2020 Holiday Gift Guide

What makes an item gift-able? It has to occupy that sweet spot between indulgent and utilitarian, and between wish-you-had and you-already-own. Below: five handy lists of products I’ve tried and loved, received and loved, or loved to gift in the past, sorted by recipient.

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For the Go-Getter

Ember self-heating coffee mug, from $100 | via amazon.com.

Keeps your coffee (or tea, or soup…I guess) heated to your desired temperature through all those morning meetings.

Allbirds wool runners, $95 | via allbirds.com.

For those on-the-go overachievers who combine errands, a run, and a social commitment all in one fast-paced outing. Part casual sneaker, part sport shoe, and always polished looking.

The Daily Edited personalized saffiano wrap case, from $60 | via thedailyedited.com.

This is my own phone case style at the moment - minimal, monogrammed, and professional.

Mark & Graham foil pressed personalized notecards, $59 | via markandgraham.com.

Some people are so on top of their shit that they send actual personal correspondence regularly by mail, and on personalized stationery. I am not one of these people. But in case you know someone, this is a solid option.

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For the Self-Care Enthusiast

Aesop intensely hydrating citrus duo, $72 | via aesop.com.

This was a hit when I gifted it to a family member a year or two ago. Aesop is some high-quality stuff with a great natural ingredients ethos.

Ouai scalp and body scrub, $38 via sephora.com.

Fabulous, satisfying texture, plus Ouai makes some of the freshest body care scents around. Apparently the internet loves this too, so I feel justified in putting this on my list.

Sunday Riley power couple set, from $21 for various sizes | via dermstore.com.

I was recommended this lactic acid and retinol nightly skincare kit by friends, and haven’t stopped using it for three years. It’s the best thing to happen to my skin since aging out of the chaotic teenage years.

Nécessaire body sets, from $40 | via necessaire.com.

There are a number of things I love about this small brand’s range of body washes, lotions, and scrubs, including their silky textures and unisex, atypically muted, high-end scents.

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For the Fitness Buff

Bala weighted bangles, $65 for 2lb pair | via shopbala.com.

These inconspicuous ankle/wrist weights add a little something extra to a long walk or home workout, perfect for quarantine times.

Purist stainless steel 18 oz water bottle, from $46 | via puristcollective.com and REI.

This sleek bottle is not only nice to look at, it has a glass interior coating to stop even coffee from leaving behind a lingering taste.

Arctery’x Rho LTW neck gaiter, $39 | via arcteryx.com.

Not quite a scarf, this is just enough for for an active person to stay warm during an outdoor winter workout.

Shashi embellished grip socks, $18 | via carbon38.com.

For pilates and barre enthusiasts who also love a bit of bling.

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For the Homebody

Pottery Barn monogrammed marble and wood coasters, $25 a set | via potterybarn.com.

Winter is coming, which means it’s leave-your-hot-coffee-mug-on-random surfaces time. These pretty things will save many a tabletop.

Smeg variable temperature kettle, $220 | via amazon.com.

For those who love a retro decor look, this is Smeg’s update of their popular fixed-temperature kettle style.

Byredo scented candles, from $45 | via nordstrom.com.

These are beautiful enough to gift a particularly hard-to-please recipient. Plus they come in a range of unusual, intriguing fragrances you won’t find elsewhere.

WeMo wi-fi enabled plugs, $75 for a 3-set | via amazon.com.

These incredible timesavers integrate right into Apple HomeKit and can be controlled from your iPhone, making a nightly routine of switching off various lamps and other powered items a breeze.

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For the Pet Parent

Paw PupProtector waterproof blanket, $298 | via paw.com.

A cute, washable, easy-care, waterproof blanket to protect your nice couch from inevitable animal accidents.

The Foggy Dog plaid bow tie collars, $45 each | via thefoggydog.com.

I think I remember TFD getting into the pet bow tie craze before other stores did, and they still make some of the cutest, most thoughtfully designed ones around. I confess I haven’t sent these particular ties to anyone (yet), but wish I’d thought of it in time.

