Last Updated on April 7, 2023 by Eve Dawes
Cruelty Free beauty products & makeup gifts for your beauty guru BFF
Beauty gifts are always a popular present but the choice of gift sets is overwhelming. This cruelty-free beauty gift guide is full of makeup and beauty gifts beauty gift sets and split into categories to make gifts easier to find based on what you’re looking for and price points. I’ve made all of the cruelty free gifts super easy to shop as they’re all linked to the shop to get them from. None of these companies have paid for placement and I’ve used all of these beauty products personally.
This cruelty free makeup gift guide contains affiliate links.
Beauty Gifts Under $100
Cruelty Free Hair Care Gifts For the well tressed
Christian Iles Luxury Haircare 3 Step System $60 each
“You deserve the royal treatment’“. All-natural, cruelty-free ingredients.
I discovered Christian Iles luxury hair care through the Emmy Weekend Hollywood Swag Bag. First off they’re cruelty-free and natural, secondly I’m totally in love with the packaging which makes my shower look super luxe rather than a random mix of products on the shelf, third the shampoo is sparkly, and forth this stuff works to transform your tresses!
The price point is high but I know myself with sourcing ingredients for Dawes Custom Cosmetics how expensive quality ingredients are. You get what you paid for and there’s no getting around quality ingredients costing more. Especially when they’re not made in China or in mass quantity.
3 Step cruelty-free haircare beauty gift set
Christian Iles is a 3 step system if you’re looking for a full beauty gift set and if you’re going to invest in it you really need all 3 to get the maximum benefits.
The luxurious Christian Iles Bio-Repair Shampoo is made from plant-derived mild cleansing agents to protect weak, lifeless or chemically-treated hair. I think that’s most of us! I’ve been dying mine since I was 16 so always go for these formulas.
The pH-balanced formula and ingredients help shield your hair against heat and UV exposure, prevents color fading, and restores the overall resilience of hair. A little goes a long way in creating a rich lather that smells like an expensive perfume.
Christian Iles Bio-Repair Conditioner nourishes the hair and smoothes the cuticle to lock in color and prevent fading.
Christian Iles The science
Christian’s unique blend of ingredients are designed to work synergistically to repair hair while also protecting it, enhancing shine, volume, and strength. I recommend looking for strengthening products to help prevent your ends snapping especially if you’re trying to grow your hair which is hard for us blondes or pretty much anyone who heat styles their hair.
You only need to apply the conditioner to the lengths of your hair, then let it sit for a couple of minutes before squeezing it out and lightly applying to your roots before immediately rinsing out just to give it a quick coat without weighing it down. I’m normally am a bit heavy handed with my conditioner but I really didn’t need to be with this and the pump controls the amount so you don’t use too much. This smells just as good as the shampoo.
Christian Iles Cruelty Free Hair Serum
Lots of nourishing, moisture-rich oils have gone into this gorgeous serum to help leave your tresses silky, manageable, and restructures your hair from within to increase volume and shine. It’s not as thick as your usual serum so applies easily and doesn’t weigh it down or leave a greasy residue.
I used 6 pumps the first time for my whole head which was too much, I used 3 pumps the next time and only through the mid lengths to end and that was way better. So it may sound expensive but you only need a tiny amount so the bottle lasts ages. My hair has an unruly wave to it and this serum makes it super soft plus it’s small enough to travel with, even in your carry-on luggage.
Besides making your hair more manageable, this cruelty free haircare system really does make your hair feel so much softer. I’m not just blowing smoke and compliments, you can feel the difference, it’s so soft and silky. Darn you Christian, my hair care routine just got a lot more expensive but also a lot more effective!
Cruelty free beauty gifts for the perfume connoisseur
Juno Skincare cruelty free perfume: Le Jardin Des Rêves Eau De Parfum $87
All-natural, cruelty-free ingredients
Before I got into cruelty-free beauty I was a little naive to which companies tested on animals which a lot of perfume companies do. Most regular perfumes also have a high alcohol content which is drying so I was on the hunt for a natural, cruelty-free perfume that still smelt amazing.
I was already using JUNO skincare which is an English company I discovered at a trend-setter convention in London a couple of years ago, that makes their products by hand. La Lumiere de Julie-Anne Luxury Candle is made from essential oils and 100% natural It smells so rich and floral that I gave her perfume a go too. It’s one of those addictive scents you can’t help but want to keep smelling.
If the person your gifting loves floral scents like Jasmine and Rose with a hint of citrus for freshness and Neroli for depth then this is for them. It’s like walking into a luxe spa.
If they prefer woodier scents, then get them Juno’s newest fragrance Le Jardin Des Rêves Eau De Parfum. While I’m talking about Juno, my favorite product in her line is Joie Light & Luxurious Day & Night Face Oil, which my skin can’t live without in Vegas. I notice a difference instantly if I don’t sleep in it (because I’m tanning my face or trying a new product). I’ll even mix a couple of drops in with my day moisturizer if my skins feeling dry.
