As a beauty content creator and former editor, I’ve seen tons of limited edition releases and gift sets over the years.
Between the shiny packaging and the festive names, it can be easy to get swept away by the merriment of the season and start adding to cart with no reservations.
But what makes a beauty gift set truly stand out from all of the other ones? I have done some seemingly endless scrolling on Sephora, Amazon, Nordstrom, and all of your favorite beauty retailers to find the best of the best.
To make things easy, I’ve broken this roundup into four sections: makeup sets, skincare sets, hair care sets, and advent calendars.
Makeup Gift Sets
Give the gift of glam! These makeup gift sets are packed with must-have products to help your loved ones create stunning holiday looks.
Milk Makeup
Mini Hydro Grip Primer Pre-Game Pack Set
If you know me you know that the Milk Hydro Grip Primer is my go-to product when it comes to prepping my skin before foundation. They’ve recently launched an illuminating version that I’ve also been able to test.
Grab both together in this set so you’ll be fully covered (no pun intended) when it comes to your base makeup.
Charlotte Tilbury
Mini Pillow Talk Blush and Glow Beauty Highlighter Wand Set
The full size Pillow Talk Blush and Glow wands retail individually for $42, so if you’re not ready to splurge on both products, this set is a great way to try two for (less than) the price of one.
I actually purchased this myself and I’m so excited to take them for a spin.
Kosas
The Wet Set: Juicy Jellies Sheer Lip Oils
Everything I try from Kosas impresses me and these lip oils would definitely be my next purchase from them.
You get three shades of their sheer lip oil formula—slushy, cola and sorbet—and they even contain skincare ingredients like hyaluronic acid and konjac root for added moisture.
Fenty Beauty by Rihanna
Fenty’s Most Want’d: 3-Piece Lip, Face + Eye Kit
Have you been wanting to turn up the volume on your winter makeup? No one does it quite like Rihanna and with this gift set the recipient will be covered with all of the essential finishing touches.
Not only do these products perform, but the minis are perfect to toss in your purse in case you need a touch up while you’re out.
Benefit Cosmetics
Wild Caught Lashes Volumizing Mascara Duo
I love when a gift set contains full-size products and you still save money.
Benefit Cosmetics makes some of my favorite mascaras. Bad Gal Bang is a go-to for volume and The Fan Fest will give you the fluttery, long lashes of your dreams.
Patrick Ta
Major Volume™ Plumping Gloss Duo
I’m about to admit a beauty influencer faux pas to you all—I haven’t actually tried anything from Patrick Ta yet. But I’m here to say that these glosses would be at the top of my list.
The duo in this set features two glosses that deliver on high shine without drying out your lips.
Merit Beauty
Mini Flush Balm Cream Blush Trio Set
Merit is the cool girl beauty brand that everyone loves from tweens to moms (I can’t speak on behalf of the tweens I suppose, but my mom uses Merit products) so if you want to have a gift on hand for someone just in case, I feel in my gut that this will be the crowd pleaser for beauty lovers of all ages and skin tones.
View makeup gift sets:
Skincare Gift Sets
Glow through the season! These skincare gift sets are perfect for pampering, featuring everything from hydrating heroes to soothing staples.
The Ordinary
The Mini Discovery Set
If you’re in need of a complete skincare regimen from top to bottom, look no further than The Ordinary’s Mini Discovery Set.
Known for its simple yet effective formulas, this affordable skincare brand delivers results without confusing labels or question marks.
Summer Fridays
The Signature Travel Skincare Set
Having an on-the-go holiday season? Catch yourself with the good kind of Jet Lag by grabbing this Signature Travel Skincare Set from Summer Fridays.
In addition to their wildly popular Jet Lag face mask, you’ll also get a cleanser, serum and lip balm—all TSA approved as carry-on items.
Glow Recipe
Fruit Babies Bestseller Minis Kit
As the adorable name suggests, the Fruit Babies Bestseller Minis Kit allows Glow Recipe fans to restock on minis of all of their favorite products.
