Soon it really will be Christmastime, which means you may be looking into gifts for your best gal pals. Today’s gift ideas are designed for a more modest budget – $50 and under, generally speaking – making them great choices for that one special friend you always exchange with, or for a sibling, or as part of a Secret Santa swap with a more generous budget. As always though, the theme of this post is just a guideline. I have no doubt that women of many ages – from tween to senior – would adore many of the ideas on this list. And with that…
SEPHORA COLLECTION MicroSmooth Baked Winter Wonderland Collection – $41 @ Sephora
This is one of those gifts I had to feature because you really do get so much bang for your buck. Sephora’s house brand of makeup is actually very high-quality (I swear by their eyebrow mini-palettes) and every girl I know would shriek at the sight of opening up something wrapped in their signature black packaging. This particular set includes 15 baked eyeshadows, a luminizer, blush duo and bronzer duo for just over two $20 bills – not bad if I do say so myself, particularly if shopping for a best friend. If you’re wondering what the big fuss is over ‘baked’ cosmetics, it’s essentially that you can create two transformative looks from one palette – using a wet or dry brush will dramatically alter the colour and finish of the product.
The Holiday Collection – $19.50 & Perfect Tea Mug – $19.50 – both @ DAVIDsTEA
DAVIDsTEA is a haven of gift-giving – if you’re shopping for a tea drinker of course. With a line-up of limited edition, festive teas, you can easily treat your closest friend to a trio of looseleaf teas for under $20. These reusable tins come filled with 3 varied but cohesive teas – Santa’s Secret (with adorable candy cane sprinkles), Sleigh Ride (a fruity, creamy blend), and Gingerbread (as the title goes…). While you’re at it, make sure she has the equipment to whip up a cup of her favourite brew with one of DAVIDsTEA’s three, limited-edition, nordic-inspired mugs, which come with their own tea infuser. A truly ‘Perfect’ match for under $50!
Breakfast at Tiffany’s – The Sleeping Beauty Set – $50 @ Hudiefly
For the glamazon insomniac, this sweet set will help your favourite friend get in her requisite beauty rest. Inspired by Audrey Hepburn’s iconic Holly Golightly, this 100% silk, handmade sleep mask will help you recover after a long night of holiday partying, while the tassled earplugs will block out the noise of pesky neighbours, construction on the property down the street, or even just the incessant purring of your cat. Packaged in a precious, Tiffany’s-inspired box, this sleep gift set is a must-have for any diehard Hepburn fans, or simply for the most glamorous friend in your circle.
Bare Love Body – $28 @ Bare Love Beauty
Best friends are great for teaching one another to love the skin you’re in – but that doesn’t mean you can’t also encourage them to take care of that skin. Loaded with a ton of different ultra-nourishing oils, this daily moisturizer is designed to reverse skin damage to dry, cracked skin that’s been exposed to the harshest of elements. Enhanced with Bare Love Beauty’s proprietary OlioLove Technology, it’ll also help improve your skin’s elasticity to help you look more taut and radiant. Simply slather some on after your shower and watch as those dry patches disappear to reveal fresh, renewed skin.
Solid Earmuffs With Headphones – $28 @ Echo Design
Help her stay warm and in tune with her favourite music with a pair of these snuggly yet functional earmuffs. With fluffy faux fur ear covers, these handy earmuffs plug right into your favourite music device so you can blast holiday carols while hopping onto the bus or train during your daily commute (or even for a jog in the park on a brisk day). They come in four different colours – jade, fuchsia, grey, and camel – so you can ensure whatever ear toppers you pick perfectly match her winter parka.
Kate Gosselin’s Love Is in the Mix – $28.95 (list)
What does a former reality TV star and busy mom of eight do once she’s hung up her dancing shoes? Crafts a cookbook, naturally. As a mom responsible for whipping up meals for her massive brood, Kate’s collection of family recipes are designed to be simple to shop for and make at home, with opportunities for the kids to pitch in and lend a hand where possible. Of course, the recipes aren’t all just for weeknight meals – they also cover special dishes for holidays and parties, like ‘Holiday Pineapple Casserole’ and ‘Gosselin’s Chocolate Birthday Cake’. Apart from the yummy and relatively easy recipes, there’s also fun anecdotes for those that miss the Gosselin clan’s antics on TV, as well as mouthwatering photos of the dishes to inspire you to culinary glory. I picked this as a fun girlfriends book as I know many of my friends are having kids at the moment, and Kate’s book promises to dish up recipes for those expanding families for years to come.
Anna Sui Rose Ring Rouge – $32 @ Select Hudson’s Bay, Shoppers Drug Mart, Pharmaprix & Murale Stores
As part of a celebration of design Anna Sui’s 15th anniversary, a new line of limited-edition ‘Rose Ring Rouge’ wearable cosmetics was launched this past fall. Inspired by a vintage ring given to Anna by her grandma, these pretty gems house a petite swatch of sheer lip colour. Available in eight different shades – from classic red to baby pink to shimmery gold – it’s a great way to cut down on the clutter in your clutch while still having access to your favourite lip product. A really cute pick for your girl friend that may not otherwise even know of the innovation. As an aside, I also spotted these on the Urban Outfitters website (along with most of Anna Sui’s cosmetics) so you can snag a few of ‘em there!