Various brands - cat backpack, usually $30+ | via amazon.com.

These adorable things let your cat come along on hikes, bike rides, and errands. But not all cats are cool with being clipped into one of these, so definitely check with your cat-owning friend to see if their kitty is chill.

The Cat Ladies organic pet grass kit, $16 | via amazon.com.

If your cat is like mine and enjoys nibbling at all the faux (or real) decorative greenery in your home, distract them with this easy-grow kit that comes in a cute container.

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Bonus List: For the Person Who Has Everything and Is Very Hard to Impress, and You’re Just Flipping Out

Disclaimer: I have never purchased these things for myself or anyone else.

Tiffany bone china box, $175 | via tiffany.com.

This just tickles me because it looks like the storage box a pair of earrings by the jewelry house might come in.

Norm Architects for Menu portable LED lantern, $180 | via dwr.com.

I have looked at this so many times and thought, How cool. You can carry it to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

Bang & Olufsen Beosound balance, $2,250 | via neimanmarcus.com

I’ve seen enough movies to know this is exactly the kind of art object-looking speaker tech-y thing a rich person would have in their home atop a custom made rare wood console table near where the great room feeds into the study.

Hermès Avalon III throw blanket, $1,550 | via hermes.com.

In case someone you know just craves a beautiful blanket they will never be able to machine wash.

Self-Care Cabinet

Over the years, between the three of us, my future mother-in-law, sister-in-law, and I have made a social activity out of sharing recommendations for everything from night serums to loungewear to volumizing shampoo. We share a little less now that I live 2500 miles away, but the fun of trying new products and discovering gems is still source of joy and comfort for me. Doubly so during quarantine, because if total social isolation isn’t a great time to put together an indulgent self-care routine and feel a bit of peace and stability, then when is?

Below, my top ten skincare and haircare holy grail products:

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Nécessaire The Body Wash (via Nécessaire). I’ve only been using this a few days so far, but this is the body wash I’ve been searching for. It’s mild, smooth, and just feels ridiculously high-end for its price point. I’m also not a fan of washing with over-the-top scents, and Nécessaire scents are neutral and mature.

Sunday Riley Good Genes (via Sephora). Most high-intensity re-texturizers and dark spot correctors on the market seem to be glycolic or citric, both of which are harsh to me. The lactic acid component of Good Genes is a comparatively gentler-feeling (but still effective) alternative AHA.

Ouai Leave-in Conditioner (via The Ouai). I have thick hair, so it’s tough for me to find a conditioner that’s effective but not so heavy it makes me look like the girl from The Ring. This spray by Ouai is light enough that it does the trick, and I no longer use an in-shower conditioner very often.

Ouai Volume Spray (via The Ouai). And speaking of the girl from The Ring, giving my hair a few spritzes of volume spray at the roots gives me an added defense against looking like some kind of Japanese ghost.

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Clinique “Smart MD Multi-Dimensional Age Transformer Revolumize” (via Sephora). The name is a handful, but this is basically a quick-absorbing moisturizer with a luxurious texture and noticeable plumping capabilities (thanks, hyaluronic acid). I received this as a trial size and am very likely to get the full-sized version at some point because it made such a difference even in three weeks.

Virtue Restorative Treatment Mask (via Virtue Labs). A great multi-day tamer of flyaways and repairer of damaged ends, which I used to have in spades. (Their shampoo, recommended to me by my SIL, is also a winner.)

Ole Henriksen Truth Serum (via Sephora). I originally bought this because I wanted something that would “wake up” and brighten my skin in the morning, but its strength turned out to be its collagen component. 100% think this softened the lines in my neck. I’ve been using Truth Serum on and off for a year but am switching to Drunk Elephant’s C-Firma just out of curiosity —will absolutely switch back if it doesn’t perform like this one did.

