Advent calendars are flying off shelves and Michael Buble and Mariah Carey are currently defrosting their vocal chords in preparation for the festive season: Christmas is coming. And if you’re looking for a special gift for the lucky someone in your life come December 25, a safe bet is always going to be beauty products.
Thankfully, there are a variety of gift sets on the market that are seriously impressive not just with their contents but in getting good bang for your buck.
Whether you – or the giftee – are obsessed with make-up, after the latest in skincare goodies, or fancy yourself a bit of a fragrance fanatic, there’s something out there that’ll leave them with the biggest smile on their face come Christmas Day. And if you’re in need of some series present-buying inspiration, we’ve put together an epic guide that’ll share with you some of the best gift sets in the beauty market today.
Read more: Best luxury beauty advent calendars that save hundreds of pounds from Space NK to Cult Beauty
Read more: 10 best gifts for women in 2024 including stunning jewellery and luxury perfumes
To make things a little easier, we’ve divided things up into sets under £50, £100 and over £100 – so you know what to look at in your budget. Let’s dive in.
Best beauty sets on a budget under £50
Sanctuary Spa Self Care Discovery Collection Gift Set – £26.50 (was £54)
When it comes to doing my Christmas shopping, one of the first places I always look for a bargain is the Boots Star Gifts, because quite often you’ll find gift sets that are already worth more than their RRP reduced even further.
This Sanctuary set is the perfect gift for self-care and body-care lovers looking to create their own home-spa feeling. The gift set includes favourites across three of Sanctuary’s best-selling fragrances, from their signature jasmine, grapefruit and vanilla, as well as Lily and Rose, and a blend of violet, jasmine and sandalwood. In terms of products, customers can expect a range of indulgent body washes, scrubs, lotions and more, prime for unwinding at the end of a busy day.
MAC Tons of Teddy Lip Kit – £50 (worth £92)
For all those OG Velvet Teddy lovers, much like myself, this one is for you. Made famous by Kylie Jenner, this nude toned lipstick has become a cult classic, and now, MAC has released a lip kit centred around the iconic shade.
The MAC Tons Of Teddy Lip Kit features four must-have makeup essentials not only stars the immediately recognisable lippy, but includes a matching lip liner, alongside a Lip Glass and Lustre Glass in complementary hues to complete the perfect pout.
The gift is worth £92 but priced at £50, and has already racked up five star reviews from shoppers, one of which said: “I’ve loved the velvet teddy shade for so long and was made up to find this set!” So, if you know someone who loves Velvet Teddy or has long been on the hunt for a signature lip shade, this set is made for them.
Debenhams Fragrance for Her Edit – £50
A gift that keeps on giving is the Debenhams Fragrance for Her Edit, which is basically a selection box of scents. Priced at £50, includes five popular mini perfumes to try out during the festive season.
The travel-sized fragrances range from 1.2ml to 7.5ml, totalling approximately 23.7ml worth of scent. That’s just under the size of a typical 30ml bottle you’d usually purchase. The collection includes bestsellers such as Lancome’s La Vie est Belle, Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium, Mugler Alien, Viktor and Rolf Flowerbomb and Prada Paradoxe. The 7.5ml YSL fragrance alone is worth around £15, based on the price of a 30ml bottle.
In addition to the five fragrances, which can be mixed and matched or saved as stocking fillers, shoppers also receive a £50 voucher to redeem against a full-sized scent from the collection. Essentially meaning you’ve bought them a bottle of perfume, too.
Top beauty gift sets under £100
Iconic London Glow All In Gift Set – £63.50 (worth £129)
Another Boots Star Gift we’ve been eyeing up is the the Iconic London Glow All In Gift Set down to £63.50 from £129. This set contains everything you need to achieve the signature Iconic London glow, including six of their must-have heroes.
The edit includes their beloved Prep-Set-Glow and mini Illuminator, which is a favourite among celebrities, as well as a Triple Threat Mascara, lip liner, plumping gloss and a Multi-Use Cream Face Palette, all packaged in a gorgeous makeup bag. Now better than half price, this kit is ideal for those who love a dewy makeup look.
Drunk Elephant Littles 6.0 Face Care Set – £72
Known for clean beauty, Drunk Elephant is one of the most sought after brands among skincare fans this year, and this six-piece set is a great way to try out a range of their products without splurging on them full price.
