NYLON’s Holiday Beauty Gift Guide 2020: Gold & Gilded

Christmas, glitter, and gold. No matter how topsy-turvy 2020 was, some things still ring true consistently year after year. Embrace the holiday cliché and enjoy the gilded beauty of these gold makeup and skincare products, wrapped in the most glamorous and exquisite packaging that’s fit for royalty — for the kings and queens in your life.

DIOR BACKSTAGE GLOW FACE PALETTE, IN 003 PURE GOLD
$77, available at Dior stores and counters

Trust Dior Backstage to debut a holiday collection that gives us that enviable golden glow. The makeup series enables us to recreate the professional looks done backstage at runway shows, and this time, we want to run away with this: the Glow Face Palette in Pure Gold, a multi-purpose quad in various finishes that you can use over the eyes, face, and body.

BURBERRY ESSENTIALS GLOW FACE PALETTE
$132, available at BHG Bugis Junction and sg.burberry.com

A new item that’s part of Burberry’s Festive Gold 2020 collection, this three-in-one face palette features lightweight cream and powder formulas that sculpt, colour and highlight the complexion. The curated shades in 01 or 02 suit either fair to light medium skin tones or medium to dark respectively, but either way, you’ll get a runway-ready Burberry glow — in a lovely gold case too.

NARS LIPS UNCENSORED SET
$70, at NARS stores and counters

We’d ideally fit the entire NARS holiday collection into this gift guide category. Dressed to thrill, we like their somewhat minimalist take on gold, done with just sheens of the metallic shade across iconic products such as the Audacious Lipstick. The exclusive trio you see here features lipsticks in Orgasm, that cult satin peachy-pink with shimmer; Tolede, a satin pink rose; and Pour Toujours, a matte warm pink. Oh, and an edgy gold cosmetic bag too.

SHISEIDO KAJAL INKARTIST LIMITED EDITION
$38 each, available at Shiseido stores and counters, including BHG

Shiseido’s trusty Kajal InkArtist eye pencils now come in limited edition shimmer shades of Royal Rouge, Golden Gilt, and Meiji Bronze — each of these can be used as a liner, kajal, eyeshadow, or brow colour / highlight, since the highly pigmented formulas simply glide on with ease. Once set, they’re as smudge-proof and crease-proof as all good eye pencils are, so you can be confident about wearing gold on your eyelids.

SU:M37 SECRET ESSENCE CUSHION
$80, available at SU:M37 counters including TANGS

K-beauty just knows how to do cushion foundations right, so when SU:M37 gives us one that’s inspired by their signature product, the anti-ageing Secret Essence, we’re taking notice. This makeup-skincare hybrid gives long-lasting coverage while restoring moisture to your skin, so we can expect improved radiance, texture, tone, and elasticity. It’s presented in very luxurious gold packaging too.

HOURGLASS MINI AMBIENT™ LIGHTING EDIT SCULPTURE UNLOCKED PALETTE
$100, available at Sephora

Hourglass has launched many outstanding products since, but we can never forget the feeling of first swiping their finely-milled Ambient Lighting Powder, and the glowy yet diffused “lit-from-within” finish it gives. Here, you get am exclusive palette of the Ambient Finishing Powder, Blush, Bronzer, and Metallic Strobe Powder, in a striking gold compact. 5% of profits from the Unlocked series also goes to the Nonhuman Rights Project, which helps wild animals in captivity.

PIXI BEAUTY LOOK PALETTE HIGHLIGHTER + EYESHADOW PALETTE
$32, available at Sephora

Who said gold had to be expensive? We’ve got some budget-friendly options here too, starting with Pixi’s Look Palette, which generously features 2 glowing blushes and highlighters, and 4 eye shades in a convenient palette you can carry about. These go on soft and buttery, while the golden light-reflecting shades work wonderfully well together for a pretty holiday look.

ETUDE HOUSE GLITTERY SNOW FACE PALETTE
$22, available at Etude House stores and counters

The cheek and highlighter duo from Etude House comes encased in a glittery, snowy case — and is inspired by the magical look of snow under sunlight. You’ll find a transparent pearl highlighter that gives off a healthy sheen, and depending on the Light or Ray palette, either a golden beige blush or a neutral pink blusher with matching highlighter shades.

BECCA COSMETICS LIQUID LIGHT HIGHLIGHT KIT
$38, available at Sephora

Another travel-sized duo to consider would be BECCA Cosmetics’ set of highlighters if you’d like to flaunt a natural, luminous glow. The Shimmering Skin Perfector™ Pressed Highlighter in Opal is a given, partly because that neutral shade is so flattering on all skin tones as it reflects the light. Then, there’s the Ignite Liquified Light Highlighter in Passion, used across the face and body for a pearly shine.

PAT MCGRATH LABS XTREME PRECISION EYE DUO
$39, available at Sephora

We all know eye makeup‘s getting a moment this year, no thanks to face masks, which is why Pat McGrath’s Perma Precision Liquid Eyeliner and Dark Star Mascara come in particularly handy. These draw maximum attention to the eyes, with the Xtreme Black pigment working hard to either define the eyes or give a voluminising lash lift by way of that mini mascara.

ESTÉE LAUDER ADVANCED NIGHT REPAIR MULTI-RECOVERY SYNCHRONISED COMPLEX
$175, available at Estée Lauder stores and counters, and Sephora

A limited edition gold bottle of Estée Lauder’s most iconic serum exists, and we want it. The Advanced Night Repair is an anti-ageing saviour that repairs the skin so it looks smoother, less lined, and more radiant — the new version is also enhanced with fast visible repair and youth-generating power, making this a great treat for yourself or a loved one.

SULWHASOO FAVOURITE MASK DUO HOLIDAY SET
$99, available at Sulwhasoo stores and counters

Some gifts are more beautiful when shared, and this applies for Sulwhasoo’s Mask Duo set. The holiday edition features whimsical illustrations of white turtle doves-turned-sisters, aptly paired with their bestselling Overnight Vitalizing Mask and Clarifying Mask for clear skin. Share this with your sister or bestie — just, be gracious about who’s getting that velvet case.

LANCÔME ABSOLUE SOFT & RICH CREAM SET
$820, available at Lancôme stores and counters

Luxury upon luxury, this Lancôme set combines the Absolue Soft Cream and Absolue Rich Cream, both of which feature the most divine rose extracts to nurture, soothe, and regenerate skin so it is visibly transformed. We’ve reviewed the line before, and while this skincare series may not suit all budgets, it might still be worth investing in these luxurious formulas.

SEPHORA COLLECTION WILD WISHES GOLDEN LIP MASK
$4, available at Sephora

Now here’s a stocking stuffer anyone would be pleased with. A gold hydrogel mask loaded with shea butter extract that softens and smoothens lips, while enabling your friend aces their festive selfie.