beauty and grooming gifts

Sleigh all day: The best beauty and grooming Christmas gifts

16 Nov 2023 | |By Zoe Gunn

Let them step into the New Year looking and feeling their best with these indulgent beauty gifts

All products are chosen independently by our editors. Luxury London may earn commission on items purchased.

Hitting that sweet spot between practicality and luxury, it’s hard to go wrong with a good beauty or grooming Christmas gift. Be warned, however, today’s savvy skincare fan or make-up aficionado knows their stuff – so a hastily purchased high street gift set isn’t going to cut it. From the latest must-have brands to seriously premium upgrades on everyday essentials, here’s our guide to the best beauty, grooming and fragrance gifts for Christmas 2023.

The best skincare gifts

Medik8 x Space NK Limited Edition Skincare box

Unless you consider yourself clued up on the latest Vitamin C innovations or the benefits of hyaluronic acid vs retinol, when it comes to skincare it’s best to turn to the experts. In this case, that comes in the form of high-end beauty department store Space NK and its limited edition collaboration with Medik8. The set includes everything you need to reveal a refreshed glowing complexion, including Medik8’s Advanced Night Restore, C-Tetra Luxe serum, Hydr8 B5 Intense serum and Surface Radiance Cleanser.

£76
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Harvey Nichols Beauty Buzz hampers

First the beauty industry came for your advent calendars and now it’s invading the hamper world too. And, while Cadbury may be quaking in its boots, we couldn’t be happier about it. Brimming with luxurious skincare products from the likes of The Ordinary, Caudalie, and Fenty Skin, Harvey Nichols has even popped a bottle of Colour Wow’s Dream Coat Supernatural Spray in its Beauty Buzz hamper for good measure. Well, it is Christmas after all.

£95
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11Skin Master Masking Planner

Founded by Yannis Alexandrides, a Harley Street cosmetic surgeon with more than two decades of experience, 111Skin packs effective antioxidant ingredients into cruelty-free formulas that promise brilliant results for more mature skin. Among its best-selling products is its range of fast-acting sheet masks and this essential set contains options to target a host of skin concerns, from puffiness and dehydration to dark circles and fine lines.

£120
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No1 de Chanel Revitalising Duo

If you’re going to gift skincare, make sure it looks as chic as the latest additions to Chanel’s highly regarded skincare range. Rendered in pristine white and camellia red tones for the holiday season, the No1 de Chanel Revitalising Duo, it packs  the lines high-performance serum and Riche Texture cream into a handy travel pouch they’ll want to take everywhere.

£100
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The best make-up gifts

Dior Rouge Dior minaudière

Know someone who would never be seen without a perfect crimson pout? Make their year with this show-stopping lipstick set from Dior. The collection is housed in an elegant black minaudière case (which doubles up as chic clutch bag), alongside a detachable lipstick holder, both featuring the French fashion house’s famed CD monogram. Inside they’ll find a Rouge Dior lipstick bullet and refills in four of the house’s most popular shades.

£195
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YSL Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils gift set

Looking for a beauty stocking filler that packs a punch without breaking the bank? This elegant gift set from Yves Saint Laurent includes travel-size versions of the houses’s best-selling Volume Effet Faux Cil mascara, Dessin du Regard eye pencil and Expert Makeup Remover AKA everything they need for perfect peepers.

£32
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Aspinal of London cosmetics case

Of course, now they’re all kitted out, they’ll need something equally stylish to store their new make-up collection in. Available in four hues, including classic black, forest green, burgundy and this highly seasonal gold, Aspinal of London’s timeless cosmetics bag is crafted in fine full grain leather and finished with a grosgrain lining.

£125
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The best haircare gifts

Sisley Hair Rituel Revitalising Fortifying Serum gift set

While perhaps best known for its skincare and make-up, Parisian brand Sisley also does a stellar range of Hair Rituel products catering to every type of mane. If you’re new to the collection, sample its key offerings with the Revitalising Fortifying Serum gift set, featuring the essentials: the eponymous Revitalising Fortifying serum, Pre-Shampoo Purifiying mask and Regenerating hair care mask. Think of it as a good hair day in a box.

£160
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ghd Platinum+ gift set

If you know a glamorous party girl who’s already planning Christmas aprty looks, ghd’s stylish set makes for a great luxury gift. Containing a Platinum+ professional smart straightener alongside a mini heat protection spray and paddle brush, everything is stored neatly in a smart travel bag for seamless packing.

£239
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Larry King The Social Edit

London-based hairdresser to the stars Larry King, whose clients include Gigi Hadid, Chris Hemsworth and Jared Leto, is a man who takes the business of washing hair seriously. Not merely a necessary formality before your cut and colour, King’s The Social Edit set treats hair care regimes the same way as skincare, with specific formulas for volume, moisture, styling and cleansing, served alongside his Liquid Hairbrush conditioner to keep locks silky smooth.

£130
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The best men’s grooming gifts

Czech & Speake manicure set

It is our humble opinion that no well-groomed man should be without a Czech & Speake manicure set. Yes, it’s pricey – but just look at it. It oozes old-world glamour, boasts award-winning German design and speaks to a man so refined and sophisticated that even his nails get the VIP treatment. Gift it once and reap the aesthetic benefits of a lifetime of manicures.

£545
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Truefitt & Hill shaving set

If his morning shave is something he usually rushes through with a months-old disposable razor in hand, open his eyes to the pleasures of a truly luxurious shaving experience this Christmas. London barber Truefitt & Hill has been smoothing stubble and taming unkempt beards in St James’s since 1805 and now you can buy its most loved products to recreate the experience at home. Go all out patriotic with the Jubilee Collection shaving set, which includes a Double Edge razor, silvertip brush and resin stand.

£325
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Malin + Goetz Saving face set

We firmly maintain that no man ‘doesn’t do’ grooming, he simply hasn’t been introduced to the right products yet – which is where Malin + Goetz comes in. Its range of hair and skin treatments are approachable while delivering visible results (and looking great on your bathroom shelf). Ease him in with the Saving Face set, featuring three of Malin +Goetz’s most popular skincare products: the grapefruit face cleanser, vitamin E moisturiser and detox face mask. We guarantee he’ll be investing in the rest of the range in no time.

£80
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The best fragrance gifts

Miller Harris Black Datura

If all else fails turn to fine fragrance. And, while they may have been turning to the same household name brands for years, trust us, they’ll thank you for an introduction to Miller Harris’ Black Datura. The London-based perfumer has layered up notes of tuberose, ylang ylang, baie rose and white lily to create an intoxicating, rich and sensual scent that will be their instant new favourite.

£180
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Cartier Les Collections de Parfum set

Sure, you could buy one or two, or even three, bottles of perfume for a beloved fragrance fan but why stop there when Cartier offers six of its most popular scents in one elegant gift set? Curated by master nose Mathilde Laurent, Les Collection de Parfums takes the wearer on a journey through the Cartier olfactory offering, with scents running the gamut from the clean, savoury notes of L’Heure Promise through the gentle florals and fruits of L’Heure Diaphane and the romance and heady opulence of L’Heure Mystérieuse.

£325
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Jo Malone London x Huntsman Trousseau Collection

For men, meanwhile, this set of collaborative scents brings together two of London’s finest luxury exports: perfumer Jo Malone and Savile Row tailor Huntsman. The four scents in the collection, which draw on bold masculine aromas such as whisky and cedarwood, birch and black pepper and amber and patchouli, are available to buy individually. Purchase the full set, however, and they’ll come boxed in a leather trousseau lined with Huntsman tweed. Infinitely chicer, wouldn’t you agree?

£600

Read more: The best Christmas gifts for her