2024 has been such an odd year—chaotic and dragging at the same time. For the late-gift-buyers of December (well, not that late, but certainly post-Black-Friday-sales late), here are some of the little treats that I’ve been enjoying playing with recently.

This year, all of my gift picks are from smaller and newer brands. In all the chaos, it feels good to find points of connection. In smaller brands with very clear goals, I feel like you can grasp that point of humanity; you can see almost touch their dreams.

And isn’t that the best gift? Giving someone you love a tiny little way to touch a dream?

My top gift pick for 2024: Makeup by Mario

Let’s start with the two things you absolutely, desperately need: the Makeup by Mario MoistureGlow Lip Plumping Serum ($24 USD) and Soft Pop Plumping Blush Veil ($30 USD). These are two of the best products I’ve used all year in any category. They deliver a fantastic amount of pigment, but beyond that, they’re formulated with just the most phenomenal textures. [Ed. note: These products are currently 25% off at Makeup by Mario at time of publishing!]

The first thing you’ll notice about this Lip Plumping Serum is that its packaging is quite unique. It uses a click-up twist mechanism, so while it looks like a traditional soft lipstick bullet, it can’t be clicked back down—only up. The serum is almost a cross between a glossy lipstick and a thick, slippery balm (think Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask), and it looks so juicy on the lips. It has just the right amount of pigment to leave your lips looking glazed, but still see-through.

Swatched L-R in indirect sunlight: Makeup by Mario Strawberry Sunset Blush Veil; Watermelon Pink Lip Serum

The texture of the Soft Plumping Blush Veil is equally gorgeous, but completely different from the lip serum. It’s intensely pigmented and bright; easy to blend and stipple. The formula isn’t too slippery, so it doesn’t become patchy as you blend it out. The shade I’ve been playing with, Strawberry Sunset, is fantastically vibrant.

When you’re buying makeup as a holiday gift, I always feel like lip and cheek products are the easiest ones to please with. You don’t need a specific shade match for them, but they feel a little more special than skincare—they’re a little treat every time you handle their packaging; apply them; see them in the mirror.

Niche fragrances: Ledda 22 Orris

I’ve been dipping into Ledda fragrances recently, and I have to say—I’ve been pleasantly surprised. Ledda is a fragrance company founded by influencer Sephanie Ledda and crafted with perfumer Frank Voelkl (of Le Labo Santal 33 fame). The two have created four scents so far; the first being Orris.

Ledda 22 Orris ($140 CAD) is a soft, buttery perfume that feels as neutral as it looks. It has top notes of pear leaf, pink pepper, and wild freesia; heart notes of jasmine, lily of the valley, and iris butter; and dries down to sandalwood, marshamallow musk, and moss. I like it as a perfume, but I love this as a linen fragrance. It’s the perfect, buttery room scent for your sheets; it lasts for ages and has fantastic throw. It’s feminine without being too feminine, and smells like nothing in specific without smelling like nothing.

Here in hydration: The Organic Skin Company

The Organic Skin Company is a brand that I seem to come back to every few years—like a wave in the ocean. I was a fiend for their cream eyeshadows (sadly now discontinued) and adore The Good Oil.

The Organic Skin Company uses oils produced via CO2 supercritical extraction, which uses compressed carbon dioxide to extract oils instead of solvents. (This can be really helpful for people with allergies, as you can have an allergy to an ingredient that you’re not allergic to if it’s been processed with something you are allergic to!) They’re a cruelty-free company that mostly produces products in India, where they pay above market rate to help support organic farming and manufacture in a solar-powered, Good Manufacturing Practice certified plant.

This winter, I’ve been testing three of the brand’s moisturizers: Hydration Agent ($29.99 USD), The Dream Cream, and Daily Rituals. Hydration Agent isn’t quite hydrating enough to me in the super dry Alberta climate, but it smells fantastic. It’s scented with vanilla and amaranth, and moisturizing with it feels like sinking into a cozy throw.

If Hydration Agent isn’t for you or your giftee, I have to suggest adding The Good Oil ($29.99 USD) to your holiday gift list. It’s such a sunny, hydrating, fantastic-smelling oil, and I love its squared-off glass bottle.

For your pup: Earth Rated

Okay, so to wrap up this gift guide: Something for your pup! I’m a big proponent of reusable materials and prefer to wipe my pup’s paws with washable cotton cloths, but in this mucky season, we’ve been using dog wipes exclusively. They’re thin enough to get right into the crevices between Butt Buut’s little toe pads to clean out salt and mud, but thicker than most brands, so they don’t tear during his little puppy struggles.

Earth Rated makes some great stuff, and these Plant-Based Grooming Wipes ($12.99 CAD) come in Lavender and Unscented. We’ve also been using their Large Enrichment Toy ($22.99 CAD) for walk training—it’s the perfect length for setting a treat lure, and he gets so excited every time it comes out.

And hey; I’m constantly buying this little guy presents, so why not something extra for the holidays?

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Disclaimer: The products in this post were submitted for editorial consideration only. This post was supposed to contain affiliate links, but I got lazy, so it doesn’t.