You can really never go wrong with anything from Sephora.

Since the store sells so many brands, it can be overwhelming to set foot in there and try to find the best of what you’re looking for. In case you didn’t know, the store also has a brand as well, Sephora Collection, that has just about anything you need to do your makeup (and then some). Best of all, the products are high quality and usually don’t cost as much as other brands in the store.

I always love seeing what they put out every year as part of their holiday collection and if you are interested in picking up some items from the brand, here are my top picks.

Sephora Collection Midnight Wishes Eyeshadow Palette

Starting off with palettes, eyeshadow palettes always make fabulous gifts since they are an item you can use all year long and pretty much a staple for anyone’s collection.

Sephora Collection has a few of them this season, but I’ve been loving the Midnight Wishes Eyeshadow Palette (on sale for C$20), which includes 16 eyeshadows in matte, shimmer, and metallic formulas. Since the shades in here are pretty neutral (think of it like a giant Naked palette), this is the perfect eyeshadow palette to gift just about anyone since they can use it to create a variety of looks, from day to night.

Sephora Collection Enchanting Colours Eye and Face Palette

If you want to gift something a little more versatile, take a look at the Enchanting Colours Eye and Face Palette (C$23), which features eyeshadows, brow powders, and a blush. This palette includes eight matte and shimmer shadows (including two illuminators), two brow powders in neutral shades, and a rose-coloured blush.

Although Sephora says that there isn’t a bronzer and highlight in here, the bottom row can definitely be used as such, so you get everything you need in here to create a look for the face. The eyeshadow looks are quite neutral so you can do a variety of looks with this palette.

In the Blink of an Eye Eyeshadow Palette 

Sephora Collection releases some form of this itty-bitty eyeshadow palette every holiday season.  For only C$6 this makes the perfect small gift, topper gift, or stocking stuffer.

Open up the matchbook-sized container to reveal three neutral eyeshadow shades that you can customize to create a variety of looks. There’s a matte cream, and shimmery taupe, and a shimmering brown in here, which makes it easy to go from day to night with this palette.

Moon Phases Face Palette

If you’re looking for more of a face palette, then check out the Moon Phases Face Palette (on sale for C$15). This palette, which features blush duos and highlights in matte, metallic, and pearl finishes, allows you to create a variety of cheek looks as it contains multiple shades of highlighters and blushes.

Not only is the theme of this palette unique, but the way that the brand split up the products is cool too. The six half moons are matte and pearl blush duos and the three full-size pans are highlighters.  I will say that the only thing this palette doesn’t really have is a good bronzer to use for contouring. I did use it in the photo below (the eyeshadow is from the Midnight Wishes palette), and the blush colour I used as a contour was a touch too red. It still worked, but if you are looking to gift an all-around face palette that includes everything, then you may want to look otherwise.

Fringe Lash Set

Eyelashes are always a good idea and one of my favourite items from Sephora Collection every holiday season are their faux lash sets.

The Fringe Lash Set (no longer available online) includes a pair of natural-volume faux lashes, which will add length and volume to give you a wispy look. This set comes housed in a durable sparkly rose gold case which has a mirror inside, as well as a tube of the Sephora Collection lash adhesive.

Tinsel Time False Lash

These faux lashes (on sale for C$7, regular C$15) which feature tinsel detailing will be sure to get you in the holiday season, stat!

These are actually in the style Demure and feature a metallic holographic silver foil tinsel at the outer corners of each lash. Since these are a full style, be prepared to rock some serious volume and dimension, which will be sure to up the ante for any festive look.

I don’t typically like lashes that feature extra details like foil, but these aren’t too bad. Thankfully Sephora didn’t go overboard with the silver, so I think these are pretty wearable and would make a beautiful lash for a New Years Eve party as well.

Blend & Clean Sponge Set

Everyone needs a makeup sponge in their life and Sephora Collection has a great value set this season. This Blend & Clean Sponge Set (C$19) has three blending sponges in various sizes, along with a mini Solid Clean brush cleanser to clean them with.

Included is a medium gorge-shapes blending sponge, a medium chiseled blending sponge, and a mini egg-shaped blending sponge. I find Sephora Collection sponges to be hit or miss. For the most part, I have found them to be a little too stiff for my liking, however, I do have a set of their mini ones for concealer, and really liked the consistency of those. These feel like they will be bouncy, and you can always give them a try because at C$19, they’ll cost you less than the price of one Beauty Blender.

