A good three or four times before, I’ve actually intended to write a gift guide kind of post but have never gotten my act together to post. This time, I’m throwing together a hodgepodge of items that I think would be great ideas for women in your life. There’s definitely some beauty picks but with my recently rekindles interest in style (thanks to my wardrobe clearout and attempts at the capsule wardrobe), there’s some fashion as well. Let’s get to it before I get entirely sidetracked:

1. Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter ($54 CDN): While Charlotte Tilbury’s packaging screams luxe indulgence as a gift, the product here is actually the best part. Enriched with squalene, this liquid illuminator creates the look of dewy skin under the most flattering lighting impossible. The shades have a sheerness that makes them easier to choose for someone else and are flattering with their lack of actual shimmer particles.
2. Zara Menswear Style Coat ($159 CDN): In a sense, outerwear is something rather difficult to buy for someone else. However, I feel comfortable with the sizing of this classic Zara coat enough to recommend it. It’s a wool-nylon blend that has held up rather nicely – I have last years version – and has a classic fitted tailored silhouette. It runs a touch small but the sizing is fairly standard, especially for Zara. It has flattering tailoring, a single breasted closure and a slightly nipped in waist. It’s also warm enough for below-zero temperatures. The quality is impressively good, too.
3. Fossil Elle Crossbody ($198 CDN): This was actually a gift I received maybe three holiday seasons ago that I love. It’s a good quality leather purse that isn’t exorbitantly expensive or trendy. It’s the perfect cross body size, with two different zippered comparments that have the dimensions of an agenda roughly but are deep enough for all of the essentials. I have a beige one that I reach for often without thought. It straddles the line of being classic but also cool.  The leather holds up well and the bag is surprisingly versatile.
4. Anastasia Beverly Hills Carli Bybel Eyeshadow Palette ($60 CDN): If you are someone who loves their neutrals but wants to incorporate some metallics and jewel tones and just generally have some fun with eyeshadow, I think this palette is worth a shot. The one thing that I’d say is that the metallic shades can have severe fallout but that’s kind of expected. I like the balanced mix of warm and cool toned shades and neutrals and more fun shades. Also, I appreciate the mix of mattes, shimmers and metallics. The quality is good but the real gem is the colour selection which is great for neutral, amped up and looks with some colour.
5. Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair Deep Conditioning Mask ($12/ 30 mL): While this mask is among my absolute favourite deep conditioners for my waves and curls, I think it actually holds universal appeal. I don’t really know of anyone who couldn’t use a masque or deep conditioner during the cooler weather and this is an excellent one for all hair types and textures. It has a good balance of moisture and protein, is nourishing while being lightweight, has slip and is concentrated. The ingredient-conscious crowd will also appreciate the composition.
6. Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow Contour Duo with Brush ($99 CDN): It appears that my makeup picks are very Charlotte Tilbury heavy, here. This was unintentional. I can say that this limited edition holiday packaged set would be an excellent pick for anyone kind of fair to medium in skin tone. The bronzer is so smooth and easy to apply, kind of light to medium in depth with neutral undertones that can provide sculpting action and a touch of warmth. I’m not usually one to wax poetically about packaging but the compact is lovely and the brush looks great. The highlighter is soft and golden in tone as well, on the subtler side of the spectrum.
7. Zara Double-Faced Biker Jacket ($159 CDN): Motorcycle jackets are some of my favourite pieces of outerwear and they had a major moment this fall. However, they are usually reserved for Fall and Spring. This season, shearling lined aviator styles are trending for the winter and they give effortless cool girl vibes.    The cream version might not be super practical but looks great and the easy fit would make it an easy gifting pick.
8. H&M Off-the-shoulder Sweater ($29.99 CDN): I think sweaters might be the easiest item of clothing to gift to someone else and they are one that I always appreciate. This is actually I sweater I picked up when H&M was having a sale event and I’m wearing it non-stop. It’s super soft and non-itchy – with a little bit of stretch and some wool content – that’s cozy without making me overly warm. It looks great with a front tuck into jeans and I also like wearing it as a cowl-neck kind of sweater, also. It runs a little oversized.

Any thoughts?
Maggie, x.