Best Makeup Gift Sets To Buy In Time For The 2022 Holidays
Some of the best things about the holidays include seeing family and friends, eating yummy food, taking advantage of vacation time, and of course, gifts. When we were children, many of us were told that Santa would bring us presents on Christmas Day if we behaved all year round. It's hard to imagine the level of excitement we felt going to bed, hoping Santa would bring us everything from our holiday list and leave it under the glittering Christmas tree.
It's interesting how gift-giving extended to adults; as mentioned in the book "The Battle for Christmas," it was a way for New York's elite to over-celebrate inside and outside their homes when other families wanted to keep their children safe at home by rewarding them, per The Atlantic. Plus, in the early 19th century, with the growth in advertisements and consumer products, it was hard to avoid seeing products everywhere.
If you've heard of Gary Chapman's book "The 5 Love Languages," gift giving (or receiving) is one of the primary ways people express affection. "If your primary love language is gift-giving, it means that you express your love by giving others presents," licensed clinical psychologist Juanita Guerra told Women's Health.
And what's a more perfect gift for people in your life who love beauty than makeup? If you have a loved one who loves makeup and is constantly experimenting with different looks, it's the perfect time of the year to get them a makeup gift set.
How we selected makeup gift sets
Everyone loves receiving gifts, but when the gift is thoughtful and useful, the joy is tenfold. So if you have a beauty lover in your life, nothing will brighten their day more than getting a box full of their favorite makeup products.
Every holiday season, major beauty brands and authorized dealers find the best beauty products to beautifully package together. The best part about these makeup gifts is that they have multiple products, and most of the time, you get a bang for your buck as they're usually worth more when you buy them separately.
Whether they're a fan of perfectly groomed eyebrows, flawless skin, or luscious lips, there's an ideal gift on this list for everyone, perhaps even for yourself. These makeup sets are popular because they're often limited releases from reputable brands, helping you save money; plus, they often include brand-new products that have never been released. The great reviews don't hurt, either, which is why we scoured the web to find makeup gurus' all-time faves.
Bring joy to makeup lovers in your life by getting them one of these caring gifts guaranteed to bring a smile to their faces.
Best budget lipstick set
If you or a loved one is a fan of lipstick, and lots of it, the Revlon Super Lustrous Gift Set is perfect. It comes with five different shades — 460 Blushing Mauve (Plum/Berry pearl finish), 430 Soft Silver Rose (Pink pearl finish), 775 Super Red (Red/Coral cream finish), 777 Vampire Love (Plum/Berry cream finish), and 025 Insane (Red/Coral matte finish) — so you can switch it up based on your mood. According to Revlon, these lipsticks are highly-pigmented and moisturizing as they're infused with Vitamin E and avocado oil.
This lipstick set has an average of 4.4 out of 5 stars on Amazon and over 1,400 reviews, with one reviewer saying, "Good quality, value, and variety. I bought this for the Mrs. because she was complaining that her lipsticks were ancient and were so expensive at the store. So as a surprise for her, I gambled and purchased this variety pack, WINNER!"
Purchase the Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick Gift Set on Amazon for $22.18.
Best overall lipstick set
Just when you thought you didn't want another celebrity beauty brand, Lady Gaga launched her beauty brand Haus Labs. The iconic singer is known for her elaborate outfits, unconventional hair, and exaggerated makeup, often accompanied by red lips. Her beauty brand allows all "Little Monsters" to recreate the star's looks. And now, you can get your hands on her Tanti Baci Extreme Cream Micro Mini Lipstick with five shades, including nude brown (Marcello), deep peach (Gina), Berry (Elsa), Coral (Sophia), and red (Stefania, after Lady Gaga herself).
Beauty Blogger Amanda (from The Aesthetic Edge) said the lipsticks are high-shine with medium to full coverage and a silky finish. This lipstick set has an average of 4.3 out of 5 stars on Amazon, with a reviewer saying, "These lipsticks are spectacular. Sheer at first, but very buildable. This creamy formula is long wearing on the lips and provides an excellent amount of moisture to your lips."
