Best Christmas beauty gift sets, from Charlotte Tilbury, Mac, The Ordinary and more

Whether your giftee loves Charlotte Tilbury or is keen to try the brand, this set is an ideal way of popping some travel-sized cult classic make-up goodies in their stocking. The gift set includes a miniature pillow talk mascara (£26 for 10ml, Charlottetilbury.com), liquid blush, eyeliner (£23 for full-size, Charlottetilbury.com), lip liner (£21 for 10g, Charlottetilbury.com) and lipstick (£27 for full-size, Charlottetilbury.com). These versatile beauty buys can be worn as an entire look or as standalone pick-me-ups.

Our favourite treat in the set is the lipstick – it creates a unique shade that adapts to the wearer’s lips. Meanwhile, because the pillow talk liquid blush is currently out of stock, its inclusion feels like a big treat.

This cute cracker has a festive design depicting cosy mittens and bobble hats, and will add a joyful touch to the Christmas dinner table. It’s packed with a trio of miniature brightly coloured Q+A body buys, including ceramide body lotion (£10, Qandaskin.com), hyaluronic acid body wash (£6.50, Qandaskin.com) and AHA exfoliator body scrub (£8, Qandaskin.com).

All the products were brand-new launches this year, and are tried and tested IndyBest favourites, for being affordable and having ingredients-led formulas. From the refreshing body wash to the creamy lotion and invigorating scrub, this is a budget Christmas beauty buy filled with bodycare treats.

If you’re looking for an affordable beauty gift set, this cleanser discovery trio from The Ordinary contains a selection of popular products for the bargain price of £16. Suitable for all skin types, included within the set are 30ml tubes of the squalane cleanser, glucoside foaming cleanser and glycolipid cream cleanser. The latter two are brand-new launches for 2023, and we’ve reviewed them both. Our tester particularly rates the lightweight, soothing glycolipid cream cleanser (£11.10 for 150ml, Theordinary.com).

Meanwhile, the foaming cleanser is noticeably gentle, and the squalane cleanser has a balmy finish. With this set, giftees can mix and match cleansers for travel or simply switch up their skincare routine with fresh products.

This sizeable skincare set is presented in a sturdy white box with metallic detailing, opening up to reveal four full-sized products and a drawer containing a cotton cleansing cloth. The included products are optimal skin pro-cleanser (£32 for 100ml, Sephora.co.uk), optimal skin pro-moisturiser (£50 for 55ml, Espaskincare.com), clean and green detox mask (£40 for 55ml, Lookfantastic.com) and optimal skin pro serum (£27.50 for 30ml, Espaskincare.com). As the name suggests, the products are designed to promote healthy-looking skin, and we’ve enjoyed trialling them all.

The multi-tasking cleanser also works as an exfoliator and mask, so it’s a versatile pick for daily use, containing ingredients such as jojoba spheres, pumpkin enzymes and moringa-seed extract. Meanwhile, the serum has a lightweight formula yet feels rich on the skin, and its essential oil scent blend of tangerine, cedar and jasmine offers a spa-like luxury. The soothing moisturiser contains sunflower-seed oil and offers a lavish layer that absorbs quickly.

Finally, for a pick-me-up, the detox mask is a 10-minute fix, which we’ve used ahead of an evening out, for added radiance.

It’s worth knowing this set is now reduced by 50 per cent, slicing its price to £45.

If you’re looking to gift the ultimate haircare routine, look no further than this set. Philip Kingsley’s mega volume set includes full-size body building weightless shampoo (£24, Philipkingsley.co.uk) and conditioner (£24, Philipkingsley.co.uk) in 250ml and 200ml sizes, respectively, plus a 40ml tube of elasticizer deep-conditioning treatment and a 20ml maximizer strand plumping cream.

The shampoo and conditioner thoroughly cleansed and nourished our scalp and hair and, with use, we noticed our locks had more body. Meanwhile, the strand plumping cream is a handy addition ahead of blow-drying your ’do – it made our hair look smoother and thicker. Finally, elasticizer (from £20 for 75ml, Philipkingsley.co.uk) is the brand’s signature product that everyone should have in their haircare arsenal, with this pre-shampoo treatment helping repair damaged hair and improve its condition. All four products offered a voluminous boost, with the cult classic elasticizer a favourite for strengthening strands.

