December is in full flow and the best beauty gift sets are occupying the entirety of my mind, be it for my own Christmas wishlist or a loved one. From Clarins to Dior, the best beauty brands always pull out the stops come Christmastime and, for 2024, the offerings across skincare, make-up, haircare and more are looking even more incredible.
There was never any doubt that this winter’s kits and bundles would be stellar, but I hadn’t quite anticipated how challenging the task of whittling down the long list of spectacular gift sets would actually be. This year, we’ve been treated to Clinique lip kits, Sol de Janeiro travel trios and a whole host of trending and timeless brand selections.
With that in mind, I got to work early, compiling and testing all of 2024’s most hyped brands and products. I scouted out fragrance gift sets, make-up collections and more, catering to every gender, skin type and budget, so you can secure the very best beauty essentials (and luxuries) before the big day. And, speaking of the big day, I’ve even made note of which retailers offer next-day delivery, so the less organised among us (guilty) can ensure all their mascaras and highlighters are wrapped and under the tree come 25 December
Keep scrolling for my full review of the best beauty gift sets that are sure to delight this Christmas – and are still in stock.
How I tested
To compile this round-up, I pulled together a directory of this year’s most buzzy brands, plus the ones we all know and love, and assessed each of their gift sets for Christmas 2024. To make my final list of bundles and boxes, I considered each one for its value for money, product desirability and product sizes. Each of the sets was tested in person over a period of more than three months. Scroll on for the ones I think are worth your money and worthy of gifting this holiday period.
The best beauty gift sets for Christmas 2024 are:
Olaplex in good repair hair kit
There’s no denying that Olaplex is the GOAT of haircare and this travel-sized beauty set is just the ticket for the person in your life who’s obsessed with having luscious locks. While the no3 pre-shampoo treatment will leave your locks softer than ever (I left it on overnight for an extra fluffy finish), the 4 and 5 shampoo and conditioner duo will clear away build-up and hydrate parched strands. Lastly, the no7 bonding oil is the ultimate final-step for a shot of gloss, smoothing away flyaways and leaving hair smelling sugary sweet. My hair’s honestly never looked better.
Buy now £45.00, Beautybay.com
Beauty Bay skincare: wrapped
A top pick for the beauty curious individual, Beauty Bay’s skincare: wrapped bundle is a masterclass in trending products, with everything from the TikTok-approved Starface pimple patches to Avène’s hero irritation treatment, the cicalfate restorative cream. For me, a rosewater spray is a big thumbs up and Mario Badescu’s is a godsend for stuffy, heated workplaces. Likewise, I’ve tried a myriad of Beautypro sheet masks, but this niacinamide and cica one is equal parts brightening and anti-inflammatory – a must for post-cold and flu dullness. Grab the whole lot now with 70 per cent off.
Buy now £37.45, Beautybay.com
Charlotte Tilbury beauty check-in kit
There are few products Charlotte Tilbury isn’t known for, but when it comes to the best foundations, flawless filter is up there with one of the best. This, alongside the matching flawless finish pressed powder, the airbrush flawless setting spray and the your-lips-but-better pillow talk duo, make for the ultimate make-up haul. Think: a smooth, seamless complexion and a sweep of natural, just-bitten colour across your lips. Plus, the setting spray smells powder fresh and is a real pick-me-up in the middle of the day – I even use it to bring my make-up back to life after several hours of wear.
Buy now £69.00, Charlottetilbury.com
Color Wow smooth and shiny VIPs
Color Wow’s haircare range is my go-to for the ultimate blow-dry and a sleek, shiny finish. Of course, the supernatural dreamcoat spray is a humidity-proofing dream (I love it so much I wrote an entire review on it), while the colour security shampoo gives damaged hair a new lease of life. With over £10 of savings, this trio is a perfect blend of brand newness and bestsellers (the money masque is a 2024 addition from Kim Kardashian’s hair stylist, Chris Appleton), and will send you or a loved one into the New Year with bouncy, lustrous locks.
Buy now £39.50, Amazon.co.uk
Dior sauvage limited edition gift box
Dior sauvage is one of those scents you’ve likely caught whiffs of here, there and everywhere. Writing about it now, even, a handful of men (cousins, in-laws etc.) spring to mind and, upon re-spritzing the fragrance in my own home, it’s totally understandable why so many gents are fans. Its aroma is long-lasting and brings wafts of pepper and florals, plus a warm cedar wood base. In this limited edition gift box, it’s one of my top luxury picks for a partner, friend or family member if you’re feeling generous.
