Admittedly, there's a few 'to me, from me' gifts under the tree this year, AND a few that didn't even make it to the tree! I'm a self-proclaimed gifting master and every year I buy myself awesome gifts. Here's a 'Perfect Gifts List' for the shopaholic, tea lovin', cosmetic junkie in your life.. The perfect gift starts with great wrapping paper, bows and tags. Choose a color scheme and get creative - I like black, white, red, silver and gold. I purchased these gift tags by eighty seventh ST. last year. This year, I also have 'No Peeking' tags, and HUGE 'From Santa' and 'Merry Christmas' tags in black and gold. The array of gift wrapping under my tree should be displayed in a department store - if I do say so myself.
Christmas tree ornaments are the perfect gift for the 'I'm obsessed with Christmas' person in your life. I LOVE Christmas and each year I receive a new champagne ornament. Pier One Imports has the best ornaments. Every holiday they release new ones, but kinda stick with the theme they've had previous years - Christmas penguins, owls and lots of sparkly tree splash.
Gift cards are the ultimate gift. I like giving and receiving gift cards (hint hint). You still have that moment when you exchange gifts, BUT the idea keeps on giving.. You get to shop your favorite store or if your lucky enough to get an AMEX or VISA gift card, you can shop anywhere. I know some people think gift cards are not personal and denote a lack of effort - So opt for a unique card holder. I purchased this faux-fur pouch at Pier One Imports. I love anything furry. Yes, this gift is for me. From my gift giving experience, people love to receive gift cards.
Of course I have some beauty products on my list. This Amika Polished Perfection Mini Straightening Brush is unique and inexpensive. This small thermal straightening brush is great for touch-ups and on-the-go styling. There is a full-size version of this hairbrush-straightener, but I like the mini size better. This heated tool won't give you results like a traditional straightener, but does minimize frizz, leaves your hair shiny and is great for travel.
I LOVE the Peaches and Cream Collection by Too Faced. These products are infused with peach and sweet fig cream. Who wouldn't want peach scented makeup. Too Faced should produce a body cream with this scent.. The Peach Kiss Moisture Matte Long Wear Lipstick is a velvety formula that feels creamy and gives you a matte look. Oh, and it smells like Strawberry Shortcake (the doll). LOVE. The peach scent of the Peach Frost Melting Powder Highlighter is delicious. The highlighter feels creamy to touch, but glides on seamlessly, and transforms into a powder on your skin. The peachy, gold-tone is warm and gives you a nice glow. The Peach My Cheeks Melting Powder Blush is a cream to powder product as well. The product is nice and goes on smooth - I recommend applying it with a kabuki brush or your fingers. Too Faced Translucent Finishing Powder is a peach-colored powder that smoothes imperfections and gives you a nice warm look. The powder contains optical-correcting spheres - for a luminescent finish, but gives you a warm, matte look. Too Faced Sweet Pie Radiant Matte Bronzer looks and smells like a delicious pie. This is not a contouring bronzer, but rater an all over, radiance-boosting bronzer. I use it on my face, neck and décolleté. For the makeup loving, product junkie in your life, anything from this collection will do.
Farsáli Rose Gold Elixir is on my 'Perfect Gifts List' again this year. This beauty oil has forever changed my makeup routine and enhanced my look dramatically. I apply my foundation with a brush. Then I apply 'many' drops of the elixir to my damp beautyblender and gently blend my foundation for perfect coverage. I use the same beautyblender (and Farsáli Rose Gold Elixir) to blend my concealer, under eye brightener and cream-to-powder highlighter. This elixir is amazing. Sephora recently added the Farsáli lineup to their shelves. This Rose Gold Elixir is available in two sizes - 15 ml and 30 ml.
My list wouldn't be complete without tea products. I'm obsessed with tea - I drink five to seven cups a day. This 24 Days of Tea Set by Davids Tea was on my wishlist, but I was worried the limited edition would sell out, so I bought it for myself! Anyone who likes tea will love this set of 24 popular tea blends. Davids Tea has smaller tea sets as well. I'm hoping someone buys me the 'Best of 2017' set. 
