And we are back with the second half of my Holiday Gift guide. For those who want a refresher on my high end gift guide from a few weeks back, you can find that here. I am doing this earlier than I have done previously, but for good reason. For those who live in regional and rural areas in Australia (i.e. me), today is the earliest cut off for Auspost shipping for some retailers. And with Christmas now less than two weeks away, the shipping is about to get real hectic. So, it’s best to get it done early.
In any case, as I said before, this is the gift guide for those who want some budget friendly beauty options. All of the picks featured in this post are under $50 and (for the most part) can be found both online and in store. Some will be great gifts in their own right, others are more stocking stuffer options. But all are amazing for the beauty lover in your life. Let’s get into it!
I don’t think there will ever be a year where I don’t recommend Australis. They are easily my favourite drugstore makeup brand and you really cannot go wrong with them. Their eyeshadow palettes have featured in nearly all of my affordable gift guides and this year is no different. My picks are the AUSTRALIS HEATWAVE EYESHADOW PALETTE – $21.95 and the AUSTRALIS STAY GROUNDED EYESHADOW PALETTE – $21.95
I also adore the AUSTRALIS LIP GLAZE – $16.95. And this year, they launched four new shades to their line. They have the same shine and hydration as the original four, but they’re slightly more pigmented. For me personally, Dirty Chai is the standout shade. A perfect beige nude. But they are all stunning. Best of all, Australis is currently 50% at Priceline! (not sponsored, just love a bargain)
Another brand that has crept up in my ranks is The Kind Collective. And they have some genuine bangers not only in their holiday collection, but in their line in general. I always have to recommend an affordable brush set in these posts, and the THE KIND COLLECTIVE ARTISTRY 5-PIECE BRUSH SET – $29.00 would be great for a makeup beginner. It comes with a powder brush, a blush/bronzer brush, an eyeshadow brush, an angled brush, and a brow spoolie.
But we also have to talk about the makeup! And If I saw that I got the THE KIND COLLECTIVE 9 PAN EYESHADOW PALETTE in PRISM VISION – $19.00, I’d be esctatic! The shimmers are out of this world amazing. And the mattes just glide on. I’ve also been unable to put down their THE KIND COLLECTIVE HYDRATING LIP OILS – $14.00. They come in four shades and are so deeply nourishng.
I also have two cheek products that would make great stocking stuffers. The THE KIND COLLECTIVE HIGH ACHIEVER COMPLEXION TRIO in SWEETHEART – $22.00 is a pink blush lovers dream. They contain two cream blushes and a shimmery blush topper that would work well all over the face. I have also been obsessed with the THE KIND COLLECTIVE GOT ME BLUSHIN’ LIP & CHEEK MOUSSE – $14.00. Zen Zone looks stunning on both the cheeks and the lips.
Mecca Max always nails their holiday collection. And this year, they very kindly sent me some of their best sellers. The MECCA MAX PARTY CHEEKS CONTOUR & BLUSH STICK DUO – $32.00* contains their bestselling Off Duty Contour Stick in Medium and a new limited edition shade of their Off Duty Blush Stick in Summer Sunset. Staying with cheeks, the MECCA MAX SUNKISSED FLUSH CREAM COMPLEXION PALETTE – $38.00* comes with a bronzer, a blush, and a highlight all in a super sleek compact.
Getting onto eyes, and the item I was the most excited by was the MECCA MAX SHOW-TOPPER HOLOGRAPHIC EYESHADOW TOPPER – $24.00*. This stunning little trio comes with three super sparkly eyeshadows that will add a pop of festive fun to any makeup look. Finally, we have the big one, the MECCA MAX FLYING COLOURS 25 SHADE EYESHADOW PALETTE – $44.00*. If you’re a fan of colour, this is the palette for you.
Swinging into some skincare and bodycare now, Frank Body has some fantastic affordable gift sets available. The FRANK BODY PURPLE PLUMP KIT – $32.00 has three of my favourite Frank Body body products. The Niacinamide Body Scrub is my shower go to for smoothing out my skin, the Niacinamide Correcting Body Serum helps soothe the skin barrier, and the Retinol Body Lotion helps target aging.
One that I think could make an amazing stocking stuffer would be the FRANK BODY PUCKER POP KIT – $38.00. This kit contains three of Frank Body’s best selling lip balms. You could give this away as a gift on it’s own or split it between three of your besties.
It wouldn’t be me if I didn’t have a sunscreen on this list. And I have two that I wanted to talk about. The GEM SOLAR SCREEN SPF 50+ HYDRATING FACE SUNSCREEN – $29.99* (TGA Declaration: sent in PR) is a serum textured sunscreen that provides UVA and UVB protection and contains Hyaluronic Acid and Niacinamide for extra skin protection. The TBH SKINCARE SKIN SHADY SPF 50+ FACE MOISTURISER $39.99 (TGA Declaration: purchased myself) is more of a true moisturiser consistency and contains Vitamin E and Glycerin for maximum hydration.
Sol De Janerio is another long time favourite over here. And their incredible range of body moisturisers make such perfect little gifts. The SOL DE JANERIO BEIJA-FLOR ELASTI-CREAM – $40.00 and the SOL DE JANERIO DELICIA DRENCH BODY BUTTER – $40.00 are my two picks as far as this range goes. But they also have a huge range of body care sets available too. Definitely worth hitting up Mecca to see what’s still available.
Finally, for my fragrance girlies, I have three body sprays that I would love to see under the tree. The QUICK MIST HAIR & BODY PERFUME MIST – $26.00 has notes of Honey and Caramel. Perfect for the gourmand lovers. The MECCA MAX OPTIMIST ENERGISING FRAGRANCE MIST in TOP DOWN – $32.00 is for the clean scent fans with notes of Cucumber, Green Apple, and White Musk. And for those who just love smelling delicious, the SOL DE JANERIO CHEIROSA 40 PERFUME MIST has notes of Black Plum, Crème De Cassis, Vanilla Woods, and Brazilian Orchid.
And that is a wrap on my holiday gift guide for 2024! Who else can’t believe this year is almost over? Anyways, I hope I was able to offer some inspiration for your holiday shopping. Let me know what you have your eye on in the comments.
Cheers and love
Emily xo