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Sunday Riley Luna Retinol Sleeping Night Oil (via Sephora). The closest thing to a miracle skin product I’ve ever used. When my skin is angrier than usual, just a few nights of applying this oil before bed effectively halts the inflammation cycle. Over time, its made everything smoother and clearer in general.

Peter Thomas Roth Lashes to Die For (via Sephora). I used to have lash extensions, which looked great but were challenging to maintain, and when they fell out, they took a lot of my natural lashes with them. This before-bed lash line serum not only brought them back quickly,

Aesop Rosehip Seed Lip Cream (via Aesop). I’ve always hated chapstick-format lip products: greasy, slow-absorbing, wipes off immediately. This dense cream format absorbs almost immediately after application and leaves lips feeling well-conditioned for hours.

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Honorable mention

Aesop Rind Concentrate Body Balm (via Aesop). Works like a cream, absorbs like a serum. Light, non-greasy.

Korres “Greek Yoghurt Foaming Cream Cleanser” (via Sephora). Almost has a “brightening” feeling to it while used.

Mario Badescu “Witch Hazel & Rosewater Toner” (via Amazon). The only toner that’s ever actually calmed my angry, redness-prone skin down.

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Trying next

Drunk Elephant “Lala Retro Whipped Moisturizer with Ceramides” (via Sephora). Burned through my Clinique moisturizer very quickly, and am intrigued by this moisturizer that has volume-boosting particles that are even smaller than hyaluronic acid (i.e. better absorbed).

My Top Photo Editing Apps

Afterlight

Cost: free, with no real need to buy upgrades

Why I love it: Afterlight is easily the most powerful of the editing apps I have on my phone, giving the user the capability to overlay light and color (like in Photoshop), control space-bounded edits with a fingertip, apply color shift, and even mimic a film double exposure. The range of available free filters is wide, adjustable, and elegant.

What could be better: I wish this app could store images and recent edits the way VSCO can, rather than require the user to find and re-import an image every time.

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VSCO

Cost: free, with no real need to buy upgrades

Why I love it: this platform has something of a cool-kid appeal, with its minimal interface, built-in social sharing network (which I personally don’t use), and filters that skew trendy rather than classic. One particularly cool feature is its ability to “hold” your photos in an in-app space called the Studio, where your edits are preserved and where your images will stay, even if the originally uploaded photo is deleted from your phone.

What could be better: this app would benefit from a serious cleanup of its filter options - with so many filters having fundamentally the same look, all the redundant options are an absolute slog to get through.

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Snapseed

Cost: free

Why I love it: Snapseed boasts a wider range of editing categories than other apps, including some I don’t find particularly useful but are kind of neat to have (like “Retrolux” and “Grunge”…whatever those are). By far the coolest tool in the app is the “Tune” function, which makes use of a unique vertical vs. horizontal slider configuration to let you very intuitively change your brightness, saturation, warmth, etc.

What could be better: many of this app’s default effects are way too extreme and tough to control, and therefore not great baseline “presets” for a casual editor to be working from.

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Canva: Graphic Design Creator

Cost: free, with no real need to buy upgrades

Why I love it: halfway decent photo editing apps are now a dime a dozen, but it’s still uncommon to find a solid tool that does what Canva can: generate logos and flyers right on your phone. I frequently recommend Canva to friends who run blogs or small businesses, as it’s a quick-and-easy substitute for a larger program like Photoshop or Publisher. Plus, it’s well plugged into current visual trends in terms of fonts, layouts, and “stickers,”, etc.

What could be better: Canva might be too user-friendly—it doesn’t really nudge the user to get inventive with templates. This results in many users creating and sharing only slightly different versions of the same graphic.

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A Color Story

Cost: free to download, but leans heavily on in-app purchases

Why I love it: I fully admit I first learned about A Color Story from Taylor Swift, who started using its “color fog” features on photos during the Lover album release timeline. Indeed, color fogs and light effects are ACS’s strong suit - somehow they look softer and more palatable in this app than in others.

What could be better: the filters are not wonderful and not very refined, and most of the app’s features are behind a paywall (I wouldn’t recommend adding them).

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