Canadian Gift Guide

My first makeup, ever, was hilariously orchestrated by my sister to be the most sanitized form of make-up buying one could ever expect to own. Clear mascara. Peach and brown eyeshadow. Peach blush. Yet owning these extremely neutral basics at the tender age of 11, from CoverGirl no less, made me feel so much more confident and excited to embrace growing up. Say what you will about what that says about our consumerism culture, but today girls are getting manicures, makeovers, and celebrity haircuts at a younger and younger age. While I’m not condoning that, I do like the idea of giving a make-up kit for someone that’s still experimenting with how to put their best face forward.

Whether the girl you’re buying for is a teen, young adult, or adult, CoverGirl actually still has tons of fun products at a ridiculously affordable price point (as do all drug store brands for that matter).  Many higher-end cosmetic brands have rolled out their version of a smoky eye kit in recent years, and now CG has stepped up to the plate with their Smoky Eye Kits. Whether you go for the natural (brown tones), bold (bright blue), or glam set (smoky grey), they’re priced at about $18, a real bargain considering the number of products you’d have to buy separately to obtain the same look.

Each kit contains one of CoverGirl’s new SmokyShadow Blast cream dual-ended shadow sticks, plus mascara and eyeliner to match. To make things nearly foolproof, it also contains step-by-step instructions for how to create that perfect night out look. The boxes actually look surprisingly professional and stylish, and are perfect for gift-wrapping! Something like this is ideal for the gal that loves to dabble in make-up and wants to try out a swack of CoverGirl products in one swoop. If you’re shopping for nieces and want to stick to a reasonable budget, the kits are a great choice, and perfect to create that extra special New Year’s Eve look! Check your local beauty retailer – I spotted them at Shopper’s Drug Mart, but Wal-Mart, Lawton’s, Superstore, and other similar retailers would also likely have them.