Buy now £85.00, Johnlewis.com
Chanel Coco mademoiselle essentials fragrance gift set
For me, Coco mademoiselle is one of those fragrances that I associate with my mum, but I’ve known many a glam twenty-something to wear it, too. It’s ageless, luxurious and is always a hit at Christmastime, especially in this format twinned with the collection’s matching body oil. The gift box is a real treat with its hardware clasp and it’s one of those presents that will certainly incite a round of “oohs” and “aahs” around the Christmas tree. The scent is equal parts floral and citrus, and is the type of aroma to prompt compliments wherever you are – trust me, I’ve seen it firsthand.
Buy now £210.00, Chanel.com
Sol de Janeiro bom dia jet set
I’ve spotted this gift set all over TikTok, with many users dubbing it their must-have item for Christmas. I’m not surprised at how popular it is becoming, since the brand’s perfume mists have been consistently trending throughout 2024. If you’re not familiar with Sol de Janeiro’s bom dia scent specifically, it’s both sweet and warm with a mix of amber, vanilla, jasmine and orchid. I’d say it’s quite universal, suitable as either a day or night fragrance, and it works well as a hair perfume, too.
Buy now £30.00, Amazon.co.uk
Gisou honey gloss and go duo
This duo has its own fan club and rightly so. Gisou’s hair oil not only smells delightful, but leaves your hair feeling voluminous and healthy, while the honey-infused lip oil is on par with my favourite Laneige lip sleeping mask (more on that later). The lip oil is softening, feels comforting without stickiness and, in terms of its K-beauty similarities, I think it’s the daytime answer to Laneige’s overnight treatment. Plus, with over £15 of savings, it’s a good value pick, too.
Buy now £43.00, Selfridges.com
Medik8 nighttime renew age-defying face and eyes collection
Medik8’s crystal retinal is an anti-ageing skin saviour, offering all the wrinkle-filling properties of vitamin A but, thanks to its uniquely encapsulated retinal, without any of the irritation. I’ve been using the brand for around four years now and can confirm that the formulations are lightweight, leave fine lines and wrinkles looking significantly lighter and, with this set specifically, are lighter on your wallet, too. Indeed, shoppers can delight in over £30 of savings on products that, for me, have prompted visible changes to the appearance of my 11s (the deep creases between my eyebrows).
Buy now £74.40, Amazon.co.uk
Clarins men start up essentials
On the whole, skincare is relatively gender neutral, but this male-specific gift set is a pretty good choice if you’re looking for shaving-related formulas and more traditionally masculine scents. While Clarins’s two in one shampoo and shower gel will keep the lucky giftee smelling botanical and feeling clean, a 30ml travel face wash uses shea butter and glycerin to nourish winter weather-beaten skin. My brother’s been using this trio on and off for years and, after reacquainting himself with the shower gel more recently, described it as a “real treat to use”.
Buy now £19.20, Boots.com
Chanel bleu de Chanel parfum gift set
The lesser known – but still as sauve – Chanel men’s fragrance, bleu de Chanel brings all the freshness of the the brand’s allure scent with the added complexity of sandalwood. As such, it’s a deeper scent than its older sibling (it launched six years after allure) and a top pick for the gent with a taste for more musky, earthy aromas. Plus, who can complain at that packaging: equal parts polish and pageantry with its subtle nod to Christmas in the form of navy blue snowflakes. My partner should be so lucky.
Buy now £163.00, Chanel.com
Dior Miss Dior limited edition eau de parfum gift set
For me, Miss Dior is the brand’s signature scent, trumping its J’adore fragrance. Youthful and desirable, Miss Dior features a sweet, floral bouquet, with a heart note of rose. Compared with traditional rose scents, this eau de parfum feels less grandiose and more girl next door. Now, in its unrivalled packaging (seriously, Dior has done a stellar job of gift wrapping this year), you’ll have her wafting whispers of peony wherever she goes, because, in my experience, Miss Dior is a scent that really lasts on the skin.
Buy now £112.00, Boots.com
Trinny London feel glowing skincare gift set
The stackability of Trinny London products has, since the brand’s launch, been a big draw, especially when it comes to travel-size products, as hotel bathrooms don’t always offer a huge amount of surface space on which to rest your beauty essentials. So, this quintuplet of products is a must for the woman who’s always on the go. With a mixture of peptides, skincare acids, retinal and niacinamide, the formulas will help keep skin looking springy, bright and discolouration-free. Sign me up.
