2013 Glow Gift Guide: Festive Skin, Hair, Cosmetics & Nail Products for the Beautynistas in Your Life

Photo courtesy Nandaro

Sleigh bells start ringing early in my household. Each year, my family begins craving classic confections during the holidays--brownies, brittle, cakes, candies and cookies. We call it, "The Santa Sugar Rush."

Another rush takes place at about the same time for all of us--shopping for the ideal gift. If you can't decide between electronics, jewelry or clothing, consider a sweet treat for the face and body, such as cosmetics, nail, hair and skin gift sets and kits. These beauty products appeal to a variety of ages and lifestyles. They can also be purchased online, so you don't need to trudge through the snow or combat crowds at the mall.

Take a look-see at our favorite beauty brands in our bi-annual Glow Gift Guide (the next one appears during Mother's Day month). These festive sets and kits are designed to brighten the holidays for you and your loved ones--and release the inner beautynista in all of us.

Have a safe and sweet celebration this season.

COSMETICS

SHINE: BareMinerals from Nordstrom Beauty Show Me the Shimmer Set. BEAUTY: Six spellbinding sparklers for your smoochers--Crowd Pleaser, Superstar, Icon, Scene Stealer, Head Turner and Femme Fatale--give you a glamorous glow. BEACON: No animal testing. The parent company, Bare Escentuals, supports BE Cares, Lupus Foundation of America, National Rosacea Society and The Skin Cancer Foundation.

SHINE: Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics Holiday 2013 All About Eyes. BEAUTY: Glam your gaze with Outrageous Lashes Mineral Lengthening Mascara (Blackout), Extreme Pigment Eye Liner Pencil (Blackest Black) and Eye Impact Quick Recovery Eye Cream (sample size). BEACON: No animal testing. Free of parabens, petroleum, mineral oil, talc, alcohol, or artificial fragrances and colorants.

HAIR

SHINE: Neuma The Gift of Moisture Kit. BEAUTY: Create standout, stylish strands with neuMoisture Shampoo, neuMoisture Condition, neuStyling Smoothing Creme and neuRepair Argan Oil. BEACON: Contains no synthetic fragrance, phthalates, neurotoxins, sulfates, aluminum or ammonia compounds, parabens, laureths, glycols, benzyl alcohol, SLS, petrochemicals or synthetic coloring agents.

SHINE: Number 4 Hair Care Knot-ty or Nice Holiday Collection (Mighty Hair Spray, Fluoro5 Elixer Restore & Repair Oil and Maddyloo Hair Band Set). BEAUTY: Add texture, shine and style to polished or messy updos and ponytails, or soft flowing waves. BEACON: Vegan and no animal testing. Free of sulfates, gluten and parabens.

NAILS

SHINE: Dazzle Dry Mini Kit with 4 Xtreme Glitters. BEAUTY: Have yourself a merry metallic mani with these four festive lacquers--Caught Red Handed, Cold As Ice, Gold Digger and Pixie Green with Envy. BEACON: Vegan, and contains no formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl phthalate, camphor or nitrocellulose. 

SHINE: Deborah Lippmann from Nordstrom Beauty Holiday Color Duet--Fast Girls and Addicted to Speed. BEAUTY: Dazzle your digits with lively lacquers, and base and top coats that come with a glamorous glittery carrying case. BEACON: No animal testing. Also contains no toluene, formaldehyde and dibutyl phthalate.

SKIN

SHINE: Fleur's Moisturizing Duo Gift Set Scrub & Cream Duo (Golden Peel and Intense Moisturizing Cream). BEAUTY: The peel gently exfoliates and restores radiance to your skin with papaya enzymes, while the rose oil enriched cream helps create a dewy complexion. BEACON: No animal testing and vegan. Free of fragrances, dyes, sulfates, petrolatum, alcohol, mineral oil and parabens.