This duo is the perfect stocking filler – it features a miniature and full-sized version of Nars climax mascara (£26.50, Narscosmetics.co.uk). With this set, they’ll have a mascara to keep at home and one for travelling or top-ups on the go. We particularly like the thick brush, which clings to lashes and coats each one effectively. As a result, we’ve seen lifted lashes with volume and length, and this effect holds all day. The black mascara is highly pigmented, and it’s buildable for a bolder look.

In terms of other Christmas make-up gift sets, we also love Nars’s up all night mini powermatte lip duo (£33, Narscosmetics.co.uk) for adding a pop of pout colour courtesy of the two tiny handbag-size products.

This evening routine is presented in fun neon packaging, complete with pink and purple leopard print. It also comes with a recyclable make-up bag. Within the set, there is a 50ml lala retro whipped cream moisturiser and a 60ml jelly cleanser (both are currently out of stock online). You’ll also find miniature 15ml TLC framboos glycolic night serum (£58.50 for 30ml, Lookfantastic.com) and 5ml ceramighty AF eye balm (£53 for 15ml, Cultbeauty.co.uk).

We’re big fans of Drunk Elephant’s formulas, from the rich and refreshing textures to the skincare ingredients included. The cult classic jelly cleanser has a clear, lightweight consistency that effectively washes off make-up and feels gentle on the skin. TLC framboos glycolic night serum is an AHA and BHA-infused boost, which we found to brighten our skin after use. Meanwhile, lala retro whipped cream offers a nourishing moisturiser, with peptides to help promote intense hydration as you sleep. Finally, ceramighty AF eye balm is soothing for the delicate skin around the eyes and offers a smoothing effect.

Bundle up their beauty gifts and pop them in this stunning Charlotte Tilbury stocking, ready for 25 December. The sizeable stocking has a red velvet outer and a shiny cream satin-esque lining, and you can hang it up by the integral loop attachment. It also comes complete with embroidered silver and rose-gold stars, and signature Charlotte Tilbury branding. We were able to fit a large selection of goodies inside the stocking, including moisturisers, serum, lipstick, eyeshadow palettes and more. So, you could use it as a standalone gift or stuff the stocking with make-up and skincare presents.

What we love about this beauty gift is how much your recipient will enjoy bringing out the stocking every year, making it an extra-special keepsake.

A perfect present for a lipstick-lover, this set comes complete with 12 mini products presented in a festive white and silver pouch. Each little moisture-matte lipstick has a chic ombre-style case, so you can spot the shades easily before opening them up. Meanwhile, each bullet has a pointed tip, which we found offered precise application. As its name suggests, the lipstick provides a moisturising, yet matte finish, and we found it stays put, too. The shades included cover berry, brown, pink, and red picks, which are ideal for party season.

We’re big fans of this Hair By Sam McKnight set, which features a trio of travel-sized goodies. As well as the 100ml cool girl volumising shampoo (£28 for 250ml, Sammcknight.com) and 75ml matching nourish conditioner (£28 for 200ml, Sammcknight.com), there’s a mini 50ml cool girl barely there texture mist (£27 for 250ml, Sammcknight.com) included, too.

A massive part of the appeal of these products is that the entire collection is infused with a perfume-style botanical scent, and it makes the hair washing and styling experience feel like an indulgent treat. We’ve enjoyed how long the fragrance lingers on our strands, too.

For designer fragrance fans, this Coach wild rose eau de parfum gift set comprises a 50ml bottle of the scent (£54, Johnlewis.com) alongside a handy 7.5ml one for on-the-go spritzing. The first thing we noticed about this duo is just how striking the main perfume bottle is, with features including a horse and coach emblem etched on the glass, gold detailing and an attached Coach metal ‘C’ logo and tag.

The scent itself has refreshing floral notes of rose and jasmine, as well as vibrant redcurrant, uplifting bergamot and woody moss. Once the perfume settled on the skin, we picked up a tangy rose mix underpinned by invigorating earthy tones. This blend lingered for hours on end, too. It costs £43.20, so you get both bottles for the same price as the 50ml bottle.

Medik8 is the brand to browse if you’re shopping with skincare aficionados in mind, as its formulas focus on active ingredients and specific results. This set features a trio of popular picks, presented in a Christmas gift box. The full-sized and miniature treats consist of the liquid peptides serum (£49, Medik8.com), surface radiance cleanse (£22, Medik8.com), and press and clear BHA tonic (£34, Medik8.com). The ingredients-led products are designed to help clear blemishes, and we’ve seen our skin become more radiant after using the formulas.

Whether your giftee is in need of a skincare pick-me-up or looking for long-term skincare results, we think this discovery gift set will be well received on 25 December.

