Christmas is only 13 days away which means that you should have your Christmas gift ready? Oh, wait... You haven't even started shopping yet? Well good thing I have you covered. I've created 5 separate gift idea categories for those last minute shopping looking for affordable gifts (of $35 or less). All of these items are easily found in your city and most of them in your local mall, so you won't have to pay extra for quick shipping. If you're looking for gifts for a beauty junkie, fragrance fanatic, music lover, the blogger or YouTuber, or want some great gift card ideas then this is the blog post for you.
Do you have someone in your shopping list that loves makeup? Beauty stores can be an intimidating place for any person who doesn't know that much about makeup. So many colors, brands, and products. It's easy to get overwhelmed when going to a Sephora or Ulta without knowing what to get.
1. Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette $27- Nearly every girl loves neutral eyeshadows because they look natural and are incredibly versatile. This little palette by Urban Decay has 5 neutral matte shades and one slightly shimmery highlight shade. The size of this palettes makes it ideal for traveling or a girl who's always on the go. This item can be found at Sephora, Ulta, and Macy's.
2. Nails Inc. Autumn Winter Collection $25- If the girl you're shopping always has her nails painted then buying a nail polish kit would be a great idea. This one by Nails Inc. is very affordable and has 6 great shades that can be worn beyond winter. The nail polishes in this kit are limited edition and inspired by the runway shows so this could easily double as a gift for a fashionista as well. This item can be found at Sephora.
3. Real Techniques Core Collection $18- Every beauty junkie needs brushes and even if we already have brushes we always appreciate more. This little face brush kit is a great beauty gift because it includes 4 brushes. The brushes were created by famous YouTube beauty vlogger Samantha Chapman and the quality is fantastic. The synthetic bristles are incredibly soft and very easy to clean. I've had no problems with Real Techniques brushes and would recommend them over more expensive brushes. This item can be found at Ulta, Bed Bath and Beyond, and select Walmart locations.
4. Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar All-Star Mini x 4 Set $20- Don't know what lip color the girl you're shopping for already has? Why not give her the gift to make her own shade? Lip tars are a cult favorite in the beauty world because they're super opaque colors that have great longevity on the lips. This little kit has a great nude, red, pink, and burgundy shade. The mini set may look tiny but the person only needs a drop of the color in order to cover their entire lips. A little goes a long way when it comes to lip tars! This item can be found at Sephora.
5. Sonia Kashuk Eye Couture Eye Palette in Eye On Neutral 02 $20- This is a fantastic nude palette that is not only cheaper than the Urban Decay one but it offers more colors. Sonia Kashuk may be a drugstore brand but who says drugstore products can't make great gifts? 12 beautiful matte shades make up this sleek palette, and to make this gift even better you can include one of her fantastic eye brushes as well. This item can be found at Target.
This gift category is for the girl that loves to smell good at all times. Instead of recommending 5 different perfumes I decided to go for other things that smell great and might even help that person to relax.
1. Marc Jacobs Honey Rollerball $22- Marc Jacobs has some of the best perfumes in my opinion. Honey is the newest Marc Jacobs fragrance. It is a light and fruity perfume which features hints of pear and mandarin. The full sized bottle isn't very affordable but luckily this rollerball is! And to make things better this easily fits into someone's handbag, clutch, or backpack. This item can be found at Sephora and Ulta.
2. Bath & Body Works Aromatherapy 3-Wick Candles $20- Candles are always a great gift in my opinion because they tend to last a long time. The Aromatherapy line is amazing because somehow it actually works. If you're shopping for a college student then the Stress Relief one would be a fantastic choice. You can always pick other candles as well especially when Bath & Body Works has a 2 for $22 deal (which is currently going on) plus you can always use coupons on top of that to make your savings even better. Items can be found at Bath & Body Works.
3. Bath & Body Works Aromatherapy Sleep Pillow Mist $15- To keep the Aromatherapy theme going I'm going to recommend the pillow mists. I have three in my collection and these are fantastic for those who struggle to fall asleep. Pretty much all of the pillow mists have lavender which is very calming, but there are different variations such as the Lavender Chamomile scent which smells lovely. This item can be found at Bath & Body Works.