These fan favorites include the Watermelon Glow Toner and Niacinamide Dew Drops just to name a few. Plus, they’re travel-friendly so you can take them on the road with you for the holidays.
Kiehl’s Since 1851
Double Down On Hydration with Ultra Facial Cream Moisturizer
The Ultra Facial Cream from Kiehl’s is one of the best moisturizers I have ever tried and this is a way to get two-ish products for the price of one.
You can keep the full-sized one for yourself and gift the mini to a friend, or use one for travel and keep one front and center in your medicine cabinet to combat dry skin in the winter months.
First Aid Beauty
Bundle Up + Hydrate – Full Face Routine Holiday Gift Set
When I think of winter skincare, First Aid Beauty is typically one of the first brands that comes to mind. Their formulas are fragrance-free, vegan and cruelty-free and this particular kit features four problem-solving best sellers to help cleanse, exfoliate, and hydrate your skin.
I like to start my day with the Facial Radiance Pads and end it with a big scoop of the Ultra Repair Cream.
innisfree
Hydrate + Protect Holiday Set with Hyaluronic Acid
Summer isn’t the only season that can cause damage or redness to your skin. To keep calm and carry on this winter, this innisfree holiday set checks all of the boxes.
It comes with a full-size Green Tea Cream and a mini Green Tea Barrier Complex Serum and Daily UV Defense Sunscreen. These products are made for all skin types and come in fully recyclable packaging.
Tower28
SOS Rescue Bestsellers Kit
Have you heard of Tower28’s Daily Facial Rescue Spray? If this is the first time seeing that product, welcome to 2024! This product has been all the rage on TikTok this year, and in this holiday set it also comes with lip balm and moisturizer from the same product family.
If you’re looking to calm visible irritation (maybe after a workout or sun exposure) these products are here to help.
View skincare gift sets:
Hair Gift Sets
Great hair days start here! These hair care gift sets are filled with salon-worthy products that will keep strands shiny and healthy all winter long.
Olaplex
Get Your Shine On Frizz Control Hair Styling Value Set
Last year was the year of Olaplex buns on TikTok, but this product always seems to pop up because the results speak for themselves.
In addition to the cult favorite No. 6 leave-in styling treatment, you’ll also get the No. 7 bonding oil to repair damage and increase shine. It’s as easy as one, two…no that’s it actually. Just those two products.
COLOR WOW
Dream Coat Iconic Frizz Fighters Hair Duo Value Set
If you want to bring sleek, frizz-free hairstyles from the humid summers into the winter months, Color Wow has the product to hack it. In this value set, you’ll get both a full size and a mini of their Dream Coat Supernatural Treatment.
This product stops frizz in its tracks and is even waterproof. It is great for damaged hair and protects against heat as well.
OUAI
Detox Shampoo & Leave In Conditioner Value Set
Another hair care set comes to us from celebrity stylist Jen Atkin’s brand Ouai, featuring two of their best-selling products—plus, the Leave-In Conditioner is also an Allure Best of Beauty winner. To eliminate frizz and build up in your scalp simply massage the Detox Shampoo into your hair in the shower.
After you shower, spray the leave-in conditioner on wet hair about 6-8 inches away from your strands and brush out with a wide-tooth comb.
K18 Biomimetic Hairscience
Ultimate Reset + Repair Hair Mask and Shampoo Set
Ready to reverse hair damage in just 4 minutes? According to the product description, that is all the time that this K18 duo needs to accomplish just that.
The color-safe detox shampoo removes buildup from product, sebum, and copper with ingredients like activated charcoal, salicylic acid and the signature K18PEPTIDE that restores damaged hair.
amika
ready, set, style: prep, volumize + refresh set
The hair care doesn’t stop when you get out of the shower.
This lineup from amika is a set filled with full sizes of the brooklyn bombshell blowout spray (a must-use before turning on the hair dryer), the un.done volume + matte texture spray and a travel size of the bestselling perk up dry shampoo.
amika
Play Your Strength Hair Repair Routine Set
I love all of amika’s shampoos, conditioners and hair masks I’ve tried so far (the Mirrorball shampoo and conditioner one my best of beauty awards last year) and I’ve currently got the Big Hit volumizing duo in my rotation but I am so excited to try The Kure.
