Don’t get us wrong, we love seeing a big, giant box with our name on it come the holiday season, but when it comes to giving gifts that are both pretty and purposeful, look no further than the selection of stocking stuffers at your favorite store. While typically small in size, these mini goodies are often the perfect way to gift someone with a little something special—especially when it comes to the year’s best beauty gifts. After all, who doesn’t love opening their stocking to find a gorgeous new lipstick or a customized hair mask with their name on it (wink, wink)? Best of all, their typically lower price points mean you can find something unique and festive for everyone on your list, whether they’re a close friend, a dear sibling, or just a random co-worker you got stuck with for your office Secret Santa.
To prove it, we rounded up 18 of our favorite stocking stuffer gift picks, all of which are less than $50, which means you can feel free to stock up for your loved ones (or yourself) free of guilt. Shop them all below!
BeautyBlender Makeup Sponge, $20
Even, flawless makeup application—we all want it, but it’s not always the easiest thing to achieve. Enter, the BeautyBlender makeup sponge. The soft, porous texture ensures your foundation, blush, and concealer will all look airbrushed to perfection, making this an ideal gift for all.
Herbivore Calm Soaking Salts, $18
Who wouldn’t benefit from a nice, relaxing bath this time of year? That’s where these calming bath salts come into play. Just add a few spoonfuls of these mineral-rich Himalayan Pink Salts to your bath and let the relaxing aroma of ylang-ylang and vanilla do their thing.
Otherland Gilded Holiday Collection Candle, $36
Though not necessarily a beauty gift, candles still make for a pretty great stocking stuffer. Especially when it’s a candle from Otherland. This year, the best-selling brand has released six limited-edition holiday-themed candles in scents like Silk Pajamas, Fallen Fir, and Black Velvet, all of which are so pretty you won’t even need to wrap them!
Deborah Lippmann Beautiful Dreamer Gel Lab Pro Nail Color Set, $29
With five creamy, satin-finish shades ranging from iridescent lavender to warm nude, this limited-edition Gel Pro nail polish kit is downright the dreamiest set of the holiday season.
Olio E Osso Natural Lip & Cheek Balm, $28
When it comes to gifts, we love finding one that pulls double duty, and this natural lip and cheek balm from Olio e Osso fits the bill. The multi-tasking color stick delivers a pretty wash of color to your cheeks, lips, and lids, not to mention tons of creamy hydration.
Go-To Party Prep Gift Set, $41
Party prep doesn’t get much easier than this pretty new gift set from Go-To Skincare. It comes complete with the Australian brand’s best-selling Transfomazing sheet mask, Face Hero oil, and two, limited-edition silk hair ties so you can look both cute and glowing.
Touchland Power Mist Hand Sanitizer, $12
Now, hand sanitizer may seem like a lame holiday gift, but when you consider that we’re now at peak cold and flu season (and honestly who has time to deal with that), it’s actually a pretty useful gift. Don’t just reach for any old version though; this one from Touchland is hands down the chicest hand sanitizer we’ve ever seen, making it both a pretty and practical option. Plus, it comes in eight different scents, so you don’t have to worry about smelling like rubbing alcohol all day.
Glossier Balm Dotcom Trio, $30
In the dead of winter, who among us doesn’t want to constantly slather their lips in lip balm? For a certified crowd-pleaser, check out Glossier’s beloved Balm Dotcom Trio, which allows you to choose any three of their best-selling Balm Dotcom lip treatments for 16 percent off the total cost. That’s a win-win!
Function of Beauty Customized Hair Mask, Serum, or Leave-In Treatment, $19
For the ultimate holiday hair pick-me-up, we’ve got you covered. Though small in size, our personalized hair treatments offer major hair goal results thanks to their completely customizable formulas. Whether you’re looking for a hydrating hair mask for your self-care-obsessed bestie, a shine-enhancing hair serum for your sociable sister, or a heat-protecting leave-in treatment for yourself, there’s a little something special for everyone this year.
Joanna Vargas Twilight Face Mask, $17
When it comes to achieving an instant, red carpet-worthy glow, Joanna Vargas’s celebrity-adored facials are at the top of our list. Thankfully, you can now reap the benefits of her skin-enhancing treatments without ever having to leave the house thanks to these new individual face mask sheets. Infused with witch hazel, niacinamide, and epidermal growth factor, her Twilight Face Mask promotes optimal vibrancy and skin resilience, while also hydrating and plumping the skin for the perfect all-over glow.
Silk for Beauty Sleep Slipsilk Hair Tie Holiday Bauble, $25
Everyone needs more hair ties (seriously, where do they all go?), and the holidays are the perfect excuse to turn an otherwise boring purchase into a festive and practical gift. This adorable holiday bauble from Slip includes four silk hair ties that help to decrease damage and creases, which pretty much guarantees they’ll be a hit.
Wet Brush Mystical Crystals Rose Quartz Mini Detangler, $4
Promote healthier hair with this mini version of Wet Brush’s popular detangling brush. Designed to be used on wet and dry hair, it gently detangles knots and prevents breakage and snagging, all while being 100% travel-friendly!
Kiehl’s Smooth Skin Delights Travel Size Richly Hydrating Hand Cream Trio, $35
With three of the brand’s iconic hand creams in travel-friendly sizes, we suggest splitting this festive holiday kit up into three separate stocking stuffers. One for your friend, one for your sibling, and one for you (don’t worry, we won’t tell).
Wander Beauty Baggage Claim Rose Gold Eye Masks, $25
For the friend who has more holiday parties on her calendar than she knows what to do with, there is perhaps no more useful a gift than undereye masks. Wander Beauty’s metallic rose gold version not only treats puffy eyes and dark circles but also brightens and hydrates for a more glowing, youthful appearance.
Frank Body Shower Together Peppermint Mocha Kit, $20
Kick your shower routine up about 15 notches with Frank Body’s new, holiday-themed Shower Together Kits. Honestly, we can’t decide what we love more, the addictive peppermint-mocha scent of the scrubs or the luscious, body-smoothing effect they have on our skin.
Native Mistletoe Mini Holiday Deodorant, $3
Even deodorant can be festive with the right packaging, and if you ask us, Native nailed it with this year’s limited-edition holiday versions. Available in scents like Candy Cane and Mistletoe, each deodorant is aluminum-, paraben-, and cruelty-free—not to mention super-affordable—making it the perfect practical gift idea.
LASHFOOD’s Nourish & Nature Duo, $49
Give your loved one the gift of long, fluttering lashes and luscious brows with Lashfood’s new Nourish and Nature Duo. Formulated with clean, 99%+ organic & natural ingredients, this set’s Phyto-Medic Eyelash and Eyebrow Enhancer help nourish lashes and brows, so they appear fuller, thicker, and stronger. We also can’t get enough of its adorable holiday-themed packaging!
Youth to the People Mini Skin Care Set, $48
These mini versions of Youth to the People’s skincare staples were practically made for stockings. Featuring a Superfood Cleanser, Superberry Hydrate + Glow Oil, Superfood Air-Whip Moisture Cream, Adaptogen Deep Moisture Cream, and Superberry Hydrate + Glow Dream Mask, these pint-sized gifts are the perfect addition for the beauty-conscious person on your list.
For more holiday gifting options check out our gifting page, here!
