Beauty gift ideas please

[SomeBunnyovertheRainbow]

I have a colleague who shares my love of beauty products and her birthday is coming up at the end of next month.

I want to order a gift for her so I will probably need to do it in the next couple of weeks to ensure it reaches her.

I’m not sure what to get! I’ve previously got her make up and brushes from decent brands.

I’d be grateful for ideas.

She’s into lip products but it’s tough to choose colours.

I’m tempted by the new Too Faced neutral palette but she doesn’t wear eye shadow as much.

I’m tempted to get something from Milk as it has good reviews and she might not have tried it.

Maybe Anastasia BH Brie products.

An hourglass powder.

She is going to be 23, medium-tan / asian skin and dark hair.

It doesn’t have to be a make up or skincare gift but not sure what else to buy.

Budget is about £40

And on a separate but related note are flowers a strange thing to send to an 18 year old for her birthday, with a card? I never had flowers at that age but think it might be nice as it a bit of something.

I like this but might be a boring gift

www.cultbeauty.co.uk/too-faced-born-this-way-the-natural-nudes-skin-centric-eyeshadow-palette.html

I’m probably overthinking but I really like this girl and obviously haven’t seen her for ages so I want to get her something she’ll love

Some Nars goodies

www.narscosmetics.co.uk/en/products/palettes-gifts

Love the Free Lover cheek palettes, Hyped eye palette and there is a lip palette which seems a bit “different”

It’s is a good job I started shopping early

Bunny

I don't mind some benefit stuff but I used to think it was brilliant , then soap and glory kind of did a cut price version. It's just lost its lure. Just doesn't feel expensive/like a treat.

Go classic/cult

Tilbury pillow talk
Nars orgasm
Mac velvet teddy
Smash box photo finish
Etc

The nars palettes are nice

@Noeuf I get what you mean

Pillow Talk is high on my list and that’s what I started looking at but she has a medium-tan (asian) skin tone so might be too light. I wa S looking at PT medium and intense but reviews said colour is weird and then I started looking at other things.

Not sure Velvet teddy would suit either but you’re making me come back around to the CT lipsticks 🤔

I've got live skin and I love the Anastasia glow palette.

She likes Anastasia. Olive skin? Took me a while!

This is nice

laroccosmetics.co.uk/collections/laroc-pro/products/laroc-pro-the-bakery-box?customer_posted=true#feedback-bar--newsletter

Sorry, yes, olive skin. You could consider buying a makeover voucher at a beauty counter. Bobbi brown and make do a make up lesson and the price of the lesson is redeemable. But she may have to wait a while before she uses it unfortunately.

Everything is just a little uncertain at the moment.

I feel like a gift is more exciting than a voucher or something she can’t use yet

What about make-up brushes? My daughter had a couple of Charlotte Tilbury brushes (one blusher and one eyeshadow brush) for her 21st birthday and it was her favourite gift. I think Mac also have a good range of brushes.

I bought a brush set for her last year so wanted to do something different, otherwise I would go for that

https://www.charlottetilbury.com/uk/product/magic-star-powder-highlighter?istCompanyId=3dfffc45-1529-45a3-a883-dba601d7c955&istFeedId=531587ba-0c6c-4397-a202-a1570efe3443&istItemId=iwqtmlxtr&istBid=tztx&dsrl=1241285&gclid=CjwKCAjwiMj2BRBFEiwAYfTbCtfIfbIYrqlCGgVwICreR0Qg8-aIgyNmqkEuWfmZgCDFUmjlxfNrhRoCfVcQAvDD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Just remembered (weird link!) this - looks gorgeous

@Noeuf 😍

Love limited edition as well

I like the lipsticks but not 100% on the colours so this is a good idea

It's lush isn't it? Might get one for dd as I can't see her at the moment. I do love limited ed packaging. Not so keen when they do it with products! I always fall in love and then miss it.

I haven’t ruled out the pillow talk medium lipstick and lip line set or the mesmerise shadow in star gold with something else like a mascara or brow pencil.

Personally I think CT is all fur coat and no knickers. Surely the same applies to it as every other lipstick as far as shade is concerned.

@Alsohuman It might be. I’ve never tried any of her stuff myself. I’ve also read she’s a bit of a twat

The packaging is awful, it falls apart really quickly. And what adult woman believes anything is “magic”?

@Alsohuman I hadn’t thought into it to be honest re the magic but see what you mean. The reason I was more inclined to get her lipsticks though is because the Pillow Talk lipstick colour is quite iconic and she does a shade for darker skin tones, so that seems perfect. It’s the colour that’s the issue. A decent colour from a perceived high end / luxury brand would work

I don't think people are taking it literally it's just marketing. The magic cream is brilliant and her highlighter (cream stick) is great.

I think gifts need a bit of sparkle and interest without being useless. I would never buy a lipstick for someone unless it was a cult colour as then I'd be buying them a bit of a group/club feel.

Like Nars orgasm - sometimes it's nice to own this stuff.

I know people aren’t taking it literally but it feels a bit infantilising. I hate the Magic cream anyway. I completely agree about sparkle, that’s why I’m a complete sucker for Chantecaille, like this eyeshadow, and the Guerlain Rouge G lipsticks. CT feels like a weak substitute by comparison.

www.harrods.com/en-gb/shopping/rhinoceros-luminous-eye-shade-14823549?utm_source=google_uk&utm_medium=shopping&utm_campaign=beauty&utm_content=chantecaille_14823549-7983&gclsrc=aw.ds&&gclid=CjwKCAjwq832BRA5EiwACvCWsZ_740RR1tg-zKvHYcAt6nA481wrEOt2MH3V0LLk_wti6cwCwjss6RoCGdoQAvD_BwE

I think some sparkle or something limited edition or something either cult or iconic that she wouldn’t have is kind of what I’m looking for. I’d also go for a Guerlain or other decent brand thats maybe marketed less well if I knew she’d like the colour. I don’t wear lipstick much otherwise I’d have a better idea as we’re not that far apart skin-tone wise.

I was looking at a Nars set that had Laguna and Orgasm in it and I’m not sure whether she had them.

I still like the CT lipstick and highlighter and the Nars cheek palette

I think you’ve put me off the Benefit one @Noeuf though I still want it for myself

Her birthday is end of June and I want to get the parcel sent directly to her so don’t want to order too early

Hiya, just thought I'd let you know I went and ordered the pillow talk in medium shade. It looked awful on me 🤣 it's nothing like the colour on website. Looked like a dark purple, gutted 😩😩

@pinklashes98 Oh no! See the reviews said the colours look different in real life too. Can you send it back on that basis? If you’re relying on photos to buy make up online them the pictures need to be accurate!

Just thought I’d second the idea for a silk pillowcase, I’ve bought them for my DDs, 26 and 19 and they loved them. Another idea is a Chanel double mirror, I’ve bought that for both of them too. Comes in a little bag and is very cute and stylish to have in your bag.