The £72 set delivers six mini skincare heroes designed to work together to cleanse, exfoliate, hydrate, brighten, and replenish your complexion. Designed for morning or evening use, it even comes in a cute travel bag making it perfect for trips away, too. Some of our favourites include the Protini Polypeptide Cream and T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum.
Sunday Riley Wake Up With Me Complete Morning Routine – £81 (worth £180)
With this Sunday Riley set, shoppers essentially get £100 worth of skincare for free. The edit is worth £180, but priced at £81, and gets beauty buffs a full morning skincare routine, which not only saves money, but takes the faff out of your regime, too.
This gift set contains seven products designed to give your skin the best start as soon as you wake up, including the cult-favourite C.E.O. Vitamin C Serum and the hydrating Good Genes Lactic Acid Treatment. This is a great gift for someone who takes their morning skincare routine seriously and loves premium, result-driven skincare.
Speaking on the set, one shopper said: “This set is great value for money. The face oil is so lovely, the vitamin C serum is great and good genes is a perfect active.” Though as it’s a pre-selected gift set, not all products will suit everyone. Another shopper added: “Great little kit if you want to try a brand before committing. I have combination acne prone skin, loved the eye cream and good genes serum. However found the vitamin c cream and the moisturiser dry sticky on my skin.”
No7 Future Renew Collection 5-Piece Gift Set – £79.95 (worth £165)
When the No7 Future Renew range launched at Boots last year, it became an immediate bestseller. For the first time, Boots has launched some festive gift sets starring the products, and one saves you more than half price on the anti-ageing line.
The No7 Future Renew Collection offers five skincare products specially designed to target fine lines and wrinkles, including the day cream, night cream, serum, eye serum and the SPF, which launched earlier this year. Separately, these would set you back £165, but are less than £80 as part of the set.
Featuring advanced formulas designed to ‘reverse’ the signs of ageing, it’s the ultimate present for mums, nans, aunts, or anyone seeking youthful skin.
Face The Future Let It Glow Edit – £99 (worth £612)
This Face The Future festive gift set features 14 premium products, which works out at just over £7 per item. The Let It Glow Edit is priced at £99, but contains £612 worth of high end makeup and skincare, saving more than £500 on the RRP.
The haul is packed with elite essentials that will see you through the party period and beyond. What’s more is that they’re from some of the most coveted brands in the industry, including Medik8, Augustinus Bader, OSKIA, and Omorovicza.
RMS Legends to Love Kit – £63, worth £119
The viral serum lipsticks from RMS have fans gone wild and if you haven’t tried it yet, Christmas is a good time to give this cooling skincare-makeup hybrid a go. Demanded by fans, the colours have now expanded to five additional nude shades. The Legends to Love Kit includes three full-size lipsticks in shade soft pink Miranda, nude pink Eve and an exclusive berry red shade Josephine.
The moisturising formula gives a soft, satin finish with up to eight hours of lasting hydration, so it’s nourished as a lip balm but with a pop of colour.
Medik8 The Night Shift Set – £89
Beloved for its transformative formulas, Medik8’s ‘Night Shift’ skincare duo is ideal for those looking to transform dull, uneven skin and banish dark spots. Applied before you go to sleep, this skincare set will leave you waking up to a refreshed, smooth and radiant complexion.
Containing the brand’s best-selling Cyrstal Retinal 6 – which works 11 times faster than your average retinol – and the Advanced Night Restore cream, the set is packed with antioxidant rich ingredients like saskatoon berry and toning dragon fruit extract to leave your skin nourished and healthy. Meanwhile the Multi-Ceramide and Midnight Antioxidant Complex work together to protect your skin’s natural barrier while smoothing out fine lines and wrinkles.
What’s more is, costing £89, this gift set is a money saver as the two products included total £128 (£69 and £59 respectively), meaning you’ll save yourself £39.
Get the set here.
Suqqu Eye & Blush Set – £86, worth £107
The Suqqu set is a lovely trio that takes care of everything you need for an easy winter makeup. The Japanese brand is well loved by celebrities like Margot Robbie and is known for using high quality ingredients that are kind to the skin.
In the set, you will get a four-colour Signature Colour Eyes eyeshadow palette in matte and glitter pink and lilac tones. The bundle also boasts a blush that’s formulated with translucent, finely grained powder particles for a smooth, non-powdery finish. And lastly, a powerfully pigmented liner for good measure.
