Behold, our beauty-editor-approved selection of the best luxury beauty gifts money can buy
So good, you'll want them before December even hits
As far as we're concerned, the minute Halloween and Bonfire Night are done, autumn is over and Christmas festivities begin. With both myself and Senior Beauty Editor, Katie, being the sorts of people who put our Christmas trees up before December even arrives, it should go without saying that we are also the sort of people who like to get a head start on our Christmas gift shopping—particularly when it comes to luxury beauty gifts.
As a beauty editors, it's normal for us to start thinking about Christmas in early July, because that's when we first clap eyes on plans for beauty advent calendars and gifting. Yep, we've spent the past four months looking at this year's beauty gift sets and general beauty gifting options. And take our word for it—this year's luxury beauty gifts are in a league on their own.
You see, typically, our messaging around Christmas shopping is as such: invest in products that will actually get used and avoid buying novelties that, inevitably, end up in the bin. Because, if you shop smart, Christmas doesn't have to be a time of waste. Luckily, this year it seems like some of the best beauty brands in the business also got the memo, as beauty gifts in general have had a serious upgrade.
Trust us, if you're looking to buy a special gift for the beauty lover in your life or, alternatively, are looking for gift ideas for yourself, there are some truly outstanding options for Christmas 2024. As a beauty editor duo, we have spent days upon days trawling through the depths of our beauty cupboard, pulling out products to test (from fragrance gifts to wellness gifts) and marking them all against one another in a bid to compile an edit of the most elite luxury beauty gifts—and here it is...
1. Loewe Textura Mimosa Candle
"I love a luxury candle as much as anyone, but as a real fragrance aficionado I take my candle recommendations very seriously. One of my biggest festive gifting bugbears is when people gift Christmas candles for Christmas. Come 1st January, I want any sight of festivities out of my home, meaning Christmas candles get stored away again for the following year. That's why this new launch from Loewe should be top of your incredibly luxurious candle wish list. It smells absolutely exquisite, like sense-clearing bark and powdery-sweet mimosa blooms. But, let's be honest, it's the vessel that really makes me want to part with my cash for it—it will sit on the side in my living room forever." – Shannon Lawlor, Executive Beauty Editor
2. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked Evil Eye
"Nothing makes me happier than a luxury make-up palette that can deliver (almost) a whole face—and Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edits are my absolute favourites. Containing six different powders that can be used as blusher, highlight, setting powders and even patted across the eyes, they are a year-on-year winner. In fact, every Christmas I look forward to seeing what Hourglass has up its sleeve, and 2024's Evil Eye palette is probably my favourite of all time. These palettes are my go-to gift for all of my favourite women and have proved such a hit over the years that one of my best friends messaged just yesterday informing me she'd bought herself this one after finishing her last iteration—I guess I'll have to find her a different Christmas gift this year..." – Shannon
3. Dior Addict Lipstick Mix & Match
"One of the greatest beauty joys is a really stunning lipstick bullet, and this is just that. The limited-edition refillable Dior Addict lipstick case can be mix and matched with any shade of the super-buttery and moisturising lipstick formula that takes your fancy, meaning the case can live on and on. This is luxury make-up at its finest." – Shannon
4. Olivia von Halle Silk Striped Eye Mask
"Luxury isn't always indicative of price. It's how something feels too. I can't think of anything that feels more luxurious than silk. And a silk eye mask is the sign that you are doing bedtime right. There are so many on the market now, but this gorgeous one from Olivia Von Halle, arguably the pioneer of silk sleepwear, is the one that deserves a place on this list." – Katie Thomas, Senior Beauty Editor
5. Oribe Gold Lust Litre Duo
"I am always somewhat embarrassed when somebody asks me what my favourite shampoo and conditioner duo is, because Oribe Gold Lust is not cheap. However, the shine-boosting, strengthening results Gold Lust delivers simply can't be beaten—and you can trust me on that as I have tried hundreds upon hundreds of shampoos over the years. Beyond that, the smell is absolutely sublime. Every Christmas, I look forward to these huge 1-litre bottles, and they last me all year. If you have someone in your life who longs for super-shiny, big, bouncy hair, this is the ultimate gift." – Shannon
