25 skincare gifts beauty lovers are obsessing over this year
— Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed’s editors. Purchases you make through our links may earn us a commission.
We could all use some extra pampering this year, and there’s no better time to treat a loved one to spa-like products than during the holiday season. Whether a relaxing beauty session for your giftee means soaking the feet, taking 10 minutes to focus on a skincare routine or indulging in occasional beauty treatments, we have products for everyone on your list this year.
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1. For the one who unwinds with a soak: A set of bath bombs
What is a bath without a fizzy, colorful, fragrant soap? This set, which has over 19,100 rave reviews on Amazon, comes with 12 individually wrapped soaps that moisturize with shea butter. The scents range from mango papaya to lavender to lemongrass tea, so your recipient is guaranteed to find an aroma they’ll love.
Get the LifeAround2Angels Bath Bombs Gift Set on Amazon for $26.80
2. For the one who always wears makeup: A top-notch cleanser
Skincare products aren’t always the most fun to buy for yourself—you probably know the feeling of standing in the drugstore aisle staring at dozens of cleansers and moisturizers. Help your loved one out by starting their skincare routine off right with an oil cleanser that’ll remove all makeup and dirt from the face, like the mega-popular DHC Deep Cleansing Oil. Contrary to popular belief, anyone can use an oil cleanser—yes, even people with oily skin.
Get the DHC Deep Cleansing Oil on Amazon for $27.98
3. For the skincare junkie: A beauty subscription box
If you’re not sure what to buy the beauty fan on your list, you can’t go wrong with subscribing them to a beauty subscription box. After testing, our recommendation for skincare specifically is the Dermstore Beauty Fix box, as it comes with a mix of six o full- and sample-size beauty products with an emphasis on luxury skincare from brands like SkinCeuticals and Nuori.
Get the Dermstore box on Dermstore for $24.95 per month
4. For the one who wants a new routine: A trio from Fresh
Gifts sets are never a bad idea when it comes to holiday shopping. This one from Fresh comes with its highly-rated Soy Face Cleanser that removes makeup and grime, the Rose Face Mask that tones and hydrates with rosewater and the Lotus Youth Preserve Moisturizer that moisturizes with hyaluronic acid and smooths the skin with star fruit leaf extract.
Get the Fresh Cleanse, Mask, Moisturize Set on Sephora for $25
5. For anyone who washes their hands a lot (so, anyone): A yummy-smelling hand cream
Constant sanitizing our hands isn’t going anywhere. To roll with the times, give your loved one this adorable peach hand cream from TonyMoly, which a former Reviewed editor raves about for its thick, moisturizing formula that absorbs well so the hands feel soothed but not greasy, and its delicious fragrance from peach extract.
Get the TonyMoly Peach Hand Cream on Amazon for $12
6. For the one who likes an experiment: A set of anti-wrinkle patches
As far as we’re concerned, smile lines are only indicative of a life well-lived. But if you have someone on your list who goes to a dermatologist or esthetician for treatments, consider introducing them to SiO Beauty anti-wrinkle patches. Our tester found that the FaceLift kit, which includes under-eye patches and a patch for the forehead, works well to smooth out fine lines and wrinkles. “I might enter a beauty contest now,” she says.
Get the SiO Beauty FaceLift on SiO Beauty for $49.95
7. For the one with dry skin: A popular face and body moisturizer
Sometimes the best gifts are the ones that we didn’t know we needed. And trust me, Reviewed’s beauty writer: Everyone needs moisturizer. The CeraVe Moisturizing Cream contains ceramides to protect the skin barrier and hyaluronic acid to maintain moisture. Your giftee can use this on their face after cleansing, or all over the body when their skin is parched.
Get the CeraVe Moisturizing Cream on Amazon for $16.08
8. For the one who’s always too tired to take makeup off: A cleansing brush
Friends don’t let friends sleep in their makeup. If your loved one balks at the nighttime routine of taking makeup off and cleansing the skin before bed, change their perspective with the PMD Smart Facial Cleansing Brush. After testing nine popular face cleansing brushes, we landed on this one as our top pick because it’s intuitive to use, effective at removing leftover makeup and dirt from the face, easy to clean and portable.
