2017 Holiday Gift Guide for Wellness and Beauty Junkies

November 29, 2017 | | | | | |

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Greetings, my little holiday elves!!

Yesterday we tackled presents for the chefs and food lovers in your lives, and today we’re doing it for the wellness and beauty junkies. Because if there’s one thing I’ve learned from our Instagram hangouts, it’s that many of you are also obsessed with things that help you feel and look amazing. Needless to say, this thrills your weird blog lady, who lives just as much to talk about fancy face products and #fitnessjourney ensembles as she does to dish about quinoa bakes and sassy desk lunches. What can I say? I’m a woman of many passions.

Below you’ll find some of my favorite health, beauty, and “wellness” products—from magical collagen peptides to the sassiest of workout sets—in a range of prices. Here’s to hoping they help make someone you love feel a little more fabulous this season. (Ooooh, you could mix and match multiple items and make some sort of beauty basket!!! I imagine that would go over very well.)

And remember, it’s totally cool to forward this list to friends and family should you wish to “inspire” them. You can’t always get what you want, but sometimes you do when you ask for it specifically…

Domesticate ME!’s Holiday Gift Ideas for the Wellness and Beauty Obsessed:

  1. Goop by Juice Beauty Enriching Face Oil. It pains me to gush about a Gwyneth product, but I’m just gonna come right out and say it: This oil changed my skin. I have sensitive, dry-ish skin, and this is one of the few products that leaves my face feeling supple and hydrated. I use two pumps at night in place of night cream, and pat it on top of my moisturizer in the morning when I’m feeling extra dry. It’s also great for travelers—keeps you glowing on those long flights. (p.s. I know it’s crazy expensive. Gwyneth made it. What did you expect?)
  2. Sephora Multi-Masking Mania Clay Mask Blockbuster Set. I’m an unapologetic facemask addict, and these clay masks are some of the best I’ve ever used. (I also really dig old school masking over sheet masking because the latter is messy, restrictive, and sticky.) My personal favorites are the green (cleansing), red (calming), and blue (oxygenating) masks, but I like that this set provides a little somethin’ somethin’ for everyone. Gotta love a cornucopia of beautifying options!!
  3. Aquis Lisse Luxe Long Hair Towel. This baby is made with a special lightweight fabric that has crazy water-wicking capabilities and dries your hair much faster and more effectively than a regular bath towel (while minimizing frizz and damage!). I can vouch for the fact that it will cut your blow-drying/air-drying time by at least a third. Plus, it’s super comfortable to wear turban style. HALLELUJAH.
  4. Athleta High Rise Chaturanga Tights. One of my fitness journey staples, these leggings are very cute (duh), but they’re also super comfortable and stay put thanks to their high waist. (I only have to yank them up like once per yoga class!) FYI, they come in a bunch of colors/patterns and some have coordinating sports bras or tops if you enjoy being matchy-matchy like I do.
  5. SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic. This is a pricy little guy, friends, but it packs a serious punch. Just a few drops underneath moisturizer in the morning gives you that good good glow while reducing the appearance of fine lines and protecting your skin against free radicals.
  6. Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides. Vital Proteins has a cult-like following for a reason, people. This shit WORKS. I have been consuming 1 to 2 scoops of the tasteless powder almost daily for the past 9 months—blended in smoothies or stirred into coffee/tea—and it has worked miracles. My formerly dry, brittle nails are now long and strong, my hair is thicker and shinier, and I swear my skin is “plumper.” (The skin thing could also be due to one of the other myriad products on this list, yes, but I like to think VP plays a solid role.) They also make a marine collagen version for my vegetarian/vegan peeps.
  7. DRYBAR The Wrap Party Styling Wand. I’ve been curling my hair since my Juicy jumpsuit wearing days, and this wand is hands down the best styling tool I’ve ever used. It heats up fast and creates shiny, long-lasting curls and waves. Pefect for anyone who has ever asked a stylist for “Victoria’s Secret hair.” (Just me?)
  8. Shiseido WrinkleResist24 Pure Retinol Express Smoothing Eye Mask. These are my second favorite eye masks ever (after the discontinued SK-II Signs masks that I am currently mourning), and I use them at least twice a week to keep me looking semi-alert. They’re not great for de-puffing, but they do slay fine lines and brighten up the dark circles. Love them for anyone (male or female) that deserves to look like a pretty young thing.
  9. Shit That I Knit Beanie. I have spent most of my adult life in search of a winter hat that doesn’t look like a condom, and I’m pleased to report that I’ve finally found it! Not only do Shit That I Knit beanies fit your head snugly, but they’re also incredibly soft and have super fluffy fur pom-poms. (I’m a proud owner of the Motley Beanie in Blacklist, and I wear it all ze time.) Better still, these hats are hand-knit by talented women in Peru, who are able to both support and care for their families by knitting at home. Love me a company with a social conscience (and a killer name). Oh, and the badasses behind Shit That I Knit were kind enough to provide me with a discount code for your holiday shopping!! For 10% of your order, use the code: serenagwolf
  10. Outdoor Voices Kit (especially the Athena Crop and Two-Tone Warmup Legging). I get endless compliments every time I wear one of these sassy sets! I’m a big fan of the style and fit of OV gear, but I’m mostly in awe of the sweat-wicking technology. For the record, your weird blog lady is the sweatiest human alive. I regularly wear a pale grey OV set to HOT yoga, and I emerge from the class red and dripping, but my outfit doesn’t show a single drop of moisture. This is some sort of black magic, and I like it.
  11. Perricone MD No Makeup Foundation Serum. I’m not a big fan of foundation, and I don’t like to wear much face makeup unless I’m on cam-ah-rahhh, which is why I’m such a fan of this serum. It’s extremely lightweight (read: it feels like you aren’t wearing anything), and it provides just enough sheer coverage to make you look and feel flawless on the daily. Plus, it contains SPF 30.
  12. SB Skin Microcurrent Facial Gift Certificate. For the New Yorkers—this is my favorite beauty treatment, and I guarantee any facial enthusiast (male or female) will be thrilled with the results of microcurrent. Described as “fitness for your face,” high frequency electrical signals reach deeep into the facial muscles and tissues during this facial to promote circulation, collagen production, cellular repair and regeneration. In short, you’ll leave looking rested, lifted, and glow-y. Not to mention that Shamara is one of the best humans I know, and you get to hang with her for 50 minutes. Tell your giftee to tell her I sent them.

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3 Comments

  1. Karen Higgins on February 3, 2018 at 8:48 pm

    Serena, I’ve heard you talk about Goop face oil for sooooo long that I finally splurged (you should totally be on Goop’s payroll, by the way) – question – do you use one pump or 2 and how many times daily do you use it?

  2. Vicki Ricart on December 1, 2017 at 7:38 pm

    Vital Proteins are the truth! Today my stylist commented on the lack of hair on the comb after he combed out my wet hair (it is usually a hot tangled mess) and how great my skin looks. I highly recommend!

  3. sarahmack on November 29, 2017 at 11:09 pm

    This is a most excellent list! I have used the blue clay mask from Sephora and agree on its greatness! Thank you so much for posting this gift guide, as I feel I will be calling upon it for several people on my list (aaaannd maybe a little something for me too)

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