Ultimate Holiday Skin Care Gift Guide!

For all of us female travelers, it is so important to maintain a skin care regimen when we are both on and off the road. Between flying, lack of sleep, spending a lot of time outdoors, stress, staying in different accommodations and more, there are a lot of elements that can wreak havoc on our skin. That is why I combined a list of great skin care products that I use and trust into a holiday gift guide!

Please note that I have devoted a lot of time and investment into my skin, especially within the past year (hello 2020). I totally and completely understand that most of the products I list below are on the pricier side, but I am a firm believer that you pay for what you get and that no one could afford to cheapen out on skincare.

Obviously, I did not purchase all of these products at once. I got most of them separately over time. (I also don’t wear or use these products all at once either!)

Most of the makeup products I use were discovered through makeovers I’ve done with professional artists at both Nars and Clinique. I also found out about a handful of the below skin care products through gifted collaborations I’ve done since becoming a blogger in early 2018.

**Please note that this blog post uses affiliate links meaning that if you make a purchase via my affiliate link, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only promote and talk about products and services that I have used and like.

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Best Makeup Gift Guide for Outdoor Lovers:

As someone who is always on the road (or outside for that matter), it is extremely important that I have the right, long-lasting makeup that will not melt off or smear. It is also imperative that I wear makeup that will protect my skin and prevent future breakouts.

If you or someone you know is like myself, who is constantly on the road; who is always outside and who also suffers from oily and acne-prone skin, below are the best makeup products that I have been using for quite some time and that personally work for me that I also believe could work for you or your loved one as well.

Just a little backstory on my history with makeup is that I started wearing “real” products (AND I’m not talking about the glittery eyeshadow you get at Clare’s) when I was 14 years old and had just started my freshmen year of high school. It has taken me a lot of trial and error to find the right products that work best for me.

I will admit that I am a late bloomer and I really didn’t learn (or discover) how to do proper makeup that works best for me until I reached my mid to late 20s. (As I write this in November 2020, I’m currently 29, so I pretty much learned how to do good makeup around two or three years ago. I’m a firm believer that it’s never too late to discover what works best for your physical features and skin.)

Disclaimer: Now, I completely understand that everyone has a different skin type and color. The makeup products listed in the gift guide below is what works best for me based off of my own personal skin care experience.

All of the products I list below offer different shades based off of skin color, style and preference:

Primer – NARS Pore & Shine Control Primer

Liquid Foundation – NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation (I use the color Vienna.)

Concealer – NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer (I use the color Cannelle.)

Foundation Powder – NARS Soft Velvet Pressed Powder (I use the color Desert.)

Bronzer – Clinique True Bronzer Pressed Powder Bronzer (I use the color Sunkissed.)

Setting Powder – NARS Light Reflecting Loose Setting Powder Translucent Crystal

Blush – NARS Blush (I use the color Coeur Battant.)

Highlighter – NARS Highlighting Powder (I use the Fort de France color.)

Eye Shadow (Singles) – I LOVE using the single Night Star color from NARS as my base and also on my lower lid. It is a light peach color with pearl that adds shimmer. I also use the color Sofia, which is a matte rich cool brown, mixed with the color New York, which is a matte plum brown on my upper lids.

Eye Shadow Mini Palette – NARS Afterglow Eyeshadow Palette (I love the variety of different colors in this palette from shimmery shadows for the holidays to bright colors for the warmer months.)

Eyebrow Pencil – Rejuva Minerals Natural Eye & Brow Pencil in Black (I will admit that I rarely fill in my eyebrows. I am of Italian descent, so my brows are naturally thick. I’m also blonde, so I try not to overdo it with my eyebrows. I will only fill them in on special occasions such as when I attend weddings.)

Eyebrow Highlighter – Anastasia Pro Pencil (I use the Base 1 Color.)

Lower Lid Eyeliner – Rimmel London Professional Eyebrow Pencil in the 002 Hazel color (It’s an eyebrow pencil, but I love it as a lower lid liner. It gives off a light smokey look.)

Upper Lid Eyeliner – Anastasia Darkside Waterproof Gel Liner in Black

Mascara – L’Oréal Paris Waterproof Voluminous in Carbon Black x4 Lashes

Lip Gloss – NARS Chelsea Girls

Lip Pencil – NARS Satin Lip Pencil

Lip Stick – Clinique Even Better Pop Lip Colour Foundation and Matte Lip Colour & Primer

(Please note that all of these skin care products featured in my makeup gift guide above fit the TSA travel size requirements if you decide to bring them in a carryon bag.)

