Last updated 2 November 2020

It’s that time of the year again – holiday releases are coming. I’ve been keeping an eye on some of these launches and, while some brands have slacked off a little in 2020 (understandable given how the pandemic has impacted everything), there are still a lot of great ones! From celebratory eyeshadow palettes to brilliant skincare sets – there’s so much to choose from.

It would be exhaustive to include absolutely everything, so this article mostly features things that I’m personally interested in trying or think would be a great gift option. Most, if not all, of these will be beauty related and available either in Australian stockists or online – all information which you will find here, of course.

Please note that this list is also being updated as new announcements are made so let me know if there’s a brand or release you think I should add in!

Now let’s start shopping!

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These are the brands currently in this guide. You can scroll through to browse everything or click on brand names to go directly to their section:

Amore Pacific

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Amore Pacific
Unleash your Inner Vitality Set (Right) and Unleash Your Inner Clarity Set (Left)

I personally haven’t used anything from Amore Pacific before, but obviously use a lot of brands under their company (Laneige, Innisfree and IOPE amongst others). Amore Pacific is a luxury skincare brand with a great reputation – and a shiny price tag. These sets are great for people who are already using their products or wanting to buy them, as they essentially feature the full size product at the regular price, but with an added mini or travel size.

Unleash Your Inner Vitality | Mecca | AUD$256

Contains a full size Moisture Plumping Nectar Cream (50mL), and a 30mL travel size of the Vintage Single Extract Essence. This is a hydrating and rejuvenating duo.

Unleash Your Inner Clarity| Mecca | AUD$280

In contrast, this contains the full size Vintage Single Extract Essence (in 150mL) and a mini Time Response Skin Reserve Cream (with 8mL). This set targets exfoliation and firming needs.

Anastasia Beverly Hills

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Anastasia Beverly Hills
Soft Glam II Mini Palette

Soft Glam II Mini Eyeshadow Palette | Website | Sephora | Mecca | AUD$54

I absolutely love my Soft Glam Palette, and I’m always recommending it to people. For those who want a more travel friendly version though or just something a bit more affordable, this new mini palette is perfect!

Available from both the Anastasia Beverly Hills website, Mecca or Sephora, this eight pan palette features four shades from the Soft Glam palette, as well as four from the Norvina palette. All of these are in the original size too, so you won’t be working with tiny pans – just a (perfectly) curated colour range!

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Anastasia Beverly Hills
Haute Holiday Mini Lipgloss Set (Left) and Mini Lash Brag Ornament (Right)

The holidays are a great time for minis and Anastasia Beverly Hills doesn’t disappoint. Personally, I have never finished either a lip gloss or a mascara before the expiry (and we should really be careful not to keep products for too long anyway), so these are great. They come at a nice price point so would also be a good gift option.

Haute Holiday Mini Lip Gloss Set | Website | Sephora | AUD$46

These are all new shades, so would be great for those who are a fan of their formula and want a couple of minis for their purse. All of these have a vanilla scent and have a mix of high-shine and shimmer finishes.

Mini Lash Brag Ornament | Website| Mecca | AUD$22

If lip glosses aren’t your thing, then you might be interested in this instead. This comes in a ‘ornament’ style and is a 5mL mini of their regular Lash Brag formula – a volumizing mascara containing flexible polymers. This would be great for people who just want to try out the formula and may not want to invest in a full size yet.

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Anastasia Beverly Hills
Perfect Your Brows Kit (Left), Instabrows Kit (Center) and Brow Bae-sics Brow Kit (Right)

Also, Anastasia Beverly Hills is most well known for their brow products so you simply cannot pass up on these! Whether you’re restocking on essentials or just wanting to try out a few of their products, definitely check these out for a bit of a discount too. My only disappointment here is that there’s no brow pomade kit, since that’s my favourite formula!

Perfect Your Brows Kit | Website| AUD$41

Contains a mini Dipbrow Gel and a full size Brow Wiz retractable pencil. This kit is available for five different shades (Taupe, Soft Brown, Medium Brown, Dark Brown and Ebony).

Insta Brows Kit | Website| AUD$41

If you’re wanting fuller brows, this kit contains a full size Brow Definer pencil and a mini Clear Brow Gel – again in the five different shades (Taupe, Soft Brown, Medium Brown, Dark Brown and Ebony).

Brow Bae-sics Brow Kit | Website| AUD$45

And then, like a combination of the above two, this kit contains a full size Brow Wiz and also a full size Clear Brow Gel. Again, available in five different shades (Taupe, Soft Brown, Medium Brown, Dark Brown and Ebony).

Biossance

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Biossance
Your Clean Routine Overachievers Skincare Kit

Your Clean Routine Overachievers Skincare Kit | Website | Sephora | AUD$98

After falling in love with Biossance’ eye cream, I’m now super excited to try out more from the brand! Their products are on the expensive side, so a set like this (which include five travel-friendly sizes) would be a great option. This set includes:

  • Squalane+ Vitamin C Rose Oil (12ml)
  • Squalane+ Lactic Acid Resurfacing Night Serum (15ml)
  • Squalane+ Marine Algae Eye Cream (3ml)
  • Squalane+ Probiotic Gel Moisturizer (15ml)
  • Squalane+ Omega Repair Cream (15ml)
Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Biossance
Illuminate Overnight Set (Left), Uplifted and Bright Set (Center) and Let it Glow Set (Right)

If you have more specific skin concerns though, one of these three sets may be more up your alley. As of right now, they are available from the Biossance website (with no release information for Sephora yet) at varying price points. The sets include:

Illuminate Overnight Set | Website | USD$58

A trio of products for a nighttime skin routine. This set includes:

  • Full size Squalane+ Omega Repair Cream (50mL)
  • Travel size Squalane+ Lactic Acid Resurfacing Night Serum (15mL)
  • Travel size Squalane+ Marine Algae Eye Cream (3mL)

Uplifted and Bright Set | Website | USD$72

Alternatively, the Uplifted and Bright Set targets fine lines and wrinkles. It contains:

  • Full size Squalane+ Vitamin C Rose Oil (30mL)
  • Travel size Squalane+ Omega Repair Cream (15mL)
  • Travel size Squalane+ Phyto Retinol Serum (10mL)

Let it Glow Set | Website| USD$25

And finally is the Let it Glow Set, which targets brightening and radiance concerns. This is the most affordable of the three, and would be a great little gift (or for those who have never used Biossance before). This set contains two travel sizes:

  • Squalane+ Lactic Acid Resurfacing Night Serum (15mL)
  • Squalane+ Vitamin C Rose Oil (12mL)

Bite Beauty

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Bite Beauty
Starlit Succulents 3-Piece Agave+ Lip Care Set (Right), Sunset Superbloom Outburst Longwear Lip Stain Trio (Center) and Midnight Mood Power Move Lip Crayon Trio Mini

For those are are interested in lip products, Bite Beauty has everyone covered. These three sets contain some of their most popular products in affordable mini sets. They’re perfect as gifts or value packs for people who love these formulas.

Starlit Succulents 3-Piece Agave+ Lip Care Set | Website | Sephora | AUD$33

This set of their Agave+ favourites contains everything needed for smooth, soft and hydrated lips, including:

  • Mini Agave+ Weekly Lip Scrub (9.5g)
  • Mini Agave+ Instensive Lip Mask (5g)
  • Mini Agave+ Nighttime Lip Therapy (7g)

Sunset Superbloom Outburst Longwear Lip Stain Trio | Website | Sephora | AUD$49

For those who are a fan of their Lip Stain formula, this trio would be a good one to check it. It contains three shades: Sangria Slush (full size), Orange Fizz (mini) and Strawberry Frozé (mini). All three of these shades are bold and so pretty for the holiday season.

Midnight Mood Power Move Lip Crayon Trio Mini | Website | Sephora | AUD$38

For a more traditional and creamy formula though, the Midnight Mood trio is perfect! This would be great for people who have already used and love Bite Beauty’s crayon formula because it contains two exclusive shades (Sazerac and Añejo), as well as their best-selling Negroni. All of them are in mini sizes, which are perfect for carrying around.

