We all have that one friend who gifts us Armani lipstick and fancy champagne every Christmas, even though all you ever gift them is (yet another) coffee tumbler or jumbo Kit Kat. Gift exchanges are not a necessary thing, and the festive season should by right be about togetherness and gratitude, not about who can best succeed with the game of gifting itself. But one can’t deny that every now and then, the heart overflows with love for the people around you; if it has indeed been a good year and you feel so inclined, sometimes gift-giving is the nicest way to surprise the ones you love the most. If you’re ready to flex that credit card and go the extra mile for the luxury addicts in your life, here are some gift sets you can’t go wrong with to go wrong with.
If your friend is someone who cares a lot about their locks, chances are high they probably already have a fancy hair-dryer that takes care of them on the daily. Let that little gadget be passed up to mom for now: the Dyson Supersonic ($499.99) will make your pal rethink blowouts entirely, as its the most space-age of all haircare tools on the market. With an air flow travelling at 105 mph, it seriously cuts drying time, while smart technology analyzes the temperature every 20 seconds, so the dryer never gets too hot, preventing heat damage and amping up hair’s shine factor. Plus, the Supersonic is lightweight, and looks just plain cool.
If your buddy is keen on frequent facials, perhaps the best gift might be one that takes the facial home entirely. NuFace’s Trinity Device uses microcurrent technology to visibly improve facial contours, skin tone, and wrinkles by stimulating the skin on a cellular level. The Trinity Define Your Beauty Collection ($432) might seem a little onerous for what is essentially a vibrating massager, but trust us: the efficacy of the Trinity Device is improved manyfold by using the appropriate complementary products, and soon enough your pal will notice tighter, firmer skin.
If the deluxe diva in your friend group doesn’t respond well to tech they have to learn how to use, sometimes the easiest gift is something that can transform their space while reminding them of you. In this case, an ornate vase or quality artwork can go a long way, or you can simply gift them the Diptyque Cosmic Seasonal Trio ($141.68 to $283.37) — chances are your friend was going to enter the luxury candle game sooner or later, so at least start with the one brand you know is guaranteed to make eyes light up. Artist Philippe Baudelocque was inspired by the constellations for this set of three candles depicting a Unicorn, the Dragon and the Phoenix.
If your luxury-addicted friend is already a consummate shopaholic, it can be a puzzler as to what to gift because it might seem like they have already bought themselves everything that one might consider gifting. In these cases, do not fear: consider taking them out to a lavish dinner instead, or, if you know that they’re the types to want to play with new things all the time, get them a full skincare regime from a brand you know they’ve been eyeing. You don’t have to splurge on the La Mer or Barbra Sturm right now — those lines run a little steep even if you’re ready to tango with some serious debt — so stick to a newly trending and effective brand that has a reputation for innovation instead, like Amore Pacific. The Green Tea Me Gorgeous ($135) set seems bizarrely named, but its potency cannot be argued: each one of the included items is already a cult product back in Korea, and is highly likely to find favour with your pal’s skin one way or another.
Finally, here’s a deluxe gift only a real beauty aficionado will appreciate: the gift of true excess. One of the best things you can do for a buddy that enjoys a certain level of luxury is to take a quick peek at their vanity, find out what their favourites are or what’s running low, and then replenish those exact items. Are they a big fan of a certain moisturizer? Buy them the gift set that comes with the matching toner. Are they deeply committed to a certain dry shampoo? Buy two separate bottles of said shampoo in addition to the matching conditioner and hairbrush — give your pal a little treat as far as the budget will allow, and watch them experiment with the sister products of their favourites. Personally, I’m a big fan of gifting a bundle of masks, like Peter Thomas Roth’s Mask Vault ($280); the set will ensure that your friend has a brand new pampering treatment for any occasion, and it’s likely that the full-sized products will last all the way until the next festive season, when you can replenish the set if they’re become addicts for life.