Twinkle Sponge 

If you’re looking for something more along the lines of the same shape as the Beauty Blender, then take a look at Twinkle Sponge ornament.

Not available anymore online, but you can probably still find it at your local store, this limited edition version of the bestselling Total Coverage Sponge comes in a navy sparkly version and features a rounded shape to fit all contours of the face. The sponge comes housed in a clear star case which you can hang on your tree.

Tinsel Time Clutch

Pair your tinsel lashes with this tinsel clutch for the ultimate holiday look.

This envelope-style clutch (on sale for C$12) features tinsel and two snap closures to tote your accessories and makeup for a night out. The clutch is quite large so you can definitely store a ton of stuff in here. It is clear, but there’s enough tinsel so no one will be able to snoop around your bag.

I do find it odd that Sephora is offering this item since it is marketed as a clutch, but I would totally sport this as a festive makeup bag as well. Also, for C$12, it makes the perfect little gift bag to hold other makeup items that’s in your bestie’s present this year.

Rising Star Canister Brush Set

You can never go wrong with a brush set, and this six-piece set from Sephora will make anyone’s heart skip a beat when they unwrap it this season.

For C$49, this set is a total steal since it includes five brushes all housed in the most sparkly canister which you can also use as a brush holder. The brushes include a complexion brush, an angled highlight brush, an angled shadow brush, a precision shadow brush, and a pointed smudge brush.

I absolutely love Sephora Collection brushes and always recommend them during the holidays since there is amazing value here. Plus, with all that glitter, this will make the most festive gift.

Almond Foot Mask

At C$6 a pop, these foot masks from Sephora Collection make the perfect stocking stuffer.

Since winter is in full-fledged force here in Winnipeg, that means lots of dry skin to come. These disposable sock masks are soaked in a rich formula to soften and condition feet. The almond mask, available in a limited-edition festive packaging, comforts and nourishes dry feet and softens rough areas with almond extract.

A gift like this is truly for everyone, since who doesn’t like soft feet?

Glitter and Chill Cooling Mask

Another gift that could seriously be for anyone, the Glitter and Chill Cooling Mask is unfortunately sold out online but you may be able to still find it in your local Sephora store.

Pop this glittery eye mask in the fridge for 30 minutes and then pop it on your face to soothe eyes and reduce puffiness. The holiday season means lots of parties, cocktails and champagne, so wearing this bad boy the morning after will be a saving grace for anyone you gift it to (or just pick it up for yourself, it’s that cute!).

Cream Lip Stain Collector’s Set

I’ve been a fan of the Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stains for a while, so when I saw this set I thought it would be the perfect gift for the gal (or guy) who can’t get enough matte liquid lipsticks.

At C$34 (valued at C$108), this set includes six Cream Lip Stains in a variety of flattering colours (FYI you get six for the price of two in here). Shades include Always Red, Pink Souffle, Copper Blush, Glowing Beige, Soft Coral, and Purple Red. These matte liquid lip colours glide on the lips seamlessly and dry down to a matte finish. They are also infused with avocado oil, meaning that your lips are nourished as you wear them.

Mini Cream Lip Stain Set

If you’re looking for something smaller to gift, then take a look at the Mini Cream Lip Stain Set  (on sale for C$10), which includes four minis of the Cream Lip Stains.

Included in this set are the shades Crimson Crush, Always Red, Pink Tea, and Sweet Raspberry. This set is awesome since it gives your recipient deluxe samples of this lipstick, meaning they can test out the colours to see if they like the formula and the shades.  Also, the small sizes are just big enough to fit in even the most compact clutch.

In case you haven’t figured it out yet, there are so many great gift ideas for pretty much anyone on your list this season. There’s also about a hundred more items I didn’t talk about, but hey, I love giving you guys any excuse possible to pop into a Sephora store or check out the items online.

Are any items from Sephora Collection on your list this year?

Please note, I was sent these products from PR. All opinions are my own.

Like what you read? Check out these related posts:

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You can never go wrong gifting a fragrance.

Perfume is definitely one of those easy and safe gifts. Have someone on your list that loves a particular scent but is running out? Maybe someone who wants to try something new? Or perhaps a bestie who loves candy-scented perfumes but is looking for something new along those lines. With probably a million different fragrances out there, it’s easy to find the perfume (or cologne) that will suit just about anyone.