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Bite Beauty
Agave+ Lip Tint Tins

Agave+ Lip Tint Tin | Website | Sephora | AUD$22

In addition to those sets, Bite Beauty have also released a brand new product! I’m not sure if these will be re-released in the future as part of their permanent line but, if you’re a fan of travel-friendly tinted lip balms, this would be a fun one. They are currently available in five shades, including berries and a shimmering, warm gold!

Bobbi Brown

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Bobbi Brown
Luxe Prismatic Lipstick (Left), Luxe Gilded Highlighter (Center) and Luxe Encore Eyeshadow Palette in Bronze (Right)

Bobbi Brown has also come out with a really pretty collection inspired by the spirit and energy of dance, with limited edition packaging featuring watercolour art by Cecilia Carlstedt. The range is pretty expansive, so I’ll be highlighting the products that caught my eye in particular (and, to be honest, I wasn’t able to narrow it down that much).

Luxe Prismatic Lipstick | Website | Adore Beauty | AUD$56

The Luxe Prismatic Lipstick is limited edition and available in the shade Showstopper. It’s a beautiful cream formula with a pearl shimmer streak design over the bullet – honestly, this is just really beautiful. I’m not personally a fan of shimmer lip formulas, but even I am fawning over this.

Luxe Gilded Highlighter | Website | AUD$80

For those who are fans of the Bobbi Brown highlighters, you may be interested in the Luxe Gilded Highlighter instead. This shade, Foiled Petal, is described as a pinky gold. It is described as having a high-pearl pigment for smooth, prismatic effect.

Luxe Encore Eyeshadow Palette | Website | Adore Beauty | AUD$85

And then there is the Luxe Encore Palette – which I’m really keen for! This eyeshadow quad comes in two colour stories – bronze or burgundy. The formula contained here is described as a bouncy geleé shadow, for one stroke colour and a creamy finish. Both of the variants are very wearable and would suit a lot of people, so this would be a beautiful gift!

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Bobbi Brown
Modern Symphony Eyeshadow Palette (Left) and Golden Slipper Eyeshadow Palette (Right)
Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Bobbi Brown
High Barre Eyeshadow Palette

If you’re after a full size palette with more variety, you have some other options too. These don’t have the geleé shadow formula from the quads though – from what I can tell, I think that these are the regular Bobbi Brown powder shadow formula.

Modern Symphony Eyeshadow Palette | Website | AUD$85

This eight pan palette contains soft matte and shimmering formulas, with a cool toned colour story of mauves and plums.

Golden Slipper Eyeshadow Palette | Website | AUD$85

This eight pan palette contains soft matte and shimmering formulas, with a warm colour story of golds, coppers and neutrals.

High Barre Eyeshadow Palette | Website | Adore Beauty | AUD$99

A little bit more expensive that the previous options, this one contains twelve shadows of “poised pinks, sparkling pale golds, pops of pomegranate and cool nudes.” Perfect for people who absolutely adore the Bobbi Brown shadow formula.

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Bobbi Brown
All About Lashes Mascara Set (Left), Sheer Indulgence Extra Lip Tint Trio (Center) and Get Glossy Lip Gloss Kit (Right)

These cute little trios are a good deal too. However, since each set contains multiple products, I would only recommend this for people who already know and love the Bobbi Brown formulas. Check these out to spoil the Bobbi Brown fan in your life (like me – spoil me pls).

All About Lashes Mascara Set | Website | Adore Beauty | AUD$55

As an uber fan of the Smokey Eye Mascara, this is an amazing deal. This set contains two of their full-size mascaras (which usually retail for AUD$50 each), as well as a mini size of the Instant Long-Wear Makeup Remover.

Sheer Indulgence Extra Lip Tint Trio | Website | AUD$92

Fans of their lip tints will absolutely love this trio too – and also such a great deal considering that they are usually AUD$56 each. This set contains three full-size lip tints in Bare Pink, Bare Nude and Bare Poppy. The sheer formula works well on all skin tones, so these would suit so many people!

Get Glossy Lip Gloss Kit | Website | AUD$81

And finally, for the lip gloss fans, there is also the Get Glossy Kit! This contains four mini sized glosses (4mL each) in the shades Bare Sparkle, Rose Sugar, In the Buff and Force of Nature.

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Bobbi Brown
Holiday Wishlist Deluxe Collection (Left) and the Vitamin Enriched Face Base (Right)

Holiday Wishlist Deluxe Collection | Website | Adore Beauty | AUD$200

If you can’t decide and want a little bit of everything, check out this full on collection! It’s the more expensive option, but this contains a kit valued at AUD$321 – which is an impressive saving. You’ll also confirm your place as the favourite gift giver. This kit contains:

  • Illuminating Bronzing Powder (Aruba)
  • Vitamin Enriched Face Base (Deluxe Sample Size)
  • Crushed Oil-Infused Gloss (In the Buff)
  • Smokey Eye Mascara
  • Perfectly Defined Gel Eye Liner (Chocolate Truffle)
  • Angled Eyeshadow Brush (Full size)
  • Cranberry Essentials Eye Palette
  • Bobbi Brown Travel Bag

Vitamin Enriched Face Base | Website | AUD$132

If you or someone you know love the Vitamin Enriched Face Base, this is a good one to look at too – though I wouldn’t recommend it for people who haven’t used it before. This is an oversized ‘deluxe’ version of their cult favourite face primer in a 100mL limited edition packaging.

Drunk Elephant

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Drunk Elephant
Glowy: The Night Kit (Left) and Dewy: Whip Skin into Shape Kit (Right)

Drunk Elephant is also super popular brand with a cult following. Their products are also on the expensive side so, for people that want to try something new, these kits are a really good idea. They are also good gift options if you’re looking to splurge a little, but don’t know exactly what they want. All of these are curated for specific skin concerns and contain both retail and mini size products. I have listed below the Glow and Dewy kits, but there is also a third Firmy: The Day Kit that you can look into as well!

Glowy: The Night Kit | Website | Mecca | AUD$157

This glowy kit is a curated evening skincare set to hydrate and refine skin. The key benefits are anti-blemish, hydration, exfoliation, and fading pigmentation. Products included in this set are:

  • TLC Framboos Glycolic Serum (30mL)
  • E-Rase Milki Micellar Water (100mL)
  • Beste No.9 Jelly Cleanser (30mL)
  • Lala Retro Whipped Cream (15mL)
  • F-Balm Electrolyte Waterfacial (15mL)

Dewy: The Whip-Skin-Into-Shape Kit | Website | Mecca | AUD$111

For those who want dewy skin, this kit claims to be a complete skincare regime! It targets hydration, brightening and exfoliation. Products included are:

  • Lala Retro Whipped Cream (50ml)
  • Slaai Cleanser (22g) & Bamboo Booster (1.7g)
  • B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum (5ml)
  • A-Passioni Retinol Cream (10ml)
  • Compact Mirror (Not sold separately)
Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Drunk Elephant
Hair + Body Trunk 1.0 (Left) and The Trunk 4.0 (Right)

For hard core Drunk Elephant lovers, and I know a lot of people use their products exclusively, the release of these massive skincare trunks are super exciting! I would recommend these only for people who love the brand and enjoy most, if not all, of their products. They are huge packs so definitely have a big price tag though.

Hair + Body Trunk 1.0 | Website | Mecca | AUD$216

A relatively new expansion to the Drunk Elephant range will be their hair and body products, so they have released this giant pack for those who want the full routine. This set is packaged in a trademark neon shower caddy and contains six of their hero products (listed below), as well as hair elastics, a wide-tooth acrylic comb and a silicone dry brush.

