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gift guide 2014
December 15, 2014

29 Delicious, Nice-Smelling Beauty Products to Give This Season

By Kathleen Hou

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With every new holiday comes a dizzying number of ways to give gifts: You can go the under-$50 route, give something weirdly specific, or choose a totally experimental present. But for the person in your life who loves to look (and smell) good, a gift from the beauty department will do the trick. The Cut combed through countless beauty products to bring you 29 of the most unique gifts for this season. They’ll enable your gift recipient to wear Balenciaga in the bath, smell like pumpkin spice the Hermès way (yes, it’s possible), and shine without sequins. Click through our slideshow for all our luxurious picks.

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How to Wear Balenciaga In the Bath Until Alexander Wang designs bathing suits, this violet-scented body scrub remains the easiest and best-smelli... How to Wear Balenciaga In the Bath Until Alexander Wang designs bathing suits, this violet-scented body scrub remains the easiest and best-smelling way to wear Balenciaga in the water. 
How to Smell Ridiculously Good Open, inhale, and sniff deeply. This Safran candle from Byredo's amber collection will make your recipient huff bu... How to Smell Ridiculously Good Open, inhale, and sniff deeply. This Safran candle from Byredo's amber collection will make your recipient huff but not puff this rich, heady, amber-and-peppercorn-mingled scent.
How To Show You Aren’t Selfish Giving this pretty Chanel compact away to anyone but yourself shows the purest of gift-giving intentions. The reci... How To Show You Aren’t Selfish Giving this pretty Chanel compact away to anyone but yourself shows the purest of gift-giving intentions. The recipient of this highlighting powder can never again doubt your goodwill and great taste.
How To Smell Old Yet New Helmut Lang has re-released three of its previously discontinued cult fragrances. Cuiron smells like old leather, in the... How To Smell Old Yet New Helmut Lang has re-released three of its previously discontinued cult fragrances. Cuiron smells like old leather, in the best possible way.
How to Avoid Confetti Cleanup This pretty set of nail polishes will keep you or your recipient up to your fingers in confetti.
How to Soak In Caviar You won't appear fishy, especially in your gift recipient's eyes, with this caviar-infused eye-care set.
How to Pet Something Softer than Taylor Swift's Cat The hairs of this Surratt Beauty brush are more meticulously groomed than David Beckham. Hand... How to Pet Something Softer than Taylor Swift's Cat The hairs of this Surratt Beauty brush are more meticulously groomed than David Beckham. Handmade in Kumano, Japan, in a 60-step process that takes a week, this brush is superior to Olivia Benson when it comes to softness.
How to Smell Like a Topless Psychic Sure, you could gift a fig candle. But you'll appear like a much more discerning gift-giver if you give someo... How to Smell Like a Topless Psychic Sure, you could gift a fig candle. But you'll appear like a much more discerning gift-giver if you give someone this D.S. and Durga candle, inspired by tea service in the parlor of an imaginery topless psychic. The candle smells like a fragrant mix of hot metal, peach, white ginger, coconut milk, and Bohea tea.
How to Be Spectacularly Lazy This perfectly packaged hair set from Violet Grey does all of the work for you, with a curation of the best items ne... How to Be Spectacularly Lazy This perfectly packaged hair set from Violet Grey does all of the work for you, with a curation of the best items needed for a good blowout.
How to Win Secret Santa You can never go wrong with gifting a Diptyque candle. But this photophore set contains a special glass candle-cover that... How to Win Secret Santa You can never go wrong with gifting a Diptyque candle. But this photophore set contains a special glass candle-cover that will make your room and gift-giving skills appear particularly and especially luminous.
How To Always Smell Good This set of travel-size scent refills ensures that your favorite person always smells good, even while on the go. Use th... How To Always Smell Good This set of travel-size scent refills ensures that your favorite person always smells good, even while on the go. Use them to make sure that you really smell Santal everywhere.
How to Un-grossly Smell Like Pumpkin Spice This gift marks the first occasion that the words pumpkin spice and Hermès will be used in... How to Un-grossly Smell Like Pumpkin Spice This gift marks the first occasion that the words pumpkin spice and Hermès will be used in the same sentence. For the holiday season, Hermès has released a collection of specially scented objects including this A Cheval! candle. A joint collaboration between Hermès's master perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena and his daughter, Céline, this candle smells lightly of rich pumpkin and completely unlike a Starbucks latte. 
How to Indulge in French Monarchy Dreams This Marie Antoinette bust from Napoleon's favorite wax-maker, Cire Trudon, is a statement piece to star... How to Indulge in French Monarchy Dreams This Marie Antoinette bust from Napoleon's favorite wax-maker, Cire Trudon, is a statement piece to stare at while eating macarons and cake. Unfortunately, it's purely decorative, but it does come in seven colors.
How to Get Lippy With a collection of NARS's most popular vibrantly pigmented lip colors, your gift recipient will never be bored of her makeup b... How to Get Lippy With a collection of NARS's most popular vibrantly pigmented lip colors, your gift recipient will never be bored of her makeup bag. 
How to Cleanse Without Juice For the person who likes cleanses but not green juice, this shampoo/conditioner set from Phylia gives you clean and ... How to Cleanse Without Juice For the person who likes cleanses but not green juice, this shampoo/conditioner set from Phylia gives you clean and bouncy hair that's not stripped or dull. The third item in the set is the Connect — a special toner that promotes and stimulates hair growth.
