I would LOVE to receive any and all of these gifts this holiday season. Yes, I bought them all for myself - There's a lot of 'to me, from me' under the tree this year! The 'perfect gift' starts with great wrapping and a cute gift tag. I purchased these eighty seventh ST. gift tags at Holt Renfrew in Toronto. It's an all-in-one holiday tag. I keep my wrapping simple - red, white, black and gold (no cartoon Christmas characters). 

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! At first, I was skeptical, but 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. The 15 ml bottle retails for $35 and 30 ml for $54. WORTH THE MONEY!

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit-Sureal Light limited edition palette is universally flattering. The palette includes a powder, bronzer, two blushes, and highlighter - this four-in-one palette is compact considering the product load. I love these shades. This product has everything you need to brighten, contour, highlight and finish your look. This palette retails for $80 and the oh so soft Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Brush for $46. This dual-ended brush is the perfect match to the palette. 

For the wine lover in your life - this mug is f**king awesome! Funny Guy Mugs has a great selection of witty mugs for just about any person. I don't drink coffee, but I definitely get excited at 'wine time'. I also purchased a tumbler that says 'shh.. there's wine in here'. I know many people who would love a Funny Guy Mugs tumbler - I bought three! These mugs retail for $14.99.

I couldn't survive without tea and am always promoting its consumption. I love green tea, green blends and white tea. Paired with a tea defuser, this Feelin' Good Wellness Tea Sampler from Teavana is the perfect gift for the 'health conscious'. Recover, Rev Up, Serenity, and Defense are all yummy teas that promote a healthy body. This tea sampler retails for $30.

Another Instagram sensation - HiSmile. This teeth whitening kit is different from others, because it doesn't contain peroxide and comes with a mouth tray and LED light for optimal results. The solution is a 'baking soda' gel form, minimizing tooth sensitivity. While this product has received harsh criticism, bloggers are loving this kit. Just ten minutes a day for a week and you should see big results. HiSmile also has a yummy Coconut Whitening Mouthwash - the box contains five 30 ml tubes, containing the same sodium bicarbonate blend (baking soda). Just another tasty step in your whitening routine. The whitening kit retails for $59.99 and mouthwash for $29.99. It ships from Australia, so consider shipping times before purchasing.  

I've comprised a small list of 'on a budget' gifts for her. These trending products are all AMAZING! Gift them alone, mix-and-match, or create the ultimate stocking for the girl who's obsessed with cosmetics. 

Sugarbearhair is no different than any other 'healthy hair' vitamin as far as ingredients go. These little chewy bears are taking over Instagram simply cause they're cute, and the vibrant color looks great in photos. These mini turquoise bears are fun and taste yummy (like eating gummy bears). Most of us have 'hair struggles' and would appreciate berry flavored gummies that promote healthy hair. One jar (60 bears) retails for $29.99. 

I've been raving about Glossier products for the last few weeks and Balm Dotcom (the universal skin salve) is my favorite. The dense salve is perfect for any and every dry patch on your skin. Apply to your nails, face, body.. There are five to choose from and retail for $12. 

It's Skin Cookie Body Ice Cream is AMAZING! The mint, original and strawberry flavors smell just like (JUST LIKE) ice cream. This body ice cream is lighter than a body butter but thicker than body cream. The soft cookie chip pieces melt upon application and add to the 'ice cream effect'. Each 2.7 oz pot (small enough for travel) retails for $10 at Sephora. LOVE!

MILK Makeup Limited Edition Triple Threat Glow Set contains three travel size, best selling products. The mini Face Mist contains rice and ginger water that calm and nourish skin. The Sunshine Oil comes in a little rollerball pen - perfect purse/travel size. Body and face oil are essential during the cold season. And.. my favorite is the super tiny Highlighter Cream Stick. The color is universally flattering and brightens your skin for the perfect highlight. This mini highlighter is a great travel replacement for my Benefit Watt's Up! Cream to Powder Highlighter (you all know this one). These three mini's come in a plastic box, retail for $30 and will make just about anyone happy!

Most people who wear makeup, own a beautyblender® makeup sponge (or some other brand). If not, GO GET ONE! Another innovative product by beautyblender® is the liner.designer. The triple-edged eyeliner guide works with all eyeliner formulas to create the perfect look. It's like eyeliner application for dummies. The silicon guide comes with a mini plastic case and suction cup (not sure why there's a suction cup?). liner.designer retails for $16 and is available in pink or clear. 

