21 Beauty Gifts Below $25 that Look Way More Expensive

Budgets would not exist in an ideal world when it comes holiday gifting. We would all be happy to spend our entire net worth on Christmas gifts for our loved ones. We live in a world where money isn’t a commodity, so it’s important to exercise discretion when holiday shopping. Sephora and Ulta are two of our favourite e-retailers. They have the best gifts under $25 that every beauty lover will love.

We’ve put together a Holiday Gift Guide that makes it easier to find the right gift for you. It includes travel-sized and limited-edition products as well as palettes. For less than the cost of an Uber, you can get Best of Beauty-winning products by Laneige and Nyx Professional Makeup. You can also try out Boy Smells fragrances or give a new hair-care routine to someone in your life.

Continue reading to find our picks of the 21 best beauty gifts under $25 that will make the recipient feel like an million dollars.

Skin-Care Gifts Below $25

A tube of Glossier’s Swiss Miss Balm Dot Com is a great stocking stuffer. This limited-edition lipbalm is rich in flavor and leaves the lips with a subtle brown tint. This 90s-inspired gift will bring a smile to anyone’s face.

The Youth to the People Daily Skin Health gift package includes travel sizes of the brand’s Superfood Cleanser (Readers’ Choice Award winner) and Superfood Air-Whip Moisturizer Cream (nourishing Superfood Air-Whip moisturizing cream). You can give the perfect skin-care starter kit to a newbie or to a seasoned skin-care expert in your life for $20.

The Laneige Midnight Minis Lip Sleeping Mask Set makes a great gift idea for anyone who has used up all their lip balm bottles. The set includes five mini jars of the vitamin-rich, vitamin C-packed lip moisturizer. It has been awarded Best of Beauty and Readers Choice Awards. You can give five different flavors — Berry, Gummy Bear, Vanilla, Mint Choco, and Mango — to different people, or you can check off five stocking stuffers from your holiday wish list.

A complete skin care kit like The Inkey List’s Winter Skin 101 set will be appreciated by both professionals and amateurs. The kit includes four of the brand’s most popular products, including the Oat Cleansing Balm which was awarded a Best of Beauty Award in 2020.

Snail mucin is a moisture-retaining agent that gives winter skin a lift. The Cosrx All About Snail Kit includes a cleanser, essence and moisturizer infused with snail mucin. They work together to nourish the skin and combat dehydration. This gift could even be remembered by the recipient, who might think of you if they notice they are using their humidifier less in winter.

Makeup gifts under $25

Benefit’s holiday sets are adorable, although it’s difficult to pick the best. Benefit Mini Merry Mail Makeup Set includes pint-sized containers of some of its bestsellers such as the Porefessional Primer and Badgal Bang! Volumizing Mascara and 24-HR Brow Setter clear Brow Gel. These goodies come in a cute postcard-themed tin, which is perfect for makeup storage after the holidays.

We love Tower 28 lipglosses, but you don’t have to be a professional lip shopper to appreciate how shiny and not-sticky these glosses can be. The Tower 28 Dreamy Gleamy Holiday Lip Gloss Duo Set includes two shades of the brand’s moisturizing Lip Jelly: Coconut (a rosy rose) and Dream (a rose gold shimmer).

Charlotte Tilbury products are an investment. This is why you should consider the holiday sets by the brand to save money on travel-friendly items. The Charlotte Tilbury Mini Pillow Talk Lipstick & The Liner Set is perfect for both newbies as well as those who love the Reader’s Choice Award-winning Pillow Talk color. This popular matte lipstick is great for everyone and will make first-timers jump on the Charlotte Tilbury train. You will love the travel-sized tube that will live in their bag.

Flower Beauty’s E.T. is a great way to indulge in nostalgia this holiday season Eyeshadow Palette. This affordable palette includes eight shimmery shades in a variety of colors that will appeal to everyone who receives it.

Although we may be biased, we believe that Best of Beauty Award recipients make excellent holiday gifts. The 2022 winner Nyx Professional Makeup Ultimate Shadow Eyeshadow Palette includes 16 nude colors in three finishes. This palette will cover all the recipient’s needs for nude eyeshadow. You can make the gift extra generous by pairing it with one of these colorful eyeshadow options. They’ll soon be able to have a professional-grade makeup kit.

You can gift a small jar of Danessa Myricks Beauty Infinite Chrome Flakes to someone you don’t think has the most trendy makeup. These water-based flakes do not require adhesive. Your loved one will love to add celestial sparkle to their makeup by using them as an eyeliner or other makeup product.

A quick manicure that lasts a whole week is definitely worth the extra money, and the Olive & June The Instant Mani Press On Nails will set you back $10. These nail press-on kits look just like salon work (there are both nail art and plain nail polish options) and come with 42 nails so that your recipient can get a few manicures from each package.

Hair-care gifts under $25

Unless we are talking about samples, then less is usually more. Target Beauty Capsule Black Founded or Owned Beauty Sample Box Gift Set contains a wealth of hair- and skincare products, including those from Black-owned brands such as SheaMoisture and Bevel. You can find something that you love even for the most stubborn person in your life.

Gifting an IGK All Stars Volume and Hydration Kit will make them feel so grateful for your thoughtfulness. The box includes the Mistress Hydrating Texture Spray and Beach Club Volumizing Hair Balm for smoothing hair and roughening it up. You never know when you will need to remove excess oil.

Dae’s The Signature Mini Gift Set makes it easy to achieve luxuriously silky and shiny hair. The set contains travel-sized bottles of Dae’s Signature Shampoo and conditioner, which are infused in hair-stimulating hibiscus extract and nourishing moringa oil. What’s the best part? They can try both products for less money than one full-size bottle.

Even after a busy holiday season, your scalp deserves some rest and relaxation all year. The Ceremonia Mini Sunday Reset Duo will give your friend, partner or family member a jump start in head care. For deep hydration, start with the Payaya Salt Scrub to remove buildup and moisturize the scalp. Then, follow it up with the Mascarilla De Babassu.

Fragrance and Nail Gifts Under $25

The Maison Louis Marie Discovery Eau de Parfum Sampler Set makes a great gift for a friend who enjoys changing up their signature scent. You can give them five of the top-selling eau de perfumes from France, including No.04 Bois de Balincourt which is a light sandalwood and amber scent.

Even though the perfumes in the Tocca Perfume Ornament Duo Set are terrible, the set is worth it for the gorgeous box and vintage-inspired bottles. Tocca’s fun, luxurious scents are a crowd pleaser so the recipient will be able to make good use of the perfumes.

It can be difficult to gift someone a perfume as a gift. Instead, give them a discovery kit. The Boy Smells Fragrance Discover Set includes five samples of the brand’s most popular fragrances, such as Woodphoria and Hinoki Fantome.

The Herbivore Coconut Milk Bath Soak may be the best gift for someone who doesn’t have the funds to take them to the spa. The powder transforms the bathtub into a coconut milk-infused, lightly-scented wading pool that moisturizes skin as they relax.

Although the Nest Mini Ornament Holiday Candle may be a little more subtle than other seasonal candles, the holiday spirit is still the same. The 20-hour-lasting, clove-, pine- and pomegranate-scented candle can be used as an ornament by anyone who gives it.