Beauty presents always sound like a great idea (they smell good, they sparkle...) until you realise how overwhelming the gifting aisle can be. To help you get ahead of the game, the ELLE beauty team share the beauty gifts we're hoping to find underneath the Christmas tree this year.
Katy Young: Fine Perfumes
To love a rose perfume is no easy love affair – there are the good, bad and ugly roses vying for your attention, and cash. But amongst the thorns (and yes, I’ve tried those too) there are some real budding gems.
Portrait Of A Lady of course budded years ago, but there is no bigger, better rose in bloom. Patchouli gives this rich rose scent depth, whilst blackcurrant makes the top notes sparkle so that each of the 400 Turkish roses in every bottle retains its liveliness and movement. A chic choice for the nose that knows, this perfume’s walking a little taller on the fashion circuit.
They might also like Dries Van Noten’s dirty little rose number – if not just for the bottle, I mean, c’mon! Because if you like the smell of roses, but less so its antiquated, powdery, self, you will love the way the Belgian designer disrupted its scent with rugged spice and smoke. If Portrait of a Lady is the silk shirt of roses, then this is your sexy pair of jeans.
ELLE Edit: Katy's Rose Perfumes
Frederic Malle Portrait Of A Lady
Dries Van Noten Raving Rose
Aerin Rose de Grasse
And just when you thought you couldn’t smell one more petal, along came the fresh, green version from Aerin Lauder, Rose de Grasse. I love this uplifting rose perfume for days in-between my big hitters; the bergamot, orange blossom notes offering a beautiful airy space. A workwear rose if ever I smelt one.
A rose by any other name might smell just as sweet, but need not apply as this is my rose wardrobe complete.
Medina Azaldin: Cosy Candles
Candles aren't technically a beauty product, per say, but they are so joyous, so aesthetically pleasing and require so much scent expertise that they might as well be. No matter how small your living area is, filling it with a scent that makes you feel good will instantly elevate it. Plus, a well-scented home works wonders for my overall wellbeing and mood.
But in a world where almost everyone - from Brenda in Bedford to Troye Sivan - has a candle brand, finding the best one can be tricky. Acqua di Parma, Trudon and Diptyque are my go-tos for luxury vessels that look impeccable on the mantlepiece and has an impressive throw (how well and quickly it fills a room). In colder months, I gravitate towards warm, woody scents that remind me of being in a cosy wood cabin lined with (faux) fur rugs, in the middle of a pine forest, eating mince pies in front of the fire. Acqua di Parma's Bosco, Trudon's Gloria and Diptyque Sapin understood the assignment perfectly.
ELLE Edit: Medina's Cosy Candles
Trudon Gloria Scented Candle
Diptyque Sapin Candle
Acqua di Parma Bosco Candle
That said, a higher price tag doesn't always guarantee an impressive candle. My everyday burns often come courtesy of the high street. Muji's waxes are steeped in scent oils for an impressive throw that smells more sophisticated than its £5.95 price tag. I have Hinoki Wood peppered around the flat (and would appreciate a top-up). For something a little peppery with a dusting of cardamom, try Taschisme Pepper by & Other Stories, £23. If its a wander through a blooming winter garden you're after, head straight for Floral Street candles, £38. They're so good, we just had to get them in our ELLE Advent Calendar.
Sophia Panych: Clever Tools
Receiving tools as a gift is decidedly more exciting when we’re talking about those of the beauty variety. I’m not saying I wouldn’t appreciate an AirFryer this year, but a tool that promises to deliver firmer skin or a faster blow-dry gets me giddy in a way a kitchen appliance never could.
This holiday season, I have my eye on a few big-ticket beauty tools. First up is the GHD Duet Hot Air Styler. I may be a beauty editor, but I’m too lazy and impatient to spend time styling my hair. If it takes longer than 15 minutes I just can't be bothered, which is why the GHD Duet caught my eye. It does the work of a blow dryer and straightener, taking you from towel-dried hair to a sleek blow-dry — all under my self-imposed limit of 15 minutes.
