Beauty Babes Gift Guide 2024

I know that the inside is what counts, but I do have fun with the outside! I prioritize taking care of my skin and having an easy-but-effective makeup routine. Here are my favorite products from the past year.

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1) Shark Flex Hair Blow Dryer: If you want to look like you had the perfect blow out every day, this is for you. I bought it the night before my 20 year high school reunion as a way to calm my nerves and boost my confidence. I've never been great at doing hair, but this dryer system (allll the attachments) makes me look like I know what I'm doing. HIGHLY recommend. (PS: I honestly don't see how the Dyson version can be any better.)

2) DRMTLY Pumpkin Enzyme Mask: I got this while buying another DRMTLY product (see the color corrector below), and it became my favorite mask RIGHT away. It's soooo creamy, but with little beads to exfoliate. You feel it get activated--it gets all warm--both when you first put it on, and then at the end when you massage a little water into it. 5 stars!!

3) Merit Lipstick: I have these same lipstick in 2 shades, "Millennial" being my most-worn as it's the perfect neutral pink. Easy to apply, creamy consistency, and not sticky once set. Aspertif--an orange-red--is my other color, and it's the perfect red. But, it doesn't look like it's for sale anymore. I'm betting the red they have is a great one, though!

4) Tarte Tube Mascara: I've been around the block when it comes to mascaras and tried allllll sorts. This is my favorite of 2024. It lengthens your lashes and is never clumpy, and is the tube style so it protects your lashes. Tarte is a cleaner beauty brand, too. 

5) Vanity Planet Facial Steamer: Want to feel like you're at a spa? So many influencers shared this a few years ago, but I finally got it during a boxing day sale at the end of 2023. I use it once a week after washing off my makeup. It adds so much moisture to my skin, and it feels sooooo good. If this broke, I'd buy a replacement ASAP.

6) Dime Blue Facial Oil: I bought a more expensive version of this oil from another influencer's brand, and this one is just as good and way better priced. I layer it on as the last step to my skincare at night and it seals up alllll the goodness + preps my face for my gua shua. A little goes a long way. 

7) Anastasia Brow Gel: I am not one for filling in my brows very heavily, but I do like a little bit of an emphasis and for them to be tamed in place. This fits the bill perfectly AND easily. I get the medium brown shade.

8) Ilia Lip Crayon: This lip-pencil + lipstick, and that's what you've got here. I have this in a few shades and love each one, but think the warmer-pinky neutral shades will look good on anybody. Good staying power without drying out your lips + matte, so you could layer a gloss over it if you'd like. 

9) DRMTLY Retinol: This is the first retinol I've been able to use for YEARS, thanks to lots of pregnancy and nursing. It's gentle but effective--and doesn't smell like many retinols do. I have very sensitive skin and was still able to use this nightly without feeling like my face was going to fall off. Retinol is a VERY important step for any good skincare routine, and I'm so glad to have it back in. 

10) Dime Gentle Jelly Cleanser: This is step 2 of my nightly double-wash and I love it so very much. It is both gentle and the gel-like texture you need for that step. I got it for my tween and teen as well, and stock up whenever there's a sale.

11) NuFace Facial Toner Device: {splurge} Watch for some good sales on this device right now! You'll want the activating gel, too. If you want to tighten your face without learning face yoga, this is the product for you. I'm still about a month in, and it takes up to 60 days to see more effects, but I'm already noticing tightening, especially with my cheekbones. I do this each night after my double-wash and before the other products.

12) Ilia Tinted Super Serum: I don't wear this every day (I don't really need much coverage these days), but this is my foundation without foundation. It's light, has good SPF, and other good things, too. My mom borrowed it one day and kept asking me more about it because she loved how it looked on her, too. 

13) Merit Highlighter Stick: This may be the makeup product I would grab in a fire . . . If you want to look glowy, but not sparkly, I can't recommend this enough. It makes me look like 5 years less tired with a couple careful placements.  

14) DRMTLGY Color Corrector: You can either wear this as an under-eye concealer on its own, or under your concealer. I do the former. It's light coverage, but counteracts the dark tones in your tired skin quite well. Plus, it has super good SPF, which is hard to find in an eye product.