Holiday Gift Guide Part 5 — Instagram-Ready Gifts Sure To Be #Trending Topics
Shopping for the kind of girl who always has the newest emojis, boasts a near-encyclopedic knowledge of popular hashtags, and whose Periscope videos are stop-the-presses material? Then check out these Instagram-ready gift ideas that will make her feel #blessed.
Ari by Arianna Grande Eau de Parfum Spray, $59 for 3.4 fl. oz. bottle. Available at Macy’s, Ulta, and Lord & Taylor stores.
Thought you couldn’t love Ariana Grande any harder? Think again. The ponytail-loving pop star has created the type of scent even the “super gross rich,” clique-y, couture-loving Chanels of Scream Queens would adore — and with good reason since Ari did play Chanel #2! The globe-shaped, faceted, gem-like bottle captures Ari’s femininity and her penchant for glamour, while the cute white pom pom adorning the rose gold-toned neck channels her bubbly, perky, playful personality. The scent is just as lively, opening up with juicy pear, pink grapefruit, and raspberry notes that awaken the senses and conjure up a joyful energy, then foraying into a soft floral heart consisting of muguet and rose bud notes enveloped in a creamy vanilla orchid aroma, finally drying down to a sweet marshmallow and creamy musk base. The sweet fragrance and unapologetically girly packaging is a reminder that it does take a good girl to blow someone’s mind!
The Little Book of Skin Care: Korean Beauty Secrets for Healthy, Glowing Skin by Charlotte Cho, $24.99. Available at Amazon.com and BN.com
Anyone with an Allure subscription, a devotion to top-notch beauty blogs (ahem!), and a cleverly used Instagram account knows that, when it comes to skincare, Korean women have all the answers. From brightening sheet masks to BB creams, facial essences, and multi-step facial cleansing routines, Korean beauty practices have finally made their way to the Western hemisphere, rapidly gaining popularity among those seeking youthful-looking, supple, radiant skin. In this must-read book, Soko Glam co-founder Charlotte Cho guides readers through every facet of Korea’s skin-obsessed culture, explaining the reasoning behind double cleansing (oil-based cleanser first, water-based cleanser second), breaking down the difference between mechanical and chemical exfoliants, demystifying the famous ten-step Korean skincare routine and offering product recommendations for each step, providing advice on how to determine your skin type and the ideal products for it, and peppering #SoKoSecrets throughout each chapter (for instance, fermented skincare ingredients are all the rage in Korea now since the process yields amino acids and antioxidants easily absorbed by the skin). Chapters 3 and 7 alone should prove life-changing for those seeking #flawless skin.
Sophia Webster Evangeline Angel Wing Sandal, $660. Available at NeimanMarcus.com
They say hope is that thing with feathers, so can you blame a gal for hoping these winged sandals end up on her feet come Christmas morning? Made in Brazil, these Sophia Webster d’Orsay sandals feature a 4″-high metallic pin heel, powder pink calf leather uppers, glitter-adorned heel counters, and sparkly, three-dimensional angel wing accents that extend upward from the heel counters so that great style can soar.
Banana Republic Fringe Long Vest, $158. Available at BananaRepublic.com
Anyone who wanted to emulate Emma Stone’s red carpet moment at the 2015 SAG Awards, when she ditched the traditional mermaid dresses in favor of a tuxedo-inspired Dior gown with a tailored bodice and sheer skirt, can do so with this long wool vest from Banana Republic. The polished piece plays on masculine and feminine aesthetic norms, featuring a double-breasted silhouette with notched lapels and front pockets with flap closures while combining these with a dreamy, romantic, layered fringe hemline.
Sephora Collection Glitter Happy Brush Set, $85. Available at Sephora.com
It’s true that all that glitters is not gold, but any gal who receives this glittery six-piece brush set will certainly feel like a golden child. The set contains six elegant brushes —a blush brush, pointed foundation brush, pointed concealer brush, blending brush, flat-topped all-over shadow brush, and tapered lip brush — featuring rose gold-toned metallic handles and soft bristles infused with 24k gold. Not only do the brushes glide atop the skin effortlessly, but they make the process of applying makeup feel decadent and indulgent. Moreover, the set comes with a gorgeous, vanity table-ready stand packed with rose gold glitter and stamped with the phrase “The Twinkle Of My Eye,” making this set a fabulous addition to any boudoir’s decor.