ELLE Edit: Sophia's Clever Gadgets
GHD Duet Style Hot Air
Therabody TheraFace PRO
Cedar Aroma Diffuser Lamp - £85
From foolproof blow-dries to a does-it-all face tool, the next gift on my wishlist is the Theraface Pro. The TikTok-famous device has an attachment for everything. Percussion attachments help relieve jaw tension, the microcurrent head helps lift and firm, while red and light LED lights treat inflammation and acne respectively. It’s like having a facialist tucked away in your bathroom drawer, sadly minus the soothing spa sounds and dreamy heated table.
I may have more than a minor obsession with making sure my flat smells amazing, which means I go through candles faster than some people binge a Netflix series. It isn’t the most eco-friendly of habits, which is why I’ve also added a refillable diffuser to my list. I especially love the minimal, hygge-style design of Cedar’s Aroma Diffuser Lamp. In addition to scenting your space with a dreamy blend of essential oils, it also doubles as an air purifier and mood lamp. One for every room, please!
Katie Withington: Beautiful Make-Up
Heading into 2024 with a refreshed make-up bag is as refreshing to me as a crisp new Papier diary. The days between Christmas and New Year are the ideal opportunity to cull your make-up bag of desperately empty (or let's be honest: just expired) products from the year before. Not to mention, it’s the perfect opportunity to request a fresh replacement.
Personally, I like to opt for handy gift sets of travel-friendly products; you’ll typically find me applying my make-up mid-commute. Plus, it’s rare for me to finish a full-sized product in the space of a year.
Charlotte Tilbury’s Pillow Talk On The Go Kit is the first thing on my list. Wearable and perfectly miniature, Pillow Talk’s monochromatic rosy-hue is fit for everyday and fancy parties alike; it’s easily giftable, looks great on everyone and a total crowd pleaser. For more strawberry-toned days, I’ll be channelling my inner effortless French girl with the help of Refy’s new Red Collection.
ELLE Edit: Katie's Go-To Make-Up
Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk On The Go Kit
Refy Red Collection
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked Jellyfish
Alternatively, a do-it-all palette is always a welcome addition in my make-up repertoire. Hourglass’ viral limited edition palettes initially caught my eye on TikTok, before beelining to the top of my Christmas wishlist. Complete with setting powders, blush, bronzers and highlighters, this is full face make-up made easy. Need I even mention the packaging?
Amelia Bell: Comforting Bodycare
I can think of nothing more satisfying than an evening winding down with a solid skincare routine and some self-care. And by that, I don’t just mean cleansing, toning and moisturising my face; I’m talking about tending to the skin beneath my chin. Guilty of having neglected my bodycare routine in the past (subsequently leaving my limbs parched and my skin barrier at risk), I now look to ingredients like salicylic acid and squalane, and a curated list of skin heroes.
ELLE Edit: Amelia's Bodycare Heroes
Augustinus Bader The Body Cleanser - £43
Tatcha Hinoki Body Milk
Sol de Janeiro Bom Dia Scrub
As for those that have climbed straight to the top of my festive wishlist this year? For a daily, albeit very luxe, wash, Augustinus Bader’s Body Cleanser elevates any bathroom cabinet and is enriched with a powerhouse of peptides, vitamins and amino acids to lock in hydration. For something a little more heavy duty, Sol De Janeiro's AHA and BHA-infused Bom Dia Scrub has been designed to slough away dead cells and leaves skin looking glowing from top to toe (it's also just a tad famous on TikTok, too). And for the body lotion I buy on repeat, few formulas come as coveted or as hardworking as Tatcha’s Body Milk.
And if you need any more convincing as to why bodycare is the best little luxury for the gifting season: these formulas are loaded with tech, packed with skin-nourishing ingredients and are simultaneously a treat for the senses and serious skin saviours peak-winter.
