More Last Minute Stocking Stuffers

Time is just flying by! I mailed my holiday gifts last week, and I have my fingers crossed that they will actually arrive. I still haven’t received something I bought that was sent by mail on 11/29. Ugh. 

I’ve delivered my local holiday gifts, and I think I might be finished except for maybe something last minute that I forgot about.

But at any rate, I thought I’d put together one more list of stocking stuffers! Some are new things that I tried out during the run up to the holidays, and some are tried and true products that I recommend over and over.

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Affordable Stocking Stuffers and Small Gifts: New Things!

FHI HEAT UNbrush: I have been loyal to Denman brushes for several decades, so a brush that has taken over first place for me really must be something. The unbelievable UNbrush untangles, unknots unruly hair. Most of the time, my hair isn’t unruly, but UNbrush is still the brush for me. It’s perfect to use instead of a comb after washing my hair. The UNbrush just sails through my hair. And it is the brush I reach for when I wake up to untangle my hair. Before the UNbrush arrived, I discovered I had more knots and tangles than I’ve ever had, and using my regular brush and comb ended up creating more tangles that pulled out some of my hair. That is unacceptable especially when I’m trying so hard with Vegamour to grown more hair. UNbrush is as light as a feather. It literally weighs nothing. And the patented Soft-Flex bristles on the wide square vented cushion brush head are far apart. Because of that design, the UNbrush can reduce hair drying time by almost 50%!

Buy one for yourself and another to gift. You’ll both love it! They come in a bunch of colors, and they’re on sale now on the FHI HEAT website for around $13.50 as well as at the FHI HEAT store on Amazon. In fact, I need to buy one for my cousin, L, who had the worst snarly hair as a kid. She neeeeeeeds one!

FHI HEAT Platform Mini Travel Dryer: The limited edition Strawberry is the cutest travel dryer I have ever seen! Not only does it have strawberries on the handy carrying case, but on the dryer itself. I love it! And if strawberries aren’t your thing (how could that be?), they also have a watermelon and a pineapple version! The Platform Mini Travel Dryer has dual voltage so you can use it outside of the U.S. where DC current is the norm. Though it’s small and super lightweight, it has a powerful motor. Using it in conjunction with the UNbrush, my hair dries fast!

It’s currently on sale on the FHI HEAT website, where I believe you can get an extra 25% off for the holidays. 

Superzero 2-in-1 Greene Releaf Hand Care Set: Although I originally thought this adorable, effective, and ecologically sound hand care set was for gardeners like me, it is perfect for anyone who wants to take care of their hands and not add to all the waste in landfills. No bottles, no plastic. The Greene Releaf Hand Care Set comes with two chambers containing:

• exfoliating hand wash in bar form
• hydrating hand balm also in bar form!

I had no idea there was such a thing as “hand lotion” in bar form, but it’s a similar concept as hair conditioner in bar form. When I first started using it, there was a bit of a learning curve because I couldn’t find the directions. You do NOT use water to soften the bar. Instead, the heat of your hands as you rub the bar causes it to “melt” a bit (it’s not messy), and coat your hands. In addition, it seems to form a protective barrier on my hands. Yet, it’s very lightweight and not sticky. Plus with ingredients antioxidant blueberry seed oil, sodium hyaluronate, and ceramide NP and more, Greene Releaf Hand Care Set is soooooo good for dry hands!

Here’s some more info on this dynamic duo:

• EXFOLIATING & NOURISHING HAND WASH cleanses, detoxifies and exfoliates your hands gently while providing nourishment and a soft finish. UPCYCLED CHARCOAL POWDER detoxifies, exfoliates, and gets rid of stubborn dirt. MACADAMIA SEED OIL and JOJOBA OIL hydrate and nourish the skin, and REISHI promotes a more youthful skin appearance
• HYDRATING HAND BALM combats dryness and visibly hydrates, tightens, and brightens the skin on your hard-working hands. CERAMIDES are clinically proven to repair the skin barrier function and reduce moisture loss, HYALURONIC ACID boots skin hydration, SQUALANE instantly moisturizes, enhances firmness & brightness, and helps reduce the appearance of fine lines, and UPCYCLED BLUEBERRY SEED OIL absorbs blue light and provides powerful vitamins and antioxidants
• MOOD-ENHANCING all-natural scent blends top notes of eucalyptus, citrus, and mint with middle and base notes of lavender, geranium, pine needles, and garden botanicals
• UNCOMPROMISINGLY CLEAN: plant-based, vegan, cruelty-free, plastic-free, microplastic-free, and free of parabens, phthalates, silicones, sulfates, and synthetic fragrances and colors. Packaging made from 100% recycled-board with vegetable based inks and water-based adhesive

The small size also makes this a perfect stocking stuffer. Check it out on the Superzero website (that also sells shampoo and conditioner in environmentally-friendly bars) where you can save 10% by signing up for emails.