Cruelty free beauty gifts for lipstick queens and makeup lovers
Cruelty Free Custom Lipstick Dawes Custom Cosmetics: Virtual Custom Lipstick Experience $80
Natural & cruelty-free lipstick gifts.
When you want to get them makeup but have no idea where to start and what colors they suit letting them customize it is the way to go and minimizes the chance of returns or regifting.
My husband and I started buying experiences for each other rather than things so that we could create memories together as we tend to buy what we want as we see it which makes product gifting hard.
I created Dawes Custom Cosmetics to be both an experience and a product so you get the best of both as well as fill the cruelty-free gap in the luxury makeup brand market as there was nothing out there. You can come and visit us at the Vegas lipstick lab but for those of you that don’t live here, the virtual custom lipstick experience can be done from anywhere you have wifi.
Gift them a gift certificate and we’ll do the rest. They’ll get to schedule and create with us their unique custom lipstick (color, finish, flavor-yes that’s a thing, scent, and they even get to name it). Or order the Christmas beauty gift set for the collection of our seasonal favorites.
For the perfect year round tan
Fake Bake : Cruelty Free Self Tanning Collection $27-32
This self tanning company uses cruelty-free and natural ingredients. No harsh chemicals and no parabens for a safe, long-lasting golden tan.
I’d heard of Fake Bake before, but I first got to try their products and meet them at Faviana’s East Coast Oscar Viewing VIP party in New York back in 2017. I’ve been obsessed with being as tanned as possible for as long as I can remember, starting back in my teens when ‘Sun-In’ hair-lightener and baby oil seemed like a smart idea! For the last 10 years I’ve really stayed out of the sun as much as possible, become obsessed with SPF 50 everything, giant hats, spray tans and self-tanning.
I’ve been unfaithful when it comes to self-tanning brands as I always want to try everything new that’s out so I don’t miss out on the newest best thing but I keep coming back to Fake Bake.
They don’t turn your skin orange because they’re not chemically-based, they don’t smell funky, and if you aren’t sure what shade to gift it doesn’t matter because they work with every skin tone and skin type because they works by enhancing your skin’s own pigments giving you a more natural-looking tan. I’m also a fan of having a built-in color guide, I’ve tried ones without and I always seem to miss a patch or streak or have very tanned feet!
Cruelty Free Beauty Gift Sets | My top 4 picks in Fake Bakes self-tanning collection are:
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For a temporary bronzed glow:
I started with this before the self-tanner and love that I can apply it whether I’m tanned or pale, you can use it straight up or mix with your moisturizer for the depth of color you want and it washes off.
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For a natural sunkissed face and contour:
I actually use this to contour and over the parts of my face that would naturally tan as the color is perfect for that. It blends easily, is super long lasting and doesn’t streak
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For a gorgeously sunless tanned body
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For a buildable sunless tanned face
Always use a different self-tanner on your face than your body as the ones for your face normally have anti-aging and hydrating ingredients so that the color doesn’t sit in your pores and with more sheer, buildable color than the ones designed for your body. Wear gloves with all of these products, tanned palms and fingers are a dead give-away.
For the perfect winged eye liner
Kat Von D: Sinner Beauty Bundle $65 Cruelty-free and vegan makeup
I’ve raved about her foundations and setting powder all year but I haven’t mentioned her eyeliner before which has a firm and thin enough tip for the perfect winged cat flick line and the color is dense and long wearing for the full glam effect. It doesn’t crack like some formulas do and this gift set lets you try all of Kat Von D’s eyeliners so you can find your fave. Mine’s her Tattoo Liner.
For those in need of a sparkling stress reliever under $20
Beauty Kitchen Mini Sparkling Snowflake Holiday Bundle $19.50
This cruelty free beauty gift set contains natural & handmade bath and body essentials to turn your bathroom into a spa.
I’ve raved about Beauty Kitchen before in the Cruelty-Free Adult Acne Treatments blog and because I love the sassy owner Heather Marianna and all that she stands for. I’ve got to support my local Nevada business women after all!
I love a mini beauty gift set for exploring new brands and finding out what I like and don’t like. Beauty Kitchen’s holiday gift set this year includes the best of Beauty Kitchens Sparkling Snowflake collection:
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Body Splash: which can also be uses as a hair refresher to calm static (is anyone else’s hair crazy static right now? Because mine’s out of control. I’ve resorted to a humidifier in our great room).
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Bath Soak which doesn’t need much explaining except that this one’s also great for clearing sinuses, relieving stress, cramps, fatigue and post-workout muscle stiffness perfect for busy working women and moms if they can grab 10 minutes!
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Body Lotion: Because whose skin can’t do without extra moisture right now! It’s clean enough to do double duty and be used on your face as well.
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Shower Gel: mild, gentle, clear, sulfate and paraben free hair & body wash.
Top Retailer Cruelty-Free Beauty Gift Guides
If you need more inspiration, these retailers have their own curated cruelty free beauty gift guides.
