The lazy girl’s guide to Christmas (and beauty)
MANILA, Philippines - There are people who start Christmas shopping months ahead, hopping from shop to shop to find the perfect presents. They’re usually done before the holidays, with carefully considered gifts for everyone.
I am not one of those people. On the years that I do bother with gifting, I walk into just one store, hoping against hope that I find something for everyone. In my experience as the laziest gift-giver in Manila, I’ve learned that the place with the highest success rate is the cosmetics section of a department store. Here are just a few examples of great finds you can get:
The gift: Laura Mercier Luxe Colour Wardrobe Dual Decker Colour for Eyes & Cheeks
Give it to: A female who enjoys short-haired dogs (like Corgis) and eye makeup
Why she’ll love it: With eight shades of shadow, three cake eyeliners, a crème eye pencil, two cheek colors, a highlighter, and three brushes, the kit is so versatile, it is the Swiss Army knife of cosmetics — it can take you from danger, and from noon to night.
The gift: Laura Mercier Colour To Go Palette for Eyes, Cheeks, and Lips in Natural Nudes
Give it to: The awesomest boss-lady ever
Why she’ll love it: It’s great for putting together an office-appropriate full face of natural-looking makeup, plus it’s conveniently sized, so it won’t take up much space in her handbag.
The gift: Clarins Double Serum Gift Set
Give it to: Your mom
Why she’ll love it: This anti-aging serum is a luxurious treat for the skin. Its hydric and lipidic formulas (hence the name “Double Serumâ€) maximize the delivery of all the active ingredients, and it just feels really, really good on the face. Plus, the set comes with day and night cream, too!
The gift:
Acca Kappa Travel Fragrances For Her or For Him
Give it to:
Your exchange gift partner
Why they’ll love it: It’s
notoriously hard to shop for an exchange gift that everyone will like. The odds are good that your recipient will like at least one of the three scents in each of these sets.
The gift: Skincare Gift Sets from Murad: Real Radiance, Ultimate Hydration, and Perfect Shave
Give them to: Your siblings, because they’re the only ones who won’t take offense if you gift them with skincare products that they desperately need
Why they’ll love them: The Radiance Kit is perfect for your once-acne-plagued sibling who’s forever complaining about dark spots or uneven skin tone; your aging-obsessed sister will love the firming effects of the Ultimate Hydration Kit; and your brother’s sure to get the best shave ever (and smooth post-shave skin) with the Perfect Shave Kit.
The gift:
Stila Kitten Set
Give it to: Your girlfriends
Why they’ll love it: Every girl wants to look luminous, and this kit has everything that will do the trick: a subtly shimmery eyeshadow, an all-over-glow duo, lip glaze, and lip gloss, all in Kitten, a universally flattering shade.
The gift: OPI Fit To Be Tied Nail Polish Duo
Give it to: Your work friends
Why they’ll love it: Seriously, who doesn’t love nail polish? These mini polish duos come in three different sets, so you can pick one per personality. And they come with really cute hair ties, too.
The gift: Monotheme Champagne Boxes in White Musk, Agrumi di Sicilia, or Apothéose de Rose
Give it to: Family members you’re not really close to
Why they’ll love it: These beautifully packaged soap and scent sets smell so fresh and clean (Agrumi di Sicilia’s unisex, the other two are for women), we can’t imagine any of your random relatives will find reason to complain. Infinitely better than fruitcake!