These bond-repairing formulas claim to repair split ends and breakage and intensely hydrate your strands to prevent future damage.
dae
Social Butterfly Hairstyling Trio Value Set
First of all, dae gets the award for best branding. The packaging and product names are so cute. But I also love this set because it was one of the few that I found that focuses on styling.
Included in this bundle is the Cactus Fruit 3-in-1 styling cream, the Fairy Duster Volumizing dry shampoo powder and a dual-edge styling brush to tame those flyaways.
View hair care gift sets:
Advent Calendars and Combo Gift Sets
Countdown to the holidays in style! These advent calendars and combo gift sets deliver a little beauty magic every day of the season.
Estée Lauder
Holiday Night Skin Care & Makeup Gift Set
A fellow creator actually shared this gift set with me when I put out a call to brands on my Instagram stories and she was onto something BIG here. You get 9 (yes, 9!!!) full-size products from Estée Lauder in this gift set plus two travel size products.
It’s a mix of skincare and makeup favorites and I appreciate that for makeup it seems they have selected products and shades that will work with a majority of skin tones. The total value of the set is $625…run don’t walk.
L’OCCITANE
24 Days Of Beauty Classic Holiday Advent Calendar
You’ll never run out of travel minis again with this fun advent calendar from french beauty brand L’OCCITANE.
Featuring 23 mini products and one full-size product, this set features hand creams, shampoo and conditioners, soaps, skincare essentials and more.
Target
Skincare Advent Calendar
THANK YOU Target for being the brand to step up and give us a $20 advent calendar that doesn’t suck!! This is by far the most reasonably priced advent calendar I found and it was not easy to find this gem.
You get 12 products for 12 days of Christmas from drugstore brands like CeraVe, e.l.f., BYOMA and more. Adorable, affordable—an instant “add to cart” moment.
Paula’s Choice
7 Days of Glow Advent Calendar
I just love Paula’s Choice. I have simply never had a bad experience with any of their products, so if you’re looking for a mini advent calendar (featuring 7 days of glow) with reliable and effective skincare products, you’re in the right place.
My top products included in this set are both toners—their bestselling 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant is included in this set, as is my new favorite product from them, the Mandelic Acid and Lactic Acid liquid exfoliant.
Glow Recipe
12 Days of Glow Advent Calendar
To snag 12 gifts in one, check out the Glow Recipe advent calendar that features full size, minis and even some merch/beauty tools inside each of the dozen compartments in this absolutely adorable advent calendar.
This set covers all of your skincare bases from cleanser, to toner and even moisturizer. Ready, set, glow.
e.l.f. Cosmetics
Sleigh the Holidays 24-Day Advent Calendar
An advent calendar that will last you every day of December through Christmas Eve under $100? We love to see it. You can always count on e.l.f. for great prices and this gift set is valued at $145.
This set features both skincare and makeup favorites plus some beauty tools and is an exclusive available only on e.l.f.’s website, so get it while you can.
Olive & June
25 Days of Nails Christmas Advent Calendar
Olive & June not only makes some of the most unique and beautiful shades of nail polish but also effective and groundbreaking nail accessories like their polish remover pot and dry drops, both of which are included in this set.
This is perfect for anyone who prefers to DIY their manis versus sitting in the salon.
Maison Margiela
Replica Advent Calendar
I have to say I have been endlessly impressed with Maison Margiela’s Replica collection of fragrances (I even wore the scent On a Date at our wedding!) and their advent calendar is a fun one!
It contains some of their coziest scents in many different forms from candles to perfumes and even body care products. If you want to impress someone (I’m picturing a girlfriend, aunt, mother-in-law type of person in your life) get this. Trust.
View advent calendars and combo sets:
I hope you enjoyed this roundup! Let me know what else is on your shopping list this season and be sure to check out the holiday hub for even more holiday hosting ideas, gift guides and more.
yours,
Austen
