Somewhere, sometime, beauty has become the fall-back gift for girls. Whether it was Lip Smackers chapstick packs during our pint-sized years, Bath & Body Works lotions and shower gels during the teen years, or MAC gift sets during our college years, makeup and skincare has always been a safe (and beloved) bet.
These makeup finds were easy picks for forgotten friends, young relatives or coworkers, and also the stuff you could easily re-gift or stockpile.
But when your circle of friends includes true beauty enthusiasts? These ladies hardly need another eyeshadow palette. And they’ve aged out of cutesy packaging gimmicks. Buying products for these keen beauty shoppers is just plain risky — they’re tuned into ingredient lists and they know the hottest limited-edition drops.
Our secret to shopping for beauty mavens? Pivot to the beauty gadget game. Odds are your beauty-expert friends can benefit from a little high-tech help.
Top 10 Beauty Gadgets
Facial Steamers
Busy babes on your list will love a gadget that eliminates the need for another appointment. And, being able to steam and clean out pores at home is a time-saving godsend. Regular me-time with skin-clearing results? They’ll be thanking you month after month.
Mask Maker
Sheet-style beauty masks might make a good stocking stuffer, but the ultimate gift? A machine that straight-up makes them on the fly. Ingredient-enthusiasts can use their favorite all-natural ingredients — healthy greens, fruits and supplements (read: collagen)— to concoct jelly masks right at home for Instagram-worthy DIYs.
LED Lights
Everyone can benefit from a little light therapy — red and blue lights treat pesky acne marks to fine lines to bacteria and inflammation.
Facial Massage
For the Kardashian-contouring-obsessed (or, really, anyone looking to hollow out those cheekbones and help their products absorb better), facial massage tools can bring on that youthful glow. A proper facial massage relaxes muscles, stimulates circulation and feels so luxurious too!
UV Monitor
One of the keys to healthy, gorgeous, wrinkle-free skin is monitoring your sun exposure, which is easier than ever thanks to this gadget. The LCD screen displays the UV index on a given day — you can translate that to your risk of getting sunburned. Apply sunscreen accordingly.
Shower Water Purifier
Tap water can contain some really bad stuff, like chlorine, lead, mercury, iron, hydrogen sulfide, pesticides, herbicides, and other volatile organic compounds. And all that bad stuff wrecks your sensitive hair and skin. This is a problem easily solved, though, with an in-line water filter for the shower. You, or the lucky friend that gets this as a gift, should see softer, more manageable hair and fewer breakouts.
Have you tried any of these beauty gadgets? Let us know in the comments!
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