The pistachio-caramel scent of Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream is AMAZING! The scent is strong but sweet and intriguing. The cream is super-nourishing and has a slight shimmer that gives your skin a subtle glow. Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Crush Body Fragrance Mist is the same yummy scent of the cream but in a light body mist. The original bottle is HUGE and now there's a mini (which is still kinda big). You're gonna want to surround yourself with this scent. Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Kiss Cupuacu Lip Butter is one of my favorite lip balms - I have one in my bathroom, one at my computer and one in my handbag! The light, creamy texture is nourishing and the tube is BIG, so it will last a long time. If I had to choose my favorite new Cosmetic brand of 2017, it would be Sol Janeiro Brazilian.
If you've been living under a rock, you probably haven't heard of Farsáli Rose Gold Elixir. This product is up there with Sugarbearhair and (well) any of the multitude of detox teas taking over Instagram. It's worth its weight in gold! This beauty oil has forever changed my makeup routine and enhanced my look dramatically. I apply 'many' drops of the elixir to my damp beautyblender and gently blend my foundation, concealer, under eye brightener and cream-to-powder highlighter. This elixir is amazing. It's available in two sizes - the mini is perfect for travel.
This is intense hydration - Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Cream is a concentrated 30 percent hyaluronic acid cream. If water was creamy- this would be it. It's so refreshing and leaves your skin feeling silky and super-nourished. The non-greasy cream absorbs fairly quickly (a little goes a long way), and doesn't leave your skin shiny. Water Drench Hyaluronic Cream is available in two sizes.
Luxury hairstyling brand, IGK, was founded by in-demand stylists from Miami, New York, and Los Angeles. YOU GOTTA VIEW THESE GUYS ONLINE! These stylists are really fascinating. I'd fly across the country and break the bank to get an appointment with any of these stylists. I LOVE the IGK product line. I have too many IGK products in full-size and travel size. Product junkie here! IGK Prenup Instant Spray Hair Mask is my favorite. The 360 aerosol spray allows for easy application. The scent is delicious, and your hair will feel nourished and silky after just one minute. I use this mask every time I wash my strands. This hydrating hair mask is a MUST HAVE!
Sephora's soothing Coconut Water Lip Balm is another one of my favorite balms. The scent is delicious and the product feels nourishing on your lips. This balm is available in Goji, Rose, Tangerine, Almond and Coconut Water. Sephora Honey Lip Scrub is amazing! When I first applied the scrub, I thought this isn't working - how can a balm exfoliate your lips. After a few vigorous applications I reached the grains inside. I rub the balm in circular motions on my lips until they're drenched in product, then I use my finger and massage the grains onto my lips. The result - smooth lips in seconds. It tastes good too - not that you should eat it, but scrubs tend to get in your mouth. LOVE! 
IT Cosmetics is a cosmetic brand developed with plastic surgeons - sounds promising. The co-founder and CEO, Jamie, is looking for solutions to 'real' problems. Honestly, I like this girl - if you see her before and after pics, she has serious redness (I can relate). She's putting herself out there, showing off her skin issues and giving us a solution. This brand was purchased by L'Oréal - The major makeup empire boost has proven to be successful. It Cosmetics is getting great reviews and many of IT Cosmetics products are on Sephora's 'best sellers' list. I had to give this stuff a try..
I call this my 'anti-redness warpaint'. If you have Rosacea or hyper pigmentation, this stuff is going to change your life. I desperately needed a solution to my rosy cheeks and forehead. Although I use medicated creams, my angry skin flares up on the daily. I suppose I could stop eating spicy food and drinking wine - NAH! In comes Bye Bye Redness by IT Cosmetics.. It's kind of a foundation, primer and cream in one. Bye Bye Redness is thick, has a silky texture and gives you super full-coverage. This product is smooth, goes on like a primer (similar to Colorscience primers), and has a tinge of green (to combat redness). Apply to your cheeks, nose and forehead, and blend outwards. A little goes a long way. The embarrassing redness is gone. GONE! Without a doubt, this is the product find of 2017! I love Bye Bye Redness, so I thought I'd try a few more products from the IT Cosmetics lineup..
