I can't believe it's already December! This semester has gone by so quickly! I've been so busy the past 3 weeks with 10 final exams (3rd year Optometry student), but just finished my last one today! Glad to say all of them went well and I finished the semester strong. Anyways, the past week or so I've been reading everyone's "Holiday Gift Guides" and have become so excited for the holidays! I spent some time and came up with my top 21 favorite gifts all under $50. Most of these are for women so your Mom, Grandmother, Sister, Aunt, girlfriend, friend, etc but there are some that could be for the men in your life too! Some of them are super random but I promise will change your life...
Here are my top Holiday gifts for under $50 (in order according to the collage but not in order according to my favorites):
1. Starbucks Los Angeles Double Wall Traveler (12oz) $22.95 - this is such a cute coffee mug! Starbucks recently lauched a travel mug for each state and some of the bigger cities called the "Local Collection". Each has its own special design that relates to the area. My favorite one is the LA one even though I live in Florida. The Miami and Indy ones are super cute too though! Would be a great gift for a family member or friend that's proud of their hometown or for yourself! Check them all out here!
2. Sigma Beauty Classic Express Duo $39 ($49 value) - this includes the best seller (& my favorite foundation brush ever) the F80 Flat Kabuki in Copper and the Sigma Spa Express Cleaning Glove. This is a great gift for any of your friends or family that wear makeup but maybe don't have a great quality foundation brush yet. The fibers on this brush are so dense and soft even after years of use. It's perfect for applying full-coverage foundation. The cleaning glove is great because it cleans your brushes so much deeper than just using your hands. I would also recommend purchasing the SigMagic Brush Shampoo ($15 for 5.1oz) for the ultimate clean.
3. Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb Rollerball ($29 for 0.33oz) - this is my favorite scent and this rollerball seriously lasts forever! It's such a great deal too for only $29. Perfect gift for Mom, sis girlfriend or your friends.
4. The Container Store Luxe Acrylic Modular System ($11.99 - $36.99 each) - this has been one of my best purchases of the year. They have different styles and sizes of drawers and you buy them individually to build your perfect beauty organizer! I keep mine in my bathroom on the granite and it's made me so much more organized. I love that it's clear so that I can easily pick out the product I'm going to use (no more digging in dark drawers!). It's relatively cheap compared to the other ones I've seen online too. Depending on how many drawers you need determines the cost (this one might end up being over $50 but I promise it's worth it). Buy this for yourself now!
5. GUESS Women's Square Cat Eye Sunglasses $29.97 (56% off of $68 right now) - you can never go wrong with a cute pair of tortoise sunglasses! Nordstrom Rack always has great deals on designer items. PSA - 100% UV protection is so important for your eyes! Just like how the sun can cause damage to your skin, it can cause damage to your eyes. Cataracts, Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Cancer are just some of the diseases you can get from long term exposure of the harmful UV rays. Don't forget to wear your sunglasses while outside, even if it's cloudy (& especially if at the beach or if it's snowing). Fun fact, the UV coating is actually clear on glasses and sunglasses (the darker tint that you see is not the UV protection, so don't think the darker the more protection) and most wear off within a year or two if you buy a cheaper pair. The best place to buy sunglasses & glasses is at your Optometrist because they will be the best quality and your eye doctor knows whats best for your eyes!
6. Morphe 35O Nature Glow Eyeshadow Palette $22.99 - if you love warm-toned eye shadows, want great quality shades that blend well but don't want to spend a lot of money, look no further, this will be your new favorite eyeshadow palette. This is a best seller for a reason. Use Jaclyn Hill's coupon code "JACATTACK" for an additional 10% off.
7. Bite Beauty The Perfect Bite Set $25 ($59 value) - these are hands down my favorite lipsticks. These Amuse Bouche collection lipsticks are creamy, pigmented and moisturizing. This set includes four mini lipsticks (0.05oz each compared to the full-sized 0.15oz) of the shades Pepper (my #1), Fig, Honeycomb and Nori. All four shades are very wearable too. Perfect gift for Mom, sis or friends! Read my full review on the formula of these lipsticks here.
8. Paper Source Watercolor Foil Calendar 2016-2017 on sale right now for $20.97 (usually $29.95) - this has been one of my favorite large calendars! I used it last year and just bought this one for the upcoming year. The watercolor details are so pretty and I love being organized by having everything on my schedule written out in one month on my wall. This website is great for planners, thank you cards, home accents and other goodies so definitely check it out for gifts for Mom or your friends!
