Beauty gift guide

Katherine Flemming

When it comes to giving gifts to your besties, I like to lean towards a pretty palette.  As beauty companies continue to one up each other, the range of beautiful gifts available continues to grow.  And after some careful edits, I’ve put together my top three picks for the Christmas season.   All are strikingly beautiful, free of cheesy shades she’ll never touch, and downright practical.

Benefit’s Primpcess ($38, available at Sephora)

While not all girls are devout slaves to lipstick and gloss, I haven’t yet came across a girl who doesn’t praise the transformative properties of a good mascara.  This brilliant kit (complete with a full mirror) is stocked full of Benefit hits, including BADgal lash (my personal fave), a creaseless shadow/liner in the neutral, three powder shadows, the fabulous Boi-ing concealer, and the famous eye bright.  Beautiful eyes, straight ahead.

Cargo’s The Holiday Nights Collection ($25, at Sephora)

There’s a whole lot to love about this palette.  The smattering of fancy eyeshadows, a foolproof blush that looks gorgeous on every friend I’ve cornered, a bold silver eyeliner to brighten your eyes, and a stick full of gorgeous silver glitter that can be used on the face and body.

Philosophy’s The Holiday Cookbook ($35, at Sephora)

For the beauty maven on the down low who skimps on all of the goopy creams and face primers but demands exceptional products in the shower, I can’t say enough about Philosophy’s The Holiday Cookbook.  While not a palette of pretty powders, this collection of six mini bottles of joy functions as a 3-in-1 shampoo, bubble bath, and shower gel.  If you haven’t smelled them yet, you must!  Included in this set: red velvet cake, cinnamon buns, spicy pear cobbler, pumpkin spice muffin, gingerbread, and double rich hot cocoa.