There ya have it! The ultimate gifts under $30 for the product junkie(s) in your life. 

This 'do-everyhing' salve is my new favorite product. I'm like Gus Portokalos and Windex - I apply this waxy salve everywhere I need hydration. Lips, nails (keeps cuticles nourished), elbows, toes.. I'm addicted! After purchasing the original Glossier Balm Dotcom and using it up in a month, I purchased the coconut and mint flavors (admittedly, a few originals too). The scented balms are subtle and trust me, will replace your all-time favorite lip balm. Rose and Cherry Balm Dotcom have a sheer tint - if you need a little barely-there color.

The formula is super-dense and builds a barrier on your skin to protect from further damage. The antioxidants and natural emollients nourish and repair your skin. A must-have this winter.

Each tube retails for $12 and if your obsessed (like me) will last for about a month, but I'm sure longer for the regular 'I need a little hydration here and there' kinda girl. For the product junkie's out there, you're gonna want all of them - I keep one in my bag, my Cosmocube, at my computer.. I can't get enough of this brand - ADDICTED, OBSESSED, LOVE!

Use my link to get 10% off your first Glossier purchase - http://bff.glossier.com/gMn0U

I KNOW! Another opinion in a sea of Glossier followers, but I'm kinda hooked and need to talk about it. The IntoTheGloss.com beauty blog comprised a cosmetic brand based on expert opinions from the 'coolest girls on the planet'. Glossier Makeup is simple, yet effective (stole that from Zac Posen). Maybe it's because all my favorite bloggers rave about this brand (specifically The Supers), or the pastel packaging (the world is having a muted/pastel moment - INSTAGRAM), but I was immediately obsessed. 

Let's talk about The Supers - These 'fast' absorbing serums are packed with nutrients to boost your skin. Super Glow is like water and absorbs immediately. The vitamin C brightens and magnesium energizes your skin for a much-needed pick-me-up.

Super Pure takes a little longer to absorb but diminishes without a trace. This serum combats redness (niacinamide -vitamin B3) and helps calm blemishes. Super Pure water-gel-like serum removes impurities (zinc) and gets you through those umm.. periods when you need it most! 

Super Bounce (my favorite) plumps the skin with hyaluronic acid and vitamin B. Hangovers, long flights and climate change can wreak havoc on your skin - in comes SUPER BOUNCE!! This gel-like serum takes a few minutes to absorb and leaves your skin feeling soft and hydrated. After a week of daily use, my skin felt nourished (I needed it). It contains hyaluronic acid (plumps the skin) and vitamin B5 (regenerates new skin). 

I've been using these lightweight serums for a few weeks and like the results - nothing major, but a slight improvement from my everyday skin issues. If there was ever a bandwagon to jump on, it would be this one - Glossier. The Super Pack retails for $65 - not bad for three 15 ml bottles of 'super-liquid-vitamins' for your skin. Order Glossier products online and they arrive in a pink bubble wrap pouches - great for travel or just sporting a pink bubble wrap pouch in your handbag. This post got me thinking, what would I do with my pile of pink pouches? store a wet bikini, cell phone at the pool, cosmetics while travelling, it would make a funky clutch..  

Brightening, Setting, Retouching.. And this is after you've applied foundation, concealer, bronzer, blush.. As I age, my multitude of skin issues are more apparent and that means more product. Often, too much has the adverse effect and you end up looking like a art project gone wrong, but setting powders is a necessary step to perfect makeup.

After applying topical medication (rosacea), serums, moisturizer, corrective creams, and sometimes foundation, my face is rather shiny. Thanks to my 'angry', combination skin, I'm having to deal with an oily complexion too. Bobbi Brown White Skin Correcting Powder is meant to 'brighten and illuminate' fair skin tones, but I use it to slightly mattify my look. It's the last step in my makeup routine, but if I'm having one of those 'dry' days, the powder will magnify my dehydrated skin. Decisions - oily or flakey?

I apply Bobbi Brown Skin Correcting Powder in peach to add a little warmth to my complexion. Focusing my cheeks, this subtle shade looks great on my super-fair skin. I don't feel like either of these retouching powders are drastically enhancing my makeup, but Bobbi Brown is about subtlety!

Move over BB, there's newbies in the Cosmocube! Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder is like magic fairy dust. The transparent powder is formulated with light-reflecting micronized pigments that illuminate your under eye area while setting your concealer. Apply concealer, blend with a damp beautyblender, be sure there's no creasing, dab your damp makeup sponge into the powder and lightly pat it onto your under eye area. Too much is ok - it will settle and you can sweep off the excess product in a few. AMAZING results! My concealer is set, there's little-to-no creasing and my under eye area appears significantly brighter. LOVE!

