SO I am totally putting up my Christmas tree this weekend! Why? Because Christmas has come early my friends, in the form of skin care, makeup and smell goods! I am doing you a favor by running down the list of gift sets and holiday packaging to tell you what products are a delightful deal and which ones shouldn’t be unwrapped. Working on the “more bang for your buck” theory, these are my top picks for money well spent and gifts well received to keep you off the “naughty” list.

ORIGINS:

Famous for the precious packaging and even more precious prices.

Your Perfect World set (available at Dillard’s)         

$45.00 ($74.50 Value) This set contains a 5oz Perfect World White Tea facial cleanser, a 1oz Perfect World Skin Guardian with White Tea (worth about 35 clams all by itself), and a 1oz Perfect World Moisturizer with White Tea.  White Tea is an excellent source of antioxidants for the skin. Lamens terms, they fight off the bad stuff like free radicals that cause premature aging. This collection of products is great for any skin type except maybe the very oily. OH! And it smells like apricots!

Dr. Weil for Origins Skin Care set (available at Dillard’s)   

$65.00 ($108.50 Value) The set contains a 1.7oz Plantidote Mega Mushroom Facial Cleanser, a 1oz Plantidote Mega Mushroom face serum (worth almost $40.00 alone), and a 1oz Plantidote Mega Mushroom Face Cream. This line is created for all skin types and is meant to help with redness, dryness, and general dullness in the skin. A powerful blend of natural ingredients like 3 special mushrooms (no, not Magic Mushrooms), Holy Basil and Turmeric (an excellent compound for calming irritation) make it a sensitive skin type’s dream.

M.A.C.

Famous for fabulous combinations of products for wild, limited edition gift sets.

Shenanigans Soft Mini set (available at Dillard’s)    

$29.50 this set includes soft shades of M.A.C.’s famous Lipglass and newer Lusterglass glosses. The paler shades are my favorite, but this set comes in deep and bright shades as well. At under 30 smackers, this is a great stocking stuffer or gift for the gal on the go.

Mineralize set (available at Dillard’s)         

$59.50 This set includes a skinfinish, a blush and an eye shadow duo in coordinating colors. The set comes in two shades. Fun in the Sun is a bronzey palette with coopers and golds. Pinkzapoppin is a soft pinky set with cooler tones for the fairer complexions.

CHANEL

Famous for decadent packaging and seductive fragrances.

Chanel No. 5 Milk Bath (available at Dillard’s)    

$70.00 OK so it isn’t a gift set, but it is a splurge worth having. This 13.5oz milky formula turns any old bathroom into a French boudoir. It is, after all, Chanel No. 5.  Marilyn Monroe once said during and interview at a Japanese airport that she wore nothing to bed but a few drops of Chanel No. 5. Sounds pretty marvelous to me.

Chanel Platinum Egoiste (available at Dillard’s)      

$72.00 Those who know me, know that I refer to this baby as “sex in a bottle”. Never in my life has a fragrance made me weak in the knees like this one does. Just a touch will do so it lasts forever. It has notes of Rosemary, Sage and Cedar that make it masculine and earthy, but sophisticated. Girls, buy it for your guys and guys, buy it to get a girl. I guarantee a return on your investment!

It is early enough in the holiday shopping season to go get what you need now without a hassle. I personally saw the Origins gift sets out last week and my gal pal, Belinda, at M.A.C. texted me about the arrival of their gift sets. Drop by Chanel and ask the men at the counter about Platinum Egoiste, if Corey isn’t wearing it, I bet Antonio is. Happy holiday hunting.