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These Relaxing Self-Care Favorites Work For Everyone On Your Gift List

Give the gift of chill.

by Amanda Ross

November 17, 2022

Hailey Bieber face mask sunglasses

The Look Of The Holidays

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Sure, it’s famously the most wonderful time of year — but it’s also the most stressful, no? Somewhere in between end-of-year reviews, exams, and crunched numbers, there’s an entire slate of holiday parties to attend with thoughtful, appropriate gifts required for nearly all of them. Is it any wonder the dessert trays (and champagne trays...) feel so damn tempting? The good news is that everyone is feeling more or less the same level of stress, which means it’s impossible to go wrong with luxe, relaxing gifts for 2022’s holiday season. After all, the best chill-the-hell-out presents basically force you to slow down and enjoy some me-time by design — and isn’t that the best gift of all?

Pampering holiday gifts are always well-received, running a wide gamut of price and level of involvement. Score glowing, luminous skin in time for the new year with a high-tech light therapy device, or go analog with a sheet mask instead. Anoint a warm bath with some fresh-smelling oils, or incorporate them into an all-over body care routine. With so many options from the most beloved brands, you can’t get it wrong. Below, TZR’s guide to the best relaxing gifts of 2022 — they’re all so soothing, it’s understandable if you end up just keeping them for yourself.

The Complete Inside-Out Kit

violette FR Chéri(e) Me Gift Set

Chéri(e) Me Gift Set

It’s the ultimate Self-Care Sunday in one beautifully-decorated gift box. Violette FR”s highly curated Chéri(e) Me Gift Set comes complete with hydrating bath milk (part of a collab with holistic skin care brand, Holidermie), a warm amber-and-musk candle, a beautifully-bound gratitude journal, and a go-anywhere-sized bottle of the line’s best-selling Boum-Boum Milk facial spray. | Pros: Inner and outer beauty products; first-edition products | Cons: Pre-orders available now for Dec. 1 shipping |

The High-Tech Favorite

dr. dennis gross DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare

DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro

Yes, this high-tech light-therapy mask makes the wearer look like a robot, but in the chicest way imaginable. The FDA-approved bestseller from combines red and blue LED lights to target breakouts, dullness, and fine lines in three-minute sessions — that’s better skin in one YouTube ad break. | Pros: Comfortable; three-minute sessions | Cons: 10 weeks required to see maximum results |

The Luxe Introduction

Auteur exploration set

Definitive Exploration Set

Your friends have surely seen the beautifully-crafted bottles that look more like objets d’art that clinical-strength skin care bottles, but Auteur’s discovery sets make it easier than ever to explore the brand’s rich world. Curated into different kits based on skin need (there’s hydration-, tightening-, and brightening-focused sets, among others), the three-step systems are goof-proof routines designed to unveil fresh complexions for the new year. | Pros: Different sets for different needs; glamorous packaging | Cons: Travel-sized products (though arguably also a pro) |

The Collector’s Item

Bond No. 9 Chelsea Nights Limited Edition Bottle

Chelsea Nights Limited Edition Bottle

The start of 2023 is the perfect time to find (or give!) a new signature scent, and Bond No. 9’s fragrant blends are always unforgettable and totally unique. This holiday season, the brand is gussying up its best-sellers with washes of glimmering Swarovski crystals, meant to be as much a keepsake as a vessel for a great scent. Aroma? Therapy. | Pros: Collectable bottle; sexy saffron-cocoa scent blend | Cons: Refills are limited-edition |

The All-Over Duo

naked poppy Luxurious Oils Kit

Luxurious Oils Kit

The best self-care gifts combine effective formulas with relaxing application rituals, and this all-over oil kit from NakedPoppy nails it. Neither greasy nor sticky, the botanical-based oils slick right on to body and facial skin for serious hydration and a hint of its signature bergamot scent. | Pros: Safe for all-over; recyclable bottle | Cons: Scent may be strong for some |

The Winter Skin Savior

Canopy x The Skinny Confidential Humidifier

Canopy x The Skinny Confidential Humidifier

If your bestie doesn’t already have a humidifier up and running, consider this Canopy x The Skinny Confidential collab more of an intervention than a present. Not only is the warm, moist air dispensed crucial for keeping skin hydrated and sinuses clear, but it doubles as an aromatherapy air freshener that pumps essential oil-scented mist through the room. | Pros: Powerful motor; cute design; subscription service available | Cons: Oils sold separately (though it does come with a small sample) |

The Sunday Night Reset

LOOPS Self-Care Guru Weekly Reset Mask Set

Self-Care Guru Weekly Reset Mask Set

Since giving out actual chill pills is prohibited, these stay-in-place LOOPS masks are the next-best thing. The delicate netting in each one means they won’t slip and slide while the wearer goes about their business, and the formula dedicated to revitalizing skin with honey and rice water extract makes it ideal for chill weekends. | Pros: Grippy texture; concentrated formula |