Stencil Revolution: If you’re a crafter or are looking for a gift for someone who is, check out the Stencil Revolution website. They have hundreds of affordable stencils to make greeting cards, gift tags, stationery, invitations, to decorate bags, to decorate walls, and a zillion other uses. I use my stencils for eye shadow swatches. I also got a large-ish stencil of a chandelier. I’m not sure what I will do with it, but it was so pretty, I had to have it! Plus, they have loads of holiday stencils. If you’re hosting a New Year’s party, they have stencils to use to make invitations!

Tocca Diffusore Ambiente (Reed Diffuser): Although I wrote about the Tocca Reed Diffuser in the spring before Mother’s Day (here), now that I’ve had it on my vanity table in my bedroom since April, I can really sing its praises. I received Tocca Diffusore Ambiente, Kauai Hibiscus Coconut Leaves in April, and it is now mid-December. There is still about 3/4 inch of fragrance oil still in the bottle. The tropical scent is lovely and I truly enjoy it, but if your giftee isn’t a fan of tropical scents, it comes in 4 other fragrances as well. For a devoted fragrance lover, Tocca is one of the scent houses at the pinnacle. Its exquisite Old World-style packaging and lasting fragrances make it an elegant and memorable small holiday gift. And at $35, it’s also a bargain since it is by far the most long-lasting of any reed diffuser I have ever tried.

Old Favorites

Spongellé Body Buffers: If you have a fragrance lover on your list, get her or him an exfoliating scented sponge from Spongellé. They come in many scents and shapes, and the body wash inside lasts me at least a month. They have special scents for the holidays, too.

Crystal Mineral Deodorant: Crystal Mineral Deodorant is without a doubt my favorite brand of deodorant. I try to limit when I use anti-perspirant because of some of the chemical ingredients, like aluminum, that are not so great. I have tried several brands of mineral deodorant over the years, but I always come back to Crystal. The brand is in the process of adding two new variants to their high performance Mineral Enriched Magnesium Deodorant lineup (reviewed here in 2021), all of which contain no aluminum, no baking soda and leave no white marks on clothes.  

The two new variants are Clean & Fresh and Light & Gentle. To be honest, I find all of the Crystal mineral deodorants that I’ve tried to be light, fresh, clean and gentle! But these have lighter scents than the originals. Probably, even Marcia who can’t tolerate strong scents could handle these, though Crystal makes several unscented mineral deodorants.

I think new Clean & Fresh or Light & Gentle would be perfect to gift to someone who is considering switching to mineral deodorants from anti-perspirants. They’re chubby round stick deos that are invisible on the skin! Crystal deos are sold on their website, on Amazon and at CVS. My little local CVS carries this line, though I’m not sure if they have the new variants yet.

Mont Bleu Crystal Nail Files: I’ve been singing the praises of Mont Bleu Crystal Nail Files since I first tried them in 2017 (reviewed here and here). Once you use these, there’s no going back. They’re exquisitely crafted in Prague, Czech Republic, a Middle European city where gorgeous glassware is fabricated. The nail files with Swarovski crystals would make a lovely gift for those who like a little sparkle in their lives. They’re still affordable, too.

My favorite black with crystal duo (a medium size file and a purse size) is priced at $9.95 on Amazon- the perfect stocking stuffer! But they come in a slew of colors with or without crystals in the Mont Bleu store on Amazon where you can get 2 day delivery.

Sensi Spa Sandals from Italy: Sensi spa sandals are my favorite sandals/slippers for in the house or at a gym or pool. They have a neat drainage system that lets water and soap drain right through. And on a hot sticky day, your feet stay cool because of the air flow system underneath the sole. What I love most are the massaging bubbles on the contoured footbed that help increase blood circulation and help revive tired feet.

I favor the Regatta Ice style, but there are 4 or 5 other styles as well for men and for women. Right now, they are 50% off with the code HOLLY22. I bought an extra pair at the sale price. I love ’em.

Viseart Paris Petit Fours Eyeshadow Quads: OMG, these adorable little eyeshadow quads from the pro makeup brand, Viseart Paris, is truly just the thing for an eyeshadow lover on-the-go.

They easily fit into makeup bag, purse or backpack with room to spare. They come in 15 different color palettes. I have the silvery-mauve Lilas  (reviewed here), but I am drooling over Violetta with its multichromes! Check ’em out!

So that’s it for my small gift and stocking stuffer recommendations. Frankly, I could go on forever, but I better quit. BTW, if you’re still looking for gifts for beauty lovers, don’t forget the Cooseon Mini Fridge. It’s one of my favorite new products of the year!

Allison Cohen

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