SHINE: From the Lab AM/PM Cleanser No. 586. BEAUTY: Minimize signs of premature aging, as this oil-free facial cleanser utilizes willow bark extract, lactic acid and winged kelp extract to tighten your pores, purify your skin and stimulate collagen production. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of parabens.

SHINE: Jack Black Lip Balm Balm Squad. BEAUTY: For the men in your life, four flavors of Intense Therapy Lip Balms SPF 25--Natural Mint & Shea Butter, Grapefruit & Ginger, Black Cherry & Pomegranate and Asian Pear & White Tea--keep his lips softened and shielded from the sun all year long. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of synthetic fragrances, parabens, sulfates and colorants.

SHINE: MyChelle Dermaceuticals Hello Beautiful Collection (Age Defense). BEAUTY: Take a stand against signs of premature aging with this six-step regimen--Creamy Pumpkin Cleanser, Fruit Fiesta Peel, G2 Instant Firming Serum, Fruit Enzyme Mist, Revitalizing Night Cream and Sun Shield SPF 28 Unscented. BEACON: Cruelty free. Contains no gluten.

SHINE: Pacifica Natural Body Butter Trio. BEAUTY: Protect and pamper your skin with these must-have moisturizers--Tuscan Blood Orange, Indian Coconut Butter and Hawaiian Ruby Guava. BEACON: Vegan and cruelty free. Contains no mineral oil, sulfates, parabens, gluten, petroleum or FD&C colors.

SHINE: PevoniaPro Celebrate Radiance Micro-Retinol Repair Gift Set. BEAUTY: Get a deep skin, gotta-have-it glow with Spa Clinica Micro-Retinol Essential Moisturizer, Spa Clinica Micro-Retinol Essential Cleanser and Spa Clinica Micro-Retinol Essential Serum, as well as a white quilted cosmetics bag and gift box. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of parabens, alcohol, lanolin, mineral oil, PABA, urea, formaldehyde, artificial colors and sulfates. Supports the Beauty Bus Foundation.

SHINE: Phytocéane Holiday Body Beauty Gift Set. BEAUTY: Enjoy silky, smooth and scented skin with Toning Shower Gel and Rich Smooth Body Cream. BEACON: No animal testing. Treats wastewater from the production site using an eco-friendly process called Filtration Gardens.

SHINE: PrecisionMD Vivatia Advanced Skincare System Level 1. BEAUTY: This Gentle Cream Cleanser, Active Repair Complex, Brightening Complex and Restoring Moisturizer have been designed with a proprietary foam delivery system that helps minimize the appearance of fine lines, and maximize tone and texture. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of parabens.

SHINE: Refineé Purifying Travel Kit (Exfoliating Fruit Cleanser, Soothing Floral Toner, Citrus C Purifying Mask and Line Stop Wrinkle Inhibitor). BEAUTY: Mend and moisturize your skin to maintain a youthful appearance with this restorative four-piece collection. BEACON: No animal testing.

SHINE: Sanítas Skincare Holiday Nourishing Body Duo (Nourishing Body Balm and Nourishing Hand Cream). BEAUTY: Soothe, smooth and soften hands, elbows, feet, cuticles and knees with this set by utilizing sunflower oil, vitamins A, C and E, and lemon essential oils. BEACON: Free of paraben and preservatives. Supports the Cinderella Foundation. 

Photo by Mike Pennington

Festive Face, Body & Hair Product Gift Sets

'Tis the season to be jolly. If you haven't had a fa-la-la-la-la moment yet, time's running out. You've only got 10 days left until Christmas arrives. 

Shopping for beauty products always lifts our spirits. Face, body and hair gift sets are not only fun to give but even better to receive. The buyer usually gets a can't-pass-it-up deal when several products are packaged together, while loved ones, friends or colleagues enjoy sampling several items at once. Plus, the products often come in a special box or zippered pouch that can be reused over and over again. 

So... ready, gift set, go. Enjoy the following face, body and hair collections from leading beauty manufacturers. And have yourself a Merry Little Christmas!

