My mother and her friends were pros at buying random items on sale, so they’d have fully stocked ‘gift closets’ to choose from when they needed a present. (The old line-up-for-hours William Ashley warehouse sale was the source of many ‘off-registry’ crystal vase wedding gifts back in the 90s.)
Saturday Night Live nailed the phenomenon in this music video about the endless regifting of a terrible, peach scented candle. (Christmas bonus: the 80s-into-90s overdone makeup, lacquered hair and furs ‘n’ turtlenecks sported by Emma Stone, Kate McKinnon and Aidy Bryant in the video are a holiday present all their own.)
As an antidote, here are some wonderful beauty gifts to keep on hand, all at Secret Santa prices, because no one wants to be passing off the current equivalent of that dreaded candle.
And while some brands have beautiful holiday packaging, others sadly have not. Combat this by tossing the offending boxes and wrapping the contents in tissue and then into a tiny festive bag from the dollar store. Not sure how I lived before Dollarama became an integral part of my life.
Bodtini hand wash in Yuzu, $24, from editor favourite Tips Nail Bar, is citrussy and uplifting and the black and white graphic bottle suits any bathroom. Or the lucky recipient can keep it by the kitchen sink to stop from washing their hands with dish liquid when they come in the door. Available for delivery or next day pickup in Toronto.
Nice soap is the best kind of gift - an elevated version of something everyone needs, and nothing is chic-er than black soap.
This beauty (only $14) comes from black-owned local Toronto brand Sade Baron. Wrap two or three in white tissue and you have a wonderful design-y gift. Done.
The Body Shop Warm Vanilla Duo actually contains three items in their pleasingly creamy Warm Vanilla scent: body scrub, body butter plus a bath scrubbie - all for only $10.
This Eos Limited Edition Super Soft Shea Lip Balm pack, $9.97 Walmart.ca, is a petroleum-and paraben free trio of their signature natural balm spheres in seasonal flavours of Champagne Pop, Caramel Brûlée Sleigh and Cotton Candy Snow. If shops were open, I’d suggest taking them out of their blister pack and arranging them in a small white bowl, but maybe I’m getting unnecessarily fancy.
Hand cream, like lip balm only works if you’re consistent. This Burt’s Bees Holiday Hand Cream Trio, $14.99, has clean bright sunny scents, is loaded with protective Shea butter and beeswax, and because there are three, your recipient can put one by the bed, one by the sink and one by the couch. (Ok, in a plastic bin under the couch along with at least one lip balm.)
Come ON! This midnight blue Christmas cracker that’s actually a Quo Beauty Lip Gloss Set gives you eight shades from sheer nudes to deeper berries and three fun party shades and is only $20. It may be sold out online, but they’re still available at Shoppers in-store. Run. Run now.
My Fresh Essentials Holiday Ornament, $14, from L’Occitane contains an adorable leaf-shaped soap, body lotion and hand cream in summery verveine. (In English it’s ‘lemon verbena’ which to me sounds fusty and faintly old ladyish, while ‘verveine’ sounds French and glamorous.)