Purchase the Haus Laboratories by Lady Gaga: Tanti Baci Extreme Cream Micro Mini Lipstick Set on Amazon for $58.02.
Best budget mascara set
For an affordable brand, Essence makes some high-quality mascara, and now you can try not one but four of them in the brand's Lash Princess Mascara Holiday Gift Set. According to Essence, this mascara set includes False Lash Effect, False Lash Effect in waterproof, Curl & Volume, and Sculpted Volume, so you can choose whatever look your heart desires. They are vegan, cruelty-free, and have 5 out of 5 stars on the website.
Over on Ulta, the gift set has 4.3 out of 5 stars, with a reviewer saying, "This definitely made a difference in my lashes!!! It was beautiful!!! Definitely worth the money, and honestly, it wasn't that expensive."
Purchase the Essence Lash Princess Mascara Holiday Gift Set on Ulta for $14.99.
Best mascara and primer combo
If you weren't born with Bambi lashes, you can always use the magic of mascara — but do you really need a mascara primer? Makeup artist Andrew Velazquez told Makeup.com, "The objective of a mascara primer is to provide real lash hairs with keratin or to work with mascara to avoid clumping, separate the lashes, increase volume and lengthen." Mascara primers are a terrific addition to your makeup routine to add extra drama. And now you can get mascara and mascara primer together with L'Oréal Paris Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara & Primer Holiday Kit.
This duo has an average of 4.5 out of 5 stars on Amazon, with a happy reviewer saying, "I love this mascara. I have gone through so many that either don't plump enough or make it to clumpy and just looks terrible. I am very pleased with this mascara, gives great coverage and volume!"
Purchase the L'Oréal Paris Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara & Primer Holiday Kit on Amazon for about $11.40.
Best overall mascara set
Benefit Cosmetics is known for its fantastic brow products, but they also make some of the best mascaras known to man. How do we know? LOOKFANTASTIC reported that based on Google searches, the brand's They're Real Lengthening Mascara is the second most popular makeup item in the world. And you're in luck as this Benefit Cosmetics Mascara 3 Piece Full Size Set has that iconic mascara along with the Roller Lash Mascara (for curl) and Bad Girl Bang (for volume) — it's the perfect trio of mascaras for any event.
It's no surprise that this mascara set has 4.8 out of 5 stars on Amazon, where a reviewer raved, "Love all 3. Would have never tried one of them if I hadn't found this set, and it is my favorite (I already knew I liked the other two). Highly recommend this. Already have folks who have bought it after I shared my success."
Purchase the Benefit Cosmetics Mascara 3 Piece Full Size Set on Amazon for $58.98.
Best nail polish gift set
Don't you just feel like your whole life is more together when your nails look perfect? A perfectly done manicure can uplift your mood and make you smile whenever you look at your nails. If you're a nail polish fan, boy, does OPI have a treat for you. Its 25-piece advent calendar features OPI's Holiday Jewel Be Bold collection with every imaginable color under the sun. They dry super-fast and can last up to seven days.
This advent calendar has an impressive 4.6 out of 5 stars on Amazon, and one nail fan said, "OPI brings the only nail polish advent calendar your nails will need this Christmas. Featuring 12 sparkling gems from their 'Jewel Be Bold' 2022 collection, 10 iconic shades that will never go out of fashion, and 3 nail treatments, it will have your nails dazzling throughout the festive season and beyond!"
Purchase the OPI Gift Set Mini 25 Piece Advent Calendar Jewel Be Bold Holiday '22 Collection on Amazon for $79.94.
Best budget highlight and contour set
If you love watching makeup tutorials and have always wanted to try contouring on a budget, you should get your hands on NYX Professional Makeup Highlight & Contour Pro Face Palette. According to NYX Cosmetics, it'll help you contour like a pro with eight customizable shades. It's vegan, cruelty-free, and perfect for highlighting your best features to make your look pop. The makeup lovers in your life will really appreciate this gift.
