6 ULTA + 6 Sephora gift sets under $50 (These are AMAZING deals!)

I’m the gal who LOVES gift sets. I love giving them, and love receiving them. So this year when skimming through Sephora and Ulta I fell IN LOVE with their gift sets. After shopping both I have 6 from Sephora and 6 from Ulta I feel are the best bang for your buck and whoever you’re shopping for will LOVE!

Ulta. 
When shopping at Ulta I was aiming for sets that are Ulta Exclusive. I found some that aren’t just exclusive but all come with a gift with purchase! (a gift for yourself or to add with the gift set!). I really was amazed at these gift sets. And the prices are perfect! 

1. PUR The Grinch Beware of Perfection Mask set $28
This set is so much fun! I love the swatch colors of the masks and how they each look like little Christmas ornaments.

2. Ulta Luscious Lips and Lashes set. $29
With a set like this you get little bit of everything. Different shades of lip colors and tons of different style mascaras. Perfect for testing new looks.

3. Tarte Busy Girl Beauty Intro set $29
I really enjoy this set cause its universal to all skintones. And the products are great quality.

4. Clinique Stars of Clinique set $29.50
This set is so so perfect. You get all the ‘super star’ products that Clinique is known for in perfect airport friendly sizes. From makeup to skincare.

5. Benefit Cosmetics B Right Delights Set $42
Ulta has all the Benefit Christmas Holiday sets. I selected this one cause I literally LOVE their skincare line. Each Benefit Gift set is universal to all skin tones. Sephora only has 2 of the Benefit sets while Ulta has a larger selection.

6. Mario Batescu Classic set $38
This Mario set is the Cult Classics. Its great of all skin tones and promised to have anyone who tries this to become a Mario girl. 

1. Sephora Favorite Skincare set $30

First of all, you get the most bang for your buck on this one. You have all sorts of skincare products and all different brands. These products work best on all skin types too which is even better!

2. LOccitance Holiday Crackers set $34

The packaging is so festive! And you get 8 travel sizes of their best products! All the shower products are over 1oz! 

3. Charlotte Tilbury’s Party Girl Eye and Lip Kit $45 

This is a perfect kit if you want to try some Charlotte Tilbury but you don’t want to pay the Charlotte price. NOW, the lipstick is very very small in this set but its perfect if you’re traveling or (like I said) you want to test the products!

4. Wander Beauty Morning Makeover Eye and Lip set $34

Some gold eye masks, mascara and lip color. What else would you need? This morning makeover is luxury at a very affordable price!

5. IT Cosmetics “Its Time to Celebrate You!” set $48

This set gives you some of the best of the best. IT cosmetics is becoming a huge trend because of its amazing results. This makeup and skincare set will wow you at first use!

6. Dr. Brandt Skincare “No Filter Needed” set $48

We would ALL love some beauty products that help us turn of the photo filter... And this Dr. Brandt kit does just that! The product sizes is nice and the packaging is perfect.

Sista + Gals Gift Guide

Today’s post is a gift guide on what to give the girls in your life! This could be your sister, your coworkers, or even your best friends.
I really really enjoy shopping for my girlfriends gifts. Each one is so uniquely different and I try my best to shop for their style but also purchase similar items so no one will feel out of place. I’m big on getting one particular item that all of them get and then add on little items that fit her style. When it comes to my sister I like to spoil her as well.
Below you’ll see a gift guide of all the different types of girls in your life as well as some other ideas (like gifts for her doggie!)! Enjoy!

For the gal who loves “Girls Night" - this wine night kit (pictured above) is perfect! It has tons of fun games and activities for wine + girl time. You can find this at Francescas. You can also find other cute girl night gift sets at Urban Outfitters, World Market, and Etsy!

The “Joanna Gaines” gal - If she loves “Joanna’s” style; gift her Joanna decor! Some amazing room spray and candle set from Target will have her home smelling amazing. Also, Joanna's “Homebody” book is a perfect coffee table book (can be purchased where books are sold).

The gal with the green thumb - if she has a cute balcony, back yard, or window box where she loves to plant her own herbs; these adorable garden sets from World Market will make her holidays bright! You can also find other cute herbs at Lowes/other home improvement stores.

The gal who loves to pamper - If she loves to pamper herself there’s TONS of options. Lush has these Ah-mazing gift sets stuff full of fun treats. Also stores like Ulta, Sephora, Aerie, and World Market are packed with fun spa treatment sets - from bath bombs to foot scrubs.

Makeup gal - Luckily; all our favorite makeup stores (Sephora, Ulta, department store beauty counters, etc) has countless options for beauty gift sets. If your girlfriend is into lip kits grab her a lip set. If she's all about her eyes grab her a set with tons of mascara options. 

Dog- Mama gal friend - If her dog is her first born child; really give her a sweet surprise by purchasing some cute doggie gifts! All pets stores have the cutest holiday toys and treats. But you can also go on Amazon or Etsy and find designer inspired pet toys (like a Chanel doggie purse plush toy!)