The Confidence in a Cream (the pale yellow pot) is a 'transforming moisturizer in a cream'. The texture is nice, just thick enough and leaves your skin feeling moisturized. It does however take time to absorb (not ideal when applying makeup). I liked the feeling of my skin after applying this cream, but the scent is a bit of a turnoff. I'm sorry Jamie, but this stuff smells like hotel cream. If scent is not an issue for you, I'd say this cream is great for colder seasons. It's super moisturizing. I didn't like the Bye Bye Under Eye eye cream (the blue pot). It made my under eyes feel super tight and people said I looked tired. Whether or not this eye cream tightens, brightens and depuffs - I'm not sure, cause I only used it for a week. I guess my go-to Neo Cutis eye cream still reigns supreme.
I received a trail-size Super Hero Elastic Stretch Volumizing Mascara (I'm not one to cheat), but thought I'd give it a go. This mascara is great, lengthens your lashes, glides on nicely and no clumping. The oversized, tapered brush makes application easy and coats your lashes evenly. Albeit, my go-to Buxom mascara remains my favorite. It's gonna take a true 'super mascara' to turn me. I intend to try more of the products from It Cosmetics. I'll let ya know my thought.. 
I've had many cosmetic subscriptions in the past. The first box was always exciting, but as the months pass, the products seem to become less interesting 'drug store' brands. There's nothing wrong with drug store cosmetics, BUT that's not what I signed up for. I always end up cancelling the subscription after a few months. Until now.. PLAY! by Sephora has taken 'cosmetic subscriptions' to a higher level of standard. Play! is my favorite beauty box subscription. I've been receiving these little collectible bags of goodies for eight months and have no plans to cancel. There are no drug store brands in this program. Every product is from the Sephora lineup. Each month you receive five deluxe makeup, skincare and haircare samples, AND a bonus fragrance sample.
Play! by Sephora The Iconic Edition was a limited edition beauty box. This one was for purchase only and not a part of the monthly Play! subscription. The gold-tone zipper pouch contained premier cosmetic brand samples Dior, Guerlain, Yves Saint Laurent, La Mer and Burberry. Not sure if you're familiar with La Mer, but that stuff is EXPENSIVE! This deluxe sample alone made The Iconic Edition worth the purchase.
Each month you'll receive five deluxe samples of best-selling products at Sephora. I usually keep two or three and share the rest with friends. A girl can only hoard so much. I can open a Sephora pop-up shop with all the products I have tucked away (they're hidden so no-one sees my addiction and takes my credit card away)! The excitement of opening the box, getting your little collectible bag and stellar deluxe samples makes my day. It's like a 'Cosmetic Christmas' every month. AND these deluxe samples are amazing. I'm always happy to see my favorite brands - Bumble and Bumble, Benefit, Sol Janeiro, MILK, (I'd like to see some Too Faced products..), but new brands and cosmetics are welcome. This program allows you to try new cosmetics you would necessarily buy. Most of us are creatures of habit, and hey, if it ain't broken don't fix it! BUT, sometimes change is good and you'd be surprised at what your missing by sticking to the same old brands you've been using for way too long.
Each beauty box contains a little, draw-string bag with beauty-inspired sayings and prints. I love these little collectible bags. They're great for gifts. I also use them when I pack, they're perfect for organizing little things in my suitcase.
Each box contains a Play! Book with tips, product descriptions and how-tos. Your subscription gives you exclusive access to how-to videos and tutorials on Sephora.com. You can also view the current (and past) Play! boxes online. You will receive a PLAY! Pass - 50 bonus Beauty Insider points. You can redeem these points when you purchase products in-store. Since Sephora introduced Rewards Bazaar, Beauty Insider points are invaluable. The revised rewards program drops amazing one-of-a-kind experiences, services from Sephora, as well as other top brands, and deluxe-size samples and sets every Tuesday and Thursday. I'm banking my points for something great. Each month there is a subscriber-only event. Play! Date allows you and a friend to come in-store to play with products and meet Sephora beauty experts. Play! by Sephora has so much to offer.. AND best of all, it's $10 a month! Yup, that's it. You would have to spend $50 to gain 50 Beauty Insider points - you're getting 50 bonus points each month, five deluxe beauty samples, a perfume sample, AND exclusive access to events. DROP THE MIC! November 24, 2017 - OK, I'm browsing Sephora.com one week after I posted about Play! by Sephora - AND you can purchase these little bags of beauty products for $10 on Sephora.com. These boxes are exclusive, limited edition and online only. 