Get the PMD Smart Facial Cleansing Device on Ulta for $99
9. For the one who’s ready to upgrade their routine: A set from First Aid Beauty
Multi-step skincare routines are not for everyone, and that’s OK! All most people need is a cleanser and moisturizer. But if someone on your list is ready to take their basic routine up a notch, snag this First Aid Beauty All That FAB kit, which includes a cleanser, exfoliating pads, an eye cream, a lip balm and the Sephora cult-favorite Ultra Repair Cream moisturizer.
Get the First Aid Beauty All That FAB on Sephora for $49
10. For the one who hosts spa nights: A 16-pack of face sheet masks
You never know when the inspiration to pamper will strike. For times when it does, give your giftee this variety pack of sheet masks from Dermal. Whether they save them for themselves, share with a partner, or bring them out at future gatherings, these masks with over 13,000 Amazon reviews are sure to please. Each one uses different key ingredients to serve a purpose, such as moisturizing, soothing or brightening the skin.
Get the Dermal Korea Collagen Essence Facial Mask Sheet (16 pack) on Amazon for $9.99
11. For the trendy one: A jade roller
The jury is still out on the touted benefits of jade rollers, which include claims of helping to flush toxins, tighten pores and boost collagen. However, these small paint roller-looking tools set with a spinning green stone feel great on the skin, particularly when your face feels puffy or hot or if you have a headache. Dermatologists agree that using one can temporarily de-puff the face and even help products absorb deeper into the skin. Snag one for a loved one who enjoys getting in on the latest beauty trends.
Get the RoselynBoutique Jade Roller on Amazon for $13.95
12. For the TikToker in your family: A trending peeling mask
Speaking of fads, Tik Tok is abuzz with videos of users applying this mask from The Ordinary. Why? Well, it may be because it looks like blood dripping down your face when first applied with the dropper (teens love the shock value). But it also claims to fight visible blemishes, improve the look of skin texture and brighten the skin using chemical exfoliants glycolic, lactic and salicylic acids.
Get the The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution on Sephora for $7.20
13. For the one always on their feet: A foot spa
When many of us think of skincare, we first think of our faces, but let’s not forget about the feet, which haul us along all day. If your giftee is constantly upright for work or chasing after kids at home, give them our favorite foot spa from Ivation. It has adjustable heat settings to keep the water at the perfect temperature and massage rollers that feel amazing, and it features a splash guard to keep avoid a mess.
Get the Ivation Foot Spa on Amazon for $79.99
14. For the lip-balm hoarder: An overnight lip mask
If your recipient is anything like me, they require a lip balm on the nightstand, at their work desk and in every bag. After all, who wants chapped lips? To give a gift they’re sure to use every night, snag the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask. It uses hyaluronic acid and minerals to lock in moisture and a mix of berry-derived vitamin C and antioxidants to soothe and soften.
Get the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask on Sephora for $22
15. For the one who’s slow to treat themselves: A luxury skincare duo
You don’t need to splurge on skincare to get great quality, but if you’re going to, Sephora reviewers rave about Tatcha products. This duo includes small sizes of top picks from the brand: The Dewy Skin Cream that moisturizes with hyaluronic acid and botanical extracts and The Rice Wash that gently washes the skin of impurities.
Get the Tatcha Dewy Skin Duo on Sephora for $25
16. For the one who’s not a fan of winter: A summer-y scented body oil
If your giftee lives in a place where winter zaps the skin of moisture, this Eminence Organic Skin Care Apricot Body Oil will be in regular rotation in their post-shower routine. It moisturizes the skin with a blend of fruit and plant oils and has a texture that’s thick enough to apply on its own but thin enough to mix with a moisturizer. What’ll really hook your recipient in, though, is its decadent apricot smell that’s reminiscent of the warmer months.
Get the Eminence Organic Skin Care’s Apricot Body Oil on Sephora for $29
17. For the one who likes a practical gift: A facial hair remover
It may seem like a funny gift, but the reason I tried the Finishing Touch Flawless is because my friend received it as a gift and raved about it. The tool, which pares down hair with a spinning head as the user grazes the skin in circular motions, is amazing for trimming away upper lip fuzz, pesky chin hairs or stray brow strands, with no skin irritation or coarse return growth.