This best-selling palette has over 7,000 reviews on Amazon and an average of 4.5 out of 5 stars. A makeup-loving reviewer said, "I love this palette! I use it for contouring, highlighting, and also for shaping my eyebrows."
Purchase the NYX Professional Makeup Highlight & Contour Pro Face Palette on Amazon, starting at $19.19.
Best highlighter duo
Charlotte Tilbury is known for its bestselling Pillowtalk lipstick, but its highlighters are equally great. In Charlotte Tilbury Mini Beauty Highlighter Wand Duo Set, you get two of their most popular highlighters in the shades Spotlight (rose gold with silver light) and Pingasm (pink highlight). The soft-focus silica and lustrous polymers give you a flawless, luminous glow.
This limited-edition highlighter duo has 93,000 likes on Sephora, so act fast before it's too late. With an average of 4.4 out of 5 stars, a reviewer said, "Absolutely love this set! I have wanted to try the highlighter and blush for a while, and it did not disappoint. So pigmented and easy to blend! Great for yourself or as a gift set."
Purchase the Charlotte Tilbury Mini Beauty Highlighter Wand Duo Set on Sephora for $32.
Best loose highlighter set
Highlighters are the perfect addition to any makeup routine to make yourself glow, and if you want a little extra radiance, try Anastasia Beverly Hills Mini Loose Highlighter Set of 3. According to Anastasia Beverly Hills, this loose highlighter powder has highly reflective, iridescent pearls for over-the-top sparkle for the holidays or any special occasion. The set has three universally flattering shades: rose gold (sunset aura), radiant gold (Vegas), and coral gold (peach fuzz) that you can mix and match or just wear alone.
It's no surprise that this regal highlighter set has 4.7 out of 5 stars on Amazon. This is a must-have for anyone who loves to sparkle during the holidays.
Purchase the Anastasia Beverly Hills Mini Loose Highlighter Set of 3 on Amazon for $48.
Best budget blush set
Holidays can be stressful and tiring, so if you want a quick way to look more rejuvenated and youthful, try the power of blush. "When using a blush to instantly look more refreshed (and younger), try using a cream blush on the apples of your cheeks," celebrity makeup artist Courtney Hart told New Beauty.
CoverGirl Clean Fresh Blush Palette is the perfect combination of three natural-looking cream blushes that will add a hint of color to your cheeks without looking too overdone, and no one has to know your secret. A happy reviewer on Ulta said, "I am always on the hunt for high-quality clean makeup, and WOW, this delivered. The pigments are so beautiful and natural looking." This budget find has 4.5 out of 5 stars, so you won't be disappointed.
Purchase the CoverGirl Clean Fresh Blush Palette on Ulta for $7.49.
Best overall blush set
We love Selena Gomez for her music and her never-ending support for mental health, and that's why we love her beauty brand Rare Beauty, which gives back to the community. The brand's Soft Pinch Liquid Blush is a lightweight and highly pigmented cream blush that adds a flush to your cheeks, making you feel beautiful. It comes in many shades, and this blush set has three shades with a full-sized tube in soft neutral pink (Entourage) and two travel sizes in dewy mauve maroon (Truth) and dewy cool pink (Happy).
This popular blush set has over 106,000 likes on Sephora, and we just love the names of the shades. One reviewer said, "It's a fact Rare Beauty has the best liquid blushes on the market. The formula is incredible; very pigmented, blends effortlessly, and is long-lasting. I just put 1 or 2 dots and then blend it with a brush to have a lovely flush of color on the cheeks. For $30, you have 3 amazing shades."
Purchase Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez Soft Pinch Liquid Blush 3 Piece Set on Sephora for $30.
Best budget eyeliner set
If you're a fan of eyeliners, you know that just one eyeliner from a prestige brand can be pretty pricey. So if you want to try multiple colors while saving money for other gifts, try the Ulta Beauty Collection X Steffi Lynn Eye Liner Set of 6. According to Ulta, this set was designed by artist Steffi Lynn Tsai and has classic white and matte brown along with fun colors like lilac, yellow, silver, and aqua. They're made of clean ingredients and are cruelty-free.