Deluxe Japanese-inspired skincare brand Tatcha is known for its super hydrating moisturiser, and this set includes a full-size tub (£67, Tatcha.co.uk) along with two other miniature products: a 50ml rice wash (£41 for 120ml, Tatcha.co.uk) and the dewy serum in a 10g bottle (£86 for 30g, Tatcha.co.uk). Plus, there’s a reusable green and purple furoshiki cloth, which is a special touch, as it’s traditionally used as gift wrap in Japan.

Using the skincare trio makes for a decadent beauty routine, and we really rate the lightweight yet indulgent textures found across each product.

Botanical skincare brand Ulé is one of the beauty industry’s best kept secrets. The line’s minimalist green-hued packaging reflects the natural formulas inside – and the de toute gift set is a lovely introduction to the line for skincare lovers. Containing the balancing floral mist, fortifying CBD moisturiser and quenching serum, the trio works to strengthen, soothe and hydrate skin.

After a couple of weeks of using the products, we found our complexion felt plumper, smoother and blemish-free, thanks to the mist, which protects skin from external elements, while the firming moisturiser and the serum give a healthy hydration boost. Our only gripe is we would have liked to have one more product thrown in, considering the price.

Featuring a trio of crackers filled with perfume and hair accessories, this gift set would work well if you’re looking for Christmas presents for friends. Within each colourful festive cracker is a 5ml or 10ml fragrance and a satin-effect hair scrunchie. The crackers feature celestial detailing to match the coordinating scents, with Ghost’s eau de toilette (£20 for 50ml, Boots.com), orb of night eau de parfum (£44 for 50ml, Boots.com) and deep night eau de toilette (£22 for 50ml, Boots.com) included.

The scents combine musky and floral notes, and each bottle has a unique design. We think the crackers would make great table gifts, treats on the tree or stocking fillers.

Gift them a Fresh skincare line-up with a full-size soy cleanser (£15 for 50ml, Fresh.com) and tea elixir (£68 for 30ml, Fresh.com), plus a miniature rose deep hydration cream. The face wash includes aloe vera for a soothing cleanse, and we love how gentle it feels on our skin. Meanwhile, the tea elixir serum contains skin balancing niacinamide and has an almost milky texture upon application, before smoothing into skin and leaving a softening layer. Finally, the sweetly scented rose moisturiser (£16 for 15ml, Fresh.com) supports the skin barrier, with hydration-promoting hyaluronic acid and calming rose water.

Slip is renowned for its deluxe silk pillowcases, and these hair ties are equally kind to strands, as they won’t pull or snag your tresses. The pack of four is presented in Christmas-tree-decoration-style packaging and can even be dangled from a branch when Santa arrives. The skinny scrunchies suit short and long hair. Within this pack, you’ll find a paisley-print tie, alongside light blue, dark blue and black offerings. They look cute wrapped around the wrist in between wear, too.

If you’re buying with a bloke in mind, this set of three full-sized Green People goodies will cover a brand new grooming regime. Included is an exfoliating face scrub (£17, Greenpeople.co.uk), wash and shave gel (£17, Greenpeople.co.uk) and cooling moisturiser (£18, Greenpeople.co.uk). The certified organic formulas are presented in slimline tubes for transporting to the gym, using for nights away or simply stashing in a bathroom cabinet. They’re all suitable for sensitive skin, too. A great way of buying an entire three-step line-up for less.

For an all-round skincare, home fragrance and body care gift, this Liz Earle Hamper has every element covered. It’s all presented in a reusable luxurious basket, complete with a handle and canvas lining. Plus, every item is full-sized, with the exception of a miniature warm cedarwood and frankincense candle (£24.50 for 200g, Lizearle.com). The other goodies to unwrap are a limited-edition festive cleanse and polish warm cedarwood and frankincense hot cloth cleanser; energise and glow body wash (£18, Boots.com); energise and glow body lotion (£25, Boots.com); warm cedarwood and frankincense hand cream​, and two cotton cloths.

From the dreamy botanical scents to the smoothing formulas, this gift is a sure-fire way to spoil someone special this Christmas.

This sparkly red fragrance gift set is particularly festive, and it includes a full-size 60ml bottle of Jimmy Choo I want Choo eau de parfum (£62.42, Sephora.co.uk) and a matching 100ml body lotion. The scent features fruity and floral notes of mandarin juice, peach, sambac jasmine and red spider lily, while it also includes creamy vanilla tones and smooth benzoin.

Between the opulent perfume, golden branding and the red presentation box, this scent gift set is particularly suited to party season.