Every now and then I'll sift through the Sephora Collection products lineup in search of new, unique cosmetics and tools. I always find good stuff. AND the Sephora brand prices are inexpensive compared to other brands featured at the store and on-line. These are my most recent finds.. Sephora Lineup Makeup Tape is the perfect solution to 'my' eye-makeup application needs. I'm terrible at applying eye-liner and usually opt to go bare, but this tape makes it so much easier to get a straight line and avoid smudging. This medical-grade tape is hypoallergenic and easy to remove. You an also use this tape for nail art.
Sephora Brush it Off Cleansing Brush Wipesgently remove residue and dirt from your makeup brushes. These wipes come in individually packets - great for travel. The non-alcohol based formula is kinda oil-like, but doesn't leave residue on your brushes. These wipes are not for cleaning your brushes, but for a quick wipe to remove the surface dirt.
TheSephora Brush Meets Comb Hair Brush Cleaneris a great little tool. The rake-like comb has flexible, steel bristles that remove hair and residue. I'm a little obsessed with keeping my hair brushes clean - Drives me nuts to see brushes full of hair - GROSS! Attention people who don't clean your brush regularly - there's dirt buildup, residue from products and bacteria festering in there. AND each time you brush your strands you're transferring that nastiness back onto your hair. CLEAN YOUR HAIR BRUSHES OFTEN.
Sephora Do It All Cotton Swabs are perfect for a multitude of makeup needs. There are 490 swabs of three unique precision tips per pack. The oval tip is great for basic needs, while the pointed tip is ideal for precise application. These swabs are great for makeup removal/cleanup around the eyes. I wet them, and gently remove mascara that has smudged onto my upper lash line and waterline. SO much easer than using a regular cotton swab. Large cotton swabs are of course too big for this area, and the little cotton hairs always attach to my lashes. NO MORE! These swabs can also be used for smudging eyeliner, smoothing lipstick and lipliner edges, and removing nail polish from your cuticles. A must-have! 
I've been a Sephora Beauty Insider for almost ten years! I have a ridiculous amount of points. I used to spend my points on deluxe-size samples and cosmetic sets - Earlier this year, Sephora launched 'Rewards Bazaar'. The revised membership program drops amazing one-of-a-kind experiences, services from Sephora, as well as other top brands, and deluxe-size samples and sets every Tuesday and Thursday. I guess I'm not the only Insider with an enormous amount of points, and they had to create a platform for all the product junkies to spend their points. Rewards Bazaar rewards range from 100 - 15,000 points (so the site claims)! BUT, I recall seeing rewards upwards of 30,000 points. SO YOU KNOW - for every dollar spent at Sephora, you get one point. This program is brilliant, and makes being a loyal Sephora customer worth every dollar spent. These epic rewards go fast. I had my eye on a Wildfox + Sole dutch-style bicycle. I had to have this bike - Every Tuesday and Thursday, I sat at my computer and waited for the new rewards to appear (refreshing the site often). These rewards drop between 9:00 am - 5:00 pm PT. I almost had the bicycle.. It was in my cart, and by the time I reviewed all the other products and chose samples, the bike was sold out. WHAT THE F**K - it was in my cart. Apparently, these rewards cannot be reserved and held in your cart for even a minute. Only 15 bikes for 5000 points, and they were sold out in three minutes!