  • Cocomino Glossing Shampoo (240mL) 
  • Cocomino Marula Cream Conditioner (240mL)
  • T.L.C Happi Scalp Scrub (180mL)
  • Wild Marula Tangle Spray (120 mL)
  • Kamili Cream Body Cleanser (240mL) 
  • Sili Body Lotion (240mL)

The Trunk 4.0 | Website | Mecca | AUD$673

And for the skincare lovers, this is the real boss here! The Trunk 4.0 is a prepacked trunk luggage full of their best selling products – nine full sizes and other bonus samples. You can find the dimensions of the trunk on the website. This set is valued at AUD$909 and includes:

  • F-Balm Electrolyte Waterfacial (50mL)
  • Beste No 9. Jelly Cleanser (150mL)
  • A-Passioni Retinol Cream (30mL) 
  • Lala Retro Whipped Cream (50mL) 
  • B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum (50mL)
  • C-Firma Day Serum (30mL)
  • T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum (30mL) 
  • Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil (30mL)
  • Shaba Complex Eye Serum (15mL)
  • E-Rase Milki Micellar Water (Deluxe sample)
  • Slaai Cleanser (Deluxe sample)
  • C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream (Sample)
  • D-Bronzi Anti-Pollution Sunshine Drops  (Sample) 
  • Bamboo Booster  (Sample)
  • Exclusive trunk that is a collaboration with MONOS Luggage

Fenty Beauty

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Fenty Beauty
Top to bottom, Left to right: Glow Trio, Two Lil Stunnas Lip Paint Mini, Glossy Posse, Full Sap Eyeshadow and Mini Mascara Set

The Fenty Beauty Holo’daze Collection mostly consists of existing formulas, but in all new shades (and cute mini sizes). It’s a good opportunity to stock up on your favourite formulas or try something new! They are primarily lip products, which I find I never need full sizes for anyway. Great option for those who love Fenty!

Glow Trio: Face, Lip & Body Makeup Set | Website | Sephora | AUD$65

This set is all about the ‘Fenty Glow’ – which is the favourite universal rose nude shade that you will recognise from their gloss. I have a feeling that this shade is exclusive to this kit (except for the Gloss Bomb, which is such a staple that you can double up anyway). This trio contains:

  • Full size Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Blush (3g)
  • Mini size Diamond Bomb Highlighter (2.8g)
  • Full size Gloss Bomb (9mL)

Two Lil Stunnas Lip Paint Mini | Website | Sephora | AUD$39

For those who, like me, love bold pigmented lips, the Fenty Beauty Stunna Lip Paint is a fun one to play around with. The full size is pretty massive though, so this duo is a good one to check out. It contains two mini sizes in the brand new shades:

  • Unmatched (deep cool red)
  • Underrated (deep berry)

Glossy Posse: Holo’Daze Lip Gloss Set Mini | Website | Sephora | AUD$55

Gloss Bomb lovers will really love this set – I’m actually considering getting it for myself (and I already have a hundred lip glosses). The Fenty formula is known for being super smooth, comfortable and flattering on many skin tones. This kit contains four mini 5.5g sizes, in all new shades:

  • Cake Shake (Shimmering bronze)
  • Baby Brut (Shimmering gold)
  • Taddy Tea$se (Shimmering coral)
  • Ruby Milk (Shimmering deep plum)

Full Snap Eyeshadow and Mini Mascara Set | Website | USD$29

And currently only available on the Fenty Beauty website (no word from Sephora yet), is this duo set containing a limited edition snap shadow and a mini size of the Full Frontal Mascara. That being said, the snap shadow can be quite a dividing formula so I would mostly recommend this if you know someone who already loves this formula.

Glow Recipe

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Glow Recipe
Glowing Skin Trio (Left) and Pick Your Pop Lip Duo (Right)

These Glow Recipe kits were really popular last year and I have no doubt that they will be a favourite this time too! This brand has a cult following – they are all about fruit-powered skincare and fun, sensorial textures. This year, they have released two sets at Mecca though there are some other options that you can pick up from their official website too!

Glowing Skin Trio | Website | Mecca | AUD$67

This trio contains a curated routine for glowing skin, with the key ingredients of encapsulated retinol, blueberry extract and centella asiatica. Products include:

  • Travel size Blueberry Bounce Gentle Cleanser (30mL)
  • Full size Avocado Melt Retinol Eye Sleeping Mask (15mL)
  • Travel size Banana Soufflé Moisture Cream (25mL)

Pick Your Pop Lip Duo | Website | Mecca | AUD$45

For those who love the original Lip Pop (and I know a lot of people I know do), this duo contains the original Watermelon flavour, as well as a limited edition Blueberry Lip Pop. For people that use this daily (or very often), it’s a good deal too considering these usually retail at AUD$35 each!

Hourglass

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Hourglass
Ambient Lighting Edit Sculpture (6 pan palette), Ambient Lighting Edit Mini (4 pan palette) and Confessions Refillable Lipstick Duo

Hourglass releases these palettes and lip duos every year, and they always excite me! Although the pan sizes of these are much smaller than their single powders, they still last a really long time. The shades can be repetitive so, in my opinion, it isn’t logical to buy them every year – but if you don’t have them yet, absolutely check out this year’s Unlocked design! I’ve already picked one up!

Also, note that 5% of profits from the Sculpture Unlocked Collection is being donated to the No-Human Rights Project.

Ambient Lighting Edit – Sculpture | Website | Mecca | AUD$128

The Ambient Lighting Edit palette is a six pan palette of finishing powers, blush, bronzer and highlighters. This year’s design comes with a golden, sculptural compact design – which I personally like better than last year’s Ghost design. This edit contains a mix of existing and exclusive shades:

  • Ambient Lighting Finishing Powder – Dim Light
  • Ambient Lighting Finishing Powder – Diffused Light
  • Ambient Strobe Lighting Powder – Glistening Strobe Light (Exclusive Shade)
  • Ambient Lighting Bronzer – Natural Bronze Light (Exclusive Shade)
  • Ambient Strobe Lighting Blush – Vibrant Flush (Exclusive Shade)
  • Ambient Lighting Blush – Mood Exposure

Ambient Lighting Edit Mini – Sculpture Unlocked | Website | Mecca | AUD$93

If you love Hourglass powders but want something a bit more condensed (and a bit nicer in price point too), the Ambient Lighting Edit Mini is also a good option! However, note that this is the same shades as last year’s Ghost Edition so I wouldn’t recommend purchasing this if you already have it.

Shades included in this palette are:

  • Ambient Lighting Finishing Powder – Soft Light
  • Ambient Metallic Strobe Lighting Powder – Champagne Strobe Light
  • Ambient Lighting Bronzer – Golden Bronze Light
  • Ambient Lighting Blush – Mood Flush

Confessions Refillable Lipstick Duo | Website | Mecca | AUD$77

For fans of the Confessions Lipstick – you will absolutely love this duo! This duo contains one full lipstick with the applicator (usually AUD$58 each) and an additional refill (usually AUD$35). The design of the lipstick tube is exclusive to this collection, with a faceted sculptural design, and both of these shades are also limited edition:

  • At Dusk (Cranberry) 
  • At Dawn (Deep Rose)

Note that the applicator of this lipstick is interchangable with their regular bullets too, so you can totally reuse this with new shades. I know a lot of people who collect these limited edition bullet designs but, if you’re curious about the formula, this is still a great one to get your hands on.

Innisfree

Innisfree’s Green Holidays collection has dropped and, as with the previous year, you will be seeing some new releases, some jumbo sizes of their cult-favourite products and also some cute little gift sets. Their approach to the holidays is always a little different, with a focus on playful and original artworks.

This year’s limited edition packaging is designed by LA-based artist and designer Steven Harrington, and is inspired by California’s diverse culture and scenery. It has an almost caricature style that is quirky, happy and somewhat nostalgic too! Fans of Rocko’s Modern Life would love this!

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Innisfree
Green Tea Seed Serum (Jumbo Size) and Jeju Orchid Enriched Cream (Jumbo Size)


Green Tea Seed Serum (Jumbo Size)
| Website | AUD$54

This serum is one of their best-selling products and is formulated with both Jeju Green Tea Extract and Green Tea Seed Oil to maintain skin balance, as well as improve moisture retention – it’s the perfect staple product. Aside from the limited edition packaging, this comes in a massive 160mL bottle (double the regular size, which usually sells at AUD$39) – it’s brilliant value and you’ll also be minimising waste.

