FP UNWRAPPED
Our Best In Beauty ‘24 Guide
By: Allie White
Revisiting this year’s top picks and forever favorites.
The beauty and self-care items that have earned permanent spots on our bathroom counters, in our makeup kits, and everywhere in between…and the people we think you should share them with as gifts this year.
FOR YOUR COUSIN WHO DREAMS OF BECOMING A ROCK STAR (DESPITE BEING NOT MUSICALLY INCLINED AT ALL)
A vibrant, citrusy, spicy scent, 1809 Groove Fragrance is about to become your signature scent. Inspired by a night of live music, smooth drinks and candle-lit conversations, this all-natural formula will have you channeling your inner Stevie Nicks even if you’ve never picked up a guitar in your life thanks to the its sexy scents like rose, orchid, and saffron, cinamon, combined with romantic cinnamon, earthy patchouli, and grounding vanilla. Dare we say, the perfect scent to awaken someone’s inner witch?
FOR YOUR BOSS WHO STILL TALKS WISTFULLY ABOUT THE BEACH HOUSE THEY RENTED LAST SUMMER
In the dead of winter when the sun sets at 4pm and the idea of warmth and light feel impossibly far away, the power of scent and memory can go a looooong way. Enter: Free People’s Holy Basil Candle. With notes of holy basil, blood orange, jasmine, lily and vetiver, the smell — and vibe — that fills the room when this candle is lit is truly transportative.
FOR YOUR FRIEND WHO’S MARATHON TRAINING AND CRUSHING IT PROFESSIONALLY
When you don’t have time for an “everything shower” — or just don’t want to deal — a great dry shampoo is your best friend. And Summary’s take on the stuff is the best of the best. By harnessing the oil-absorbing power of arrowroot and bamboo powders, the shine-reducing benefits and tapioca and rice scratch, and the antioxidants found in butterfly pea flower and blueberry extract, Summary Dry Shampoo leaves hair feeling and looking the right kind of clean. We also love the non-aerosol top to help control the amount of product you use and also, you know, protect the ozone layer.
FOR YOUR “BABY COUSIN” WHO WANTS TO UP THEIR MAKEUP GAME
If the eyes are the windows to the soul, then the eyebrows and mouth are the soul’s accessories. And while accessories are easy to overdo, when it comes to the face there are really only two things you need for that perfect “I’m trying but not trying too hard” look: killer brows and flawless lips. Luckily, Wunderbrow and Madame Gabriela are here to help. The former’s Fluffy Brow Wax offers a soft, natural tint to fill and fluff brows. It’s also super-long lasting, smudge resistant, plant-based and packed with argan and jojoba oils to nourish hair and skin. And what goes better with a power brow than a delicate, nourished lip? Madame Gabriela’s FP-exclusive shade, Tulum at 6pm, is the most hydrating, flattering lip moment we’ve seen in a long time. Actually, maybe just keep this one for yourself.
FOR YOUR ROOMMATE WHO’S MORE OF A BLACK CAT THAN A CLUB KID THESE DAYS
Despite this scent being inspired by a cocktail, it’s actually the perfect candle to light for a long, indulgent, solo night in. It’s sensuous, boozy, slightly smokey and the throw and staying power are incredible. With notes of whiskey, vanilla, cherry, smoke, oak, musk and amber, Brooklyn Baby Noir is the ideal vibe-setter for curling up with a DIY glass of something, a luxuriously warm blanket, and a favorite guilty pleasure book.
FOR YOUR WORK BESTIE WHO’S NATURALLY GORGEOUS, LOW-MAINTENTANCE AND ALWAYS READY TO TALK SH*T
If “zero effort” is your standard hair routine, a lightweight oil can be a game-changer. While it does increase effort to slightly-above-zero, those extra 30 seconds will be well worth it when you see the shine and lack-of-frizz that results from a palmful of this stuff. With moisturizing jojoba oil, smoothing argan oil, soothing chamomile, strengthening jasmine and growth-boosting aloe, ROZ’s Santa Lucia Styling Oil smooths, protects, and adds luster to strands while also protecting against heat styling if that’s part of your routine.
