Consider Yourself a Shopper #35: The BIG Gift Guide PT. 2
Beauty, home, and a little bit of travel
You can find part one of the here!
Since yesterday's was a bit on the hefty side, I’ve tried to keep this one short and sweet.
Beauty
I often view beauty as more of a stocking stuffer than the main gift—unless, of course, we’re talking about a $600 eye cream, in which case it might need to take center stage, haha. I’ll admit, I’m no expert in this field, and when it comes to makeup, I’m a step below novice (for quality makeup recommendations, I’d refer you
). That said, I’ve had the privilege of trying a range of products, and I’ve discovered what works for me. While I can’t guarantee identical results for everyone, I believe the best part of exploring beauty is the trial-and-error aspect.Tools, like an LED mask or a dry brush, strike me as excellent gift choices. As we discussed yesterday in regards to a few items, these products are size-agnostic, making them suitable for anyone. When it comes to gift-giving, a good rule of thumb is to find something you know the recipient would buy for themselves if they could, but haven’t, because it isn’t a necessity. This thought brings to mind not only beauty tools but also indulgent bath items—Epsom salts, bath fizzers, butter pebbles. I don’t know about you, dear reader, but for me, baths are more of a luxury than a daily occurrence, making the accoutrements that enhance them all the more delightful. For most of October, I made it a ritual to take baths to calm my nerves, and the Kate McLeod pebbles were a welcomed relief. Another standout was the Soft Services buffing bar—a true gift that keeps on giving as well as the Eadem Smooth Slate that helps with ingrown hairs.
Beyond skincare, fragrances often top the gifting list. I have to confess, I’m not a big fan of gifting sets, primarily because they usually contain at least one or more products that goes unloved, turning the gift into more of a burden. Fragrance sets, however, are a bit different, as they can be economical in the long run. Niche fragrances are having a moment, with Maison d’Etto at the forefront. Each perfume from this house has an equestrian inspiration, and their latest release, Verdades, features notes of jasmine and orange blossoms, and makes me think of a negroni. And, as longtime readers know, my love for Frederic Malle endures, but this year, I’ve also fallen head over heels for Victoria Beckham’s Suite 302.
Another thoughtful gift option is to give an experience. I recently had my first lymphatic drainage treatment at The Tox. While there may be other options out there, I genuinely enjoyed my experience. Facials are another wonderful gift idea—always a welcome treat in my book. I've particularly enjoyed treatments at Jade Haifa, Tracie Martyn, and Brooklyn Face and Eye to name a few. I would also say check out
for more health and wellness recs.Home
Home-related products (IMO) often lean towards self-gifts or, like certain beauty buys, items someone might choose for themselves but don’t prioritize. Growing up, I disliked tablecloths—they always seemed to collect holes or ink marks. Fast forward, and Nick and I now have a mid-century modern teak dining table that seats up to 12. It was a spontaneous pandemic purchase, made with visions of endless dinner parties. Spoiler alert: we’ve hosted exactly none. In the meantime, our table has picked up a few scratches, which led me to start thinking about covering it. The Loretta Caponi tablecloth set—is of exceptional quality and inspiring in its own right. (On a side note, if you enjoy equestrian-themed pieces, there’s another tablecloth worth checking out.)
Now, if you or I were to splurge on that Loretta Caponi set, the next step would be curating the little touches that make a table, and a home, truly sing: perfect glasses for water, wine, and cocktails; delightful plates that may or may not match (here, here, and here); a home fragrance lit by elegant matches or lighter; a candle holder and a candle, and, of course, a great vase or stylish stationery to complete the setting.
Shifting from the dining area to the bedroom, I must admit gift ideas become a bit simpler for me: a great duvet cover, high-quality sheets, or perhaps a precious little leather stool for stacking those coffee table books we buy to admire rather than read. I’m not usually drawn to brown, but at a recent Soft Services event for their Theraplush hand cream, the room was composed wall to wall mirrors, dim lighting, and a bed outfitted in a sumptuous chocolate-brown Parachute set. It had the moody allure of The Eyes of Laura Mars. Ever since, I’ve been dreaming of a dimly lit room filled with the scent of oud and roses, wrapped in rich chocolate-brown linens. I know this may have veered slightly off the gifting topic, but I like to keep things interesting—just a touch of whimsy!
If you are looking for specific furniture finds let me point you in the direction of
and who are the kings of auction sites.Travel
I won’t delve too deeply into this since I’ve already covered travel gear extensively this post. However, I do want to spotlight the Away duffle bag and these travel cases from Cadence, which I recently discovered through
who you should also check out for all things travel!That’s it for this year’s BIG gift guide. I will be back on Sunday with one dedicated to vintage/secondhand finds.
See you all Sunday!
XX
JJ
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Dreaming of all of these treats tonight and the bath pebbles are now at the top of my “to try” list
Cadence capsule supremacy! Love all these picks, Jalil ❤️