gift recs from jessica defino, hunter harris, alisha ramos, & more + our founder's gift guide
monthly recs #45
Each month, we ask a writer to share what’s on their minds and in their open tabs for our monthly recommendations. This December, we’ve asked some of our friends and favorite writers to share what’s on their open gift tabs this holiday season. Read on for recs from The Review of Beauty’s ,
’s , ’s , professor and passerby Mindy Seu, ’s , You’ve Got Lipstick on Your Chin’s , stylist and editor Mecca James-Williams, stylist and passerby Alexis Badiyi, ’ , photographer and passerby Sunny Shokrae, Lux Magazine’s Sarah Leonard, designer and passerby Ana Kraš, and founder of and passerby .Scroll down for additional gift recs and gifting tips from our founder, Clémence Polès, and stay tuned for our annual gift guide later this week, as well as a mini guide to vintage gift shopping for paid subscribers. In the meantime, check out our 2023 and 2022 gift guides.
1. May I suggest gently guiding the skincare enthusiast in your life away from beauty products and toward beauty science (a much more fun and fulfilling field of study, in my humble opinion)? Gift them a copy of Clean: The New Science of Skin and the Beauty of Doing Less by Dr. James Hamblin. In it, Hamblin goes deep on the religious, social, and scientific history of "cleanliness" and educates readers on the function of the skin itself, rather than the function of skincare products. Spoiler alert: the latter often contradicts the former, to the detriment of the skin and the delight of the skincare industry! —
2. I love to wear my Ancient Greek leather slippers for travel or around the house. — Alexis Badiyi
3. I have this mug from Six Bells and it's so beautifully made. It would be a perfect gift to encourage a little bit of me-time. I love investing in beautiful objects you use every day — it's a good way to give yourself a little mood boost each day. I'd pair the mug with some pear tea from Osulloc, which was a recommendation a friend shared in a recent newsletter roundup of the coziest teas. —
4. Love this Dancehall printed dress from my new platform Sweet Like JAM. It's perfect for a night on the town with a boot and tights in the winter or a nice sandal for vacation or during the warmer months. — Mecca James-Williams
5. An Are.na premium subscription. — Mindy Seu
6. A subscription to substack! Support writers! Most of them are $5/mo so a $120 gift card will contribute to supporting two of 'em. —
ed. note: check out our Substack starter pack for suggestions on what to subscribe to — or gift a passerby subscription (currently 20% off)
7. The Palestinian Soap Cooperative was founded in 2021 and helps family-run soap manufacturers throughout Palestine. Soap making is literally thousands of years old and Nablus is one of the oldest soap-making cities in the world. If you want to support Palestinian families and also hold in your hands a material recipe for care that has survived centuries of empire — this gift box is one way to do so. —
8. The Library in a Forest candle from The New Savant would be a perfect gift for the book lover in your life — it's woodsy, leathery, just perfect for lighting during a winter reading session. —
9. Coffee table books of the African Diaspora are my ultimate wish gifts for the holidays, anything that helps me deep dive into stories from the past with a cultural context are my favorite gifts to receive. — Mecca James-Williams
10. To toot my own horn, why not get your favorite person a gift card to their favorite store, Club Vintage? This will prove that you have good taste, know they have good taste, and let them get the planet-friendly-and-beautiful thing they've been eyeing. —
11. I stopped using disposable face masks and tried to veer away from one-time-use products in my beauty routine in general because the waste just isn't something I want to participate in, having reported on the beauty industry's packaging problems before. To that end I am in fact a Dieux user and this particular collab is up my alley for several reasons: I do, in fact, promote homosexuality, and 100% of the profits here go to supporting GLITS, a Black trans-led advocacy and direct services organization that is dedicated to fighting systemic discrimination against marginalized communities, in New York City and beyond. Note: they are not donating "10% of the profits" or max cap donation of $15,000 or whatever like some brands have done for cause-based collaborations. 100% of the proceeds. And you can use this eye mask with any serum — forever. —
12. My best idea ever was to keep one toiletry bag prepared for every trip. (The only thing it's missing is fresh contacts.) I'd been using a random little freebie bag that I got after a facial. It has since been replaced by one of these bags from Cadence, sent to me by the brand. Clear so you can see everything (and make sure you have everything), it has a flat bottom so it won't tip over on your counter (and spill an expensive serum), magnetic-folded close so it won't unzip and empty in transit. I love it. I want a dozen. —
13. P.Nina Venus Half Spiral, a handmade silver jewelry piece that feels like a talisman. — Alexis Badiyi
14. I heard a quote along the lines of “you live a new life for every language you speak,” and think it’s so true. For a friend trying to learn a new language, I would get them a lifetime subscription to Babbel — a gift that keeps on giving! — Irene Kim
15. I have too many magnum prints myself but I love collecting them. They are always sold in editions, and it feels special to have them. I figured this year, gifting one or two to some special people in my life would be satisfying both ways. — Sunny Shokrae
16. The Hidden Globe is a wild ride through the world’s in-between spaces: Freeports holding priceless paintings, cruise ships bearing flags of convenience, Luxembourg’s property holdings in outer space. It’s gotten rave reviews and is perfect for the chic and intelligent globetrotter in your life. — Sarah Leonard
17. A simple elegant cutlery set — I am particular about fork design, and I feel the fork often gets over-designed. I like ones with four spikes that look like an archetype of a fork. — Ana Kraš
18. The way to my heart is through some woman kneading my mug at FaceGym —
paid subscribers can scroll down for more recs from our friends, including the movie poster hunter wants two of, the new watch brand making perfectly delicate watches alisha just discovered, arabelle’s rec for a gift that’s “the perfect balance of useful utility and slightly threatening,” alexis on the holiday present that doubles as a housewarming gift, and more.
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18. I feel like gifting a scarf over the holidays is a safe bet — it's unisex and warm. I also think you can’t go wrong with red, and Norlha, a brand I recently discovered (the first yak wool workshop on the Tibetan Plateau!) have one of the most beautiful shades of red. — Clémence Polès
19. I trust
’s skincare advice and she says CurrentBody’s Series 2 LED Mask is the at-home skincare device to get. — Meghan Racklin20. Last year, I gifted Ghia's Apéritifs Duo — something everyone could love and share—and I’m so excited to bring it back again this year. — Clio Reynolds
21. As part of my ongoing journey to consume and have less in my life, I've made a concerted effort to keep a maximum of one or two fragrances on my dresser and in my daily rotation. My tried and true favorite over the past five years has been Glossier You, but amidst a controversial formula change that broke the internet and a personal desire to discover a scent suited for the dreaded mid-twenties, I recently swapped it for Citiette from Maison Millais. While slightly pricier than Glossier You, it provides a similar but elevated, muskier, mature scent for anyone in your life that is looking to take a couple steps out of their comfort zone — but not stray too far from that familiar pink pepper and bergamot. — Maanasi Natarajan
22. Give the gift of not having to suffer through another cold — I got FEND in my stocking last year and I really think it works. — Lizzie Racklin
