Lex's Picks: Sephora 2020 Holiday Gift Guide

It really is the most wonderful time of the year! The holiday spirit is slowly creeping up, the leaves have almost completely fallen off the trees, and Sephora has released their gift bundles for the 2020 holiday season! This time of the year is the perfect time to test out mini sizes of some well-loved and highly rated Sephora products without paying the hefty price of the full-size. These gift bundles are also perfect for sharing the love with your friends and family during the season of giving.

Sephora has also begun their Holiday Savings Event that runs between October 30th and November 9th which gives you all the more reason to explore the site and their many gift sets! There are different membership levels that determine the percentage off of your purchase and the dates that you can shop! In a previous blog post titled “My Picks for Sephora’s Spring Sale 2020,” I spoke about the membership levels and their perks! For more information regarding the Fall 2020 Holiday Savings Event, check out Sephora’s website!

I’ve gone through all of the gift sets Sephora has to offer and curated multiple lists of brands and products I use and love that will help shopping for your beauty lovers a little easier this year. The lists I’ve created include: makeup lovers; skincare enthusiasts; lip care connoisseurs; and gifts on a budget ($25 and under)! I’ll also include some details on products I personally love from each set and give you my thoughts on them! Let’s get ready to shop!

For the makeup lovers:

Who doesn’t love getting a new and exciting makeup product under the tree? I know I do! While exploring the Sephora website, these were the 5 makeup gift sets that caught my eye!

1. Charlotte Tilbury Mini Pillow Talk Lip Set ($60). While I’ve never tried a Charlotte Tilbury lipstick (they’re quite pricey), I’ve heard incredible things about the quality of their lip products and specifically, their famous shade Pillow Talk. This four-piece lip set includes a full-size Matte Revolution Lipstick, mini Lip Cheat Lip Liner, Jewel Lip Gloss, and Collagen Lip Bath Gloss - all in the iconic shade, Pillow Talk.

2. FENTY BEAUTY by Rihanna Glossy Posse Mini Gloss Bomb Set: Holo’Daze Edition ($48). When Rihanna first launched her Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it and boy was I not let down by the product! If you’re thinking of purchasing one of her glosses, what better way of trying the stunning formula than by testing out these four universally flattering minis to figure out which is your favourite!

3. NARS Orgasm Blush & Lip Ultimate Set ($65). The NARS Orgasm blush has been my go-to for YEARS so when I saw this gift set, I couldn’t help but squeal. Not only does it include a mini of their famous Orgasm Blush but a Full-Size Orgasm Afterglow Lip Balm AND Full-Size Orgasm Oil-Infused Lip Tint! Such a stunning gift!

4. beautyblender Besties Makeup Sponge and Cleanser Set ($26). This is such a great price for this gift! Valued at $38 but priced at $26, you receive a beautyblender and the blendercleanser! I have long loved using a beautyblender sponge for applying my foundation and concealer and would highly recommend this tool for beginners or longtime brush users, you’ll definitely convert them to a sponge!

5. Benefit Cosmetics Together At Lash Mascara Trio Set ($51). This is the perfect gift for someone who is looking for the perfect mascara! With so many out there on the market to choose from, this gift set allows an opportunity to try 3 full-sized Benefit Cosmetics mascaras for a fraction of the cost! Valued at $99, this $51 trio set includes a full-sized BADgal BANG! Volumizing Mascara, They’re Real! Lengthening & Volumizing Mascara, and the Roller Lash Curling & Lifting Mascara.

For the skincare enthusiasts:

Skincare has been top of my list all year because of all the time I’ve been spending at home. This time has given me the opportunity to perfect my skincare routine and pinpoint my favourite items. Looking to gift someone their new skincare favourite? Look no further than this list!

1. First Aid Beauty All That Fab ($64). First Aid Beauty’s skincare line is one of the most gentle and calming products I’ve tried on my face and body. This five-piece set includes their most popular items to help you achieve smooth and hydrated skin (especially during those cold Canadian winters).

2. Sol de Janeiro Wild Extravaganza Set ($81). I’m a sucker for anything vanilla scented and Sol de Janeiro hit the ball out of the park with their collection. This set includes their Brazillian Bum Bum Cream, Brazillian Crush Hair & Body Fragrance Mist (my favourite), Brazillian 4 Play Moisturising Shower Cream-Gel, and Brazillian Kiss Cupuaçu Lip Butter!

3. OLEHENRIKSEN Happy Juice Brightening Skincare Set ($90). I just recently started using the Banana Bright Eye Cream for my undereyes as a way of preventing early signs of aging and dry patches and have been SO impressed with the results I’m seeing. This four-piece set includes bestsellers and fan favourites that will make any skincare lover very happy this holiday season.

4. GLAMGLOW Turn Up The Brightness BRIGHTEYES and GLOWTARTER Illuminating Eye Cream & Daily Moisturizer Duo ($52). This set includes both an eye cream and moisturizer-highlighter hybrid to brighten your under eyes and hydrate the skin to appear like you just got a good night’s sleep.