A reviewer on Ulta said, "I love how pigmented they are. Finally, was able to find an affordable bundle of great eyeliners that I truly like."
Purchase the Ulta Beauty Collection X Steffi Lynn Eye Liner Set of 6 on Ulta for $4.79.
Best overall eyeliner set
If you're a fan of the classic cat eye, you can't go wrong with Stila Cosmetics. It makes one of the best eyeliners on the market that's not only pigmented but can also stand the test of time. According to Stila Cosmetics, its smudge-proof eyeliner can also be used as an eyeshadow and has moisturizing ingredients. Now you can try them all in a set in their Stila Eye-Conic Liners Stay All Day Smudge Stick and Liquid Eye Liner Set.
This set has three smudge-proof eyeliners in sparkly black (stingray), green (jade), sparkly brown (Lionfish), and their classic liquid liner. It's such a steal and has 4.4 out of 5 stars on Amazon, where one reviewer raves, "I've tried literally every brand of twist eyeliner, and this has worked best!!!! Darkest color going on and smoothest texture. I'm a repeat buyer and will only use Stila eyeliner now."
Purchase the Stila Eye-Conic Liners Stay All Day Smudge Stick and Liquid Eye Liner Set on Amazon for $28.
Best budget eyeshadow sticks
Great eyeshadows don't have to cost you a fortune, and e.l.f. Cosmetics is known for its high-quality, affordable finds. Its no budge eyeshadow stick has over 2,000 reviews on Amazon, and they only cost $5 apiece.
E.l.f. recently released a set with four metallic shades (champagne crystal, bronze metal, rose gold, and perfect pearl) that's perfect for the holidays. These highly pigmented shadows don't smudge and will help you create multiple festive looks. This set has a perfect 5 out of 5 stars on e.l.f. Cosmetics with a reviewer saying, "I don't wear eye shadow much because it doesn't stay well. This eye shadow stays, and I have NOT noticed any creasing. LOVE IT! DO NOT EVER DISCONTINUE THIS!!"
Purchase the e.l.f. Cosmetics Blinding Lights No Budge Shadow Set on e.l.f Cosmetics for $20.
Best overall eyeshadow sticks
Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Shadow Sticks are award-winning and legendary. These eyeshadows have a gorgeous shimmer finish and are long-wearing and waterproof, so you can dance all night without worrying about your eye makeup.
Now you can try three sparkly colors in pink, brown, and lavender in a lovely set that's a perfect makeup gift for anyone who loves a little sparkle. It has 4.3 out of 5 stars on Amazon, where one makeup enthusiast said, I have tried many eye shadows looking for something that will last 6-8 hours. No question. This does it! Love it and totally recommend!"
Purchase the Bobbi Brown Mini Long-Wear Cream Shadow Stick Set of 3 on Amazon for $43.40.
Best holiday eyeshadow set
You'd have to be living under a rock not to know about Urban Decay's Naked Palettes, because they're the holy grail of eyeshadows. They may be pricey, but they're so good, and now the brand has released a holiday set with three palettes. It's every makeup lover's dream come true. The three mini palettes are Half Baked, Foxy, and Sin, with six shadows in each, and you're going to be so glad to get them all at such a great deal.
This limited-edition mini palette box set has 4.6 out of 5 stars on Urban Decay with over 2,000 reviews, and one happy husband even said, "I've bought almost all the Naked Palettes for my wife over the years. She loves them! The colors are vibrant and pigmented. They seem to last all day and stay in place. And the palettes themselves last for years! But best of all, she looks very beautiful, and she feels just as pretty as she is in my eyes!!!! My favorite color is the purples."
Purchase the Urban Decay Naked Mini Eyeshadow Palette Holiday Set on Amazon for $59.
