My hubby always asks me for a wishlist for Christmas because he hates trying to think of things I might want, especially when I buy everything I want for myself anyways. He also would rather I have specifically what I want, than watching me open my gifts with a half smile, hahaha. Unfortunately for him this year, I don’t know what the hell I want. But I figured I’d make a list of all the things I do love in case you guys needed any ideas for the special people in your life. I’m pretty multi-faceted, I’d like to think, so hopefully there’s something on this list for each type of person in your life.
For The Makeup Lover Friend
Anastasia Beverly Hills - From their glow kit highlighters to their palettes, you can’t go wrong. I use almost all their products because they’re such great quality. They’re a little more of a splurge than your average drugstore brand, but trust me, they’re an absolute worth-it investment. And they have a lot of holiday deals going on currently and you can purchase them straight from the website, Sephora or Ulta. My favorite glow kit is the Nicole Guerriero (unfortunately discontinued now) but I have owned and used basically all their glow kits and love them all. Sugar, That Glow, That Gleam, Sun Dipped, Aurora, Moon Child and Dream; you just can’t go wrong. I’ve tried other brands of highlighters and I’ve always found ABH to be the easiest to apply, versatile based on if you want to be sutble or blinding, and it lasts all day without needing reapplication. It's basically a holy grail item for me.
As for their eyeshadow palettes, I own almost all of those as well and love every single one of them! While I do tend to prefer bright colors, I do love the wearability of nudes and browns and how classic looks can also easily be made from them. ABH makes such beautiful colors in both matte and shimmer shades and the quality of their shadows is truly unmatched. Everything blends amazingly well and looks amazing. My current favorite palette is Sultry and Norvina. I would highly recommend those two for holiday palettes if you’re looking for something that will stand out for your makeup friend, but if you’re looking for something a little less glitzy, Modern Renaissance, Soft Glam and Prism are just as amazing. That is, unless she’s like me and already has all the new new from ABH. If she doesn’t, ABH is offering an amazing deal for 4 of their best selling palettes in a set for just $90. Two palettes alone is already about that much. But seriously, the price of one palette alone is already a steal in comparison to other garbage palettes out there on the market. Even some higher end names that are priced higher are not even that great compared to the price and quality of ABH. They’ve easily become my favorite brand in recent years. I swear by their brow wiz for my brows, that’s for sure.
2. For the Gym Rat Friend
For your friend that loves to work out or lives at the gym like it’s their second home, there are a few things I can suggest. You can always get them a gift card to help towards their gym membership for the next coming months (since a year membership is probably way pricier than you’re looking to spend). This is something that would probably be highly appreciated as the price of gym memberships is what hinders some people from joining or continuing sometimes.
Blender bottles! I personally don’t drink any protein shakes as I prefer water to everything and hate the texture of anything besides water anyway, but I still love the durability and ease of my blender bottles at the gym. I’ve dropped and broke so many water bottles in the past and I’ve always found the blender bottles to be pretty strong and leak proof, even when dropped. I also prefer this reusable water bottle storage as opposed to wasting money on buying water bottles from time to time. I carry my blender bottle everywhere, to the gym, to work, on vacation, etc. They’re pretty plain but they come in different colors and sizes and combos of colors. There are even some nerdy ones out there if you want to rep your favorite fandom. I bought mine at Marshall’s instead of my local GNC and found they had a great selection and a lot of colors, as well as better deals. But if you’re not near a Marshalls, TJ Maxx or anything, you can also easily find them on Amazon and other stores.
If your friend lifts, I would suggest lifting gloves. I don’t have a particular brand I can recommend, my trainer got me a pair of Shiek gloves earlier this year and they’ve helped a lot since I started using them. I actually used to have calluses on my hands prior to working out, I’m not really sure from what but probably from working retail and opening medicine bottles all damn day, but since I started using gloves, I don’t know how either but they’re all gone! The lines in my palms are all soft again.
If your friend runs, maybe a new pair of running shoes if you know their size, favorite brand and favorite colors. Although this requires a little more snooping to find out and of course, is trickier since some people are particular to style and color if your friend happens to be picky like me. But if you have a friend who generally likes everything and is easy to please, this would make for a nice gift.
