Need a gift for a beauty lover? The best finds, starting at $30

When it comes to gifting beauty, it’s best to stick to crowd pleasers and steer clear of active skincare or anything too individualised unless you know the person really well. Here’s a round-up of our favourites.

Make-up magic

Christmas is a great time to try a new brand, given all the gift sets floating around. One of our finds of the year is cult brand Merit and its Five Minute Morning Set ($282), which houses a foundation-concealer hybrid, a cream cheek tint that gives the perfect flush, a pearlescent lip oil, a hero blending brush, a highlighting stick, a mascara and a brow pomade. Another seven-piece option is the Bobbi Brown Beauty Essentials ($251), which includes the much-loved Vitamin Enriched Face Base and 24-hour Kajal Liner, all housed in a travel-ready case.

Skin savers

The big hitters like La Mer, Estée Lauder and Lancôme always pull together great coffrets at this time of year. A luxe pick is the La Mer Essential Set ($375), which is also perfect for travel, especially if your skin is craving a little more moisture. At the more affordable end, Laneige Midnight Minis Gift Set ($30) features five moisturising gems – two lip salves and three skin boosters.

Treasure troves

Beauty Advent calendars have become a huge category in their own right. We love the Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Treasure Chest ($342), which includes greatest hits including Lip Cheat in “Pillow Talk” and a travel-size jar of the cult Magic Cream, perfect for space-saving packing. Another pick is from L’Occitane ($179), which includes 24 of the French brand’s most popular lines, including eight full-sized products.

Fragrant flirts

We love the Hermès Parfums-Jardins Collection Travel Set ($192), which includes four travel minis to take you round the world and back. Sticking with the luxury theme, Jo Malone’s Advent calendar ($895) holds 25 treasures, including 100ml sizes of its body and hand wash in two scents: Wood Sage & Sea Salt, and English Pear & Freesia.

High couture

For the hair obsessed, Aveda’s Moisture Marvels pack ($88) features a full-sized shampoo, conditioner and leave-in conditioner. And if you want a high-octane gift, you’ll be popular if you place a GHD Gold Professional Advanced Styler in “Cherry Chic” ($279) under the tree for a loved one – or yourself.

ASK STEPH

How often should I apply sunscreen?

Ideally, every two hours. And remember that UV can penetrate glass screens and windows. To keep your make-up intact, try a sunscreen mist. One of our favourites is La Roche-Posay Anthelios 50+ Invisible Spray ($32).

Send questions via Instagram, @mrssdarling.

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