Best cruelty-free eye and face bundle
What makes an eyeshadow bundle even better is when it smells like cookies, gingerbread, and chocolate. You can smell yummy while you're doing your eyes when you use Too Faced Christmas Bake Shoppe Limited Edition Makeup Collection, which is worth $309, but you're paying way less.
This value set has three different palettes with eight eyeshadows and a highlighter in each one. Plus, the brand's best-selling Better Than Sex mascara mini is included. The deal couldn't get sweeter as it already has 17,400 likes on Sephora with 4.7 out of 5 stars. It boasts an impressive 4.9 out of 5 stars on Ulta, with a reviewer saying, "Love the fun 3 palette set! This packaging is SO fun, and the colors are great for fall/winter looks. Too Faced never disappoints with their holiday sets."
Purchase the Too Faced Christmas Bake Shoppe Limited Edition Makeup Collection on Too Faced for $54.
Best makeup brush set
You can get all the best makeup in the world, but if you don't have the right tools, it likely won't turn out too well. That's why you need to invest in Morphe Vegan Pro 8-Piece Face & Eye Brush Set. According to Morphe, these professional-grade makeup brushes for the face and eyes will take your makeup skills to the next level. They're long-lasting and completely vegan. This makeup brush set has 4.8 out of 5 stars on the brand's website, and one happy reviewer said, "These brushes are amazing! My makeup goes on effortlessly, and the end result is perfection! I love that the bristles don't fall out easily."
Your foundation will never look more flawless, and your eyeshadow will always be on point with this set. It also has 4.8 out of 5 stars on Ulta.
Purchase the Morphe Vegan Pro 8-Piece Face & Eye Brush Set on Ulta for $52.50.
Best on-the-go makeup set
While some people love having tons of makeup products and won't leave home without them, some makeup minimalists opt for multitasking products that work equally well and are versatile. If you prefer quality over quantity, the NUDESTIX Sunkissed Nudes 3-Piece Mini Set is perfect for you as this set has blush, bronzer, eye, and lip color in one cute little tin. It has Nudies Matte Blush that you can use for your eyes, lips, and cheeks; and a gorgeous bronze eyeshadow that you can use as a bronzer; and a glossy lip gel that even works on your cheeks.
A reviewer on Ulta said, "This is THE perfect little mini set to enhance that natural after-beach glow. The colors are subtle and just the right shades for a casual evening on the town in your favorite sundress. I will be wearing this on vacation for sure!" It has 4.4 out of 5 stars on the brand's website and Ulta.
Purchase the NUDESTIX Sunkissed Nudes 3-Piece Mini Set on Ulta for $27.
Best perfume set
High-end perfumes can be expensive, so why not try two of the best-selling fragrances in a little set before investing in a full-size bottle? Yves Saint Laurent Mini Black Opium & Libre Eau de Parfum Set is divine as it has the iconic Black Opium, a beautiful blend of coffee, white flowers, and vanilla — in addition to Libre, which is more floral with notes of orange blossoms, musk accord, and lavender. Both smell perfectly delicious in their own unique ways.
This set has 4.2 out of 5 stars on Sephora with over 95,400 likes. It's the perfect fragrance for this time of year, according to one reviewer, who said, "Beautiful YSL scent perfect for the holidays! Warm vanilla undertones, earthy rich. Everyone is complimentary of this perfume when I wear this."
Purchase the Yves Saint Laurent Mini Black Opium & Libre Eau de Parfum Set on Sephora for $30.
Best fragrance sampler
Most perfumes are a beautiful fusion of many smells, and while some love the intricate combinations, others prefer more straightforward scents. For those who prefer individual fragrances, try Caswell-Massey Eau De Toilette Sampler Gift Set, which has four travel-size fragrances in almond, sandalwood, lavender, and verbena. It's also a great way to see which perfumes match your personality.
This fragrance sample has 4.2 out of 5 stars on Amazon with over 619 reviews, and one reviewer said, "Have used this for several years as a stand-alone scent or paired with another perfume. Men just love the scent- a real nose catcher!!"
Purchase the Caswell-Massey Eau De Toilette Sampler Gift on Amazon for $60.