39 best beauty gifts for makeup lovers in 2023
Gifting a beauty enthusiast can be intimidating, especially when you’re dealing with top-notch shelfies and an endless supply of brands and products to sort through.
The good news is we know a thing or two about beauty and, combined with a little research, have uncovered something for every type of cosmetic, skin and hair care maven in your life.
And with the help of Sarah Eggenberger, senior editor-at-large for NewBeauty, we have even more beauty must-haves for anyone in your life. Eggenberger joined the 3rd hour of TODAY over the holidays to share the ultimate beauty gifts, including an at-home facial set, essential oil diffuser and more.
From lavish lipsticks to dream creams (and some seriously great hot tools along the way), read on for coveted, curated gifts for beauty lovers in a variety of price ranges and palettes that will (finally) impress the beauty-obsessed.
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Eggenberger says this is a great aromatherapy gift for someone who could use a little peace and relaxation. According to the brand, this option works as a humidifier and diffuser and will cover up to 700 square feet. Just add a few drops of your favorite essential oils to this diffuser to enable a soothing scent to envelope your space. Eggenberger also loves this for the skin and says the humidity helps retain your skin's moisture.
Eggenberger says this reusable eye mask is the last mask you'll ever need. According to the brand, these silicone patches work well with serums, gels and creams and will help promote product absorption, leaving your under-eyes feeling hydrated.
If you're wondering what cream to pair with the eye patches, Eggenberger says this peptide eye cream is one of her favorites. It contains skin-loving ingredients such as peptides, niacinamide and hyaluronic acid, which is meant to help alleviate puffiness and reduce the appearance of fine lines, says the brand.
Eggenberger loves that this compact travel bag has a triangular shape, which allows for it to stand upright. According to the brand, it's made of water-resistant and nylon material, making it durable enough to hold all of your essentials and perfect to travel with.
These mini pouches have multiple uses, says Eggenberger. You can store makeup, toiletries, snacks — you name it. And not only do they come in tons of different colors and designs, but also, the brand says they're made of water-resistant material. Eggenberger mentions you can even use these as a chic clutch too.
This hair drying turban makes a great gift for anyone in your life, especially for someone who has curly hair, says Eggenberger. Featuring quick-drying and "quick-wicking" fabric technology, the brand says these wraps will reduce frizz, damage and even speed up the drying time of your hair.
If you've been trying to get a certain man in your life into skin care, this intense hydration starter kit might be the perfect option for them. According to the brand, it's a daily three-step routine that comes with a face wash, shaving cream and water-gel moisturizer.
If you've seen all the buzz about weighted blankets, you might want to check out this one for your eyes. According to the brand, this strapless eye mask contains microbead pods and has all of the benefits of the weighted blanket to promote restful sleep.
If you're looking for a great gift for Grandma, teachers or friends, Eggenberger says these lotion bars melt into your skin, leaving it feeling soft and subtle. According to the brand, it contains hydrating ingredients like cocoa butter and almond oil.
A bath bomb is a classic gift that everyone loves. This bomb is packed with cocoa butter and is great for anyone who loves gentle sweet scents and skin-softening ingredients.
Winter weather can be brutal on our hair, skin and nails. There are ample products to curate hours-long routines to take care of dry winter skin and dehydrated hair, but what about nails? This rollerball is the perfect solution. They can throw it in their bag or in their pockets to keep their cuticles hydrated while they brave dropping temps.
Most people probably aren't cleaning their makeup brushes as often as they should. If their brushes are past the point of cleaning, save them the trouble by gifting them this set with the essentials. It comes with a brush for each step of their everyday beauty routine: foundation (which you can also use the sponge for), eye shadow, powder blush and highlighter or setting powder.
Shop TODAY Senior Editor Jess Bender has been using this highlighter lately and says she can attest to the "weightless" and "second-skin" feeling upon application. "As somebody who's a fan of the 'no-makeup' makeup look most days of the week, I love using low-effort beauty products that look like I actually made an effort in my routine. Rare Beauty's highlighter fits the bill perfectly in terms of texture and the radiant 'dewy glow' it leaves on my cheeks for the duration of the day," she raved.
Shop TODAY Editorial Assistant Sierra Hoeger says her and her friends are "obsessed" with these under-eye patches. Its key ingredients include caffeine to depuff and energize, cucumber to soothe and calm and gold to nourish and fortify, according to the brand.
This set comes with a defining pencil and a volumizing gel in the shade combination of your choice so they can have fluffy, perfectly-shaped brows every day.
Bender is also a fan of this lip mask from Tatcha. According to the brand, it's made with ingredients like Japanese peach extract, three rose extract and Japanese camellia oil to hydrate, smooth, moisturize and repair damaged lips.