 SHINE: B. Kamins, Chemist Dry to Normal Skin Starter Kit (Vegetable Cleanser, Bio Maple Eye Cream, Day Cream SPF 15 and Night Cream). BEAUTY: Nourishes skin with antioxidants, vitamins and essential nutrients to help diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. BEACON: No animal testing. Also supports PJs For the Cure.

 SHINE: Dermalogica Clean Start Get Glowing Mini Skin Care Kit (Ready, Set, Scrub!, Brighten Up SPF 15 and Smart Mouth Lip Shine). BEAUTY: Polishes and brightens your skin to reveal its natural radiance. BEACON: No animal testing. Also free of artificial fragrances, dyes and mineral oils.

SHINE: Elemis Tranquil Touch Exotic Stars Kit (Creamy Body Wash, Indulgent Bath Elixir, Body Cream and Candle). BEAUTY: Calm your mind and soothe your soul during your next bathing ritual. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of animal-derived collagen, synthetic fragrances and coloring, mineral oil, alcohol and silicones.

SHINE: Éminence Organic Skin Care Very Berry Gift Collection (Blueberry Soy Exfoliating Cleanser, Soy Blueberry Body Wash, Blueberry Shimmer Body Lotion and Loofah Sponge). BEAUTY: Refreshes dull skin with nourishing antioxidants and vitamins to help protect against free radicals. BEACON: The company's ingredient farm in Hungary is powered by solar and wind energy. 

SHINE: Joico K-Pak Color Therapy (Color Therapy Shampoo, Color Therapy Conditioner and Revitaluxe: Bio-Advanced Restorative Treatment). BEAUTY: Strengthens damaged hair with a blend of peptides, arginine, dual-polymers and African Manketti Oil. BEACON: No animal testing. Also supports City of Hope, Beauty For a Cure and Reality Cares.

SHINE: Liz Earle Superskin Christmas Collection (Moisturizer, Concentrate, Eye & Lip Treatment and Body Cream). BEAUTY: Designed to smooth and plump more mature or dry skin. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of mineral oil, paraffin wax, petrolatum, and any fractions of crude oil or primary petrochemicals.

SHINE: Neal's Yard Remedies Frankincense Face & Body Care Collection (Frankincense & Mandarin Body Lotion, Frankincense Hydrating Cream and Frankincense & Mandarin Shower Cream). BEAUTY: Antioxidants and herbal extracts replenish and rejuvenate skin. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of synthetic fragrances, silicones, phthalates, mineral oils, petrochemicals, GMO ingredients, propylene glycol, EDTA and SLS. Also supports Friends of the Earth, Samaritans and Traid.

SHINE: Ren Clean Skincare Shower Trio Gift Set (Moroccan Rose Otto Body Wash, Neroli and Grapefruit Body Wash, and Seaweed and Sage Body Wash) packaged in a box inspired by Asian hand-painted wallpaper designs. BEAUTY: Harmonizing properties in these three body washes help make the bathing experience a transformative one. BEACON: No animal testing. Also free of synthetic colors and fragrances, petrochemicals, sulfates, animal ingredients and parabens.

SHINE: Sanitas Skincare Mask Sampler (Cranberry Enzyme, Vita-Rich, Re-Vita-Lize Anti-Aging, Tea Tree, Pumpkin Enzyme and Papaya Pineapple). BEAUTY: This six-piece set is designed to deliver healing and acne prevention skincare benefits. BEACON: Supports the Cinderella Foundation. 

SHINE: SpaRitual Three-Piece Natural Soy Massage Candles. BEAUTY: Hand-poured into recycled glass cylinders, each candle utilizes soy, coconut and apricot waxes infused with essential oils to provide fragrant illumination or a luxurious massage. BEACON: Vegan, and contains no synthetic dyes, dibutyl phthalate, toluene or formaldehyde.