Luggage Tags – $8 @ Smitten Kitten
How’s this for a nifty idea under a tenner? Canadian brand Smitten Kitten has a huge collection of PVC vintage-inspired luggage tags. Although they come in an array of desirable global destinations – from Paris to Tokyo to Miami – I particularly adore their line of Canadian cities, with pretty expansive coast-to-coast representation. This is a fantastic Secret Santa choice if you’re on a really tight budget, particularly if your giftee is going on a special journey in the upcoming year – at least you can help send her off in style.
Handmade Fabric Bracelets – from $27 @ Sugar Blossom Design
I was formally introduced to the maddeningly talented Kelli Miller of Sugar Blossom Design through one of my dearest friends, however as I pointed out to both ladies shortly after the intro, I had actually pegged Sugar Blossom as a brand to introduce you to at some point quite awhile ago. Based in Winnipeg, Kelli’s whimsical designs are genuinely unlike anything I’ve ever seen – they perfectly marry a fashion-forward edge thanks to the inclusion of tough, shiny metal components, along with a feminine, dreamy component owing to the fabrics that are carefully selected and delicately woven together. The result? Total statement piece that doesn’t scream to be seen. Trust me, as soon as you slip one or even a few of these bracelets around your wrist (or you know, your best friend’s), you will have people clutching it for years to come, asking where you got such an amazing, one-of-a-kind piece. New styles are regularly added to the Sugar Blossom web shop (along with breathtaking photography, as seen above) so be sure to check back frequently to expand your accessories wish list.
Stila ‘Portrait of a Perfect…’ Palettes – $19 each @ Murale
Just because you’re on a budget, doesn’t mean you have to forgo high-end cosmetics as a gift option. Case in point? These way-affordable petite palettes from beloved brand Stila. Each of these cute sets is designed to help you achieve the ‘perfect’ look – one is a universally flattering collection of neutral eyeshadows, two are different lip sets (either neutral peach/coral or bold pink/red), and the final contains blushes to help you contour your cheeks beautifully. The sets also come with a detailed instruction manual from Stila’s in-house beauty expert, Sarah Lucero, to guide you in ways to create different looks that will play up your features. Not bad for under $20 – if you’re buying for multiple gals, consider purchasing them all and splitting them up amongst each friend.
Now as a thank you to all my unofficial ‘girl friends’ – that would be you, readers – I’ve pulled together a pretty rockin’ prize package valued at over $265 for one lucky reader. If you’d like to win a bracelet from Sugar Blossom Design, Kate Gosselin’s new cookbook, a limited edition Perfect Tea Mug from DAVIDsTEA, a Breakfast at Tiffany’s Sleep Set, a Bare Love Body oil, 3 Anna Sui Rose Ring Rouge glosses, and a Stila palette, here’s how to enter:
1) Tell me in the comments below by December 13th: can you see yourself buying any of these gifts for the ladies in your life? If yes, which ones?
2) Entries are limited to one per person / per email address / per household (or more if you score bonus entries). A random draw will be conducted on or around December 14th to select the winners, who will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen in their place.
3) Entries are limited to Canadians that have reached the age of majority in their province. Quebec is not eligible for this promotion.
4) Bonus Entries: Say thanks to the lovely partners that supplied prizing for this post and earn yourself some bonus entries. Do any or all of the following, be sure to leave comment(s) with your activity (ies), and you’ll have more of a chance to win!:
Sugar Blossom Design - Follow on Instagram at sugarblossomdesign and like a photo, leaving a link back to your favourite one below.
Kate Gosselin’s Love Is In The Mix - The publisher of this sweet book is HCI Books. Follow them on Twitter and tag them in a Tweet about why you’d love to read about Kate & co!
DAVIDsTEA - Has one of the most active Facebook pages I’ve ever seen. Like them, leave a comment about their holiday goodies, and leave a link back to your comment below.
Hudiefly – Like Hudiefly on Facebook and tell them why you think their Breakfast at Tiffany’s sleep set is the best! Leave a link back to your comment below.
Bare Love Beauty – Tell Bare Love Beauty why you adore their products on Facebook (after liking them) and leave a link back to your comment below.
Anna Sui – Share your love for Anna Sui on Facebook by liking the page and piping up about the awesome new Rose Ring Rouge collection, then leave a link to your comment below.
Stila – Stay in touch with Stila on Twitter and learn what’s happening with the brand here in Canada. Tag them (and me @cdngiftguide) in a Tweet about the Portrait Palettes, and leave a link to your Tweet below.
5) Bonus Entries Part Two: Score up to 10 more bonus entries when you pin your favourite ideas from this list to Pinterest. Please note that you must pin them to relevant boards (ex: a beauty product on a beauty board) – the idea is I really want you to pin what you truly love Leave links back to your pins below to earn up to 10 extra entries into the draw.