Get the Finishing Touch Flawless Hair Remover on Amazon for $19.88
18. For the one who’s concerned about aging skin: A retinol cream
Some embrace the effects of aging, and some just don’t. But the reality is that anyone can use retinol, an ingredient known for its “anti-aging” benefits. However, if you have a loved one who wants to upgrade their routine to “get ahead” of things like fine lines, wrinkles and an uneven skin tone, over 16,900 Amazon reviewers agree that the Lilyana Naturals Retinol Cream is the way to do it.
Get the Lilyana Naturals Retinol Cream on Amazon for $22.99
19. For the one who loves a glowy complexion: A dewy skincare set
Thousands of reviewers swear by Drunk Elephant skincare products, and the Protini Polypeptide Cream, which has over 4,000 Sephora reviews, is at the center of this gift set. To keep the skin feeling hydrated and looking dewy, snag this kit, which also includes the A-Passioni Retinol Cream to smooth fine lines, the B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum to draw and retain moisture, the Slaai Makeup-Melting Butter Cleanser to remove makeup and grime and the Bamboo Booster to exfoliate.
Get the Drunk Elephant Dewy: The Polypeptide Kit on Sephora for $75
20. For the spa DIY-er: A powder-to-clay mask
The Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay Mask has over 23,800 reviews and a 4.6-star on Amazon for several good reasons: It claims to draw impurities from the pores, exfoliate the skin and remove excess oil with bentonite clay. To use, your giftee can mix water or raw apple cider vinegar into the clay powder and apply all over the face for up to 20 minutes.
Get the Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay Mask on Amazon for $12.79
21. For the one who’d rather be in bed: A silk pillowcase
Silk pillowcases not only feel great on the skin because of their, well, silky texture, but they tout skincare benefits, like improving moisture retention and preventing acne because of the material’s low absorbency. After testing a few popular ones, I recommend the Alaska Bear Natural Silk Pillowcase, as it’s a reasonably priced option that doesn’t compromise quality and it has a zipper that keeps the case from slipping off of the pillow.
Get the Alaska Bear Natural Silk Pillowcase on Amazon for $23.99
22. For the one who enjoys a bronzed glow: A natural-looking self-tanner
Vacations may be on hold this year (and you should be wearing sunscreen anyway), but anyone can look like they just stepped off the plane from a tropical getaway with a tanning lotion. The Beauty by Earth Self Tanner has over 9,600 reviews and a 4.3-star rating. It promises natural-looking results with a white formula that won’t leave behind stains on sheets or clothing.
Get the Beauty by Earth Self Tanner on Amazon for $29.99
23. For the one who loves a signature scent: A delicious smelling kit for head to toe
The Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream is considered a must-have among Sephora reviewers for its “warm and spicy” scent and fast-absorbing formula that supposedly tightens and smooths the look of skin. Now, you can grab this gift set, which includes the cream, a moisturizing body wash, a shower gel and a lip balm all in the decadent scent that has notes of salted caramel, pistachio and vanilla.
Get the Sol de Janeiro Wild Extravaganza Set on Sephora for $62
24. Fo
r the sustainability seeker: A pack of reusable cotton rounds
Whether they’re used to take off makeup with micellar water or to apply a toner or chemical exfoliant, cotton rounds are a practical gift. Even better are the ProCiv reusable rounds, which come with a pouch so your giftee can toss the bunch into the washing machine without losing any. Throw these into a stocking or a skincare gift basket for your favorite beauty lover.
Get the ProCiv Reusable Cotton Rounds on Amazon for $11.99
25. For the one who swears by Sunday Riley: A powerful skincare duo
For years, beauty bloggers and reviewers revered the Sunday Riley Good Genes All-In-One Lactic Acid Treatment for its ability to exfoliate and smooth the skin with lactic acid, brighten the appearance of dark spots with licorice and lemongrass extracts and soothe redness with prickly pear extract. And in this gift set, you can snag the must-have serum, along with the popular Luna Sleeping Night Oil, which claims to smooth wrinkles and fine lines and rid the skin of redness.
Get the Sunday Riley Power Couple on Sephora for $72
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Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.
This article originally appeared on Reviewed.com: The 25 best skincare gifts and gift sets of 2020