Great Birthday Gifts for Makeup Lovers

You probably know plenty of girly girls that love to experiment with cosmetics, not to mention all of the women in your life who can't step out the front door without having their "face" on. And most already have established makeup routines with products that they have determined, through trial and error, work best with their skin tone and type, their hair color, and their lifestyle. However, if we're being honest we all know that women are prone to straying from their beauty regimens on occasion if a new product looks amazing. And those that stick the same tired lineup of products year after year can acquire a look that is dated. So if you're looking for a few great gifts to give the makeup lovers in your world, here are a few of the best options.

Brush set. Most women don't splurge on pricy brush sets for themselves, so you might want to consider shelling out a few ducats to supply your makeup-loving friend with a lineup of brushes made from mink, squirrel, or even synthetic fibers. MAC and Chanel tend to be the preferred manufacturers for pro brushes and a decent set will have a couple of fluffy brushes for powder and blush, as well as one for foundation and one for concealer, one for lips, one for brows, and potentially an angled eyeliner brush and a fan brush for highlighting. It will probably also come with an eyelash separator. There are even more comprehensive sets out there, but these are the basics.
Spa day. Beautiful makeup starts with flawless palette, so think about taking your friend to the spa for a day of pampering that includes a facial and brow service (waxing or other), as well as a deeper treatment if she's interested (a peel of some sort, for example). A lot of women these days are also doing lunchtime Botox/filler parties, so you might want to see if the cosmetics fans in your group of gal pals are interested in something like that. The prep work will ensure that the makeup they love looks that much better.
Makeover. If you happen to know that the woman you're shopping for loves a particular brand of makeup (Chanel, MAC, Bobbi Brown, Clinique, etc.), consider taking her to a store or makeup counter to get her face done in the latest products. You can then purchase the products used as the remainder of her gift.
Gift cards. There's really no better way to feed the need of the makeup-loving ladies in your life than to give them gift cards for their favorite makeup brands. If you're not sure what they like, simply head to a mega store like Sephora so that they can choose from a slew of products or get a gift card to a high-end department store like Macy's or Nordstrom that features some of the top makeup brands.
Killer gift bag. Buying makeup for other people can be hit-or-miss, so when you go to the makeup counter bring a photo of your friend and ask the attendant at the counter to recommend some of the latest products that will work with her particular coloring and style. You can put together a pretty gift bag and your friend can always exchange any products that aren't to her liking.

(Guest Post by Carol)