Dec
2019
Sparkling smooth: Four skincare sets for the holiday season
I always say that the best time to pick up new skincare is the holiday season.
The thing about skincare is that you can’t just get one item. At base level, you need at least a cleanser and a moisturizer. My skincare routine is a little excessive, I do a makeup remover, cleanser, toner, eye cream, serum (sometimes two or three serums), moisturizer, neck cream, and sometimes a spray.
When it comes to skincare brands, although you can definitely mix and match items (I do), a lot of these lines were created to be used together. And, since skincare doesn’t typically come cheap, your routine can cost hundreds of dollars.
That’s where this post comes in.
Since the holidays are all about gift sets, pretty much every brand has come out with sets that allow you to try out multiple products for close to the same amount of one product alone. If you are looking into investing in a new skincare regimen or just want to stock up on some favourites, the time is now people.
Here are some of my top picks to get this season.
Fresh Black Tea Shop Gift Set
I absolutely love Fresh’s Black Tea Kombucha Antioxidant Essence and was totally bummed when I used it up. This stuff, which acts like a toner, is expensive AF, so when I saw that they released a gift set which comes with a pretty good sized bottle of it, I snatched it up.
The Fresh Black Tea Shop Gift Set (C$156, valued at C$228) combines four of their Black Tea items to provide firming hydration, antioxidant protection, and a youthful glow to the skin. Perfect for all skin tones, this set contains their Black Tea Kombucha Antioxidant Essence (50 ml), Black Tea Firming and De-Puffing Eye Cream (15 ml), Black Tea Firming Overnight Mask (5 ml), and the Black Tea Corset Cream Firming Moisturizer (30 ml).
The only thing missing in here is a cleanser (I highly recommend the Fresh Soy Face Cleanser), but other than that, you get an entire routine with this set. Start first with the Black Tea Kombucha Essence, which helps to increase the appearance of luminous skin, improves elasticity, smoothes the look of skin texture, supports healthier skin tone, and hydrates for up to 24 hours with hyaluronic acid. After, use the Black Tea Firming and De-Puffing Eye Cream, which will help firm up the eye area, giving you that wide-awake appearance, and then finally end your routine with their the Black Tea Firming Overnight Mask or the Black Tea Corset Cream Firming Moisturizer.
Fresh has a ton of great gift sets this season (they always do), but I really love this set since it has one of my favourite products in it (the Kombucha Essence). You get basically $80 off the set, which is a steal of a deal, so I would definitely recommend investing in this one.
Lano Jet Set Travel Essentials
For the frequent flyer, take a look at the Lano Jet Set Travel Essentials kit (C$36).
This set of three face products comes in TSA-friendly sizes and are great essentials for your daily face routine.
In case you’ve never heard of Lano before, they are new to Sephora Canada and it’s an Aussie brand that is known for their 101 Ointment, a safer, more effective and 100 per cent natural alternative to petroleum-based balms.
This set comes with the Face Base Vitamin E Day Cream (30 ml), Face Base Recovery Mask (30 ml), and the Face Base Day Cream (30 ml). Start first with the cleanser, which is a gel cream glycerin cleanser that won’t strip skin of moisture. Next, use the Face Base Vitamin E Day Cream, which will add moisture for tired skin, and finally, slather on the Aussie Flyer, a leave-on treatment mask for dry, dull, and jet-lagged skin. All three of these products are perfect for normal, dry, and sensitive skin tones, and they all contain their star ingredient, Lanolin, which helps to hydrate dry skin.
Drunk Elephant Shelf Control Night Kit
When it comes to skincare brands you should pick up during the holiday season, Drunk Elephant is definitely at the top of the list.
They have a ton of different holiday sets at amazing prices, but the one I’m totally digging this season is the Shelf Control Night Kit (C$128, valued at C$203). This set comes in a mini medicine cabinet that opens up to reveal a full-size product and a bunch of minis.
This set comes with a full size (30 ml) of their TLC Framboos Glycolic Night Serum, which is a night-time serum with AHA/BHA that helps to refine and resurface skin to reveal a smoother and more radiant complexion. This serum also helps to enhance the performance of other products by making them absorb better into the skin. The serum alone retails for C$90, so for $40 more you also get some deluxe travel sizes of some other star products to try out.
Start your routine first with the Beste No.9 Jelly Cleanser (30 ml) and then go in with the C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream (5 ml). Afterwards, use the TLC Framboos Glycolic Night Serum, or you can mix the night serum with the Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil and the Lala Retro Whipped Cream for a custom night-time skincare routine.
This set is ideal for those whose concerns include dark spots, fine lines and wrinkles, and dryness. All of Drunk Elephant’s products are vegan, cruelty-free, and gluten-free.
Caudalie Travel Set
Another great travel set to gift is one I’ve already chatted about once before on here.
The Caudalie Travel Set (C$49, valued at C$115) comes with five deluxe minis of some of the French brand’s most famous products. Included is the Micellar Cleansing Water (30 ml), Premier Cru The Eye Cream (5 ml), Beauty Elixir (30 ml), Vinoperfect Radiance Serum (10 ml), and Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet (15 ml). I have tried out the full sizes of the Beauty Elixir and the Vinoperfect products and absolutely love them. This set is worth it for the Beauty Elixir alone, which is one of my all-time favourite beauty products, and is a cult-classic skincare spray that is inspired by the Queen of Hungary’s elixir of youth. This 100 per cent plant-based formula is a favourite among makeup artists and instantly brightens your mood (and face), plus it smells like you walked right into a spa.
All of these gift sets would make perfect gifts to give or receive, as well as just stock up on for yourself, especially if you travel often. Like I said, the best time to invest in some new skin items is definitely the holiday season. Each brand also has a ton of other sets available as well, so check out their sites or Sephora to find the set perfect for you (or whoever you’re giving it to).
Are you asking for skincare for the holidays?
Please note, products provided by PR. All opinions are my own.
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