Gift Guide: for your friend, the beauty queen

Without a doubt one of the girly girls, the beauty queen can be hard to shop for. After all, how do you top anything she might already have bought for herself?

The trick is to focus on two things no beauty-obsessed gal can resist: pretty and special. And the holidays are perfect for that, since most cosmetic companies will be coming out with special edition items, lovely gift sets and all kinds of party-appropriate hues.

Another trick? Packaging. Some companies, like Benefit, have items that exist year-round, but still look fabulous under the tree – it’s all in the wrapping! Or in this case, it’s all in the pretty, pretty boxes.

Bond No 9 The Scent of Peace, in the Special Edition Schwarovsky-encusted bottle, £740 at Harrods
NARS Trio eyeshadow in Arabian Nights (Limited Edition Holiday 2011), $45 at Beauty.com, £33 at ASOS
Beauty is Life luxury false eyelashes, exclusively at Barney’s
Lancome Deluxe brush set and makeup case, $59 at Saks Fifth Avenue
Giorgio Armani Holiday brush set, $95 at Nordstrom
Jane Iredale Chocoholics Collection (Holidays 2011), $35 at Beauty.com (outside the US? Find Jane Iredale natural cosmetics here.)
Yves Saint Laurent imited Edition Holiday nail Trio (contains La Laque No. 126 Black Bronze, No. 127 Black Lapis and No. 128 Black Indigo), $45 at Nordstrom
Mason Pearson handy bristle hair brush, $126.90 on Amazon.com
Natural-flush blushes Hervana and Sugarbomb, $28 each at Benefit Cosmetics

Tagged as: Holidays 2011