Buy now £99.00, Harveynichols.com
Aesop resurrection duet
Aesop’s resurrection duet gift set is a real treat for beauty-lovers and interior-obsessives alike. As with all the Aussie brand’s formulas, the products are beautifully packaged in stylish yet pleasingly minimalist bottles. The cleanser’s gentle formulation of orange, rosemary and lavender effectively cleans hands without drying them out, while the skin-softening balm hydrates and nourishes. The fragrant formulas boast a citrus, woody, herbaceous scent that lingers long after use. A saviour for reversing the effects of winter on my hands, the generously sized bottles will last the lucky recipient right into spring.
Buy now £103.00, Sephora.co.uk
Lancôme absolue soft cream collection skincare gift set
The absolue skincare range harnesses French rose extracts and purports to promote skin cell renewal. With shimmering golden packaging, the soft cream glides across the skin and sinks in well, leaving fresh, dewy and moisturised skin, plus the smell is divine. Miniature versions of the rich cream, eye cream and serum from the line tie in the collection perfectly. These minis are great for taking on overnight stays, too. It’s definitely a premium set, but a great way to enjoy luxury skincare for the price of one full-size product.
Buy now £224.00, Debenhams.com
Refy beauty brow collection
Jess Hunt’s brand Refy is a beauty editor’s secret to fluffed up, voluminous brows. Containing three of Refy’s bestsellers, this gift set helps elevate arches through three simple steps. The brow pencil boasts a precise tip that creates the illusion of hair strokes (it’s arguably better than Benefit’s cult products), while the brow pomade is a buildable, dual-ended pomade and brush that allows you to shade. Complete with Refy’s famous brow sculpt for sculpting and setting, the finished look lasts all-day. Any make-up fan will be delighted.
Buy now £40.00, Refybeauty.com
Shiseido blockbuster vanity kit
Luxury Japanese skincare brand Shiseido has a range of gift sets for Christmas, including this blockbuster vanity kit. Featuring a range of the brand’s signature skincare and make-up heroes, this is one for the luxury skincare aficionados. This set includes a whole skincare routine, including a full 50ml (usually £107, Johnlewis.com) of the vital perfection series uplifting and firming advanced cream, which left my skin feeling supple and moisturised. The express eye masks are great for a pamper evening, too. Rounded off with mascara, satin finish lipstick and Ginza perfume roll-on, this set is sure to impress.
Buy now £160.00, Johnlewis.com
Ren radiance gift of glow
‘Clean girl’ beauty was all the rage on TikTok this year, and no brand does the pared-back approach better than Ren (it gets its name from the Swedish word for ‘clean’, after all). This trio of bestselling products includes the cult radiance ready steady glow daily AHA tonic, a toner that brightens, evens and smooths skin. Then there’s the glow and protect vitamin C serum, which is a lightweight formula that helps to form collagen and plump your complexion. A personal favourite, the vitamin C moisturiser completes the set. A dream to apply, it’s non-greasy, fast-drying and immediately softening. Plus, the set includes a handy travel wash bag.
Buy now £36.85, Johnlewis.com
Oskia the ultimate renaissance collection
If you’re not familiar with Oskia’s renaissance cleanser, consider this your chance to get to know it. It’s the ultimate second cleanse and leaves skin feeling thoroughly detoxed, without any tightness or discomfort. Together with the brand’s brightening mask, your skin will be left feeling post-facial fresh. Plus, you can benefit from the brand’s rose quartz facial tool. I loved this trio and am eager to keep up use into the new year, to help ensure soft, smooth and sculpted skin.
Buy now £91.00, Oskiaskincare.com
Oribe gold lust holiday collection set
Oribe’s gold lust shampoo and conditioner are among my favourite hair products. Not only do they leave your locks feeling and smelling thoroughly cleansed, they produce the most silky strands, too. The duo is accompanied here by the brand’s nourishing oil, which you can apply through the mid-lengths and ends, to help your hair look as glossy as when you’ve just walked out of the salon. It’s admittedly an expensive trio, but if there’s one brand I’m keen to splash the cash on, it’s definitely Oribe.
Buy now £113.00, Selfridges.com
Rare Beauty Selena’s lip and cheek faves
Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty was always going to be included in my gift sets guide for 2024, thanks to the brand’s products’ strong performance and disability-friendly packaging – the ball atop the liquid luminiser is designed to help those with accessibility needs and has done quite the few rounds on TikTok as a result. What’s more, when using the powder blush – as someone who’s a big fan of Gomez’s liquid blush – I was taken with the instant flush of healthy-looking colour it provided to my sun-starved winter cheeks. I’ll certainly be repurchasing that one.
