Presents Perfect

Sometimes, the best gift is an indulgent version of a practical necessity. This sweet compact looks like a vintage find, but the salve inside is a fresh mix of black rose, castor, and jojoba oils, plus shea butter.

From the minds of Mallett, the beloved hairstylist, and Syz, the jewelry designer, this 18k gold safety pin is more Gianni Versace than Johnny Rotten. It works like a barrette and adds a little punk spirit to an updo or even a man bun.

These small pots of cream eyeshadow in pretty magnetic tubs look like gifts in themselves. The night collection includes black, burgundy, and iridescent pink champagne shades that can be applied with a wet brush for intensity or a dry one for softness.

Great hair is actually possible with this zippy tool. It comes with two attachments, one to straighten and the other to boost volume. The 15 heat and speed combinations minimize damage, and the negative ions increase shine and reduce frizz.

Give this to your interior designer or someone with an equally refined aesthetic. The heavy glass jar holds a hedonistic cream packed with antioxidants, niacinamide, and prickly pear for exfoliation.

Mirrors are not just for narcissists. This one, with a pink resin handle and a leather case, turns checking your lipstick, teeth, and the person behind you into a stylish gesture.

Flaky lips don’t have to be a seasonal inevitability. This gentle minty scrub comes with a little nubby paddle to thoroughly banish flakes. Give it to someone who deserves a kiss.

When in doubt, monogram it. This shea butter lip balm is stunningly packaged in a rectangular compact with a top that looks like leather (it’s paper) and comes in 22 varieties. It can be monogrammed in gilt, gratis.

These press-on nails, far more attractive than their 80s ancestors, are almond-shaped in just the right length. They’re lacquered in either solid shades or tasteful variations on a French manicure, from Paintbox, the New York salon for not-tacky nail art.

This turns a scented candle into a mesmerizing light show. The candle’s flame sets the gold mobile in motion, casting hypnotic shadows on the walls.

Mascara may seem like an odd gift unless it’s entirely impractical and indulgent. Try a bright purple, deep blue, apricot, or a mustard that’s more Grey Poupon than French’s. Or tie a ribbon around all ten shades.

For anyone with sore muscles or an addled mind (or both!): this large, sleek vessel holds a mix of sea and Epsom salts. It fills the room with coziness in the form of a woody, amber scent.

Make someone’s life easier and brighter with this creamy stick that works on cheeks and lips. It glides beautifully, adds moisture, and comes in four appealing tints.

This NY and LA day spa calls itself a social wellness club, meaning you can have side-by-side IV drips, cold plunges, or sweaty gatherings in the infrared sauna. A month’s membership gives unlimited access to all sorts of treatments from the Andrew Huberman playbook.

Taking the mundane—bar soap—and making it sing, Claus Porto’s scented soaps from Portugal are wrapped in art deco paper and look like ready-made gifts.

For the partner who has trouble relaxing, a spritz of this with a little massage relieves sore muscles and leg cramps and helps induce drowsiness.

Don’t we all need a little more pleasure in our lives? This delivers with a CBD serum that increases sexual response when applied 20 minutes before the action.

This perfect room spray comes in a black bottle with a ball on top and a cedar, tobacco, ginger, and slightly floral scent inside.

An infrared sauna in the form of a hot pocket is a far better de-stressor than a martini. Scientific studies say infrared heat improves heart health, reduces blood pressure, soothes sore muscles, decreases anxiety, and enhances sleep.

This personal sauna is the size of an armoire and is kitted out with infrared light, heat, color, sound, and “empathy-centered AI” to personalize “your journey,” according to its website. It’s apparently popular among billionaire life hackers and requires an invitation to join its waiting list.

There are lots of blush brushes that can do the job, but this one, with curved bristles and a banded lacquer handle, elevates it to an experience. Makeup artistry, indeed.

This LA fragrance line is cool and casual, as you can tell from Canadian Tuxedo, the denim-on-denim of scent. It’s Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake in 2001, except a little less awkward and more sensual, with cumin, coriander, balsam, and tonka beans. Like Britney and Justin, it’s a limited edition.

You might not consider a foot file and lotion exactly holiday appropriate but this isn’t an ordinary foot file and lotion. The serum comes in a bottle with a roller ball applicator, the foot file is remarkably good looking, and the set has an unlikely but real cult following.

Imagine, a whole fragrance brand dedicated to the discos of the 70s and 80s (which didn’t always smell so great but why quibble?). These candles take inspiration from Upstairs at Ronnie’s in London, Crisco Disco in New York, and Paris’s Chez Castel (incense, lemon, amber, Serge Gainsbourg).

Designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma for the hotels, these curvy bottles and jars hold soothing bath salts, serum, butter, and mist intended to purify the senses and produce an Aman-level calm.

You know what I’d like for Christmas? Eight hours of uninterrupted sleep. This machine has 16 settings including meadow, ocean, waterfall, plus white-, pink-, and brown noise. And to all a good night.