Other Amazing gift options - Book a spa day for you and your bestie (or even just a trip to the nail salon). Take her out for dinner and pay the tab. Go on Groupon and purchase a fun activity like a helicopter ride or even sky diving (those would be some cool instagram bestie pics!). If she’s struggling to pay off her student loans gift her the sweetest gift of paying one of her monthly payments! Surprise her with a build-a-bear. Purchase custom tumblrs or custom best friend charm necklaces. 

Mom Gift Guide

Todays gift guide is all about Mom. Of course, every mom says “don’t worry about buying me anything baby” But you know she wants (and deserves) to be spoiled too! And if your mom is like mine, she wont tell you what to get her so you have to do some creative work. Luckily, I’ve done some homework and found some gifts that every mom will wow over!

For that skincare mom: Some of my go-to gifts for my mom is It! Cosmetics - this year they have a Lifechange skin set that has all the cult favorites. Also Estee Lauder Advance night repair complex is a must have for any skincare routine. These can be found at beauty retailers like sephora, ulta, and department stores.

The Bath and Body Works mom: all moms love BBW’s 3 wick candles. And best part is BBW does some amazing bogo sales on them too! You gotta do the homework on what scent she’ll like but my personal favorite is anything Christmas scented!

For our Nordy moms: if mom is all about Nordy then grab her up something from the jewelry counter; like a Kendra Scott Elisa necklace! Or to help her feel rested and loved grab a super soft robe and slip beauty sleep pillow - all at Nordstrom.

Kitchen mamas: Pioneer Woman has came out with this beautiful Adeline Collection. Its all super affordable and can be found at Walmart! I promise she will love this vintage and classic look.

Fitness moms: if shes into her figure grab her up some chic Pure Barre accessories or Target’s amazing fitness equipment line!

Little bit of luxury: wanna spoil her beyond belief? La Mer Cream de la Mer the glowing collection is a high $255 but has some of that miracle broth that will make her feel luxe!

Other gift worthy items: My mom is a secret fan of some TLC (yes the show but also some loving care for herself) so I always grab her up a spa package. Massage envy has some super affordable options! Or just grab a gift certificate at your favorite nail salon. Wine box subscriptions make fun gifts too! And your mom will love the surprise box she’ll receive 4x a year on some great wine options. Mommy and me dates are great too; do a little DIY project and have her be surprised when you have her a ‘day pass’ for a mommy and me date - this gift will give you some customization but also some one on one bonding!

Holiday Gift Guide For Him

While I review beauty and skincare products that are perfect Christmas wishlist/stocking stuffers; I plan to do a few posts on gift guides that are perfect for Him, Mom, and for Her! On these gift guides I’m going to keep the prices very affordable with one or two high ticket items. Cause lets be real, we’re all on a ‘shop and save’ kind of budget! These gift guides are to give ideas and help guide you in the right direction on what to shop for... Enjoy!

Today’s gift guide is all about that special man in your life. It could be your boyfriend, husband or even dad (yes, some of these gift will be perfect for dad too!). When I’m shopping for my husband I know what he really likes but I also try to think out of the box and get him something creative and fun. 

For the tech + guy: if your guy is into the tech world grab up a cool apple pencil to go with his tablet or stick with a fun retro game. Both of these can be found at Bestbuy. Or be super creative and custom design him an Xbox remote from the Microsoft website. Shopping for a tech guy can sometimes be difficult which is why I sometimes opt to the gift card option.

For the trendy guy: If your guy is into the style and trends try Quay sunglasses! Quay is super hot right now or some Urbanears Jakan wireless earbuds (these come in trendy cool colors); both can be found at Nordstorm. For me, trendy guys are easy to shop for but always remember stores like Nordstrom have amazing stylist that can help select the perfect items for your trendy guy.

Some simple he will DEFINITELY love: When in doubt, go simple. Art of Shaving kit is perfect. Your guy will definitely use it. Boxers and socks are always a hit with my husband. He loves his boxers from American Eagle and socks I always try to grab up some Ralph Lauren when I see them at TJmaxx. 

Creative and heartfelt: If you want to do some thing extra creative Etsy is the place! This wooden Valet box is just under $40 and perfect to charge his phone, keep his change/keys, and watch displayed. Also, custom leather belt or wallet is a great option too!

Little bit of luxury: The newest Apple Watch is perfect if you want to splurge on him. Or a nice Yeti cooler if he’s into the outdoors or in charge of bringing the drinks to the next outdoor event! 

Other gifts worth considering: sign him up for dollar shave club, grab tickets to the next home game at his university, purchase some prepaid LIVE gaming codes for him to use on his video game time, concert tickets to a show he wants to see, and my personal favorite; book a “mini home” cabin near the mountains or by the beach for a fun weekend trip!