Jeju Orchid Enriched Cream (Jumbo Size) | Website | AUD$59

Another popular product from their permanent line is this Jeju Orchid Enriched Cream. It’s perfect for people with anti-aging concerns and comes in a large 100mL tub (with a limited edition design, of course). In general, these jumbo sizes are perfect for stocking up – the regular 50mL is already AUD$42 so the value is definitely worth it!

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Innisfree
Left to Right: Perfumed Hand Cream Set, Jeju Root Energy Mask Set and My Lip Balm Set

Perfumed Hand Cream Set | Website | AUD$20

A smaller gift option, this is something that would perfectly suit a Secret Santa game. The Perfumed Hand Cream Set contains three travel-friendly hand creams, which are pretty popular right now considering how often we are using hand sanitisers. This set contains three Jeju inspired scents in limited edition packaging:

  • Guesthouse Laundry – A fresh and woody scent with notes of vanilla and flowers
  • Yuja Tea – A sweet, citrusy scent that replicates the fragrance of a Yuja farm
  • Pink Coral – A fresh scent that captures the fragrance of the sea sides of Jeju

Jeju Root Energy Mask Set | Website | AUD$21

For skincare lovers, this mask set is also absolutely perfect. It comes in a really cute limited edition box and contains eight variants from the new Jeju Root Energy collection (which contains all Jeju-native root vegetables): carrot, beet, potato, burdock, kohlrabi, lotus root, ginger and yam. They also contain three varying hydration levels such as a watery essence, ampoule or cream.

The price point is great as a smaller gift and I think it’s great that this set covers all of the bases too. It’s especially suited for people who are just getting into skincare and want something they can treat themselves with on special occasions.

My Lip Balm Set | Website | AUD$29

And then, for something that’s in-between skincare and cosmetics, there’s also this Lip Balm Set! It’s a bit more expensive than the other two but you still have a small saving (each one usually retails for AUD$16). This duo contains two full sized balms in the limited edition packaging, with the scents:

  • Sunkissed Cherry Tea
  • Wedding Peach Tea
Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Innisfree
Glam Mood Palette (Left) and Jelly Balm Crayon (Right)

Glam Mood Palette | Website | AUD$42

When it comes to what I’m personally most excited about, it will always be make up (I love Innisfree skincare too but I’m weak for shiny things). This year’s Holiday collection contains the exclusive Glam Mood Palette which contains eight warm-neutral shades of mattes, shimmers and glitters. Their previous Cherry Blossom Palette really impressed me so I have high hopes for this one. It’s really perfect for people who love soft and natural make up looks.

Jelly Balm Crayon | Website | AUD$13

For the lips, Innisfree seems to have released a totally brand new formula too! This is their Jelly Balm Crayon, which sells individually and comes in three shades (which don’t have names – they are just 1, 2 and 3). It’s a lipstick and balm hybrid with a smooth, jelly texture – sounds so good. I’m definitely keen to pick these out though I hope that they are introduced as a permanent item later on (and maybe with more shades).

Jurlique

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Jurlique
Mini Face Treats (Left) and The Iconic Set (Right)

Fans of gorgeous, luxury skincare will love these holiday releases by Jurlique. They contain combinations of their best-selling products and formulas, packaged in gift-able curations to make an exciting present option!

Mini Face Treats | Website | AUD$37

This set contains four of Jurlique’s most hydrating face products to target dry skin and hydration concerns. All of these products are in mini or travel sizes, to make an affordable pack for jetsetters or those just wanted to test things out. I have this set as well and, I’m telling you, this mini mist is the cutest ever! This set contains:

  • Travel size Radiant Skin Foaming Cleanser (20g)
  • Travel size Rosewater Balancing Mist (30mL)
  • Mini Moisture Plus Rare Rose Serum (5mL)
  • Mini Activating Water Essence (10mL)

The Iconic Set | Website | AUD$178

For those who are familiar fans of Jurlique and their formulas, this set may be much better value for you. With firming and lifting skin benefits, this actually contains three full size products which would usually retail for a total of AUD$209:

  • Activating Water Essence (150mL)
  • Radiant Skin Foaming Cleanser (80g)
  • Herbal Recovery Signature Serum (30mL)
Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Jurlique
Herbal Recovery Set (Left) and Rose Essentials (Right)

Herbal Recovery Set | Website | AUD$178

For those primarily concerned with skin aging, you would be keen to check out the Herbal Recovery Set. Again, this contains three full size products, so I would mostly recommend this for people already familiar with the brand. This set contains:

  • Herbal Recovery Signature Mist (100mL)
  • Herbal Recovery Signature Moisturising Cream (50mL)
  • Herbal Recovery Signature Eye Cream (15mL)

Rose Essentials | Website | AUD$94

Jurlique’s Rose line is incredibly popular – in fact, it’s the one that I’m most familiar with myself! This duo contains two essentials from their Rose collection to target dry skin and hydration concerns. This duo includes:

  • Rosewater Balancing Mist (100mL)
  • Moisture Plus Rare Rose Lotion (50mL)
Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Jurlique
Mini Hand Treats (Left) and Hydrating Rose Duo (Right)

Mini Hand Treats | Website | AUD$39

As one of their more giftable sets (and something a bit more affordable for this luxury brand), this Mini Hand Treats set is great for fans of their hand creams. It contains six mini sizes of their hand creams – including three Rose and three Lavender scents. If you break it down by mL, this set is actually a decent saving. Minis are also great for keeping in hand bags or in the car.

Hydrating Rose Duo | Website | AUD$70

Especially for people who love the Rose scent, this duo is also a good option. It’s all about hand care with a combination of a larger sized hand cream and a multi-purpose balm for both lips and cuticles, which would usually retail for AUD$82. This duo contains:

  • Rose Hand Cream (125mL)
  • Rose Love Balm (15mL)

Kosas

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Kosas
Mini Wet Set Lip Oil Trio (Left) and Keep It Clean Set (Right)

Kosas is a brand that I haven’t personally tried before, but these piqued my interest because I’ve had my eye on them for a while! Both of these sets contain mini sizes of existing formulas, so would be great to try out something new.

Mini Wet Set Lip Oil Trio | Mecca | AUD$40

This trio contains three mini sizes of their bestselling Wet Lip Oil Gloss formula in existing shades of Dip (Pearly Neutral Pink), Jaws (Warm Red) and Jellyfish (Glossy Clear). Although these are mini sizes, I feel like they would last me for quite a long time so I’d be keen on this set just to try out a few different shades!

Keep It Clean Set | Mecca | AUD$56

If you’re wanting to try different things from Kosas though, they have also released the Keep It Clean Set. This is also a trio containing a combination of full and travel size products, including:

  • Full Size Kosasport LipFuel Hyaluronic Lip Balm (5g)
  • Full Size Wet Lip Oil Gloss in Jellyfish (4.6mL)
  • Travel Size The Big Clean Volumizing + Lash Care Mascara (5g)

Again, I like mini sizes and tend to use mini mascaras a lot. Given that this set is valued at AUD$93, it seems like a pretty good deal to me.

Laneige

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Laneige
Dewy Dream Team Skincare Set (Left), Water Wonderland Skincare Care (Right) and Dream & Wonder Lip Sleeping Mask Set (Bottom)

I am a huge Laneige fan and I’m always recommending these products to other people. If you’re needing to restock on your skincare essentials, you may want to check these out too. For me though, I’ll absolutely be looking to gift these so I can share that glowy love.

Dewy Dream Team Skincare Set | Sephora | AUD$58

This is what I would consider an ‘essentials’ skincare collection from Laneige, containing some of their most popular products for totally hydrated and glowing skin. This set contains one full size product and two mini sizes:

  • Full size Water Bank Moisture Cream (50mL)
  • Mini Cica Sleeping Mask (15mL)
  • Mini Water Bank Hydro Essence (10mL)

Water Wonderland Skincare Set | Sephora | AUD$61

This set is an all-rounder skincare curation from the brand and contains one full size product, and other travel sizes. This is probably the set that I like the best, because the Water Sleeping Mask is their most popular, cult favourite product. This set contains:

  • Full size Water Sleeping Mask (70mL)
  • Mini Cream Skin Mist (30mL)
  • Mini Water Bank Moisture Cream (10mL)
  • Travel size Lip Sleeping Mask in Berry (8g)

Dream & Wonder Lip Sleeping Mask Set | Sephora | AUD$38

And the last set, which I anticipate is going to sell super fast, is the Dream & Wonder Lip Sleeping Mask Set. I adore their lip sleeping mask formula and use this every single day, so think this set is a really great value. It includes a full size mask, and also two mini sizes which would be great to use for travel – you only ever need a tiny amount, so it will last you a while!