4. Lush Bath Bombs $6.25-$6.65- Bath bombs are always a great idea because they smell good, help you relax, and they're very affordable. You can easily buy 3 bath bombs at it'll cost you less than $20. Going from left to right: Twilight is a lavender infused bath bomb that helps you relax before going to sleep, Sex Bomb smells like jasmine and has soy milk which will leave skin silky smooth, and Fox in the Flowers has flower buds that will make your bathroom smell and look like a field of flowers. Items can be found at Lush Stores and select Macy's locations.
5. Travalo $16- If the person you're shopping for loves spritzing herself with perfume throughout the day then getting a Travalo might be a good idea. This nifty thing allows you to carry your favorite scent with you at all times. It is easy to refill, comes in a variety of colors, and is airline approved so you can take it along in your carry-on. Item can be found at Nordstrom Rack and travel stores.
Music lovers are everywhere and in my opinion they're one of the easiest people to shop for, as long as you know which bands and artists they like. If they have a last.fm page then this is the time to go snoop around there, but if they don't pay close attention to who they listen to and talk about.
1. Arcade Fire Reflektor Vinyl $20- Reflektor is hands down one of the best albums of 2013 so why not gift it? The record has a beautiful holographic cover which will look great in any music lover's collection. If the person you're shopping for doesn't have a record player then get it on CD, the point is that everyone must own this album. Item can be found at local record stores.
2. Concert Tickets $25-$30- Concert tickets always make for great gifts because you're giving them an experience. So you won't be able to afford One Direction or Rolling Stone tickets with that kind of budget but you can certainly afford a ticket to an indie show. Tickets for St. Vincent's upcoming U.S. tour are $28 (with fees included) and tickets for of Montreal were $22. It pays off listening to people who are not mainstream... Items can be bought on Ticketmaster or on the artist's official page.
3. iHome Portable Multimedia Speaker $20- Mini speakers are all the rage at the moment because they're portable and way better than your phone's speakers. You can just plug the speakers to your phone and start playing music anywhere! This is perfect for those who like to go to the beach or have picnics at the park. Item can be found at Best Buy, Walmart, and possibly Target.
4. Concert DVDs/BluRays $25-35- So her favorite band is not touring at the moment, what do you do? Look for their concert DVD. Some of these concert DVDs have amazing cinematography and exclusive content which will make any fan very happy. The one showcased is The Killers Live from Royal Albert Hall which is an amazing DVD. Concert DVDs can be found at Best Buy, Target, and local music stores.
5. Music Autobiographies/Biographies $15-$30- Die hard fans of any artist will appreciate learning more about them through a book. There's book about everyone from Sir Paul McCartney to Pharrell nowadays so it won't be too hard to find something on that person's favorite artist or band. And what can I say about books that hasn't been said before? They make great gifts because it's something enjoyable and they look great displayed on your bedroom or desk after reading them. Items can be found at Barnes & Noble and other book stores.
Blogging and making videos on YouTube is not as easy as it may look. It is time consuming and a lot of hard work, but you can certainly gift something that will help them move forward or at least making their hobby (or job) a bit more organized.
1. Cocoon 11" Grid-It Accessory Organizer $35- This is the perfect gift for a blogger/YouTuber who's always traveling. This will keep all their cords, batteries, memory cards, and accessories nice and organized. This is something that I saw and really wished I owned, not because I travel a lot but because I have so many little accessories and cords everywhere. The elastic straps make it possible to slip in nearly everything so it's great for someone who's like me and just has way too many gadgets around the house. This item can be found at the Apple store.
2. Camera lens mug $25-30- If the person is into blogging/YouTube then most likely they have a DSLR or like cameras. This is a very cute gift to give any blogger because it looks exactly like a camera lens! You can drink coffee, tea, or hot chocolate from this and it'll be a great conversation starter since it looks so much nicer than your standard travel mug. This item is available at Urban Outfitters, select camera stores, and the Museum of Photographic Arts in San Diego.