Speaking of shiny, this paddle from Wet Brush is designed with boar bristles and 100 percent natural argan oil to reduce frizz and distribute hair's natural oils for a silky-smooth finish, making it easier than ever to maintain a healthy mane. The wood finish will also bring a certain warmth to their vanity.
Oily skin? Not this winter, courtesy of Tatcha's luxe blotting papers made with absorbent ingredients like abaca leaf. Plus, according to a makeup artist previously interviewed by Shop TODAY, "This one doesn't have a residue powder that's going to leave on your face."
This bestselling concealer is sold every 12 seconds, so it's likely that the beauty guru in your life already owns this coveted product. On the off chance they don't, it would be a great gift! It's easy to apply and buildable for the desired coverage.
For dialing up the drama, consider this dynamic trio from Tarte, which features two of the brand's bestselling mascaras and a dual-ended liner for added definition. (‘Maneater’ has become one of our top picks for achieving falsie-level coverage in a flash.)
Blush is another product that requires little effort but makes a big impact, and this one from Pat McGrath Labs is about as fancy as they come. The four universal blush shades are accompanied by a bonus highlighter for framing all of her favorite features.
Give the gift of healthy hair! This set comes with two full sized bottles of the No.3 Hair Perfector and the No.6 Bond Smoother and will repair damaged, frizzy hair.
Speaking of replenishment, this discovery set from Kiehl's stocks everything they need to keep skin clear and moisturized throughout the season. (The Head-to-Toe Hydrators set is another one of those crowd-pleasing gifts we like to have on hand for last-minute guests.)
Recommended for dry, normal and combo skin types, this features the brand's Cryo-Recovery Eye Serum, Magic Serum Crystal Elixir and Magic Cream for hydrating skin and reversing the effects of time.
If you’re really looking to make an impression, look no further than this splurge-worthy colorful trunk from Drunk Elephant, which unlatches to reveal a whopping 10 full-size products for all of their skin care needs. Some of our top picks include the C-Firma Fresh Day Serum, T.L.C Sukari Babyfacial and T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum.
Say goodbye to flaky, dry and itchy skin. If you're living in a cold climate this winter, you'll need to snag this kit filled with moisture-loaded products that will make winter that much more enjoyable this year.
This Ordinary set is not only affordable but a great deal for five full-sized products. This set contains formulas that will help smooth, brighten and hydrate her skin. What more could you want?
No skin care gift guide is complete without SPF. This Supergoop! set is the gift that keeps on giving by including three of their most popular products. Packed with the Unscreen Sunscreen, Everyday Lotion, and (Re)setting Mist, this set will keep her skin protected from UV rays.
Whether she's a perfume pro or fragrance novice, she's bound to adore this petite pairing from Marc Jacobs. Daisy feels soft and fresh for every day, while warm notes of jasmine and sandalwood make Daisy Love a perfect evening pick.
Unsure of their fragrance style? Scoop up this sampler, which features four universally-flattering perfumes from Clean Reserve. The soft and earthy nature of the fragrances makes them especially great for the modern minimalist and outdoorsy types.
Maison Margiela is known for offering sophisticated blends that manage to encapsulate some of life's more sensory settings and experiences. (‘By the Fireplace’ and ‘Bubble Bath’ are some of our favorite scents to snuggle up to on a cold winter day.)
This fruity fragrance will brighten up anyone's day. With notes of rose and tangerine, each spritz feels like being bathed in sunshine, putting a smile on the wearers face instantly.
Styling their hair at home just got a lot easier with this all-in-one kit that comes with everything they need to create salon-quality looks. It comes with two curling rod attachments, a concentrated heat attachment (perfect for blowouts) and a diffuser if they just want to zhuzh up their natural curls.
If she loves her blowouts, she's sure to get good use out of this one-step hair styler from Revlon. The bestselling heated styling brush has garnered a cult-like following for its ability to deliver salon-worthy results in a matter of minutes.
This wave wand from Bondi Boost creates natural-looking mermaid, beachy, or boho waves in seconds. Unlike single barrel styling irons that take ages to curl hair, this 3 barrel curling iron does it in seconds.
Beautyblender has become the industry standard for makeup sponges, and this limited-edition set has everything they need — including three sponges, a sponge cleanser and a scrub mat — to create a flawless foundation.
Speaking of application, we love this makeup brush set from IT Cosmetics’ collaboration with Ulta, which comes equipped with powder, foundation, concealer and eye shadow brushes for mastering a range of looks. The zipper pouch doubles as a clutch for easy storing and toting.
The Dyson Airwrap is a coveted item on any beauty wish list, and this bundle has everything she needs (including attachments and a storage case) to achieve the hair looks of her dreams.
This crystal roller set can help reduce puffiness and aid in lymphatic drainage with every use, according to the brand. Pop it in the fridge before using for an extra cooling effect!
Shannon Garlin is an Editorial Assistant for Shop TODAY.