Maison Kitsuné for Shu Uemura Beauty Remix Smokey Eye & Cheek Palette in Plum, $65. Available at ShuUemura-USA.com
This limited-edition palette — part of the buzz-heavy collaboration between innovative fashion brand Maison Kitsuné and beauty trailblazer Shu Uemura — was inspired by the idea of fusing together prominent Eastern and Western makeup looks. In this case, the hope was to provide the tools to create a Parisian chic smokey eye with rich earthy and burgundy eyeshadows, along with the means through which to follow the lead of Tokyo’s beauty trendsetters by accentuating cheekbones with bright orange shades. The palette, then, includes seven pressed eye shadow shades —a burgundy, khaki brown, lavender, glittery silver, soft yellow, glittery salmon pink, and glittery orange — along with an orange highlighter blush shade.
Below, you’ll find swatches of the three earthy and purple-tinged shadows in the palette. The Lavender shade has cool silver undertones and features a satin finish with small tonal micropearls, while the Khaki Brown has gray undertones that make it all the more smoldering and seductive. The Burgundy shade, meanwhile, has more of a ripe plum feel, with reddish purple glitter specks.
Next, check out the glitter shades in the palette, all of which pack a lot of shimmer and yet do so in a demure and soft way. The most subtle shade is the soft yellow, which might remind you of candlelit dinners. The pink shade, meanwhile, has a metallic sheen to it and violet undertones that give it a cosmic feel which is, of course, compounded by the galactic silver hue.
Last, the palette includes two orange shades: one a glitter-packed Sunkist orange shadow and the other a bright, perky, Clementine orange pressed pigment shade meant to be used as a blush. Check them out here:
Etnia Barcelona WLA Africa 04 in ZERD, $219. Available at EtniaBarcelona.com
Part of the Wild Love in Africa Collection, which pays homage to the continent’s gallant wildlife, these sunglasses feature rounded Panthos frames with a chic zebra striped pattern, a red metal top bar along the frame front providing a distinctive touch and an exciting pop of color. The natural mineral mirrored lenses, meanwhile, were equipped with an anti-scratch and anti-static electricity treatment for greater durability.
Hairbanglez Tortoise Skinny, $10. Available at Hairbanglez.com
If your hair is long enough to be tied into a ponytail or even a min half bun, chances are you have at least one elastic hair tie wrapped around your wrist at this very moment. Yes, it clashes with your outfit and you’re not keen on anyone spotting it peeking out from underneath your stack of bracelets, but that’s the only way you know how to keep track of it. After all, hair elastics have a tendency to up and vanish. Well, what if you could keep that hair tie around your wrist without it being such an unsightly proposition? Enter Hairbanglez, a company that specializes in bangle bracelets with scalloped center indentations designed to accommodate thin or thick hair elastics, nestling them within those grooved channels so they can’t slip off. Gold-toned, silver, and black lucite plastic options are also available, as well as sporty silicone versions in bright and perky shades like peony pink, hydrangea purple, and grass green.
Bing Bang x Me & You Feminist Necklace, $195. Available at BingBangNYC.com
Any woman who dons this “Feminist” nameplate necklace, featuring two diamond accents above each “i” letter, will make Betty Friedan and Simone de Beauvoir proud. It’s a way to show the world that the term “feminist” is hardly pejorative and, hopefully, it will inspire women to unite and advocate causes that affect the entire gender: fighting for girls all over the world to have the right to pursue an education, demanding enforceable reforms that require equal pay for women, defending our reproductive rights, and lobbying for flexible hours to accommodate working mothers.
Missoni x Disney Minnie Mouse Ears, $150. Available at the Four Seasons Orlando at Walt Disney World. Call (407) 313-6985 or email Orlretail@fourseasons.com to order.
Cat ears are soooo 2014. Now that the cats are away, the mice can play — and they’ll have plenty of fun doing so when it involves wearing these adorable headbands with rounded ears inspired by Minnie Mouse, each of which features the dynamic chevron patterns and vibrant colors associated with the Missoni brand.