Buy now £48.00, Spacenk.com
Clarins multi-active luxury collection
Fans of Clarins’s multi-active creams will be delighted to receive this quintuplet of the brand’s hero products. From the beloved lip oil to the magic eye make-up remover (it really does do away with even the toughest of waterproof mascaras in a jiffy), this set will be an instant win with the bougie lady in your life. Both the day and night multi-active iterations included here were featured in IndyBest’s guides to the best anti-ageing day and night creams, and I found the addition of niacinamide to work well with my shine-prone skin. My only bugbear? I wish the day cream featured a touch of SPF.
Buy now £72.80, Clarins.co.uk
Le Labo eau de parfum and candle gift set
A beauty gift sets guide wouldn’t be complete without brand of the moment Le Labo, and fans of the brand will certainly be pleased to find this duo under the tree come Christmas morning. You can build your own gift set, by choosing your favourite scents – I sampled the seasonal cyprès 21 candle and, boy, was I impressed. Often, Christmas candles can be overwhelmingly scented with pine or cinnamon, but Le Labo’s iteration featured light patchouli together with traditional spices light clove and juniper. A pure delight. When it comes to the eau de parfum, Le Labo’s santal 33 and thé matcha 26 are popular choices for good reason.
Buy now £238.00, Lelabofragrances.com
Tan-Luxe the glow edit
Tan-Luxe’s self-tan drops always top my Christmas wishlist. Just a few drops mixed into my night-time moisturiser and I wake up with a healthy warmth to my skin, even in the midst of winter. Likewise, the gradual tanner is ideal if – like me – more intense foam and mist tanners scare you. I find around three days of application leaves my skin not only looking bronzed but feeling silky soft and moisturised, too. Enjoy both products in this set this festive season.
Buy now £20.00, Spacenk.com
Aveda botanical repair strengthening essentials gift set
For those struggling with breakage, dryness and general hair damage, this Aveda gift set will be a godsend. I used it on my weather-beaten, heat-stricken hair and, after just one wash, was thrilled to find my scalp cleansed and my mid-lengths and ends feeling moisturised and soft. After using the leave-in treatment, I found this trio worked to reduce the appearance of split ends, and I can’t recommend this set enough.
Buy now £44.20, Aveda.co.uk
Elemis pro-collagen cleansing balm collection
A cleanser that has a mass fanbase of celebs and average Joes alike, Elemis’ pro-collagen cleansing balm is hugely popular when it comes to make-up removal, making it a top pick for the waterproof mascara addict in your life.
In this beauty bundle, you’ll receive not only the original lavender, chamomile and eucalyptus formula but the fragrance-free naked and rose extract balms, too. The latter is undoubtedly my favourite, with a luxurious scent that’s reminiscent of springtime – a welcome respite from the onslaught of mist and cold.
Buy now £62.00, Sephora.co.uk
Bobbi Brown most-loved beauty gift set
Whether you’re shopping for your mum, sister or a close family friend, Bobbi Brown’s make-up is always a winner. This set specifically is a top-notch choice with not one, not two, but five products in the form of the vitamin-enriched face base and the long-wear cream shadow stick in golden pink and taupe, to name a few of my favourites.
Though the make-up bag is a little titchy for everyday use, it’s ample size for on-the-go adventures and the set does include three full-size formulas. One of the featured minis, the smokey eye mascara, is a product I’ve used countless times through the years and often reach for in search of a fluffy, fanned-out lash look. Likewise, the gel eyeliner glides on like butter and will not budge come rain or shine, so consider your Wednesday night wing secured. For a touch of nighttime glam, look no further.
Buy now £163.00, Johnlewis.com
Refy lip collection
You know a brand is well-loved when it features in a gift guide twice – two of Refy’s beauty gifts impressed me in 2024, so I wanted to give you the chance to impress your nearest and dearest. In this duo you’ll have the chance to personalise your liner and gloss shades to suit the giftee, be it a just-bitten blush shade or a Christmassy rouge.
One of my favourite features of Refy products is their dual functionalities and, much like the brow sculpt’s expert brush/comb attachment, the brand’s lip sculpt liner features a bonus liquid setter, which provides a 12-hour hold – it’s a world-first and works surprisingly well.
Buy now £30.00, Refybeauty.com
Fenty Skin travel-size start’r set with mineral SPF
Fenty Skin has been a huge success since its launch in 2020. Now, four years on, this quad of products has got me all sorts of excited, especially with the inclusion of the renowned fat water toner. If you’re not in the know, the toner works to help rejuvenate damaged skin barriers all while sloughing away at dead skin and tightening pores. While it certainly left my pores looking minimised, it didn’t leave my dry, winter skin tight in the slightest and, in fact, felt gentle enough to use every day. This, alongside the hydra vizor mineral SPF and nourishing melting cleanser put my skin in a calmed, moisturised state – ready to take on the cold.