Here are my top five picks to gift this holiday season!

Calvin Klein Women Eau de Parfum

Perhaps the first thing that will draw you in about this scent won’t be the actual smell, but rather the bottle itself. This perfume (C$92 for 50 ml) is the first perfume ever created by Raf Simons, chief creative officer for Calvin Klein, and features a woman’s eye on the top of the bottle. The perfume itself is a feminine scent that includes notes of orange flower petals and Alaskan cedar wood.

The perfume is empowering and can easily transition from day to night, meaning that the person you gift it to will definitely get lots of wear out of it. Plus, let’s be real here, that bottle is so unique that they’ll be so excited to display it on their vanity.

Burberry Her 

This one is definitely at the top of my list for favourite scents this holiday season.

I actually first smelled Burberry Her (C$142 for 100 ml) during the #LDBeauty Fall Beauty event this past October in Whistler and couldn’t get over how sweet and sugary it smelled. Although the perfume is part of the floral fragrance family, it has notes of dark berries, jasmine, and musk amber. I wouldn’t call it floral per se, but rather sweet, almost like candy.

I definitely think this is more of a daytime fragrance since it’s so light and fragrant, but it’s hands-down my favourite one this season.  As a side, the brand’s My Burberry eau de parfum (C$110 for 50 ml) which has key notes of rose, geranium leaf, sweet pea, bergamot, quince, freesia, and patchouli is another fabulous recommendation as well. I got this one at the #LDBeauty event and fell in love with the scent; it’s perfect for everyday wear.

Acqua di Parma Magnolia Noble

If you are looking for something truly luxurious, then take a look at Acqua di Parma’s Magnolia Noble gift set.

This gift set, which include a 75 ml body lotion, 75 ml body wash, and 100 ml eau de perfum, is set in the stunning gift box by British artist Clym Evernden.  This scent is very fresh smelling, with the top notes being Calabrian Bergamot, Sicilian Lemon, Sicilian Citron. Heart notes include magnolia, Bulgarian rose, tuberose absolute, and jasmine sambac absolute. Finally, the base notes are sandalwood, patchouli, vetiver, and Madagascar vanilla.

This set retails for C$204 at Saks Fifth Avenue and Holt Renfrew. It’s definitely a pricey one, but Acqua Di Parma is a luxury perfume line so it will truly make anyone on your gift list very happy to receive it.

Tiffany and Co. Intense

Nothing makes a girl’s heart beat faster than that iconic turquoise box from Tiffany’s (figuratively speaking of course). If jewelry is out of your budget this season, then take a look at one of the brand’s fragrances.

Tiffany and Co. Intense (C$165 for 75 ml) is a richer and deeper version of their signature fragrance. This version has notes of verse de mandarine, pink peppercorn, noble iris, amber, and benzoin. The best way I can personally describe the scent is that it smells like an expensive department store. So if you have someone on your list that loves luxury things, then I’m sure they will adore this perfume.

Mr. Burberry Indigo

Now for something for the men, cologne is always a staple gift and Mr. Burberry Indigo (C$80 for 50 ml) has the right amount of luxury and masculinity to make any guy in your life happy.

The keynotes in this eau de toilette include citrus, wood, violet leaf, spearmint oil, lemon, rosemary, amber, and oak moss.

The brand calls this fragrance earthy and woody, and if you pick up My Burberry or Burberry Her for yourself, then I definitely recommend gifting Mr. Burberry Indigo to that special someone in your life to match.

Fragrance is such an easy gift to give and with some many choices out there, I’m sure you’ll be able to find the perfect scent for anyone on your list.

What’s your favourite perfume to gift?

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From dazzling cheekbones to dazzling skin, Laura Mercier has you covered this holiday season.

Laura’s Mercier’s holiday collection truly has something for everyone. Have a makeup lover on your list? Then they’ll love her highlighter and setting powder sets.  What about someone who loves bath and body? Don’t worry, she has that too.

The brand’s City of Lights collection has pretty much everything you could possibly want in a holiday collection. Festive packaging? Check. Amazing value sets? Check. Box sets to make your gift recipient’s heart skip a beat? Check, check, and check!

So let’s get into it.