5. LANEIGE Dewy Dream Team Set ($51). This is the set you want on your side during our harsh Canadian winters. This limited-edition set is there to achieve hydrated and healthy-looking skin. This gift set includes the Water Bank Hydro Essence, Water Bank Moisture Cream, and the Cica Sleeping Mask.

For the lip care connoisseurs:

I LOVE lip products! Lip balms, lip glosses, lip scrubs, basically anything that’ll make my lips feel soft and moisturized! I’ve tried a bunch from Sephora and have figured out which ones are worth the hype and a lot of them are included in gift sets this year so if you’re looking to give one a try, this is your time!

1. LANEIGE Dream & Wonder Gift Set ($37). I absolutely love the Lip Sleeping Mask in Berry. It is my go-to every night before bed and has really helped pack moisture into my lips, especially now during a time when they’re extra dry because of the face masks I’ve been wearing. This set is a wonderful gift and at a great price too! For $37, this gift set includes a full-size of the Lip Sleeping Mask in Berry (my favourite) which sells regularly for $26 and two limited edition mini Lip Sleeping Masks in Lemon Sorbet and Mint Choco! I will definitely be giving this to someone I love!

2. Lano Tinted Balm Trio ($43). I purchased this lip balm in Perfect Nude ages ago and fell in love with the product! For just $43, you get three full-size shades of this stunning lip balm including: Rose; Rhubarb; and Perfect Nude!

3. Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment Lip Set ($38). This stunning gift set includes three balms to thoroughly nourish and hydrate your lips in the coldest months of the year. I have used and loved the Sugar Tinted Lip Treatment Sunscreen SPF 15 Rosé Tinted balm for years and have recommended it to many of my friends! It’s a stunning, neutral balm that moisturizes lips with a subtle tint.

4. Lano 101 Ointment Duo ($37). While I haven’t tried these balms, I have heard incredible things about how moisturizing this product is not only for the lips, but for cuticles and patches of dry skin. I have plans to gift this item to myself!

5. LANEIGE Glowy Lip Wonders ($34). Psstt, look away friends but my favourite glowy balm may be included in some of your gifts! This gift includes two full-size balms, my favourite, Lip Glowy Balm in Berry and in a limited edition scented balm in Gummy Beary!

For shopping on a budget ($25 and under):

It’s no secret that the products sold at Sephora can be expensive and can exceed one’s budget when looking for their next favourite product, so I’ve curated a list of gift sets that are priced under $25 that not only fit a budget but are excellent products nonetheless.

1. LANEIGE Good Night Kit ($13). This is my fourth and final mention of LANEIGE but it’s clear that this is one of my favourite brands offered at Sephora! This set includes two minis: the Lip Sleeping Mask (my favourite) and the Water Sleeping Mask. This is the perfect gift for someone who is curious about LANEIGE but doesn’t know where to begin!

2. Caudalie Hand & Cream Trio ($24). Winter is coming so why not gift this trio of rich and hydrating hand creams perfect for the cold weather?

3. Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez Best of Rare Beauty Lip & Cheek Mini Duo ($20). Rare Beauty is a new makeup line by Selena Gomez that has received a lot of love since its launch so this gift set is the perfect opportunity to test out some of their goodies! This set includes: two Soft Pinch Liquid Blushes in shades Love and Joy; With Gratitude Dewy Lip Balm in Support; and Lip Soufflé Matte Lip Cream in Transform.

4. invisibobble That's Crackin' SLIM Trio (20). I absolutely love using invisibobble hair ties for my hair as opposed to the traditional one that I used to use. These are not as harmful to your hair as a regular hair elastic so this is a great gift for your friends with long hair and love to wear it up!

5. First Aid Beauty Hotsy Totsy Skin Gift Set ($21). I absolutely adore both of these products in this gift set! The Pure Skin Face Cleanser is a gentle foaming face wash that removes all makeup and leaves the skin feeling soft. The Ultra Repair Cream Intense Hydration is my go-to moisturizer for the nights and days where I’m lounging at home (as it is a thicker cream, it’s too shiny for me to use in public). I highly recommend these two products if you’re looking for something gentle and moisturizing for your skin.

I really hope that this gift guide has inspired you to consider some brands and products that you didn’t think of gifting! I know I’ve included some of my all-time favourite brands and products in this list that I hope you would love too!

This post also kicks off the start of my Lex’s Picks series! This series will include beauty and book-related items! This post also kicks off the first week of my holiday gift guide 3 week series! Next week is what I’m buying during the Sephora 2020 Holiday Savings Event and the following week are the 5 books I’m highly anticipating that are still to be released this year and will make as great gifts! I hope these posts inspire you during your holiday shopping, for your loved ones, and items you’d want to add to your own wishlist!

See you next week!

xx Lex

Disclaimer: I do not own any image used in this post. All images were taken from Sephora.ca to promote their products. If photos need to be removed, please contact me. All pricing is in CAD and accurate at the time of publishing. All items are in stock at the time of publishing. Please contact me for any inaccuracies.