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Christmas gift-giving is a strategic pursuit. While many, including some of us here at GRAZIA, place practical items they’d never get themselves a top of their curated wishlists—a chic all-in-one pot, lavish tipples for their bar carts, party shoes to ring the New Year’s in—others throw caution to the wind. Amongst the latter are often the beloved eccentrics in our inner circles.
These are our loved ones who moonlight as an avant-garde savant. You’ll recognise this set for their adoration for collecting quirky trinkets and unconventional joie de vivre. This season, we’ve has scoured every corner of the web, from eclectic bazaars to luxury marketplaces, to bring you the definitive gift guide for this ilk. Ahead, the merriest off-beat beauty buys brimming with unexpected appeal and surprising delight.
“I own a Loewe coriander-scented candle. It sounds like a strange aroma to be in your home but it’s warm, spicy, nutty and far less polarising as a scent than it is to taste. This is why I was so excited to learn Loewe has released incense sticks and holders. The ribbed terracotta design echoes the candles making them stunningly stylish pieces for your home, too. This one is a tomato leaves scent. Don’t knock it til you try it. Love, love, love.” – Jessica Bailey, Editorial director
“I didn’t want to believe the hype given the higher price point, but Augustinus Bader’s range of products are truly life-changing. It’s no wonder Victoria Beckham was such a fan that she wanted to collaborate with the brand. The result is this potent firming, lifting and smoothing serum that is one of those do-it-all products, likely set to replace a heap of others on your shelf. Shop it for yourself as a Christmas investment, or start dropping hints about how much you need this radiance-boosting wonder serum in your life.” – Pema Bakshi, Fashion features editor
“Not all mascaras are made alike, and this tubing mascara from Byredo excels in both aesthetic and functional fields. The ornamental-esque bottle features a fiery red hue as bright as Rudolph’s red nose. An apt quality considering the viral ‘Doe eye’ trend is achieved with only a few sweeps. The curvature shape is also reminiscent of the wispy, fluttery finish of your lashes when coated in Byredo’s slick black and vegan formula. After use, keep on your vanity as a curated sculpture.” – Ava Gilchrist, Senior fashion features writer
“Handcrafted by highly skilled Florentine artisans, this soap dish is an easy way to bring a touch of luxury to the everyday. Whether it’s to give your luxe soap bar the home it deserves, or to make a budget-friendly option feel more expensive, this gift is the perfect mix of practical and pretty.” – Pema Bakshi, Fashion features editor
“OK, this one is fantastic for people who use their hands a lot for work—think: chefs, beauticians, doctors, labourers. But looking after the skin on your hands and feet is actually something we all should be doing. This freshly-scented balm from Buly is one of my favourites for parched palms, elbows, knees, ankles, nails… the lot. It has shea butter and beeswax and is mixed in with geranium and Manuka oils. Keep one in the car or by your desk, and definitely gift one to Nan, too.” – Jessica Bailey, Editorial director
“The arsenal of a beauty adherent is incomplete without a lash curler. Allivatie this obstacle by bestowing the gift of perpetual architecturally-shaped eyelashes with Hourglass’ gilded version. This must-have beauty tool features an art-deco grasp and gold-plated veneer, bringing a touch of salon luxury into your at-home kit. The concave curler wraps effortlessly around the root of each individual lash to enhance volume and lift. Who needs Eyes Wide Shut—arguably one of the top underrated Christmas films—when this device is opening your view?” — Ava Gilchrist, Senior fashion features writer
“In Australia, beautiful skin is synonymous with minimal makeup. We already know Gucci Westman is one of just a few to perfect the light, glowing base (if you haven’t met her complexion drops, here you go), but she also has really great products to accentuate this natural, dewy look. Better yet, her best products have been packaged together in a rather festive fashion for Christmas. This Lit Up Highlighter Stick in Biscuit is a little bit like a gel and adds a glow to the cheekbones, eyelids and the bridge of one’s nose, while the Baby Cheeks Powder Blush will flush the apple’s like nobody’s business. Finish off with the hydrating Squeaky Clean Liquid Lip Balm.” – Jessica Bailey, Editorial director
“Festive makeup looks different in Australia with our Southern Hemisphere sun, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still enjoy a healthy dose of shimmer. This eyeshadow palette features five gorgeously warm and highly pigmented shades that are perfect for summer glam, and, they’re designed to endure, so there’ll be no sweating them off. Not to mention, its molten gold packaging is absolutely stunning, making for a unique and lasting gift.” – Pema Bakshi, Fashion features editor
“A one-way ticket to Paris is arguably the ultimate gift one could receive. Should that be out of your price range, Chanel’s newest beauty innovation, the 31 Le Rouge lipstick, is second best. The long-wearing, satin-finish stain comes in 12 hues inspired by the colours of Gabrielle Chanel’s—the French Maison’s founder—universe. The name of the lipstick harks back to the luxuriate’s iconic birthplace at 31 Rue Cambon, with the architectural glass packaging reminiscent of the mirrors that line the legendary Art Deco staircase within her residence. Achieving the spirit of Paris is possible in one silky swipe.” – Ava Gilchrist, Senior fashion features writer
“As any Manhattanite can attest, there’s nothing like New York during Christmas. Making that merry quality tangible is the legacy New York brand Coach. Its fragrance, Coach Love, is a romantic scent rife with floral top notes and a hearty velvet base that evokes memories spent in the city with a single spritz. As Coach maintains, love can be expressed in a myriad of forms. This festive season, gifting this tender aroma is the superlative way of demonstrating your affection.” – Ava Gilchrist, Senior fashion features writer