Buy now £34.00, Boots.com
Supergoop! SPF bestsellers starter kit
Supergoop! SPFs are a staple in my skincare regime and, be it the unseen sunscreen for a bit of shine control or the glow screen for a touch of sunkissed warmth, you’ll struggle to go far wrong with this brand. Thankfully, with this gift set trio, Supergoop! has taken the hard work out of choosing and your friends and family will be treated to not only the glow and unseen sunscreens but the best-selling body iteration – play– for those escaping the cold for a bit of winter sun. Consider me jealous.
Buy now £28.00, Revolve.com
Clinique black honey almost lipstick and lip oil duo
You know it, you love it and now you or a loved one is gasping for a top-up. Clinique’s best-selling black honey almost lipstick was always going to go out of stock at Christmastime – but this duo is flying off shelves faster than expected. Paired here with the equally luscious black honey lip oil, your lucky giftee will have a perfect plum-toned pout that stays hydrated from dawn till dusk. What more could they ask for?
Buy now £38.40, Sephora.co.uk
Chāmpo vata hydrating system set
For those not familiar with Chāmpo, the brand champions ayurvedic haircare in a deeply hydrating formula that’s free from silicone, parabens and synthetic fragrances. Chāmpo’s pitta growth serum did the rounds on social media last year and, what with the ongoing hype around scalp health, still makes for a great gift in 2024 and beyond.
The shampoo and conditioner are heroes for dehydrated hair. The formula includes coconut to lock in moisture plus macadamia oil to tame frizz. I can’t rate them enough.
Buy now £68.00, Selfridges.com
Rituals homme and sport collection men’s small bath and body gift set
As soon as you lift the lid on this incredibly chic-looking gift box, you are met with the most delicious musky yet fresh smell. The scent is courtesy of an addictive mix of Japanese mint and cedar wood – so nice your giftee will want to bathe in it (or in this case, shower).
The cooling shower gel is great for a post-workout refresh thanks to an invigorating scent with impressive staying power, especially when followed up with the anti-dryness body lotion.
Loved ones are sure to be impressed with the shampoo, which claims to stimulate thicker hair growth cycles by balancing the scalp with a combination of caffeine and red ginseng. Naturally, it’s too soon to say if the shampoo has revolutionised any hairlines. Still, I did appreciate the added vitamin E which protects the scalp against free radicals and UV damage.
Buy now £27.90, Boots.com
Too Faced you’re a gem! Three-piece eye makeup set
The beautifully designed petite eyeshadow palette packs a sparkly punch that’s ideal for ringing in the new year, or any celebrations for that matter. I loved the iridescent colour-changing effect of the diamond fire shade and was impressed by the strong pigment of the metallic you’re a gem colour.
The inclusion of the brand’s tried and true make-up icon, the better than sex mascara was greatly appreciated. The thick, hourglass-shaped brush applies the formula generously, creating a striking false lash effect. For a bold finish with curls that last all day, you really can’t go wrong.
Buy now £38.40, Cultbeauty.co.uk
The An’du gift box, back to basics
For the eco conscious giftee, this quad of products from An’du will be sure to bring a smile to their face. Though you’ll have a choice of gift boxes for every hair type – from dry/damaged to those with dandruff – this set, with the back to basics shampoo and conditioner bars, is designed to suit all types.
I was truly wowed at how clean my hair felt without the usual sulfates from my day-to-day shampoo. What’s more, my hair was left feeling silky and smooth, and extra shiny thanks to the conditioner bar’s included macadamia nut oil. Consider me converted.
Buy now £36.00, An-du.co.uk
The verdict: Beauty gift sets for Christmas
Ultimately, when I weighed up desirability, savings and product sizes, I found Olaplex’s in good repair gift to be 2024’s best gift set offering overall. From the performance of the formulas to the two full-size bottles and more than £20 of savings, this quad is an all-round gifting winner that’s sure to bring a smile to the face of whoever’s lucky enough to unwrap it come 25 December.
For make-up, there were a few trending beauty gift sets I’d want to get hold of this year, with Charlotte Tilbury and Sculpted by Aimee top of my list.
As for fragrance, the French houses of Chanel and Dior led the pack, while Sol de Janeiro’s fragranced body care kit presents a more affordable alternative.
Getting set for the festive season? We’ve rounded up the best luxury Christmas crackers