How to Spend More Money on Nail Polish Than Shoes This special holiday edition of Christian Louboutin polish contains a bottle of nail polish emb... How to Spend More Money on Nail Polish Than Shoes This special holiday edition of Christian Louboutin polish contains a bottle of nail polish embedded with 1,500 hand-placed hematite crystals. It's just the thing to give the woman who wants her shoes, polish, and price tags to all match.
How to Always Come Up Roses This luxury face oil contains a silky mix of plant-based oils, including black rose. It's a dry oil that doesn't leav... How to Always Come Up Roses This luxury face oil contains a silky mix of plant-based oils, including black rose. It's a dry oil that doesn't leave a greasy sheen, with a pretty, delicate rose scent that smells natural and sophisticated.
How to Look Like Elle MacPherson (Or Close to It) Actually getting Elle MacPherson's body requires a mix of genetics, gym time, and diet. The lat... How to Look Like Elle MacPherson (Or Close to It) Actually getting Elle MacPherson's body requires a mix of genetics, gym time, and diet. The latter comes bottled, in the form of a nutrient-rich green powder that actually tastes good. This caddy contains 300 grams of the super powder, which your recipient can add to water for a boost of energy (or MacPherson hopefulness).
How to Appear Poreless There are face masks and then there are face masks. This is the latter. Made out of impossibly thin plant pulp that is ind... How to Appear Poreless There are face masks and then there are face masks. This is the latter. Made out of impossibly thin plant pulp that is individually pressed by machines, this face mask appears almost as delicate as cling wrap, infusing your skin with a brightening mixture of fermented white ginseng.
How to Get Non-Basic Waves The slightly conal shape of this curling iron ensures that uniform, sausage curls won't happen. It heats up quickly an... How to Get Non-Basic Waves The slightly conal shape of this curling iron ensures that uniform, sausage curls won't happen. It heats up quickly and delivers glossy, easy curls or waves.
How to Combine Art and Beauty Without Art Basel For the holidays, SK-II partnered with Taiwanese artist Po Chih-Huang to create limited-edition p... How to Combine Art and Beauty Without Art Basel For the holidays, SK-II partnered with Taiwanese artist Po Chih-Huang to create limited-edition packaging for the bottles of their cult facial-treatment essence. The artwork is vibrant and beautiful, and an effortless way to combine art, beauty, and gift-giving (without talking about Jeff Koons).
How to Feel Tom Ford's Essence Without Wearing Pasties Not everyone can wear Tom Ford pasties, but this lipstick and nail-polish kit allows your ... How to Feel Tom Ford's Essence Without Wearing Pasties Not everyone can wear Tom Ford pasties, but this lipstick and nail-polish kit allows your recipient to feel part of Tom Ford's world (all without flashing nipple).
How to Give In to Decision Fatigue Gift-giving requires a lot of decisions. Succumb to your gift-guide fatigue by gifting this set of mini fragra... How to Give In to Decision Fatigue Gift-giving requires a lot of decisions. Succumb to your gift-guide fatigue by gifting this set of mini fragrances from Maison Francis Kurkdjian. The fragrances are small enough to travel with, their scents pleasing and beautiful.
How to Brush It Off How do you make brushing your hair seem cool? Laight and Mercer is a new brush company, creating luxury brushes with Intellef... How to Brush It Off How do you make brushing your hair seem cool? Laight and Mercer is a new brush company, creating luxury brushes with Intelleflex bristles especially engineered for wet and dry hair. The brushes feel weighty and substantial, sliding through hair and tangles easily, with minimal breakage and pulling.
How to Multitask The usually unfulfilled promise of makeup palettes is that they are your one-stop makeup solution. This YSL palette comes closes... How to Multitask The usually unfulfilled promise of makeup palettes is that they are your one-stop makeup solution. This YSL palette comes closest to fulfilling that dream with a mix of easy basics and neutrals, along with two supremely flattering lip shades for a night out or holiday party.
How To Shave Off Seconds This brass shaver from Harry's is chic and ergonomically designed to make the shaving process as easy as possible. It co... How To Shave Off Seconds This brass shaver from Harry's is chic and ergonomically designed to make the shaving process as easy as possible. It comes in a simple kit with shave gel, extra cartridges, and a cover for the blades.
How to Shine Without Sequins Most dopp kits are either unattractive and effective or pretty and impractical. This offering from Want Les Essentie... How to Shine Without Sequins Most dopp kits are either unattractive and effective or pretty and impractical. This offering from Want Les Essentiels de la Vie somehow manages to combine form and function. The size works for even the most thorough of beauty routines and comes in a glossy black color that adds just the right amount of patina.
How to Not Appear Like a Cheapskate This limited-edition mirror compact is worthy of being called a shiny bauble. Your recipient won't be quite s... How to Not Appear Like a Cheapskate This limited-edition mirror compact is worthy of being called a shiny bauble. Your recipient won't be quite sure of the shape (is it a bean? Is it a pebble?), but its ambiguousness, sleek design (it's 24-karat-gold plated), and nice heft make it seem like a more expensive gift.
How to Spice it Up for the Holidays This exotic Uka hand lotion and soap comes to you from Japan. Created by celebrity manicurist Kiho Watanabe, ... How to Spice it Up for the Holidays This exotic Uka hand lotion and soap comes to you from Japan. Created by celebrity manicurist Kiho Watanabe, the soap is infused with purifying salt while the lotion has spicy pepper and rosemary that won't make moisturizing a chore.
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