The Insta-Destressor

being frenshe

Milky Moisturizing Bath Bomb Set in Lavender Cloud

There are two things anyone can do to essentially hit “factory reset” on their entire mood: make the bed, take a bath. These creamy bath bombs make the water so cozy, it feels like a warm, fuzzy sleeping bag — but with the added bonus of enveloping skin in calming oat, assorted essential oils, and a relaxing lavender fragrance. | Pros: Six bath bombs included | Cons: Scent may be heavy for some |

The Postcard From Summer

ellis brooklyn

SALT Soothing Scented Body Oil

In the cold winter months, a body oil is the foolproof way to lock precious moisture into parched skin. This elegant, elevated body oil by Ellis Brooklyn incentivizes application with its fan-favorite SALT scent that instantly evokes white-sand beaches and summer’s carefree haze. The squalane, rose hip oil, and algae extract in the formula are deeply hydrating, while the non-greasy finish dries quickly. | Pros: Fast-acting; rich eau de parfum scent | Cons: Scent may be strong for some |

The Bathtub Mixologist

susanne kaufmann Mallow Blossom Bubble Bath

Susanne Kaufmann

Mallow Blossom Bubble Bath

The ultra-hydrating lineup of sage oil, vitamin E, cedarwood oil and hydrating mallow extract would have been enough to earn this Susanne Kaufmann bubble bath a spot on the list, but that’s before factoring in the delicious, light scent of lavender and rosemary essential oils. Use it on its own for a frothy, fun bathtime or combine it with complementary-smelling salts, bombs, and bubble bars to create an unforgettable custom soak. | Pros: Moisturizing; produces tons of bubbles; light, natural scent | Cons: Careful with the glass jar around tub edges |

The Ultimate Curl Kit

pattern beauty 3-Piece Tortoise Collection

3-Piece Tortoise Collection

Tracy Ellis Ross, you’ve done it again. The superstar’s best-selling PATTERN products already dominate the market, but the line’s branded tools are as beautiful as they are functional. The wide-toothed, handled comb is ideal for safely picking out any tangles while the edge-control brush’s tightly-packed bristles are so gentle on delicate baby hairs. Plus, the accompanying tortoiseshell pouch is an adorable addition to totes and carryons. | Pros: Three-piece set; mutlifunctional |

The Me-Time-Anytime Essential

Emilie Heathe hand crea

Hand Cream - Violet and Ambrette

You don’t need a 50-gallon whirlpool tub and a menagerie of tea lights to carve out some precious me-time. Emilie Heathe’s rich, decadent hand cream is nourishing enough to make a five-minute break feel vacation-adjacent. The formula’s sunflower seed oil, aloe extract, and shea butter sink into the skin to both hydrate and protect busy hands as the amber, violet, and sandalwood scent takes care of the psychosomatic element. | Pros: Scents layered like a true perfume; mess-free tube; fragrance-free version available |

The In-Flight Non-Negotiable

knesko Nanogold Repair Lip Mask 6-Piece Set

Nanogold Repair Lip Mask 6-Piece Set

Most dry skin can be concealed with clever dressing, but there’s no disguise for distressed lips. Make good use of those expensive flights and car rides home by multitasking with something distinctly opulent — and gold lip masks definitely fit the bill. This pack of Knesko lip treatments is made with real colloidal gold (along with a proprietary blend that includes hyaluronic acid and vitamin E) to plump, moisturize, and soothe winter-ravaged lips in just minutes. | Pros: Six-piece set; mess-free | Cons: Can slide off lips |

The Holistic Must-Have

Goop G.Tox Ultimate Dry Brush

G.Tox Ultimate Dry Brush

Everyone knows a dry-brush evangelical, and there’s no louder voice than Goop’s. The holistic practice is said to reduce the appearance of cellulite, KP bumps, and overall dullness by stimulating circulation and sloughing off dead skin. Goop’s own branded dry brush features firm yet flexible bristles (perfect for the accidentally heavy-handed) and a grip-friendly handle that makes every area of the body easily accessible. | Pros: Easy to store; curve-friendly design |

The Chicest Catch-All

OTM Monaco Makeup Bag

Monaco Makeup Bag

OTM’s signature makeup bag line is built around a principle so brilliant, it’s almost a wonder no one else thought of it first. These saffiano leather makeup bags are actually temperature-controlled to ensure your creams, lipsticks, and concealers don’t get gloopy, runny, or bacteria-spawning, while the luxe exterior and butter-smooth zipper chicly camouflages the bag’s contents. | Pros: Multiple sizes | Cons: Limited colorways |