10 beauty gifts sets that are truly worth it

Beauty sets are a truly wonderful thing. For starters, they allow you to treat loved ones to a little pampering — undoubtedly one of the greatest gifts of all. They are also often synonymous with sizable savings, something we can all appreciate, whether we’re shopping for others or treating ourselves. Which brings us to the third reason we love gift sets: They present the perfect opportunity to replenish tried-and-true favourites or test out products you’ve had your eye on but weren’t quite ready to pay full price for (hurray for minis!). As your devoted beauty director, I’ve scoured the web for the very best gift sets and let me tell you: This year’s crop is really good, like really, really good.

Charlotte Tilbury’s Magic Icons, $130 ($158 value), charlottetilbury.com

Consider this the Charlotte Tilbury all-star team. Here, three iconic bestsellers join forces: the skin-transforming Magic Cream; Pillow Talk, a.k.a. the ultimate looks-good-on-everyone pinky beige lipstick; and Pillow Talk Push Up Lashes!, a curling, lengthening and volumizing mascara that makes lashes full and fluttery. A sure-to-please gift if there ever was one.

Olaplex Healthy Hair Essentials, $80 ($114 value), sephora.ca

Olaplex revolutionized hair care with its groundbreaking bond-repairing technology. Find out why so many people swear by it to keep their strands strong, shiny and healthy thanks to this assortment of the brand’s bestsellers, including the famous Hair Perfector No3.

Dermalogica Our Best Cleanse & Glow Holiday Kit, $135 ($201 value), sephora.ca

This set is so wonderful, you’ll actually be excited to wash your face at night. Dermalogica’s legendary Precleanse (the brand was extolling the benefits of double-cleansing long before it become trendy), Special Cleansing Gel and Daily Microfoliant — a gentle exfoliating powder — will leave your skin clean, fresh and beaming with radiance.

Amika High Tide Deep Waver Set, $160, sephora.ca

You get a waver (say hello to the most perfect ripples ever), Amika’s cult-favourite Un. Done Volume & Matte Texture Spray, and The Closer Instant Repair Cream to seal off ends and leave them glossy. I predict lots of good hair days in your future.

Sephora Collection Deluxe Brush Set, $89 ($246 value), sephora.ca

Every expert will tell you: You can create great makeup without great brushes. The thing is, good-quality brushes can cost a pretty penny, which is why they’re a great thing to invest in via a good bang-for-your-buck gift set. This one from Sephora Collection features everything you need to enhance your eyes and complexion.

Goop GoopGenes Clean Nourishing Lip Balm Trio, $58 ($84 value), thedetoxmarket.ca

Since launching last year, one tube of Goop’s lip balm has been selling every minute. Now, the brand has created two new versions tinged with the perfect amount of colour: a muted rose and a sheer garnet. They’re joined by the original clear formula in this trio that’s sure to keep your lips juicy and luscious all winter long.

Westman Atelier Les Petites Clean Glow Trio I, $97, net-a-porter.com

No one does glowing skin quite like Gucci Westman. The longtime makeup artist to stars like Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Aniston has perfected that California girl gleam to a tee, and lucky for us, she’s infused her secrets in her eponymous makeup line. This trio of complexion enhancers makes for the perfect starter pack: You’ve got the most natural-looking highlighter you’ll ever encounter (it’s completely clear and sparkle-free, yet leaves you more luminous than Gwyneth after a juice cleanse), a creamy blush for a healthy, rosy flush, and a super blendable contour stick for subtle definition.

Kiehl’s Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Set, $87 ($144 value), kiehls.ca

Marvel at the many wonders of vitamin C thanks to this power couple from Kiehl’s. You get a full-size bottle of the brand’s much-lauded Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate, a supercharged serum that smooths, evens and protects skin, as well as the eye version, clinically shown to help decrease the look of lines, crow’s feet, dark circles and puffy eyes.

Clinique Ultimate Eye Line-Up Set, $33 ($89 value), nordstrom.ca

Four eye pencils (an intense charcoal, a deep aubergine, a midnight blue and a chocolate brown), a super easy-to-use (promise!) black liquid liner and my personal favourite mascara of all time (trust me, it’s perfect in every way possible) — all for just $33. Run!

It Cosmetics Customizable Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream with SPF 50+ Set, $62 ($87 value), sephora.ca

If my skin could write a holiday wish list, I’m 100 per cent sure these two items would be on it. It Cosmetics’s top-rated Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream with SPF 50+ does it all, combining coverage, moisture, sun protection and a natural, luminous finish that just won’t quit. And because it’ll soon be winter and we live in Canada, hyaluronic acid is always a good idea. Dry skin, you say? Don’t know her.

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Katherine Lalancette is the beauty director of The Kit, based in Toronto. She writes about beauty and trends. Reach her on email at kl@thekit.ca or follow her on Twitter: @kik_tweets