Best Face and Cleansing Washes:

When I was still suffering from moderate break outs, I would try and get a facial at least once a month. My esthetician explained to me that my break outs were mainly because I wasn’t fully washing all of the makeup off of my skin.

What most of us ladies do not realize is that we think we are thoroughly washing our faces by just using our facial washes, micellar water and makeup wipes, but having a strict cleansing routine is what will really helps us eliminate those annoying break outs.

Disclaimer: I started breaking out when I first entered puberty in my preteens. My face was at its worst when I was in middle school and high school. I still suffered from mild breakouts into college, when I was in my late teens and early 20s. It wasn’t until I reached the age of 22/23 when my skin started to really clear up. If I do break out, it is usually hormonal related.

The below products are what works best for my very own skin. All of the skin care products I list below in this gift guide are recommended based off of my own experience:

Facial Brush: ToiletTree Skin Cleansing System Facial Brush & Body Care Kit for Women & Men

Morning Face Wash: Clinique Foaming Sonic Facial Soap (Comes in a travel size!)

Morning Facial Toner: Beauty by Earth Facial Toner Cleanse & Tone with Witch Hazel and Rose Petal Water (Already TSA travel sized.)

Cleansing Face Wash: Clinique Rinse-Off Foaming Cleanser (Comes in a travel size!)

Makeup Remover: Clinique All-in-One Cleansing Micellar Milk and Makeup Remover

Nighttime Facial Toner: The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Mattifying Toner (Comes in a travel size.)

Eye Makeup Remover: Neutrogena Gentle Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover (Please note that this bottle does not meet the carryon standard for TSA. If the bottle is half empty, you will be allowed on the plane with it.)

Makeup Wipes: Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Face Wipes (I mainly use these to clean my hands when I’m doing my makeup in the morning. It prevents a mess on your towels (or a hotel or Airbnb’s towels). Also, these wipes are already a TSA travel size.)

Oil Control Film: Clean & Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets (I don’t use these as much as I used to when I was in my late teens and earlier 20s, but I still recommend them as great oil control films. They are also travel sized.)

Peach Fuzz Trimmer

Nighttime Skin Care Gift Guide:

Like I mention at the beginning of this guide, I’ve invested a lot of my self care practice into my skin.

As someone who could’ve cared less about my skin when I was younger, I am making up for it now because I don’t want to age prematurely due to my carelessness under UV rays when I was in my teens and early 20s.

I want to make sure my skin is always hydrated, rejuvenated and feeling radiant and healthy. I do this through a religious nighttime routine.

Below is a quick guide to the best skincare products that I use at night:

Facial Oil: Honua Ōlena Beauty Oil (TSA travel sized.)

Facial Roller: Beauty by Earth Rose Quartz Facial Roller

Face Scrub: Bella Skin Beauty Manuka Coffee Face Scrub (I usually use this once a week. This scrub is also a TSA travel size.)

Vitamin C Serum: Eraclea Intensive Repair and Protect Serum/Vitamin C (I usually use this when I get a sunburn or have been outside for most of the day. This serum is also TSA travel sized.)

Anti-Aging Serum: Rexaline Active Energizing Concentrate (Use code REXABLOG for 20 percent off your Rexaline order. Also, this serum is TSA travel sized.)

Acne Treatment Cream: Eraclea Acne Clearing Treatment (I usually use this when I break out or feel a zit coming on. This acne treatment is also TSA travel sized.)

Hydration Cream: Rexaline Hyper-Hydrating Rejuvenating Cream (Use code REXABLOG for 20 percent off your Rexaline order. This hydration cream is a TSA travel size.)

Thyrst Beauty Products (Serum, Exfoliant, Hydration Moisturizer and Oil): USE CODE TAYLOR15 for 15% off! Thyrst Beauty Co. is a clean, non-toxic and plant based skin care brand.

(Bonus: Don’t forget to also check out my Moroccanoil hair gift guide!)

I hope you all enjoyed going through this trusted skin care gift guide and that you, or whoever you are shopping for, personally finds these products just as helpful as I do. They really are the best products for all of us adventurers.

All of these products are perfect gifts for the holidays and they also make for great stocking stuffers! If you have any questions, please email me at info@browneyedflowerchild.com.