I'll admit, I'm a bit stingy with my points. I'm not gonna spend them on just anything. A few months ago I snagged the IGK Great Escape Hair Set (pictured here). The reward included an IGK pouch, travel-size products - Jet Lag Invisible Dry Shampoo, Beach Club Texture Spray, Rich Kid Coconut Oil Gel, Hot Girls Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner, Call Time Styling Primer, an IGK hair tie, Hot Girls hair clip and hotel-style 'Rich Kid' slippers. I'm a HUGE fan of IGK and will definitely use everything in this set. It was well worth the 2000 points. If your not a Beauty Insider, join the club. Even the 100 point deluxe-size samples are worth the membership. Each month new 100 and 500 point rewards are posted. The 500 point rewards are kits containing four - five products from a single brand. These make great gifts. I'm a beauty blogger and purchase all of the products posted on b.a.grogie. Rewards for my dollars spent are very much appreciated. Thanks Sephora! 
 This twist-up, crayon-like Bb. color stick is the perfect root touch-up product. I have light-brown hair, BUT color my strands black. I hate when my roots show, and admittedly, I have three grays (that I can see)! I dye my hair every three weeks, so my roots are maintained. I do however have very fine hair, and this color stick is great for filling in sparse areas. Just glide the twist-up pencil along your hair for perfect coverage. The formula is water resistant - don't worry about color running down your face, neck and clothes if you get caught in the rain. The stick is compact and takes a little while to cover your roots (or grays), but is great for travel and on-the-go touch ups. 
There are currently 496 moisturizers available at Sephora.com. Choosing a facial cream can be exhausting. You really have to know your specific needs (anti-aging, acne and blemishes, dryness..). You gotta research ingredients that are necessary to your needs, and start reading labels. Customer reviews and personal beauty blog posts are an excellent way to narrow down your search. How many stars does the product get? What are 'real' people saying? I'm a self-declared product junkie and think these hydrating products are worth a mention.. This is intense hydration - Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Cream is a concentrated 30 percent hyaluronic acid cream. Hyaluronic acid is a potent hydrator that can retain up to 1000 times it's weight in water. If water was creamy- this would be it. It's so refreshing, and leaves your skin feeling silky and super-nourished. The non-greasy cream absorbs fairly quickly (a little goes a long way), and doesn't leave your skin shiny. Water Drench is the perfect hydrator during summer. I purchased this a few months ago and couldn't stop applying it during the first week (2-3 times a day). It's addictive. I use the moisturizer when I plan to go bare, cause it's not thick enough to prime my skin for makeup.
Bobbi Brown Cosmetics has been my go-to brand for years. The Hydrating Face Cream and Vitamin Enriched Face Base are two of my favorite BB products. The Hydrating Face Cream absorbs nicely, plumps your skin, and creates the perfect base for makeup. This lightweight formula has a refreshing, masculine scent that diminishes quickly. It's also enriched with mineral water. I'm addicted to water (really) - I consume two to three litres a day. On the subject of anti-ageing, water is your best friend. The Vitamin Enriched Face Base is an oil-free primer and moisturizer. Like the Hydrating Face Cream, this product hydrates and plumps your skin. It's much thicker than the Hydrating Face Cream and has a light, citrus scent. I use the Vitamin Enriched Face Base if I need super-nourishing, and plan to pile on the makeup.
I love this brand - so does everyone else. The oh so popular Glossier brand prides itself on a no-makeup-makeup kinda look - a natural girl who doesn't fuss over perfection. Don't we all wanna be that girl? Glossier Priming Moisturizer and Priming Moisturizer Rich hydrate and prime your skin for makeup (or not). Priming products simply nourish and plump your skin, giving you a healthier look, and preparing your face for easy makeup application. The Priming Moisturizer contains Hyaluronic Acid, Mushroom Super Hydrator and Vitamins A, C and E. This lightweight formula is buildable and has a 'cream' scent. There's something to be said for products in tubes - you can really get down to the last dollop. The Priming Moisturizer Rich is much thicker and ideal for bedtime. It contains Red Algae Complex, Ceramides (oily waxes), Fatty Acids, Murumuru Butter, and Lavender Oil (could do without this scent). Like the Priming Moisturizer, this formula contains an anti-redness complex (I need that), and Oxygenating Agent. This is a 'luxurious face cream'.Use my link to get 10% off your first Glossier purchase - http://bff.glossier.com/gMn0U 
Sunshine, pool water, salt water.. Your hair needs extra hydration during the summer months. My hair was damaged beyond repair last summer (botched dye job). I consider myself an expert on hydrating hair masks. These are my favorite super hydrators.. IGK Prenup Instant Spray Hair Mask is AMAZING! The 360 aerosol spray allows for easy application. The scent is delicious, and your hair will feel nourished and silky after just one minute. I use this mask every time I wash my strands. Give your hair a good scrub, apply conditioner and rinse immediately, then apply the Prenup hair splash mask, leave for minute and rinse. This hydrating hair mask is a MUST HAVE!