The mint green tint of Laura Mercier Shine Control Pressed Setting Powder tones down redness (I NEED THAT) while reducing shine. The 'Shine Control Complex' gives you a shine-free, fresh, mate finish - a much-needed addition to my cosmetic bag for on-the-go touchups. While we're on the topic of green - Sephora Collection Bright Future Color Correctors are super light and great for combating discoloration, blemishes.. I use the green shade to neutralize the redness on my nose. The formula is lightweight and blends nicely. 

I am a self-declared product junkie and I LOVE Sephora Favorites. These boxes are a great way to try new cosmetics without spending dollars on full-sized products. Oh, but I would pay full-price for some of these mini's (major 'mini' product junkie)!

Honestly, I don't have time to try every product in these boxes and if I did my skin and hair would most likely get super angry and lash out in flakes and frizz. There's only so much you can put on your face and a multitude of products doesn't promote healthy skin. I choose boxes that have a few products I intend to try and then share the others. An excellent gift idea for the holidays - buy three to four boxes, split up the products amongst your friends, arrange in small Sephora bags, tie a ribbon and everyone will love you.

Back to my mini product addiction. I prefer little products, cause I can pack tons of shit in my cosmetic bag without compromising and they fit in my Cosmocube nicely. And.. you're getting great value for your dollar. The Glow For It box has six products for $30 ($6 each). Not bad considering the full-sized Benefit Watts Up! Cream-to-Powder highlighter retails for $30. Multiple mini's for the cost of one full-sized. I never finish full-sized products before they expire anyway - there's always something new to try.

Concealer is the arch enemy to my under eye! I've watched countless videos and can't seem to mimic the flawless concealer look most vloggers achieve with ease. Mind you, I am older than most beauty bloggers and once the botox begins to wear off and the wrinkles appear my concealer creases. A few days ago I had Dysport injected into my under eye area (under my eye, not the sides) to combat the little lines. I'm hopeful.. Will let ya know..

I'd like to use full-coverage concealer (sometimes I need it), but I gotta stick to light layers of sheer concealer and a little 'baking'. I'm a creature of habit and admittedly addicted to Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, but lately, I've been exploring other brands. To my surprise, I'm switching concealer brands. But first.. Bobbi Brown Tinted Eye Brightener has been my go-to under eye pick-me-up for years. It's sheer, glides on nicely and brightens the under eye area. I use Light Bisque 2 - the pinkish shade works well to combat slightly dark circles. The Tinted Eye Brightener is meant for minimal under coverage and is just not enough for me anymore (FU*K AGING). 

When the Intensive Skin Serum Concealer and Corrector released, I was excited. New, lightweight under eye products by my favorite brand. I purchased the concealer in Ivory 2 and corrector in Light Bisque 2. The concealer is similar to the Tinted Eye Brightener - silky and weightless. The color is yellowish and it definitely brightens the under eye, but the coverage is light. I use the concealer first to combat the dark circles and then the Tinted Eye Brightener to lighten that area even more. The corrector in Light Bisque 2 doesn't jive with my skin tone AT ALL (despite the Tinted Eye Brightener being Light Bisque 2). I tried it a few times and am not willing to invest another $40 experimenting with different shades. I can't say if the product is good or not, cause I didn't give it a fair go.

In come the 'NEWBIES'.. Laura Mercier Candleglow Concealer and Highlighter is AMAZING! It brightens the under eye area and highlights for a luminous under eye glow. It is sheer coverage, but the highlighting aspect makes a big difference. LOVE. The round applicator is nice to the touch and allows for easy application. I use Fair to Light 1 - a shade lighter than my foundation.

Another brand I've been obsessing over lately is Glossier. IntoTheGloss.com beauty blog comprised a cosmetic brand based on expert opinions from the 'coolest girls on the planet'. I'm a fan of the blog and am falling in love with the cosmetic brand. One of the MANY products I purchased is the Stretch Concealer. It comes in a glass pot - preferable packaging (so you get every last bit). The formula is lightweight, silky and when applied with your ring finger, goes on nicely. It is sheer coverage, but layers well. The nourishing oils are apparent in the texture and results. I can see myself applying this concealer to other areas on my face for a little brightening and sheer coverage on dry spots.