Holiday Gift Guide
In place of my traditional holiday gift guides, I’m doing something a little different this year. I’ll still be rounding up my favourite presents for the season, but instead of combining them into a few posts, I’ll be featuring a new company daily. Make sure to check back every day as I’ll be showcasing a new brand and my must-have holiday gifts for the season. Come follow along over the next 24 days and be prepared to be inspired.
Every year, Quo Cosmetics, Shoppers Drug Mart’s in-house makeup brand, releases a huge collection of gift sets, stocking stuffers and my favourite, the cosmetic crackers. This season the Quo Cosmetics 2015 Collection comes beautifully packaged in deep maroon and gold packaging, that doesn’t require any wrapping. With a large assortment of over 20 different holiday gifts, ranging from $3 to $75, there’s sure to be something for everyone on your Christmas wish-list. A lot of the gifts can be divvied up into separate little gifts, allowing it to be more personal with an exceptional value. I would head into your local Shoppers sooner than later, as these gifts tend to go quickly. I’ve rounded up a few of my favourites to help get you started.
For the past few years, Quo has released Back To Basic Eyeshadow Palettes and are always up to par with higher end brands. This season, they’ve released two new palettes in New Nudes and Modern Smokey for only $25. It comes beautifully packaged in a sleek, maroon and gold, durable cardboard compact with full-size mirror and 12 nude shadows within. Each shade is incredibly pigmented, unbelievably soft and extremely buildable. It also comes with an eyeshadow brush that works surprisingly well and helps for a seamless application. The New Nudes palette ranges from your barely there nudes and champagnes, to bold and intense browns and earthly tones, along with a fun deep maroon shade to keep things interesting. It’s a palette that can easily take you from day to night by adding a few of the darker shades. It retails for $25.
Quo Lips All Around is one of those gifts that I was talking about that you can breakup and divided into a few smaller gifts or pair with others. It comes with 8 mini lipglosses in lovely shades of nude, pale pinks and plums. It comes in a transparent tube with a doe-foot applicator for easy application. Although it has a fairly thin consistency, it has a cream and smooth texture. It’s extremely lightweight once applied, and although it does have somewhat of a tacky consistency, it’s not overly sticky or goopy. It’s not overly pigmented, but does provide a sheer wash of colour with a high gloss finish and looks beautiful paired over your favourite lipstick for that extra pop of shine. It retails for $25.
Quo Contouring Craze Deluxe Contour Kit will help you achieve that perfectly sculpted look this season with 3 easy to use bronzing and contouring shades. It has a cool tone shade for contouring, a bronzy shade for warming up the complexion, along with a lighter shade, depending on your skin tone, can be used for highlighting the cheekbones. It’s fairly soft, fairly pigmented and offers little to no fall out. You can effortlessly achieve a soft, healthy and radiant glow that instantly warms up your complexion in the dead of winter. It retails for $30.
Quo by ORLY Best of the Best 6-Piece Mini Nail Lacquer Set is another set that can be broken up and split into different gifts. It has an array of different shades, from reds and pinks, to teal and blue and even a fun and trendy pinkish rose gold, a little something for everyone. Still one of my favourite textures and formulas, it applies easily and evenly. It’s extremely pigmented with opaque coverage in a single coat and lasts a solid 4 to 5 days before chipping. The tiny brush allows for a smooth and even application, it is quick drying and retails for only $20.
Quo Cosmetics Cracker Set comes with 4 crackers, in 2 different colour combinations, with a mini lipgloss and eyeshadow duo in each. These are always my fave, the lipgloss is purse friendly and the eyeshadows are neutral enough to pair with any eye look your creating this season. It retails for $20.
Don’t forget to check out the other pieces in this collection, along with the Quo Emery Board that comes in three different colours and would make the perfect add-on gift.