Perhaps one of her most popular items, Laura Mercier has a couple different setting powder sets to choose from this season. Truth be told, I have a lot of setting powders, but I’ve actually never tried her famous Translucent Loose Setting Powder before. I know it’s reached icon status, so if you have someone on your list like me who’s never tried this product but would love to, then now is the perfect time to scoop this up.

The Pret-A-Powder Limited Edition Powder & Puff (C$48) features the brand’s best-selling translucent powder paired with a velour puff to create a soft, matte finish on the face. This set, available in two shades, Light/Medium and Medium/Deep, makes for a great value since the full-size of the powder alone retails for C$48 anyways, so you get the puff for free (as well as limited-edition packaging, let’s not forget about that).

If you want to try out a variety of her powders, then take a look at the Custom Setting Matte & Glow Translucent Loose Setting Powder Duo (C$48), which is a limited-edition set that features a specially-packaged deco jar of the Translucent Loose Setting Powder and the Translucent Loose Setting Powder Glow with a smaller velour puff.

This set has minis (but still a good size that would last you for months) of both the original setting powder, as well as the glow formula which gives you that extra luminosity. In case you aren’t familiar with these powders, they help set your foundation and prolong the wear of your makeup. Apply this powder after your foundation and concealer to set and give you a more polished look. If you haven’t tried setting powder before, once you try it I swear you won’t be able to live without it!

After your makeup is set, don’t forget to go in with a powder highlighter for some out-of-this-world glow. Laura Mercier has a couple different highlighting palettes (which are always good ideas as gifts, might I add) to choose from this season.

The Mood Glow Face Illuminating Trio ($52 US, valued at $103) features three face illuminators in the shades Indiscretion, Devotion, and Ambition. These illuminators are highlighting powders that can be used on the face, eyes, and chest, and feature prismatic pigments to give you long-wearing illuminating that won’t fade.  Depending on your mood, you can also customize the level of luminosity with these depending on which brush you use to apply them.

Laura Mercier also has the Stardust Radiant Glow Trio (C$62.07), which features three baked powder highlighters in the shades Rose Gold Melange, Champagne Melange, and Bronze Melange. These highlighters come in a similar palette as the Mood Glow Face Illuminating Trio, but the texture of the two products are different. This one has a smooth, flat, baked powder which highlights the skin with light-reflecting pigments for a multidimensional look that flatters any skin tone.

I find this palette delivers a softer glow to the skin and isn’t as bright as the other formula. Both palettes are good, it really just depends on what you want from a highlighter and what formula you prefer.

Moving on to bath and body, I tried out some of Laura Mercier’s bath products last year and fell in love with the formula, so when I saw that she has a number of collections out this year (in a perfectly packaged gift box), I instantly thought of like 10 people on my list I could gift these to.

The Luxe Indulgences gift sets, available in Ambre Vanille and Coconut Milk (both C$98), contain deluxe and full sizes of her Honey Bath, Body Wash, Body Creme, and eau de toilettes products. Ambre Vanille is a blend of amber with vanilla, along with notes of tangerine, tiger orchid, heliotrope, almond, brown sugar, coconut, and musky sandalwood.  Coconut Milk is a blend of coconut, almond, vanilla, heliotrope, and musk for a rich, sensual and alluring experience.

No matter which scent you pick up, I can pretty much guarantee that anyone on your wish list will love these sets. The Honey Bath is a shower creme that leaves you skin soft and supple; the body wash is a gentle body wash that lathers up in the shower to cleanse skin and leave it moisturized and lightly scented; and the soufflé body creme is a smooth body creme that nourishes skin with a lightly whipped feel, leaving you wrapped up in fragrance. If you want to up the ante on the scent, don’t forget a couple spritzes of the eau de toilette.

I know what you’re thinking, $100 for a bath and body gift set? I can honestly tell you that the quality of these products are top notch. The soufflé body creme alone literally feels like butter on your skin. There is definitely a difference here in terms of quality between these products and those you would normally find at the drugstore. It may be pricey, but the holidays are definitely the time to splurge and I can assure you that anyone you gift this to (maybe a bestie or your mom?) will absolutely adore it.

From a little shine to a flawless face to even gifting luxurious skin, I would definitely a look at what Laura Mercier has in store this holiday season. She also has about a billion (well, not really haha) other sets right now, so definitely check to out her holiday collection, there’s something for everyone this season.

Will you be gifting any Laura Mercier items this holiday season?

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