The ‘flavours’ included are:

  • Full size Lip Sleeping Mask in Berry (20g)
  • Mini Lip Sleeping Mask in Lemon Sorbet (3g)
  • Mini Lip Sleeping Mask in Choco Mint (3g)

Lanolips

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Lanolips
Kiss Me Cracker

Kiss Me Cracker | Mecca | AUD$23.95

And on the similar topic of lip care, there is also this really cute ‘cracker’ release from Lanolips which would be a perfect stocking stuffer for Secret Santa gift! This duo contains two of the 101 Fruities in Strawberry and Peach (Full size), packaged in a fun Christmas Cracker style package.

Each of these usually sell for AUD$14.95, so you’re saving a decent bit of money here. It’s not a crazy deal, but a fun option nonetheless!

MAC Cosmetics

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - MAC Cosmetics
Left to Right: Lipstick (Frosted Firework), Extra Dimension Foil Eye Shadow, Powerpoint Eye Pencil (Dual) and Extra Dimension Skin Finish (Frosted Firework)

And Christmas isn’t complete until MAC Cosmetics releases their (usually large and sparkling) collection – and this year’s does not disappoint. Again, there’s a massive range of new exclusive releases, special shades, vaults and value packs so it’s impossible for me to cover it all – just go to their website!

Instead, here are the ones that have caught my eye in particular.

Lipstick (Frosted Firework) | Website | AUD$33

These new lipsticks come in a limited edition pink and glitter packaging – which is absolutely beautiful! There is a five shade range of lustre, frost, matte and amplified formulas, so heaps to choose from. I’ll definitely be picking one up, if only because I always get their holiday ranges.

Extra Dimension Foil Eye Shadow (Frosted Firework) | Website | AUD$38

There are also five new single shadows that have been released in the Frosted Firework collection. Described as a highly pigmented colour payoff with a shimmer-metallic finish, these would be great for people who like to do one colour eyeshadow looks. The shade range is quite versatile too, including nudes, as well as a red and berry pink shimmer.

Powerpoint Eye Pencil (Frosted Firework) | Website | AUD$40

Perhaps the first time that I’ve seen this from MAC Cosmetics, they also have released three new Powerpoint Eye Pencils in the limited edition packaging. The most unique point is that these are all duos – two sided with two curated shades for fun, party looks! The Powerpoint formula is really good so I’ll definitely be checking these out.

Extra Dimension Skinfinish (Frosted Firework) | Website | AUD$63

And for highlighter lovers (like me – because I always buy MAC’s limited edition highlighters too), there are two new metallic shades for the Extra Dimension Skin Finish – Flare For the Dramatic (Warm, Golden Bronze) and Let it Glow (Frosty White). Generally, the first would be best suited for warm undertones and the second for cooler undertones. If you’re buying this for yourself though, I would definitely recommend popping in store to check them out if you can.

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - MAC Cosmetics
Surefire Hit Mini Lipstick Vault (Left) and Showstopper Powder Kiss Lipstick Kit (Right)

Surefire Hit Mini Lipstick X12 Vault | Website | AUD$160

This one is definitely for the MAC lipstick fans! This massive vault contains 12 mini lipsticks, all of them best-selling colours and with exclusive colour matched packaging. This is perfect for people who love MAC lip formulas and want something easy to carry around. Shades include:

  • Vegas Volt – Vibrant pink coral (Amplified)
  • Mocha – Peachy yellow-brown (Satin)
  • Ruby Woo – Very matte vivid blue red (Retro Matte)
  • Dubonnet – Deep brownish red (Amplified)
  • Brick-O-La – Warm rose red (Amplified)
  • Lady Danger – Vivid coral red (Matte)
  • Rebel – Vivid reddish purple (Satin)
  • Mehr – Dirty mauvey pink (Matte)
  • Snob – Light dirty cool pink (Satin)
  • Politely Pink – Dirty plum pink (Lustre)
  • Plumful – Rose-plum (Lustre)
  • Breathing Fire – Neon cool fuchsia (Matte)

Showstopper Powder Kiss Lipstick X5 Kit | Website | AUD$115

If you are a particular fan of the Powder Kiss lipstick formulas, or know someone who is, this showstopping kit would be a perfect gift – and so exciting. This kit contains five of the best selling Power Kiss Lipsticks, full size and in limited edition colour matched packaging. Shades include:

  • Stay Curious – Muted pinky red
  • Fall in Love – Bright creamy fuchsia
  • Werk, Werk, Werk – Cool red
  • Devoted to Chili – Warm brick red
  • Mull it Over – Dirty peach
Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - MAC Cosmetics
Sparkler Starter Kit: Fix+ (Left), Sparkler Starter Kit: Lipsticks (Right) and Firewerk It Lip Kit (Bottom)

Sparkler Starter Kit: Fix+ | Website | AUD$49

There are a few of these ‘Sparkler Starter’ kits, but this one in particular has caught my eye. I personally love the Fix+ sprays, and this kit would be perfect for travelling! It comes with three of the travel size sprays in Original, Coconut and Rose scents.

Sparkler Starter Kit: Lipsticks | Website | AUD$65

If colour cosmetics are more your thing, there is also a ‘Sparkler Starter’ kit for lipsticks. This contains three of their best-selling lipsticks (full size) in the shades:

  • Twig – Soft muted brownish-pink (Satin)
  • Cockney – Sheer yellow red with multidimensional pearl (Lustre)
  • Dubonnet – Deepened claret (Amplified)

Firewerk It Lip Kit | Website | AUD$70

And lastly, there is the Firewerk It Lip Kit – this comes in two different variants (Blush or Berry) and contains a Lipstick, Lipglass and Lip Pencil packed in a super cute, festive make up bag.

In addition to these, MAC has also released a bunch of other kits and palettes too! There are two eyeshadow palettes (the Grand Spectacle Eye Shadow X25 Palette and Rocket To Fame Eye Shadow X12 Palette), as well as two Flashing Ice Extra Dimension Skinfinish Trios! I haven’t shown them here since this section is getting too long, but definitely follow those links to check them out.

Marc Jacobs Beauty

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Marc Jacobs Beauty
Blacquer Cherry Mini Eye Makeup Set (Left), Eye Pick You Longwear Eyeliner Makeup Set (Right) and Tempting Trio Mini Eye and Lip Makeup Set (Bottom)

Marc Jacobs Beauty has released the Very Merry Cherry Collection just in time for the holidays – and the packaging is totally caught my eye. I’m a fan of a few of their formulas too, so there’s some interesting stuff here. There are mini packs of their best selling products as well as some new releases – all in this really adorable green and cherry limited edition packaging.

Blacquer Cherry Mini Eye Makeup Set | Website | Sephora | AUD$29

This is a two piece mini set that is perfect for people who love long wearing smokey eyes. The kit contains a mini Highliner Gel Eyeliner in Blacquer and mini At Lash’d Mascara – perfect as a Secret Santa gift or stocking stuffer.

Eye Pick You Longwear Eyeliner Makeup Set | AUD$58

This is a cool three piece set that I found on the Sephora website but seems to have been taken down now – can’t even find it on the Marc Jacobs Beauty website. If it does pop back up though, it contains three mini Highliners and a Fineliner. Definitely something I’d want to get!

Tempting Trio Mini Eye and Lip Makeup Set | Website | Sephora | AUD$37

To cover a few of your bases, this set contains three of their best selling items (liner, lip gloss and mascara) in travel friendly sizes. This is great for people who haven’t used Marc Jacobs before and want to try out a few formulas. Plus, these ‘mini’ sizes will generally last me eternity.

