.
The fun part about gift sets is that the products come in mini sizes, which is great for trying out new formulations. This one from Farmacy includes hydrating essentials: an eye cream, cleansing balm, lightweight moisturizer, and face mask.
I'm pretty sure we can all agree that sunscreen is the number one skincare product everyone needs. With that being said, this Supergoop set will most definitely top my list of useful gift ideas because all of my friends and family need some sun protection. It has a full-size version of the Superscreen Daily Moisturizer and two travel-size tubes of Play Everyday Lotion (great to stash in a bag on the go!).
Here, you'll find all the essentials for the softest, silkiest hands ever. It contains a hand peel, cuticle oil, and two hand creams. And it comes packaged in an elegant gift box—no wrapping required.
Next up: The 3 Most Strategic Beauty Buys for Your Sign, According to an Astrologer
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