Since it’s early in the gifting season, let’s start out with some real fantasy finds. If you want to blow away a friend or loved one who is big on beauty, and you budget allows, pick one of these luxurious indulgences.
Good friend, and sometimes Stiletto Jungle contributor, Pearl raves about Make Up For Ever. And for good reason. MUFE, as it is affectionately known to beauty insiders, creates some of the most amazing makeup products. We’re talking stuff that works miracles, like the imperfection-erasing HD Powder and better-than-fakes Smoky Extravagant Mascara. This jam-packed pro artist’s case has everything you need to create all sorts of gorgeous looks, from primer and brushes to lipstick and eye shadow.
→ Buy the Make Up For Ever Makeup Station, $300.00 ($662.00 value), at sephora.com.
This mix-and-match scent collection from Tom Ford will allow a fragrance lover create an endless combination of scents. The individual scents include rich options like Neroli Portofino and Tuscan Leather, each housed in a pretty little flask that will look amazing on a dressing table. They are made to be worn alone, or combined as desired to construct a whole new scent.
→ Buy the Tom Ford Private Blend Collection Mini Set, $335.00, at nordstrom.com; shipping and returns are free.
I hesitate to recommend skincare as a gift because it’s so important for each person to find a combination of products that’s right for them. But, if you know someone who already has a soft spot for Amore Pacific, this collection is amazing. You get the fan favorite Time Response Skin Renewal Crème, plus Green Tea Treatment Oil and Time Response Hand Renewal Crème. So, so lush.
→ Buy the Amore Pacific Limited Edition Time Response Ultimate Indulgence Collection, $495.00, at neimanmarcus.com; shipping and returns are free.
For a real makeup aficionado, owning a set of truly professional quality brushes is a dream. This Kevyn Aucoin kit is one of the best you can get. Each brush is made to the late, great Mr. Aucoin’s exact specifications. These brushes, if cared for properly, will last forever.
→ Buy the Kevyn Aucoin The Essential Brush Collection, $650.00, at neimanmarcus.com; shipping and returns are free.
What makeup lover doesn’t adore Nars? The rich, saturated colors you find in Nars makeup really have no equal. I mean, Orgasm blush anyone? This kit was created to honor Nars’ 20-year anniversary and contains lip and nail colors hand-picked by Francois Nars himself.
→ Buy the Nars The Vault Collection, $500.00, at barneys.com.
If the perfume lover on your list isn’t in to the DIY mix-and-match fun offered by the Tom Ford set above, this is your gift. Each of these Bond No. 9 scents is a fully-formed, complex fragrance inspired by a specific NYC location. I’ve had the good fortune to sample most of these, and they are amazing. I particularly love The Hamptons, Westside, and Nuits de Noho. So much fun.
→ Buy the Bond No. 9 New York Bon Bon Eau de Parfum Box, $260.00, at nordstrom.com; shipping and returns are free.