The set contains:

  • Mini Velvet Noir Major Volume Mascara in Noir (6g)
  • Mini Fineliner Ultra-Skinny Gel Eye Crayon in Blacquer (0.04g)
  • Mini Enamored Lip Hi-Shine Gloss Lip Lacquer in Pretty Thing (1.7ml)
Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Marc Jacobs Beauty
Eye-Conic Multi-FInish Eye Palette (Very Merry Cherry Edition) (Left) and O!Mega Glaze All-Over Foil Luminizer (Very Merry Cherry Edition) (Right)

Eye-conic Multi Finish Eye Palette (Very Merry Cherry Edition) | Website | Sephora | AUD$75

This is perhaps the most collectable item in this collection and, if you know someone who is a huge Marc Jacobs fan, I can guarantee that they will be eying this. Available in a new cherry inspired variant (perfectly named Cherrific), this palette comes in the limited edition cherry packaging and contains four different finishes.

O!Mega Glaze All-Over Foil Luminizer (Very Merry Cherry Edition) | Website | Sephora | AUD$68

The other super collectable release is this O!Mega Glaze All-Over-Foil Luminizer. It’s essentially a jumbo sized highlighter that is formulated for both face and body – perfect for days in the sun. This is the shade Gilty 79, described as a warm, peachy gold. Again, it comes in that super pretty cherry packaging!

Mecca Max

This one is exclusively from Mecca, so will only be available to Australian and New Zealand based readers. Every year, they release a bunch of really fun, festive products under their two in-house brands: Mecca Max and Mecca Cosmetica. For this year, I was really only keen on Mecca Max becauss they tend to carry most of the colour cosmetics – and it’s just really pretty.

Here’s a couple I’m personally keen on, but also check out the Mecca Max section on the site for everything.

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Mecca Max
Locking Eyes Eyeshadow Palette

Locking Eyes Eyeshadow Palette | Mecca | AUD$42

So this one is absolutely gorgeous and I’m really tempted to pick it up for myself. Mecca Max has some nice formulas and I love the variety here – it’s the perfect gift for people who might not have a big collection but wants to experiment with different looks. This 30 shade palette contains a variation of mattes, shimmers and glitters, with both neutral and colourful shades.

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Mecca Max
Mood Lighting Face Palette (Left) and Brush Over Brush Set (Right)

Mood Lighting Face Palette | Mecca | AUD$29

The other one that I’m keen on is the Moon Lighting Face Palette. I’m not 100% sure about this because these are cream formulas, but I’ve gotten a highlighting palette from Mecca Max before and totally loved it. This palette contains four shades (two highlighters, bronzer and a blush) in what they claim to be universally flattering shades – best to check in store first for this!

Brush Over Brush Set | Mecca | AUD$85

If you know someone who is just getting into make up, learning how to use different brushes or who travels a lot – this brush set is a good one! Although it has a higher price point than the other two recommendations, this actually contains eight vegan brushes (listed below) and a Mecca Max branded beauty case, so it’s pretty decent value!

  • Powder brush
  • Blush brush
  • Foundation brush
  • Highlighter brush
  • Eyeshadow brush
  • Eye blending brush
  • Precision eye brush
  • Angled liner brush 

Morphe

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Morphe
35XO Natural Flirt Artistry Palette (Left), Brush Lust (Middle) and Mist Me Mist You Continuous Setting Mist Duo (Right)

35XO Natural Flirt Artistry Palette | Website | Mecca | AUD$36

When it comes to affordable make up, Morphe is definitely one of the leaders. This limited edition holiday release features 35 shades in a mauve colour scheme. It’s highly wearable and flattering on a lot of skin tones, so would be a great gift option!

Brush Lust | Website | Mecca | AUD$42

For fans of Morphe brushes, or if you know someone who could do with a whole new set, the Brush Lust kit contains ten synthetic brushes housed in a metallic pink case. You can also get the bag by itself on the Morphe website. Brushes contained include:

  • Firm Shadow Brush
  • Silicone Glitter Packer Brush
  • Angled Concealer Brush
  • Blending Crease Brush
  • Deluxe Angle Blender Brush
  • Pointed Deluxe Blender Brush
  • Pointed Mini Blender Brush
  • Bullet Crease Brush
  • Brow Highlighter Brush
  • Angle Liner Brush

Mist Me, Mist You Continuous Setting Mist Duo | Website | AUD$30

Setting spray is beauty staple and the Morphe Continuous Setting Mist is super popular. This limited edition duo contains a full and mini size, so you’ll have a back up for on-the-go. The pair would typically retail for AUD$39, so you’re saving a bit too!

NARS

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - NARS
Free Your Mind Mini Lipstick Conffret (Left) and Climax Set (Right)

NARS holiday releases are usually very popular and there are a handful of interesting sets this year as well as some new Audacious Lipsticks. However, I definitely think these aren’t as interesting as usual. There’s only a few that I was keen on this time around.

At the time of writing, not everything is available on the Mecca website so there’s a mix of US and Australian prices here. I’ll be updating once they’re launch though!

Free Your Mind Mini Lipstick Conffret | Website | USD$39

This lipstick set contains four minis in limited edition gold packaging. All of these shades are quite wearable and fun, so would suit different skin tones – perfect for travel and on the go. Shades include:

  • Rosecliff (satin soft rose)
  • Lovin’ Lips (matte light blue pink)
  • Jolie Môme (matte red plum)
  • Inappropriate Red (matte poppy red)

Climax Set | Website | Mecca | AUD$38

For fans of the NARS Climax Mascara, this duo is going to be super handy too! It contains a full size mascara (Uncensored Black), as well as a mini for daily touch ups (Explicit Black). I’m a big fan of mini mascaras myself, since it means I won’t be tempted to keep them past expiry, so these sets always interest me.

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - NARS
Undress Code Lip Balm Set (Left) and Advent Calendar (Right)

Undress Code Lip Balm Set | Website | USD$39

Lip balms are another brilliant thing for mini sizes. This set contains one full size balm (Orgasm), as well as three additional minis. As mentioned, this isn’t available at Mecca yet and – strangely enough – the photo that I have is different to the one on the NARS website. The shades for the mini are listed (Dolce Vita, Fast Lane and Laguna), but I will need to confirm this later.

Advent Calendar | Website | USD$250

The NARS Advent Calendar sells out every single year so, if you’re keen on this, I would recommend getting it quickly. Unlike the previous years though, this one is exclusively for lips. This set comes in a gold box and contains 12 full size lip products, including:

Velvet Matte Lip Pencil

  • Intriguing
  • Dolce Vita
  • Do Me Baby
  • Cruella

Lipstick

  • Tolède
  • Lovin’ Lips
  • Inappropriate Red
  • Immortal Red

Powermatte Lip Pigment

  • Slow Ride
  • American Woman
  • Starwoman
  • Vain

Ole Henriksen

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Ole Henrikson
Pre-Party Juice Makeup Prep Set (Left), Power Juice Skincare Set (Right) and Happy Juice Brightening Skincare Set (Bottom)

I’m a fan of a couple of Ole Henriksen’s products and I’m always wanting to try out new things from them. They can be expensive though, so these kits are a great way to testing things out before jumping in for a full size. I love the celebratory theme of these sets, and they’d make a cute gift pack too.

Pre-Party Juice Makeup Prep Set | Website | Sephora | AUD$47

This is a cute duo set with make up friendly favourites – a travel size of the Bright Banana Face Primer (15mL) and Banana Bright Eye Crème (7mL). Both are part of the Vitamin C line to brighten your complexion.

Power Juice Skincare Set | Website | Sephora | AUD$77

For a more well rounded skincare set, this is a trio that contains three of their most popular products in both full or travel sizes. This set includes:

  • Full size C-Rush Gel Crème (50mL)
  • Travel size Glow2OH Toner (65mL)
  • Travel size PHAT Glow Facial (15mL)

Happy Juice Brightening Skincare Set | Website | Sephora | AUD$109

And for those who just love Ole Henriksen and their Brightening line, this set will be like a dream come true. It may be a bit more expensive than the others, but this pack contains four of their best-selling products in both travel and full sizes, including:

  • Travel size Truth Juice Daily Cleanser (60mL)
  • Full size Banana Bright Vitamin C Serum (30mL)
  • Travel size C-Rush Brightening Gel Crème (35mL)
  • Travel size Banana Bright Eye Crème (7mL)

Pat McGrath Labs

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Pat McGrath Labs
Mthrshp Mega: Celestial Divinity (Left) and Skin Fetish: Sublime Skin Highlighter (Right)

And then there is Pat McGrath Labs! If you follow me regularly, you’ll know and I’m absolutely obsessed with her and her brand – it’s no surprise that I love her Holiday collection (as I always do). This year is a bit different though because she’s released her first ever mega palette, along with a bunch of other things.

