Best beauty and wellness gifts for Christmas this year

When it comes to skincare products, you really can’t go wrong with Aesop. Offering a total of five gift kits this year, the Anatomy of Generosity collection is designed to celebrate and encourage everyday acts of kindness. The gift kits – which come in cases made from 100 percent recycled paper pulp – each take on a persona to raise awareness for one of five selected charity groups.

The Advocate, a quartet of products for the hands and body, has partnered with US-based human rights charity Voice of Witness; while The Listener is dedicated to the London arts community Pan Intercultural Arts with three Geranium Leaf body care products. Then, there’s The Mentor (a trio of Parsley Seed skincare products) which represents Create UK, a charity dedicated to educating children in the UK with special needs and disabilities; as well as The Forager, which raises awareness for Photographers Without Borders with a citrus-infused body care duo. Last but not least, The Protector features a set of fragrances for the home or office and is tied to The Karrkad Kanjdji Trust, which brings together Indigenous ranger groups in Australia in order to address important environmental problems.

Price: $320 (The Forager); $550 (The Listener); $680 (The Protector); $740 (The Advocate) $1,350 (The Mentor) 
Where to buy: Available now on Aesop.com

The team at Byredo has whipped up something special for the holidays this year. Inspired by founder Ben Gorham’s Indian heritage, the Byredo Collector’s Edition Wooden Gift Boxes are painted with colourful geometric accents by Bihar-based artist Mamta Devi, each containing some of the brand’s best-selling fragrances and scented candles. There are three gift boxes in total: the EDP box comes with one 50ml Eau de Parfum (available in Mumbai Noise, Bal d’Afrique, Gypsy Water, Blanche, Rose of No Man’s Land, Mojave Ghost); the Candle box features four scented candles, a wick trimmer, and a collector’s edition matchbox; and the Travel box has three 12ml Eau de Parfum and a collector’s edition travel leather case. Best of all, you can keep the beautiful box and use it for storing all your other bits and bobs too!

Price: $1,750 (EDP); $1,800 (Travel); $3,300 (Candle)
Where to buy: Available at Byredo stores in K11 Musea and IFC mall from November 19

This festive season, Fenty Beauty has launched a new holiday series that will make you the star of the show at any Christmas party. New products include the Bomb Posse Mega Mix & Match eyeshadow palette with 12 nudes inspired by the brand’s Gloss Bomb shades Fenty Glow (rose nude), Fu$$y (dusty pink), and Hot Chocolit (rich brown), and the Diamond Bomb Triple Drip All-Over Diamond Veil palette featuring a trio of highlighters that will seriously up your sparkle game. And if you’re going to be kissing Santa Claus this year, then you’ll need your lips to be poppin’. Fenty Beauty’s Glossy Posse: Fantasy 4Sum gloss bomb set will help you do just that with three mini Gloss Bombs in neutral shades with a holographic twist, plus a full-size Gloss Bomb Cream in a new holiday-exclusive dusty rose shade.

Price: $318 (four-piece gloss bomb collection); $348 (highlighter palette); $398 (eyeshadow palette)
Where to buy: Available now at Sephora Hong Kong and Harvey Nichols Hong Kong

The Hourglass Equilibrium Intensely Hydrating set is your go-to for plump and hydrated skin this winter. Featuring a cream cleanser (27ml), eye balm (4.91g), and a hydrating cream (15.1g), the travel-size trio set will introduce you to the brand’s Hourglass Cell Balancing Complex formula, which uses “a powerful blend of youth lipids” that promises to nourish, hydrate, and restore the skin’s natural barrier for that all-important youthful glow. If you’re looking to splurge a little bit more, try the Equilibrium Essential set, which gives you the same three products as the hydrating set, along with a restoring essence (20ml) and a biomimetic skin active serum (15ml) to complete the set.

Price: $720 (hydrating set); $1,408 (essentials set)
Where to buy: Available at Lane Crawford outlets in IFC mall, Times Square, and Tsim Sha Tsui

Electric beauty devices are all the craze these days, so our list simply would not be complete without mentioning Nu Skin and one of its best-selling gadgets – the ageLOC LumiSpa cleansing device. Equipped with a micropulse oscillation technology, the device’s treatment head moves at a precise frequency that’s designed to help cleanse, exfoliate, and massage your skin all at the same time. Pair it with a LumiSpa cleanser, available for normal/combo, dry, oily, acne-prone, and sensitive skin, for the most ideal result.

Price: $400 (cleanser); $2,092.86 (ageLOC LumiSpa)
Where to buy: Available on nuskin.com

Tatcha's holiday gift sets this year are almost too exquisite to be true. Those weary of dry skin this winter will fall head over heels for the Hydration Bento set, made up of the brand's four best-selling moisturisers, as well as the Calming + Soothing Trio, which features a hand cream, lip mask, and body butter – all of which are said to be packed with natural Japanese indigo, a special botanical beloved for its soothing abilities, and the winter-blooming camellia, which is rich in protective antioxidants. To really pamper your skin, the Ritual for Firm Skin set, special-edition Luxury Kiri, and the Luxury Bento will guide you through the essential steps for healthier-looking skin with everything from cleansing oils and essences to serums and creams. Each one also comes with a complimentary Furoshiki cloth wrap for you to fold and knot your way to giving that special someone (yourself included) a perfect gift this holiday.

Price: $460 (Hydration Bento); $490 (Calming + Soothing Trio); $2,280 (Ritual for Firm Skin); $2,780 (Luxury Kiri); $3,320 (Luxury OBento)
Where to buy: Available exclusively at Lane Crawford outlets from mid-November and early December onwards.