Makeup Stocking Stuffer Ideas by Jac&Elsie

Hey guys, I have my lovely sponsor Jaclyn chiming in here today to give us some cute makeup stocking stuffer ideas! I think this would make such a fun Christmas gift for a friend or sister.

Howdy, happy Julie Ann Art readers. Jaclyn here, of Jac & Elsie, my little corner of Etsy filled with vintage, upcycled and handmade pretties. I was super honored when Julie offered up a guest post on her blog and even more jazzed when she asked me to talk about something I adore: makeup. I always figured I’d be a hair stylist/makeup artist in my next life (in this one, I’m a features reporter for a daily newspaper), and adore trying new product and playing with new looks.

So grab a killer stocking (this one, this one!), pick a beloved friend, and get gifting for that perfect beauty bag gift.

1.) The base of a beautiful face is, yes, a clear face. If you have the porcelain skin of a China doll, I envy you like mad. And maybe you can skip this stocking necessity. But I am beyond obsessed with Befine Exfoliating Cleanser. I can only find it on Amazon. The scrub is super fine and dissolves, so it’s not rough on your skin.

2.) I am also a major fan of toner. Sometimes when I’m especially broken out, I spray on a few squirts of c. Booth’s Tea Tree Therapeutic Toner (which my Ulta store stopped carrying [curses!] and now I find on drugstore.com). Tea tree oil is especially awesome for oily skin because it controls shine, helps with pimples and doesn’t overdry.

3.)The best concealer I’ve ever used is the green stuff. You know what I mean — it’s the green concealer that makes you think “Why on EARTH would I smear green stuff on my face???” Well, the green actually makes the red look less … red. Less angry. And it works wonders. I’m currently using an Ulta brand one, which it appears to no longer carry (curses some more!), so I’ll throw my support behind Maybelline’s Corrector Concealer, because it’s my fav drugstore brand and as a rule, Maybelline’s face makeup rules.

4.) Over the past few months, I’ve seen lots and lots of hoopla over BB creams. It stands for “beauty balms” and yes, all the hoopla is deserved. It acts as a foundation, and a moisturizer, and a concealer (though if you’ve an particularly angry blemish, you’ll still need a separate concealer). BB cream is uber lightweight and helps keep skin matte. I like Dr. Jart+ Water Fuse Beauty Balm. It’s a bit pricy (yay Birchbox points), but the tube’s a decent size, and a little goes a long way.

5.) Now … the fun stuff! Black eyeliner looks awesome on everyone. As someone with olive skin and dark features, there’s really no point in me wearing any color but black (OK, purple is fun sometimes … as is green), but for you fair-skinned and -headed beauties, I still say you should be using black eyeliner. It makes your features pop like corn, and who doesn’t want that? I’m currently loving on stila smudge stick waterproof eyeliner (in black) on Birchbox, though in general, I much prefer an actual pencil. I feel like it’s easier to draw a line, and it’s less va va voom for everyday wear. And, let’s be frank: Cheap totally works here. The most recent pencil eyeliner I purchased might have been from the dollar store. So not even kidding.

6.) I think bright, bold colors kill for the holidays. Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipsticks feel soft and pack a fabulous punch on the color front (berry rose, anyone?), and CoverGirl Queen Collection Lip Glosses are about as bold as a lip gloss gets (flame! flame).

7.) I’ve never been much of a blush girl, and when Birchbox threw a liquid blush (that doubles as lip gloss??) in my box a few months ago, I thought I’d never use the bright frickin’ red gel. But oh … it’s amazing. It gives a beautiful flush and acts as an ideal lip stain. It’s called Staniac, and I say you need this stuff in beauty queen. (JA swooping in here to say I use this on my cheeks every day and love it!)

8.) Last but not least … we need some mascara. Oh sure, eye shadows are fun to play with, but sometimes, the $1.99 bin at CVS can dredge up some awesome colors for experimenting. But mascara is a product you don’t want to scrimp on. Yes, my Rimmel Lycra Last Extender Mascara is great for day-to-day wear, but there are two glorious mascaras I swear I’d sleep in if I was a rich lady: Anything by Dior (seriously, the company doesn’t know how not to make your lashes long, lush and lovely) and Benefit they’re real! mascara. It’s truly one of the only mascaras I’ve ever worn that doesn’t look like you’re wearing mascara; it just looks like you woke up and your eyelashes decided to be awesome forever.

If any of those treats ended up under my Christmas tree, I’d be a happy camper. Now … what are your favorite makeup treats? I love hearing about new products to try.