I’ll be showing off these products individually here but there are actually a massive range of set packs available on her website, which you can purchase to get a bit of a deal too!

Mthrshp Mega: Celestial Divinity | Website | AUD$125

This is Pat McGrath’s first ever mega palette and contains an incredible 18 shades, in a variety of glitter, shimmer, matte and iridescent finishes. You may notice that the price tag here is relatively affordable, so it’s important to note that this palette doesn’t contain any of her special Blitz formulas, and also comes in a more lightweight packaging design.

It’s still beautiful and the quality is amazing though – I got my hands on this one too! This is great for people who want to get into Pat McGrath shadows, but may not want to splurge on her usual Mothership palettes. This palette contains a combination of existing and new shades.

Skin Fetish: Sublime Skin Highlighter | Website | AUD$105

And then there is her Sublime Skin Highlighter – and I seriously want this! It has a golden champagne shade and a lightweight silk powder formula. The packaging is also stunning – it comes in a heavy, totally luxe golden compact with a twist-on lid. I’ve used other highlighters from her brand before and, even if this is expensive, it’s worth it.

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Pat McGrath Labs
Left to Right: Celestial Divinity Luxe Quads in Interstellar Icon, Risque Rose and Fleur Fantasia

Celestial Divinity Luxe Quads | Website | AUD$92

If you’re looking for something more compact, she has also released three quads. They are floral inspired in varying textures of matte, shimmer and metallics. Most of these shades are already existing though, with each quad contains only one new shade. I would mostly recommend these for people who don’t have many of her regular palettes.

Celestial Divinity: Luxe Quad Totale | Website | AUD$240

Alternatively, you can also buy these in a set – which will only be available on the Pat McGrath Labs website.

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Pat McGrath Labs
Left to Right: Mattetrance Lipsticks in Celestial Divinity (Amour and Divine Romance) and Pavé (Omi and Elson)

Celestial Divinity: Mattetrance Lipstick | Website | AUD$61

There are four Mattetrance lipsticks released in limited edition packaging – the formula is seriously amazing and, as always, her packaging is super luxe too. That being said, the two Celestial Divinity Shades (Amour and Divine Romance) are new to her range, whilst the Pavé shades (Omi and Elson) are a repackage of their best sellers.

In addition, you can buy these lipsticks in two sets: the Deco Duo or Pavé Heart Duo.

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Pat McGrath Labs
Luxe Lip Balm in Clear (Left) and Rose Fantasy (Right)

Luxe Lip Balm | Website | AUD$41

Pat McGrath Labs have some utterly beautiful lip balm formulas, which are usually available in a lipstick bullet tube. One of their new releases is the Luxe Lip Balm, which actually comes in a tub! It’s definitely a bit expensive for something so simple, but I’m keen to try these just because I know her regular balms are gorgeous.

In addition, you can get the Luxe Lip Balm Duo for AUD$69.

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Pat McGrath Labs
Gilty Pleasures Mini Lip Trio (Left) and Femmebot Fetish Lip Trio (Right)

Gilty Pleasures Mini Lip Trio | Website | AUD$41

If you’re wanting to try out a couple of Pat McGrath’s lip shades, but don’t necessarily want to buy a full size yet, her mini trios are a great option. I actually own all of her regular trio packs and love them. For the holiday, she’s released a limited edition Gilty Pleasures trio featuring limited edition packaging and three existing Mattetrance shades in mini sizes: Executive Realness, Elson 2 and Soft Core.

Femmebot Fetish Lip Trio | Website | AUD$41

To try out a few different formulas from her, she’s also released the Femmebot Fetish Lip Trio – which is a first for her. This trio contains a three mini products: Lip Fetish Lip Balm (Clear), PermaGel Ultra Lip Pencil (Suburbia) and the Mattetrance Lipstick (Femmebot). Everything that could be needed for a full lip look!

Sulwhasoo

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Sulwhasoo
Cult Classics Skincare Set

Cult Classics Skincare Set | Sephora | AUD$240

When it comes to Sulwhasoo, they aren’t a brand that I personally use much of. Their products are great but are generally targeted for a more mature age bracket – but that being said, both my aunt and mother love them. These packs are always a good way to stock up on some staples (especially when their products are usually so expensive anyway).

This limited edition pack contains two of their best sellers in a limited edition case. One of them is full size, whilst the other (which usually retails for AUD$332) is a half size – which still makes this a great deal!

The products included in this pack are:

  • Full size First Care Activating Serum (60ml)
  • Half size Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Cream (30ml)

Tatcha

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Tatcha
Pure & Glowing Traveling Trio (Left), Pore Perfecting & Protecting Set (Right). and Pure & Poreless Traveling Trio (Bottom)

I’ve been interested in Tatcha products for quite a while – they have some of the most beautiful packaging designs and their formulas are well raved about. For the holiday season, there are three sets being released and they are the perfect gift for those who love luxurious and beautiful skincare. Or as a special treat to yourself!

Pure & Glowing Traveling Trio | Mecca | AUD$115

This trio is inspired by peony flowers and features three of their top selling products in both full or travel sizes. The full value of this trio is AUD$164 so you have a pretty decent saving here too! Products include:

  • Dewy Skin Cream (50mL)
  • Travel size Rice Wash (50 mL)
  • Travel Size Silk Peony Melting Eye Cream (5mL)

Pore-Perfecting & Protecting Set | Mecca | AUD$88

For those who have never used Tatcha before, this set is actually a better option! It contains four different travel size products, targeting to protect and purify pores. Products include:

  • Travel size Deep Cleanse (50mL)
  • Travel size Water Cream (10mL)
  • Travel size Liquid Silk Canvas (10g)
  • Travel size Kissu Lip Mask (5g)

Pure & Poreless Traveling Trio | Mecca | AUD$115

Similarly, if you’re also looking for pore-perfecting formulas and are already very familiar with Tatcha, this trio is great too! It’s similar to the first trio in that it contains both full and travel size products for a great deal. Products include:

  • Water Cream (50mL)
  • Travel size Deep Cleanse (50mL)
  • Travel size Silk Peony Melting Eye Cream (5mL)

Too Faced

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Too Faced
Cinnamon Bear Set

It isn’t the holiday season until Too Faced comes out with their (massive) launches; they are absolutely the pinnacle of playful and festive make up. Their releases are always super expansive and, depending on where you live, will be available from all different sources. The products I’ll discuss next are available at Mecca or the Too Faced website – those that aren’t available yet in Australia may come up later on so information will be updated.

Cinnamon Bear Set | Website | Mecca | AUD$58

First off is the Cinnamon Bear Set and this is a classic holiday release from Too Faced. It contains an exclusive palette of cinnamon scented eyeshadows and a shimmering pink blush, as well as a Melted Matte lipstick in Cinnamon Bear, as a limited editing make up bag.

In addition to this, there are also a number of other exclusive packs being released this year – including the Enchanted Beauty set (in Foxy Neutrals or Unbearably Glam) and the Enchanted Wonderland set. Definitely check out the website for more!

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Too Faced
Salted Caramel Mini Eyeshadow Palette (Right) and Gingerbread Spice Mini Eyeshadow palette (Left)

Salted Caramel Eyeshadow Palette | Website | Mecca | AUD$43

If you prefer mini eyeshadow palettes (and tin packaging instead of paper cardboard), then the Salted Caramel palette is definitely your thing! This eight pan palette features wearable warm neutrals with a yummy salted caramel scent.

