FOR the past three Christmases, many people on my gift list have gotten beauty-related presents. Teenagers got lip and cheek tints either from The Body Shop or some Korean brands, while my titas received red lipsticks from Max Factor or Revlon.
So why do I give beauty-related gifts? I’m always asked for beauty suggestions, such as what lipstick to buy on a budget, or what shampoo would be nice for hair that’s been bleached. My gifts are usually products I would use myself. Every November I would go to SM Makati all the way from Fairview in Quezon City and spend hours just choosing from SM Beauty’s offerings. There’s something very fulfilling about coming home with bags full of beauty products that aren’t really for you.
To launch its holiday campaign this year, dubbed “So Much Gifts,” SM Beauty hosted a “Beauty Holiday Hop” for influencers, bloggers and members of the press. Three makeup masters—Jigs Mayuga, Jake Galvez and Denise Go Ochoa—led guests on a beauty crawl around the SM Beauty Section so they could see the holiday-gift offerings from the country’s best and biggest beauty hall.
You’re sure to find what you’re looking for at SM Beauty with makeup brands like Nyx, Benefit, Max Factor, Shiseido, Sleek, MAC Cosmetics, Guerlain, The Body Shop and many others. You can also choose from the fragrances of Jimmy Choo, Calvin Klein, Bvlgari, Issey Miyake, Salvatore Ferragamo, Ralph Lauren and Giorgio Armani, among others.
SM Beauty has the widest selection of cosmetics and fragrances from local and international brands and personal-care gift sets starting from P99. “We’re making the holiday gift-shopping experience better for everyone with stores that are spacious and well-lighted and well-curated merchandise that are properly displayed for easier browsing,” SM Beauty Store Group Marketing Manager Sharon Presbitero-Decapia said.
So what are my favorite gifting buys from SM Beauty, aside from the lovely gift sets? My picks, by the way, are all less than P500!
- released by Wet and Wild and Lottie London, which are always out of stock anyway. Rainbow highlighters are part of the unicorn/mermaid makeup trends. So my friend Ari messaged me a few months back and told me Essence at SM Makati had this in stock, and I have been hoarding this as gifts for friends. The product looks scary in the pan but when applied, has a white-silvery sheen with a hint of pink.
- NYX Lip Lingerie. My friend works for NYX in Singapore and she told me about this line, which consist mostly of nude lipsticks (hence the name). These lipsticks actually are always out of stock because they’re inexpensive and very wearable. NYX Cosmetics, in my opinion, is a very underrated brand. The colors I bought for gifting are French Maid and Exotic.
- Pink Sugar Sugartint Lip and Cheek Tint in Queen Bee. I have gifted this to several friends in the past and it’s such a hit. All of them said they finished it down to the last drop. Queen Bee is such a best seller that it’s always out of stock. This is a nude that’s not too pale to wash you out. It’s perfect for everyday wear.
- Vice Cosmetics Good Vibes Matte Lipstick in Pak Ganern and Good Vibes. Full disclosure: I did some consultancy work for Vice Cosmetics but I do love the Good Vibes collection, particularly in the colors Pak Ganern (a brown) and Good Vibes (the mauve). At P195 per tube, you can give two to a friend! These are no-fail colors. By the way, Pak Ganern and Good Vibes are the favorites of Maymay Entrata.
- L’Oreal Sulfate-Free Shampoos and Conditioners. The idea of giving shampoo and conditioner as a gift may seem weird to some, but as a person with colored hair, I would appreciate such gifts. I’m sure I am not alone. The L’Oreal Sulfate-Free Shampoos and Conditioners are the best for chemically treated hair at this price point.
- Maybelline Gigi Hadid Matte Lipstick in Khair. If my daughter, who hardly wears makeup, bought this with her own money, it would probably make a good gift for young women like her.
- Follow SM Beauty at www.facebook.com/smbeautyph.