3. iDeaUSA Portable USB Power Bank External Battery Charger $35- Bloggers are often social media addicts so that means that they're most likely on their phones the entire day. They write tweets, post pictures on Instagram, and reply to emails all on their phone. If you use your phone as much as I do then getting an external battery charger is a must! This will save your life when you're at a blogger event or simply out on the town and your phone is about to die. You can find this item at Best Buy and other electronic stores.
4. ProBlogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income $25- If you're friends with an up and coming blogger or someone who's contemplating on starting a blog, then this book would make a great gift. You get a really good grasp on the blogging basics and learn about ways to monetize your blog. This is even a great book for those who have been blogging for years but now want to turn their hobby into a job. ProBlogger is an established blogging website so you can really trust their expertise. This book can be found at Barnes & Noble and other book stores.
5. The Selfie $20- Bloggers take pictures more than your average person. Whether they want to take a selfie to show off their favorite lipstick, or want to take a picture with their friends this little gadget is going to make taking a selfie a lot easier. Instead of awkwardly holding your phone when taking a selfie, you'll have one hand gripping the phone and the other one is holding the button. You can feel free to prop your phone on a surface or have someone in the group hold it so you can get the perfect selfie. This item can be found at Urban Outfitters.
Now for those who want to either play it safe or are doing their shopping at the very last minute you might want to resort to getting a gift card. I remember the days when my parents would refer to gift cards as "gifts with no effort."I personally have to disagree with their opinion, I think gift cards are a great gift option because you let the person pick exactly what they want. Some stores let you pick the amount you want to put in, while other sell fixed price ones.
1. Sephora- Any girl would be really happy to get a gift card to Sephora. Makeup, skincare, hair products, tools, perfumes all under one roof! Plus you can spend the gift card in the store or online. $10, $25, and $40 cards are available in stores and online.
2. Warby Parker- A lot of people will go years wearing just one pair of glasses. If they've been eyeing (get it, because we're talking about glasses? Ok, I'll stop) a pair of Warby Parker frames then this is the perfect time to give them a little push. e-Cards and gift card kit are both available online and you have three amounts to choose from. $50 for those who want to pay for a fraction of the eyeglasses, $90 for a standard pair of eyeglasses, and $150 for those who are really generous and want the very best for the person. I know this is the least affordable option in this gift guide but glasses are a necessity for some so it's worth the splurge.
3. Ticketmaster- Don't know what bands the person likes or if they already have a ticket for the show? Then get them a gift card! That way they get to choose the exact show they want to go to. Even if you don't get to cover the whole ticket you can at least cover a portion of it, we all know how ridiculous Ticketmaster fees can be anyways. You can get $25 and $50 gift cards online.
4. Etsy- Does the person you're giving a gift to like really unique items? If so you might want to consider getting an Etsy gift card. They can buy anything from handmade soap to a Paris metro print on Etsy. It would not only make for a great gift but you'll also be supporting a small business owner which is always great. You can buy $25 and $50 e-cards online and you even have the option to print the e-card and present it to your friend.
5. Lush- If you get a Lush gift card to someone you are basically gifting them the joy of pampering yourself. A lot of the bath bombs and soaps are pretty affordable so they will be able to get a few with a gift card. If you don't feel like guessing which scents the person likes or even worse what things they're not allergic to, then a gift card might be a better option. You can buy $5, $10, $25, and $50 gift cards or e-cards online.
6. Amoeba- You no longer need to live in L.A., San Francisco, or Berkeley in order to shop at Amoeba. You have their entire selection of CDs, vinyl, DVDs, etc online! This should make any music or movie fan very happy. Looking for a very obscure album? Amoeba probably has it. Used items? Yes! I've gotten a good amount of used CDs from Amoeba and all of them were in great condition. Amoeba let's you pick the amount you want to gift and they give you two options: there's a gift code which allows you to shop online and then there's a gift certificate which you can only use in stores.
I really hope you enjoyed my gift ideas. I know some of you may find the items "cheap" but not everyone has $50+ to spend per person. These are ideas for those who have a tight budget like students. You can always get more than one item for someone, or get something from one category and then get something else from another one. This blog post is supposed to give you ideas, not tell you what to buy.
If you've done some Christmas shopping already let me know in the comment below what you've been getting for your friends and family? I'd love to hear what you're giving to your loved ones.
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