Gingerbread Spice Mini Eyeshadow Palette | Website | USD$27

This is a great one for people that missed out on last year’s Gingerbread Spice palette. It contains eight shades taken from the original palette and curated into a mini size so that you can have it on the go. It’s only available on the Too Faced website for now!

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Too Faced
Left to Right: Lip Injection Extreme Cinnamon Bear Lip Gloss, Melted Matte (Pumpkin Spice) and Christmas Snuggles & Melted Kisses Liquid Lipstick Set

Lip Injection Extreme Cinnamon Bear Lip Gloss | Website | USD$29

Fans of the original Lip Injection and Lip Injection Extreme will be very excited about this brand new, exclusive shade! I love lip plumping glosses but have always been frustrated about the lack of colour options, so I’m loving this gorgeous red. It’s definitely one I’m wanting to pick up and can imagine a lot of people loving too.

Melted Matte Lipstick (Pumpkin Spice) | Website | USD$22

The Melted Matte is one of Too Faced’s best selling formulas so, for any die hard liquid lipstick fans, they would definitely be excited about this limited edition shade. It’s also Pumpkin Spice scented (because duh!)

Christmas Snuggles & Melted Kisses Liquid Lipstick Set | Website | USD$25

But that being said, if you’re not a fan of that pumpkin spice shade (or maybe you just want more), this set is a fun one! It contains four Christmas exclusive shades in a travel size. I have one from the previous year and, again, I’ve never finished a liquid lipstick before in my life so these are great value for me! Shades include:

  • Caramel Apple
  • Sugar Cookie
  • Candy Cane
  • Hot Toddy
Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Too Faced
Pumpkin Spice Warm & Spicy Eyeshadow Palette

Pumpkin Spice Warm & Spicy Eyeshadow Palette | Website | USD$49

And, of course, there’s got to be a limited edition, full size palette every year! It’s not live on the Mecca website yet but I’m confident that it will be because these tend to sell out every year. It’s the perfect gift for fans of the Too Faced palettes – I know a lot of people that collect them. This palette contains 18 warm toned shades in varying textures, scented and inspired by Pumpkin Spice.

Urban Decay

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Urban Decay
Stoned Vibes Eyeshadow Palette

Stoned Vibes Eyeshadow Palette | Website | Mecca | AUD$83

Fans of Urban Decay and metallic shadows will be really excited about the Stoned Vibes palette! There’s actually been some mixed reviews about this product but, personally, I’m really keen to check it out. I’m always a fan of Urban Decay’s edgy vibes. This 12 pan palette is inspired by gemstones and contains 8 prismatic shimmers and 4 complementary mattes, as well as their signature double ended brush.

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Urban Decay
Stoned Vibes Highlighter (Left) and 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Stoned Vibes (Right)

Stoned Vibes Highlighter | Website | Mecca | AUD$60

Highlighter fans – this is absolutely stunning! This is described as a limited edition rose gold highlighter with a ‘holographic’ sparkle. It has a gorgeous gemstone design that is totally unique. A little bit bulky maybe, but an impressive gift and collectors items nonetheless!

24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil (Stoned Vibes) | Website | Mecca | AUD$34

If you have used the Urban Decay metallic eye pencils before, you’ll understand why these have such a cult favourite following. For the holidays, Urban Decay has released four limited edition shades – again inspired by gemstones and with their signature vegan, waterproof formula. Shades include:

  • Reflect – Green-gold metallic
  • High Vibes – Black with gold glitter
  • Tiger’s Eye – Mauve metallic with pink shift
  • Raw Energy – Purple metallic with blue shift

These would be good as an ‘add on’ gift, though I wish these sold these in a set of minis! It feels like a good opportunity lost.

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Urban Decay
Stoned Vibes Hall of Fame Set (Left) and Stoned Vibes Major Gems Set (Right)

Stoned Vibes Hall of Fame Set | Website | Mecca | AUD$100

Fans of Urban Decay would love this set – and I’m definitely keen to pick it up. This boxed set contains hour of their best-selling and cult favourite products – all existing but also mostly items that are worth stocking up on. All of these are full size products or commercially available travel sizes. This set contains:

  • Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Original (10mL)
  • 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Zero
  • Vice Lipstick in Bad Blood
  • Travel size All Nighter Setting Spray (30mL)

Stoned Vibes Major Gems Set | Website | Mecca | AUD$95

If you want something more exclusive to the holiday season but maybe don’t want to pick up a full sized palette, this set features a mini version of the Stoned Vibes palette (with three shimmers and three mattes), as well as a full sized Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Original (10mL) and a 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Zero – everything you need for a gorgeous eye look.

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Urban Decay
Heavy Dose All Nighter Setting Spray Duo

Heavy Dose All Nighter Setting Spray Duo | Website | Mecca | AUD$77

The holiday season is also a brilliant time to stock up on some staples and this All Nighter Setting Spray Duo will have you ready and set for at least the next six months! This is the perfect gift for people who use this spray regularly. It contains two full-sized All Nighter Sprays (usually retailing for AUD$53) – definitely a good deal!

Zoeva

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Zoeva
Share Your Radiance Set (Eyeshadow Palette)

Share Your Radiance Set (Eyeshadow Palette) | Website | Sephora | AUD$46

Zoeva is a great brand to turn to for affordable, beautiful and high quality products so this year’s holiday release is a great gifting option! This Share Your Radiance palette contains a travel-friendly selection of six full-sized shades ranging to metallics to matte textures. It has a beautiful burgundy design – both festive and simple – and would be a great little gift that’s not too tough on the wallet either!

Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Zoeva
Share Your Radiance Brush Vault

Share Your Radiance Brush Vault | Website | Sephora | AUD$197

If you really want to treat someone though, or maybe you’re just after something for yourself, then I would highly recommend checking out Zoeva’s brushes. I use them almost exclusively and, whilst I did recieve my first set as a prize for winning a competition, I have repurchases extras myself too! They’re affordable, great quality and easy to use.

This holiday vault contains a total of twelve brushes with a limited edition burgundy and gold design. This set contains:

  • 104 Buffer
  • 106 Powder
  • 110 Face Shape
  • 134 Luxe Powder Fusion
  • 142 Concealer Buffer
  • 225 Luxe Eye Blender
  • 228 Luxe Crease
  • 230 Luxe Pencil
  • 231 Luxe Petit Crease
  • 234 Luxe Smoky Shader
  • 317 Wing Liner
  • 322 Brow Line
Xmas Shopping Guide 2020 - Zoeva
Left to Right, Top to Bottom: Share Your Radiance Cocotte Makeup Set 001, 002 and 003

For this year’s holiday season, Zoeva have also released a series of three makeup sets which contain party essentials in a pretty burgundy gift box – definitely a great option for your Christmas list. All three of the sets contain a travel sized 134 Luxe Powder Fusion Brush, as well as a gloss and light powder.

Share Your Radiance Cocotte Makeup Set 001 | Website | Sephora | AUD$81

Set 001 contains:

  • Visionary Light Unbelievable – Metallic Gold With Golden Pearls
  • Powerful Lip Shine Share With Me – Warm Rosy Nude
  • 134 Luxe Powder Fusion Travel Size

Share Your Radiance Cocotte Makeup Set 002 | Website | Sephora | AUD$81

Set 002 contains:

  • Visionary Light Surreal – Metallic Bronze With Silver And Bronze Pearls
  • Powerful Lip Shine Explore With Me – Dusty Peachy Nude
  • 134 Luxe Powder Fusion Travel Size

Share Your Radiance Cocotte Makeup Set 003 | Website | Sephora | AUD$81

Set 003 contains:

  • Visionary Light Supreme – Metallic Raspberry Rose Pink With Pink & Purple Pearls
  • Powerful Lip Shine Sing With Me – Shimmering Plum Nude With Gold & Pink Pearls
  • 134 Luxe Powder Fusion Travel Size

What are your shopping plans for this season? Make sure to share your purchases with me – and I will be sharing with you! 2020 has been a tough year for a lot of businesses, so it’s understandable that a lot of people have had to dial back on their launches. It’s still an exciting time of the year though and there are so many fun things coming out.

My wallet isn’t keen but I sure as heck am!

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