The first time I had “big girl” money to spend on cosmetics (read: making more than $7.25/hour) was around 2016. These were the days of lipstick matte enough to leave your lips flaky for days after removal.. of wearing a smokey eye with a cut crease for a casual day look.. And honestly? I was here for it. I leaned in hard, buying KVD eyeshadow palettes filled with glitter shades and enough liquid lipstick to cover my lips for years.
While I don’t regret this phase, I’ve changed a lot since then. For one, I lived in southern California for a year and found that makeup just didn’t make sense for my lifestyle there. I wanted to be able to jump in the ocean at a moment’s notice (even if I was only going on the weekends anyway), and a full face of makeup no longer felt right. I also *gasp* got older and my priorities changed. I care more about sustainability and voting with my dollar. I care about the ingredients I put on my skin and in my hair. I started to crave fewer products with more pay off.
Whether it’s trending at the moment or not, beauty minimalism is the right fit for many people. It’s great for those who don’t want to spend much time getting ready but still want to feel pulled together or even pampered... Or those that just don’t want to spend the money they have in the past just to get out the door in the morning. If the person you’re buying for is sustainably-minded, you’re also in the right place.
Below, you’ll find gifts for the beauty minimalist in your life - a mix of one-and-done items that perform without breaking the bank. I personally would be thrilled to find any of these wrapped up for me this year.
A One-and-Done Hair Product
Less is more when it comes to beauty minimalists. Some people may have time for a multi-step beauty routine, but it couldn’t be us. For anyone in your life with short hair, this Soft Clay Pomade is truly the only product they’ll need. It’s highly versatile and can be applied dry or damp for volumizing, texturizing, piecing/shaping, styling, air drying, and beyond. It has a fresh, gender-neutral scent with notes of eucalyptus, citrus, and lavender - no Axe body spray vibes here!
A Makeup Multitasker
Daybird’s Tinted Skincare is a 4-in-1 multitasker - it takes care of your serum, moisturizer, non-nano mineral SPF 50 sunscreen, and sheer foundation in just a few pumps. Not only does it even out the skin in a subtle way (think: more even skin tone but your freckles are still showing), but skincare benefits like niacinimiade (vitamin B3 to plump) and bisabolol (chamomile extract to soothe) also work while you’re wearing it. It’s a must-have for any beauty minimalist.
A Practical Set For Your Workout Buddy
The perfect gift for your friend that loves yoga, is always at the gym, or is marathon training, this set has three of Kinfield’s best-sellers: an Anti-Chafe Balm, a PH-balancing deodorant, and biodegradable cleansing wipes. Minimalists typically don’t want a bunch of impractical gifts or more “stuff,” making this a great, functional gift.
A Zero Waste Face Crayon
Everything from Axiology is cruelty free, vegan, and multi-use, including their Tinted Dew Multi-Stick. These deliver a subtle pop of color that can be used on the lips, cheeks, or eyes (yes, really!). Don’t be fooled by the size, these are the same amount as your average lipstick with far less packaging and absolutely no plastic. For more pigment, go with a Color Cream Multi-Stick.
Zero Waste Facial Cleansing
Help them ditch wasteful cotton pads or synthetic washcloths with these zero waste cleansing pads. They’re made from ultra-soft terry cloth and cotton scraps that would’ve otherwise gone to a landfill. About 3.5” x 3.5,” they’re perfect for sensitive skin and the terry cloth side is a natural gentle exfoliant. It’s important to note that these aren’t available for returns or exchanges, so make sure they’re a home run gift!
Make Their Showers Infinitely Better
This filtered shower head removes contaminants from shower water, improving the health of your hair, skin, and possibly your life. The chlorine other contaminants that are present in our shower water strip the natural oils from hair and skin, affect hair’s natural strength by breaking down amino acids, and cause skin to lose collagen more quickly - the Jolie takes care of that. Sixty-day fully guaranteed refund policy, because they trust you’ll see benefits.
A Classic Tee That Fits Just Right
Peau de Loup’s tees are made for bodies, not gender. In designing clothes with this mindset, they’ve created a short sleeve tee that sits just right without hugging any places you don’t want it to. Think a modern take on menswear, made with women and non-binary bodies at the forefront. PDL uses 100% up-cycled mid-weight cotton for these tees and encourages washing with cold water and hang drying to decrease the wearer’s carbon footprint - we love to see it. Available in an assortment of solids, stripes, and ringers.
If They Already Use A Gua Sha…
Body planing has a lot of perks, from the removal of excess sebum to the improvement of ingrown hairs and more. It’s a great, natural way to exfoliate and promote lymphatic drainage, which is linked to a myriad of benefits. And hey, it feels good as a post-shower ritual. Pair it with a spa-quality body oil from OSEA ($52) for a dream gift basket.
Another Sustainable Shower Must-Have
Get their shower routine sorted with this dynamic duo - a shampoo bar (choose your own adventure with this one: Hydrating, Clarifying, Scalp Soothe, Volumizing, or Curl Protection) and a cruelty-free silk conditioner bar made with real silk protein for shine. All the scents are natural and truly dreamy. The set also comes with two biodegradable cases made from sustainable wheat straw to keep shampoo and conditioner separated. Bonus: the bars are TSA-friendly for easy travel!
Gift Them The Best Laundry Hack
If they’re a beauty minimalist, they’re likely trying to cut waste in other areas and laundry is a great place to start. These wool dryer balls eliminate the need for dryer sheets. They’re unscented and durably made from 100% New Zealand wool. Pro tip: dab a couple drops of essential oil on each dryer ball for the freshest laundry without the chemicals.
A Kombucha They’ll Keep Coming Back To
If they love booch, introduce them to this organic and fair trade option that boasts “no weird stuff.” It’s full of ingredients you can pronounce and the variety pack includes all four drool-worthy flavors: Ginger Lemon Rosemary, Strawberry Jalapeño, Pineapple Mint, Blueberry Lavender.
Fluffy Brows with One Product
To each their own, but on days when I want to feel a little put together with as minimal work as possible, a tinted moisturizer and brow gel are the only thing I’m putting on my face. Kosas’s Air Brow comes in 10 shades and has castor oil to help with hair growth and bring fluffy brows to life. There’s a pigment-free option as well.
A Luxe Plastic-free Razor
We know, we know, a razor doesn’t feel inherently gift-worthy, but if your loved one is a beauty minimalist, they’re probably cutting down their use of plastic wherever they can. And this isn’t your average razor - it’s a luxury bathroom staple. It has a triple-blade head that pivots and comes with 10 refill blades. Available in 7 colors, from sleek black to vibrant prismatic to suit your pal’s vibe. With a lifetime warranty, they’ll never have to buy another razor again.
For Soaking Their Hands, Feet, or Full Body
Coconut milk. Hand-harvested sea salt from the Dead Sea. Magnesium and potassium chloride to soothe muscles. If you’re not sold yet, maybe this review will help: “This scent is incredible! My bathroom smells like a spa!” Each jar lasts for about 8 full baths or many, many foot soaks. Vegan and cruelty-free.
Blog Contributor: Hannah Gerber