6. Sisley Ginkgo Gua Sha
"Not only does this massage tool help to sculpt the face, depuff and aid lymphatic drainage, but it's also a thing of beauty. Created with zamac, a naturally cooling metal, it's been designed to look like the ginko biloba leaf, which the brand use it lots of its products. This is by no means an essential skincare product, but where's the fun in essential?" – Katie
7. Jo Malone London Special-Edition Myrrh & Tonka Cologne Intense
"There are few perfumes as universally adored as Jo Malone London's Myrrh & Tonka, and this special festive edition is a total treat. For those who aren't familiar with the scent, let me indulge you: it is enveloping, warming, creamy, comforting, light on the nose and, most importantly, seriously expensive smelling. Truly, I can't think of anything more luxurious to wear on your neck that doesn't come in a Harry Winston box." – Shannon
8. Currentbody LED Light Therapy Face Mask
"Look, if you're looking to put a big ticket item at the top of your gift list this year, an LED facemask is a great way to do that. Ask any beauty expert about their at-home LED recommendation and you'll hear the same thing: CurrentBody. Very recently the brand gave its iconic mask a facelift (a play on words, I assure you) and whilst it still uses Red and Near-Infrared light to tame inflammation, promote collagen production and improve texture, it now does so with better light coverage, for maximum coverage and a more effective treatment." – Katie
9. Wildsmith Bath Salts
"To me, nothing says Christmas cheer quite like the gift of total relaxation, and that is exactly what these bath salts from one of my favourite skincare brands, Wildsmith, deliver. They dissolve in a matter of minutes (meaning the bath isn't left gritty or oily in any way) and fill the room with a spa-like, forest-y aroma that makes you melt into yourself. Whenever I have a pot of these on the side, I make sure to tell my husband they are not to be touched by him under any circumstance—they're so good, you too will want to keep them all to yourself." – Shannon
10. Verden x Beata Heuman Scented Candle
"There is a place in my future where I own a grand house, and I enlist the help of famed Beata Heuman as my interior decorator, and once finished every surface will have Verden candle or reed diffuser and each sink will be adorned with the brands hand soap and cream. Until then, this candle will do me nicely thank you very much." – Katie
11. Hermès Barénia Soap
"Does anyone need a bar of Hermès soap? Probably not. But that doesn't mean you can't really, really want one. In my opinion, there are few things chicer than a super-luxurious hard soap displayed delicately on a soap dish when I enter a bathroom—and this is up there with the best I have ever seen. Not only does it look the part, but it also smells like the fresh, sparkling joy of Hermès Barénia. This is the sort of beauty luxury that I'd be totally unable to justify buying myself, but one that I absolutely want someone else to buy for me." – Shannon
12. Tom Ford Soleil Lip Blush
"Everyone uses lip balm. At any one time, you'll find one in my handbag, my coat pocket, my car, my bedside table and my bathroom. So why when we use a certain product so regularly do we not consider it special? Well this lip balm is incredibly special. The luxe gold casing feels weighty in the hand (in a good way), the clear bullet has golden flecks floating inside, which gives lips a glowy finish, and to top it off the balm is a shade-shifter meaning that the pink hue it gives your lips will be different from the one it gives mine. A very special lip balm indeed." – Katie
13. Oskia The Ultimate Renaissance Collection
"If you haven't guessed by now, I am the sort of person who likes her luxury beauty purchases to come with a dose of frivolity and unapologetic lavishness. This gift, however, is truly worth every single penny of its price tag. If you know someone who (like me) wants their skincare to be seriously hardworking but for it to still feel luxurious and spa-like, this is the gift for them. The Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel and Mask is, hands down, my favourite duo for clear, plump, glowing skin—and applying them feels like a real treat, especially when you work a little gua sha massage into the ritual. Buy someone this and they'll be thanking you forever." – Shannon
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Shannon Lawlor is the Executive Beauty Editor at Marie Claire. With nearly a decade of experience working for some of the beauty industry’s most esteemed titles, including Who What Wear, Glamour UK, Stylist and Refinery29, Shannon’s aim is to make the conversation around beauty as open, relatable and honest as possible. As a self-confessed lazy girl, Shannon has an affinity for hard-working perfumes, fool-proof make-up products and does-it-all skincare.
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