FOR YOUR BROTHER WHO, DESPITE BEING AN ADULT, STILL USHERS IN FLASHBACKS OF HIS TEENAGE SOCKS
Whether it’s hanging in a car, closet or sock drawer, a delicious air freshener is a small but mighty luxury. And when it’s a scent that’s pretty universally appealing? Be prepared for people literally sticking their nose in your business. Inspired by the sea, surf and endless summer, 1809’s Surf scent infuses its surroundings with gender-neutral notes of jasmine, coconut, ylang ylang, lemon, and tonka bean — the perfect warm, uplifting stocking stuffer.
FOR YOUR DAD WHO HAS ONLY JUST DISCOVERED THE “IMPORTANCE” OF SPF
Hear me out: SPF may not be the sexiest gift of the season but sun protection that doubles as a moisturizer that triples as an extra “oomph” for skin? That’s a winner. A subtle glow, a little hyaluronic acid hydration and lavender antioxidant protection, and a whole lotta protection from UVA/UVB rays and blue light, will make a Supergoop! Glow Screen convert of even the staunchest “I’ve washed my hair, body and face with the same bar of soap for 50 years” person in your life.
FOR YOUR PARTNER’S MOM WHO IS EQUAL PARTS INSPIRING AND TERRIFYING
A lot of people might say that buying perfume as a gift isn’t the smartest move — after all, scent is incredibly personal and an individual’s body chemistry has a big impact on what the perfume will actually smell like once applied. But hear me out: if you gift perfume and explain the reasoning behind why you chose that scent, it’ll be so obvious you put a lot of thought into it. Luckily, Cherry Fiesta from who is elijah smells as good as it is thoughtful. It’s playful. It’s intimidating. It’s sophisticated. It’s bold. It’s sweet. It’s everything you want to smell like and everything the scariest person in your life will be flattered to learn you think of them as.
FOR YOUR QUIRKY NEIGHBOR YOU DON’T KNOW WELL BUT WHO IS ALWAYS WILLING TO GRAB PACKAGES OR WALK YOUR DOG
Remember what I just said about gifting fragrance? Same thing applies here, but in reverse. When you don’t know someone that well, the explanation behind a scent can also help bridge that gap. (A seriously cute and display-worthy bottle doesn’t hurt either.) Take Bain De Midi from Maison Matine for example: first of all, it’s French. Immediate win. Second, the bottle is a literal work of art. And third, it’s gender-free unique notes — bergamot, coconut, gardenia, vanilla and musk — speak to anyone and everyone. It’s sunshine in a bottle.
FOR YOUR MOM WHO HAS BEEN DROPPING NOT-SO-SUBTLE HINTS ABOUT “AGING GRACEFULLY”
Let’s state the obvious: aging is a privilege and there is nothing wrong with a face that actually reflects the age of the person in possession of it. But if a person wanted to keep their skin healthy while it aged, well, that’s a-ok, too. The best place to start? A powerful hyaluronic acid serum, like facile’s Dew You which lifts, supports, hydrates, and energizes skin. Top it off with a lightweight skin tint, like Glass Skin from Sweed, which moisturizes through sea water and seaweed, enhances skin’s natural radiance, and looks so natural as to be undetectable, and you might have a hard time convincing people you actually are your age.
FOR YOUR SISTER WHO “DOESN’T UNDERSTAND THE DEAL WITH LIPSTICK”
Lipstick can be tricky. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to formula and color, and don’t even get me started on application. If you’re shopping for someone who fits this bill but know in your heart of hearts that actually, they’d really love a little color on their pout, FP Exclusive RMS’ Lip Lights is a chef’s kiss choice. First, this stuff is stupidly nourishing thanks for shea and cocoa butters, jojoba and castor oils, and linolenic acid. But the actual best part is the fact that it goes on neutral but then reacts to the wearer’s body’s natural pH for a resulting hue that is literally tailor-made for them. Whatever sorcery is hiding in this little tube, I’m all for it.
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