3. For the Jet Setting Friend
For the friend who loves to travel, one great item is a travel hair dryer. I never trust other people’s or hotel hair dryers since generic or cheap ones can easily damage and fry your hair. A few years ago after college, I splurged on the T3 hair dryer at Sephora during a Friends and Family sale. And it changed my life. My T3 dries my hair pretty fast as well as always leaving it nice and soft. I found they made a travel version last year when I was looking for one to bring to Japan with me. In comes the T3 Compact! It works basically the same as my full size one but small and travel friendly for your carry on. It comes in white, black, red, pink and purple depending on where you buy. Ulta carries the pink and purple, Macy’s has the red, and Sephora has the white and black.
Passport holders! I bought one for my Paris trip and I’ve actually been using it since as my regular wallet. I’ve gotten used to carry very minimal cards with me as of late and the passport holder is great for making sure you carry the essentials with you. I got a simple glittery one off Amazon, but you can find one based on your friend’s favorite luxury brand, or find a cute customized one off Etsy. They’re are so many different colors, combinations, designs and textures no matter where you look. You can even buy your friend several ones if they’re cheap enough so they have a collection of them to interchange with traveling outfits, occasions, or even coordinating with what country they’re visiting next.
4. For That Extra Friend
Ok, so there is no rhyme or reason for this gift. It’s just fun. I got a HUGE jumbo plush Panda last year for Christmas and it literally just sits in my house being cute but I still love waking up and seeing it in my living room every morning. My husband got him from BJ’s on sale for the holidays and it was a steal considering the FAO Schwarz bear is $600-1000 based on where you buy it from. But all the bulk stores like Costco, Sam’s Club and BJ’s have them and different jumbo plushes. And Walmart has a lot of different types of jumbo plushes from holiday to holiday as well for decent prices. I’ve seen unicorns, monkeys, dinosaurs and bears. My baby sister found a cute dog last year. BJ’s had both the brown bear and the panda, but I found the panda more fitting because my husband has always called me a panda based on my laziness, eating habits and cause well, Asian. And then a few years prior, I also got Pokemon jumbo plushes for my birthday. They’re not as huge as my panda, but they are still huge. Anyone who’s visited my house will tell you my collection is excessive. And recently, one of my best friends added to my obsession with the cutest adorable Pooh bear in a bee costume from the Tokyo Disneyland. I love them all. So based on your friend’s favorite creatures and fandom, an oversized plush would be an absolutely unnecessary but adorable gift they’re bound to love. Next on my jumbo list is the jumbo Baymax and the jumbo Despicable Me unicorn.
5. For The Practical Friend
For the practical friend, here are some quick easy gifts besides your default gift card to their favorite store like Sephora, Macy’s, Forever 21, etc.
Umbrellas - A simple gift but always a gift I’ve actually liked receiving. There are so many unique ones and I’m always in need of an umbrella for my car, in my house, my purse/backpack, etc. My favorite are clear, big domed umbrellas so I can see where I’m going. My favorite one actually got stolen years ago and I finally received a super cute one this year to replace it. I received a holographic umbrella for my birthday this year and I’m excited to finally use it one day when it rains, as well as do a really cute shoot with it with fairy lights draped under it.
Sherpa hoodies - I bought one on sale back when Gilly Hicks was still around and it’s my favorite hoodie due to the warmth of the sherpa lining. Gilly Hicks is long gone but these hoodies still live on through Hollister. They’re great for winter and being comfy and cozy around the house. I snagged a cute bear one too from Black Friday sales before it sold out, but I’ve also found similar cute ones at Forever 21.
Over the knee boots - These have become a staple for me this fall. I love how long and lean they make my legs look, and regardless of how basic they are, they really help pull a simple outfit together. I live near an Aldo outlet store and they had a sale going on with all boots being $35. They had different heel heights too for their OTK styles. I wanted to go with a high heel but I also wanted it to be wearable for all of winter since I wanted to be able to wear them to work as well as around the city so I opted for a nice chunky mid length heel. I’ve worn them for almost 3 months now and I love them. They go with almost everything I wear and last all day with no discomfort.
Hope these gift ideas helped someone. What about you? What are some items you’ve received over the years that you found was a great gift that should be on a must have list? Let me know in the comments! Happy shopping, bitches!