The Suqqu set is particularly great if you want your outfit to be the “main character”. Plus you will be saving £21 when you buy this set, in other words, you are getting the eye liner for free.
Luxury beauty gift sets over £100
Sculpted by Aimee The Treasured Gift – £100
Make-up buffs are in for a treat with this iconic gift set from Dublin-based Sculpted By Aimee, whose formulas and mascara have gone viral for their quality and epic results. Costing £100, those who get this haul will receive some of the brand’s best-selling products.
The gift set includes the powder trio (bronzer, setting powder and shimmer blush) palette, beauty base tube, lip duo – lipstick and liner – as well as some tinted brow gel. Plus, they’ll get a sleek and stylish blush and powder duo brush.
It’s a treasure trove of essential items that will be everything you need for that gorgeous glow come the festive season.
Get it from Boots here.
Dior’s 4 Rouge Dior Forever Liquid Sequin Lipsticks – £160
For the Dior lipstick lovers in your life, this gift set contains a selection of four different Rouge Dior Forever Liquid Sequin lipsticks that are ‘transfer proof’ and have a dash of sparkle – what more could you want at Christmas?
Ranging from pinky nude to a deeper red hue, these lipsticks are long-wear and have a gorgeous matte but pearlescent finish.
Get it from Dior here.
Charlotte Tilbury’s Pillow Talk Dreams Come True Gift Set – £320
One for all my Charlotte Tilbury fans out there, this dreamy gift set contains a whopping 13 full size products from the brand’s iconic Pillow Talk collection from the eye-shadow palette to the mascara to the lipstick and pencil. Oh, it’s a haul that Charlotte Tilbury fans everywhere would be giddy to receive. Worth £391, these goodies come neatly packaged in a branded luxury pink quilted vanity case that is reusable and looks so chic.
Those who have already got their hands on this incredible set are in love, with one saying: ” If you’re a CT [fan] you’ll love this! It’s a collector’s dream.” The only ‘disappointment’ they noted was: “I hope in the future when they create these sets they have new pillow talk products and packaging exclusive for this set only.”
Another hailed: “Everything about this set is beautiful—- each item is packaged so very well and perfectly and all in place inside the drawers snugly, and the case is also very pretty. I love the way every product is designed and the quality of each. I KNEW Pillow Talk would be the perfect match for my skin and it is. I love it all and everything is exceptional!”
Get it from Charlotte Tilbury here.
Bobbi Brown’s Most-Loved Beauty Gift Set – £163
Containing six of make-up and beauty brand Bobbi Brown’s bestsellers, this iconic kit has everything you need to achieve a stunning make-up finish. With the likes of the brand’s beloved Vitamin Enriched Face Base (loved by Molly Mae Hague) as well as its Perfectly Defined Gel Eyeliner, Dual-Ended Long-Wear Cream Shadow Stick, and Mini Smokey Eye Mascara, the gift set also comes complete with a faux leather make-up bag in which to store all your new beauty bits.
Get it from John Lewis here.
La Mer The Vibrant Energy Collection Gift Set – £365
This La Mer gift set is a real treat for skincare buffs in need of some tlc. Containing the brand’s The Treatment Lotion, The Concentrate , The Eye Concentrate and The Moisturizing Soft Cream, the £365 gift set is a true facial routine indulgence that aims to boost and rejuvenate your complexion. While the treatment lotion ‘softens, revives and preps skin for the La Mer regimen’, The Concentrate is a potent form of the brand’s beloved powerhouse elixir that leaves skin soothed, calm and renewed.
Get it from Selfridges here.
YSL Beauty Rouge Sur Mesure Lipstick Personalistion Device – £269
Yes you read it right – it’s a device that allows you to create lipstick colours unique to you. The one-of-a-kind Rouge Sur Mesure machine can create up to 4,000 shades at your fingertips. Choose a trio of lipstick cartridge from four main colour themes – red, nudes, oragne and rose – and let the app do the work for you. The lip colour creator can dispense a small amount for trial and up to three applications.
The smart device also has a detachable compact and a lip brush that is perfect to fit in your handbag so you can top up your bespoke lipstick shade throughout the day.
Get it from YSL Beauty here