Bumble and Bumble is the Balm-To-Oil Pre-Shampoo Masque saved my hair, and is worth a second mention. Take a big dollop, rub your hands together to melt the product and apply to dry hair, section by section (dry hair absorbs better than wet hair). Leave for a minimum of twenty minutes. This super hydrating masque contains the Hairdresser's Invisible Oil six signature oils - argon, macadamia nut, coconut, safflower seed, grape seed oil and sweet almond. The signature scent is subtle and sweet. I apply this masque once a week, and it has made a HUGE difference in my hair. I've been struggling with severely damaged hair for a year, and only saw a significant improvement after using this product.
I purchased Skinny & Co. Coconut Oil in the OH SO TEMPTING mini section at Sephora. The lineup at Sephora is a trap - you're surrounded by mini's that cost much more than the full-size products (based on cost per ounce). Admittedly, this is my favorite section at Sephora. I can no longer find Skinny & Co. Coconut Oil on Sephora's site, so I'm not sure if Sephora carries this product anymore. Hmm.. I love this stuff. It's a multi-purpose coconut oil that hydrates your hair and body. Like the Bumble and Bumble Balm-To-Oil Pre-Shampoo Masque, this product melts in your hands. Scoop out a big dollop, allow it to melt and apply to the ends of your hair. You can leave the oil on for as long as you want. The scent is ok (natural-like). You can use this oil to sweeten your beverages, replace your go-to cooking oil, and apply as a moisturizer to your hair and skin. 
I'm addicted to lip balm and was so disappointed when Sephora discontinued the Kiss Me Balm - the little egg shaped balm came in a many colors, the scents were yummy and the product was amazing. So began my search for a new go-to balm.. Of course, I went with a Sephora lip balm hoping it would be similar to the Kiss Me Balm. The soothing Coconut Water Lip Balm is nice. The scent is delicious and the product feels nourishing on your lips. The balm is thicker than the Kiss Me Balm, but a similar texture. The packaging is less than what you would expect from Sephora. The turn-tube is made of plastic, and the coconut printed cover feels like card-stock. I'm not sure how the packaging would hold if it got wet (and am not gonna test it out). Sephora Honey Lip Scrub is amazing! When I first applied the scrub, I thought this isn't working - how can a balm exfoliate your lips. After a few vigorous applications I reached the grains inside. I rub the balm in circular motions on my lips until they're drenched in product, then I use my finger and massage the grains onto my lips. The result - smooth lips in seconds. Best part is the gains dissolve, and your lips are covered in a creamy, honey-scented balm. It tastes good too - not that you should eat it, but scrubs tend to get in your mouth. LOVE!
Benefit Cosmetics They're Real! Double the Lip Lipstick Liner in One is innovative, and allows you to create fuller lips in one swipe. The teardrop shaped lipstick and liner in one combines two complimentary satin-finish shades - one is the liner and the other a lipstick. Just place the lipstick and liner in one flat on your lips, and apply them simultaneously. I find the contrast between the colors a bit too much, so I blend with my finger. The result is gorgeous. I purchased the full-sized Criminally Coral and received the Lusty Rose travel-sized as a gift with purchase. The sandy-coral shade of Criminally Coral looks great on my pale skin (I'm a fan of coral) . I'm sure the Criminally Coral shade would look amazing on sun kissed skin. The neutral shade of Lusty Rose is a dark rose shade (not really my color). The lipstick and line run one feels nice, your lips appear fuller and there's no feathering. Definitely a New Lipstick 'LOVE'. Oh and the Sephora Kiss Me Balm in Creme Brûlée (clear) appears to be temporarily back in stock, and it's on sale. I bought eight! 
|