9. Crate and Barrel Camille 23oz Red Wine Glass $12.95 - if you watch Scandal you should recognize this wine glass, it's the one Olivia Pope uses! Add some popcorn and you've got yourself a great Scandal night. PS the new season starts on January 19th, can't wait!
10. Jackery Bar External Bar Charger for iPhone, iPad, Samsung Galaxy $15.99 - this is a great travel external battery for your phone when you don't have access to your wall plug-in charger. You plug your phone directly into the external battery via the USB cord that's included and it charges it up to 100% for 2-3 times before having to recharge the external battery. It's small and lightweight too. Perfect tech gift for your boyfriend or husband, family members and yourself or anyone that travels frequently!
11. We Love Eyes The Ultimate #Girlboss Eye Makeup Removal Kit $38 - this includes the Tea Tree Oil Eyelid & Eyelash Makeup Removal Oil and the Tea Tree Eyelid Foaming Cleanser. This is the only 100% natural tea tree oil product formulated for the eye by an Optometrist. Tea tree oil is known to have antibacterial properties and does a much better job at cleaning your eyelids than soap and water or baby shampoo (& doesn't burn!). I swear by these products for removing makeup, cleaning your eyelids and lashes, killing bacteria and demodex mites, relieving dry, burning and itchy eyes. Read my full review here. These are perfect gifts for yourself, your family, friends and even your boyfriend or husband! My boyfriend loves the eyelid foaming cleanser actually!
12. Kate Spade New York Mini Small Square Semiprecious Stone Stud Earrings in Denim Blue/Gold $38 - how cute and classy are these! They come in other colors too. Great gift for a girlfriend or sister!
14. Aveda 'Hand Relief' Hand Cream ($9.50 for 1.4oz or $24 for 4.2oz) - one of the best hand creams I've tried. Great stocking stuffer gift for anyone!
15. NEST Fragrances 'Holiday' Reed Diffuser ($42 for 5.9oz) - NEST has some amazing candles and diffusers in all scents! The Holiday scent is a favorite for sure. This is a great gift for Mom and your boyfriend's Mom (or Mother-in-law) too!
16. Moroccanoil Hydrating Travel Kit $48 - these products will make your hair feel so soft and smooth no matter what type you have. This kit includes the Hydrating Shampoo (2.4oz), Hydrating Conditioner (2.4oz), Intense Hydrating Mask (2.53oz), Moroccanoil Treatment (0.85oz) and a cute travel zip pouch. The perfect gift for a family member or friend!
17. RadioShack 9-Foot Lightning to USB Charging Cord for iPhone & iPad $24.99 - this is 3X longer than your original iphone charging cord. This will change your life, I promise you. Buy it for yourself and everyone you know!
18. Etsy Notepad I Gotta Focus! Daily To-Do List $10 - one of my favorite notepads for staying organized! Great stocking stuffer gift for anyone!
19. Umbra Aquala Bamboo Bathtub Caddy $29.98 - if you or anyone you know loves bubble baths, buy this immediately!!! One of my favorite purchases of the year. It has a built-in wine glass holder, book or ipad prop, and soap dish. The ultimate bubble bath experience. You'll thank me later.
20. Fresh Sugar Lip Seduction $50 ($84 value) - this value kit inclues seven mini lip treatments (0.07oz each) in the shades Rose, Poppy, Petal, Berry, Fig, Tulip and Ruby. My favorite two are Rose and Berry. I've used these and recommended them for years. The perfect tinted lip treatment that makes your lips feel so soft and hydrated! Great gift for any girl!
21. Ole Henriksen The Traveling Wonders $48 ($68 value) - a travel kit of five of the brand's best sellers. It includes the African Red Tea Foaming Cleanser (1.5oz), Truth Serum Collagen Booster (0.5oz), Sheer Transformation (0.5oz), Invigorating Night Treatment (0.5oz) and Ultimate Lift Eye Gel (0.25oz). This is a great gift for the skincare junkies.
I hope you found this holiday gift guide helpful!! Let me know if you end up trying any of these products. I'd also love to read your holiday gift guide so please comment it below!! <3