Since March, I've had a candle sitting at my working from home desk that I light every time I'm feeling a bit down. It is hands down the best gift I've bought myself in 2020.
Specifically, it's the Palm Beach Collection Coconut and Lime BIG candle, which smells like the overseas holiday none of us are allowed to go on.
It's been a persistent small joy during a time that has been scary and stressful. In a tough year, a lot of us have been looking for the small joys. A smell that cheers us up. A moisturiser. A serum. A lipstick that tells the people on the other end of our video call that we certainly didn't wake up four minutes before we dialled in. In a world where we can't control much, sometimes a face oil makes us feel like at least we have some agency over the texture of our skin.
So, with Christmas coming up, you might want some inspiration for that picky family member who refuses to tell you what they actually want.
Myer stocks all the best beauty brands, both in store and online (their Beauty Fix section has guides, tips and tricks from celeb insiders).
Here are some of our favourites from their Chrissie wrap-up:
1. MOR Mashmallow Masquerade Trio $29.95
I've always been obsessed with this brand. It's fancy but affordable.
After having done the maths, the gift sets at Myer are seriously good value. If you got these products separately it would cost you more like $43.
It includes:
A Marshmallow Soapette 60g
A Marshmallow Hand and Nail Cream 50ml
A Marshmallow Perfume Oil 9ml
It's the perfect gift for a friend, mother or sister, who loves - as my mum calls it - "smelly stuff". Their hand and nail cream is exceptionally nourishing, and with all the hand sanitiser we've been using this year, it's never been in higher demand.
2. Palm Beach Collection Coconut & Lime Candle 420g $42.95
Hands down one of the best candles I've ever purchased, and I'm obsessed with candles. If you like scents that aren't too florally, this one is for you.
It's a mix of balsam, musk, vanilla, rosewood and fruit and I know it's very difficult to imagine but trust me. Even when it's not burning it makes the entire room smell beautiful. It comes in a big glass jar, and looks great on your bedside table or coffee table.
A candle is also a great stocking filler if that's what you're after.
3. Jurlique Mini Face Treats $37
This gift set includes pretty much an entire skincare routine for $37. And it's Jurlique.
You get:
Activating Water Essence
Radiant Skin Foaming Cleanser
Rosewater Balancing Mist
Moisture Plus Rare Rose Serum
If you were to buy a full bottle of the Rose Serum, it would cost you $75. So this is a fantastic way to try a bunch of products at once, and decide whether or not you love them.
Jurlique is renowned for being especially good on sensitive skin, so there's no risk of buying it for a friend and it making them break out in hives. Which would be a shame.
They're also an Aussie brand. Myer stocks a bunch of Australian beauty brands like Natio, Kora Organics and Sand & Sky.
4. M•A•C Mini Lipstick Kit $85
M•A•C lipstick is iconic and not by accident. Velvet Teddy is known by beauty experts to be the magic shade that suits everybody, and it's incredibly nourishing. This mini lipstick kit includes five of their most popular shades, in a range of finishes.
5. The Ordinary 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil $18.90
Myer stocks The Ordinary. I repeat. Myer stocks The Ordinary.
The Ordinary is known to be a real pioneer in the clean beauty movement, and has become a cult favourite of women all over the country. They do every skincare product you could possibly need, but at a fraction of the cost of other major beauty brands.
If your skin concern is anti-aging, dryness or dullness, then this oil is perfect. It's also vegan and suitable for all skin types.
6. Narciso Rodriguez Narciso Eau De Parfum Ambrée 90ml $179
If my partner is reading this: I want Narciso Rodriguez perfume for Christmas, do you understand?
This stuff is FANCY. It's what you get your mum. Or an aunty who you really, really like.
The fragrance itself is floral and feminine. It describes itself as "a luminous fragrance that reveals the vibrant warmth of sun-kissed skin," and as if you don't want that.
7. Clinique More Than Moisture $75
Clinique's Moisture Surge 72-Hour Auto-Replenishing Hydrator is one of the best on the market. It's oil-free and, as the name suggests, works nonstop for 72 hours, even after you've washed your face. The moisturiser makes your skin look plump, dewy and gives it a healthy glow. It smells good too.
In this set, you get:
A full-size Moisture Surge 72-Hour Auto-Replenishing Hydrator
A Moisture Surge Overnight Mask
A Moisture Surge Lip Hydro-Plump Treatment
A Moisture Surge Eye 96-Hour Hydro-Filler Concentrate,
It suits all skin types, but is particularly effective on dry skin.
Clinique gift sets have always been the ultimate Christmas present for anyone in your life who loves skincare. Myer has a bunch, as well as other brands like Estee Lauder, Lancôme and Clarins.
8. Lancôme Grandiose Mascara Set $61
This mascara set includes:
Grandiose Mascara 01 Noir Mirific 10ml lengthening mascara
Le Crayon Khl - Miniature 01 Noir 0,7g eyeliner pencil
Bi-Facil 30 ml eye makeup remover
The mascara on its own would ordinarily cost you $59, so again, incredible value. It features Lancôme's renowned rose cell extract for nourishing and smoothing, and the specially engineered 'swan neck' is ideal for volumising your lashes.
9. Giorgio Armani Si Passione Eau de Parfum 50ml Gift Set $165
Si Passionate Eau de Parfum by Georgio Armani is iconic.
The gift set includes a 50ml bottle of the fragrance, a 15ml bottle, and the S Passione Eau de Parfum Body Lotion 75ml.
The scent is the kind where you'll be asked 10 times every time you go out what perfume you're wearing, with the freshness of blackcurrant nectar and pear, the floral notes of rose and jasmine, and the woody notes of vanilla and cedarwood.
Head to Myer's Beauty Fix now for all your Christmas beauty needs.
Feature image: Myer/Mamamia.