Spend Your Gift Card Money On These Practical Picks From The Amazon New Year’s Sale

Undone Beauty Lip To Cheek Palette

I can't say enough good things about this cream blush. It gives a natural, glowy finish, plus a little bit goes a long way on the cheeks. As opposed to powder blushes that require a brush, this pick is so easy to apply – I just use my fingers and tap, tap, tap away until it's all blended in.

The Undone Beauty Lip To Cheek Palette is only $12, too, which makes the value per wear uber-impressive. I've found it works just as wonderfully on bare skin as it does on top of foundation and powder. I can't recommend it enough!

e.l.f. Monochromatic Multi Stick

Surprise, surprise: yet another cream blush on my list of the best drugstore blushes. Though it's tiny in size, this blush stick packs a powerful punch in terms of color. The "non-greasy, lightweight, and nourishing" formula is painfully easy to blend out, and I love that it leaves a subtle shimmer on the cheeks. Extra bonus points for this pick since it's also compatible as an eyeshadow and lipstick!

NYX Sweet Cheeks Soft Cheek Tint

One of my best friends, Em, swears by this liquid blush from NYX: they say it's pigmented, very blendable, and that a little goes a long way. When it's on their cheeks, it looks airbrushed as ever. "I have big cheeks and it highlights them and I think that’s precious," they shared with me.

NYX Buttermelt Powder Blush

This powder blush has a super buttery feel to it, making it one of the most unique blushes of this year. The formula is infused with mango, almond, and shea butters for a very seamless blend, no matter the shade. The available shades range from punchy corals to vibrant purples, so you're sure to find something that works perfectly for your beautiful cheeks!

Per an Amazon reviewer that left a 5-star rating: "NYX has really stepped up their game! The quality and packaging are amazing for ten dollars. This blush will last me for years. All you need is one dash with the brush. Seriously. And the case is solid and cute as heck."

Pixi On-The-Glow Blush

It's no secret that this blush stick went TikTok-viral in 2024. Beauty fans fell in love with how easy it is to apply and the gorgeous glow a single swipe leaves behind.

"As someone who has always struggled with blush due to redness combined with fair skin, this blush is perfect for me. Finally!" one Amazon reviewer writes. "It goes on beautifully, leaves a pretty sheen and a perfect shade of light pink."

e.l.f. Camo Liquid Blush

If a dewy finish is what you're in the market for, look no further than this liquid blush from e.l.f. It promises rich pigment and a long-lasting effect that's worthy of everyday wear. Fans of the blush say a little drop can go a very long way, so it's best to start the application with a little bit of product and build it up. Pretty impressive for a $7 blush!

A promising review: "The blush is creamy and easy to apply. There is no steakiness as with powder blush. Color control is great because you can use one layer or more if needed for your skin tone. A small dot of this does go a long way on my medium fair skin. I love the peachy tone which gives my skin a real pick up. No bad smell or sticky texture. Powder can easily be applied overtop in about 30-60 seconds after it has set into the skin. Love this product. There is a shade for everyone !!! Great price as well. Just buy it!!!!"

Milani Baked Blush

"I’m no makeup expert, but I LOVE my Milani blush in shade Romantic Rose," one Redditor stated about this drugstore pick. The buildable formula is available in both matte and shimmer shades to suit your own makeup preferences. I used the shimmery shade Luminoso religiously in high school, and can certify that it truly delivers a supernatural glow.

MCoBeauty Cheek And Lip Tint

Glossier Cloud Paint dupe, anyone? This liquid-y blush formula is highly blendable and can take you from a natural sheer hint to an intense pop of color within a few layers.

"This lip and cheek is a great multitasking product with a long-lasting formula," one Amazon reviewer said. "Just a little dab applied to my cheeks, gave me an instant glowing blush. A little bit really does go along way, so be sure just to apply a very small amount and build up from there."

ColourPop Blush Stix

This blush stick boasts a "skin-like" formula that's easy to apply with your fingers, a sponge, or a brush. It's also easy to bring with you on the go for reapplication! The only downside is the shade range is considerably limited.

Physicians Formula Murumuru Strawberry Jam Blush

Not only is this one of the best drugstore blushes, it's also one of the cutest drugstore blushes. Just look at those lil' berries! It even smells like strawberries. The formula contains murumuru, cupuaçu, and tucuma butters, all of which are helpful in moisturizing the skin.

One Amazon reviewer notes that: "It's a pretty color and gives a nice glow," but "The scent is nice but some might find it overwhelming."

OUAI Jingle All The OUAI Travel Size Gift Set

This festive set includes all of my OUAI faves: a delicious scalp and body scrub, anti-frizz creme, leave-in conditioner, and a detox shampoo, which I particularly love to use when I notice any build-up on my scalp. Each pick comes in a travel-friendly size, which offers your giftee the great opportunity to test out the products before they commit to the full-size version. And trust me: they'll absolutely want to repurchase 'em.

NuFACE MINI+ Microcurrent Facial Device Kit

This skincare tool may be small, but it's oh-so mighty. It employs microcurrent technology to tone muscles in the face and neck, resulting in a noticeably firmer face and neck, plus reduced fine lines. Just 5 minutes a day delivers results, so it's the perfect gift for the low-maintenance beauty lover. This kit even comes with a gel and brush applicator that only help to boost the skin's hydration. Forget expensive spa treatments – this at-home tool is where it's at!

Each & Every All Natural Deodorant Best Sellers Multipack

These aluminum-free deodorants are ideal for both gals and guys with sensitive skin. Each formula is rid of artificial fragrances and irritating ingredients, like baking soda or alcohol. Though they're very au naturel, these deodorants deliver dependable odor protection (I'm talkin' all day, baby) with delicious scents like the lavender, citrus, and coconut-forward ones you get in this trio.

Lanolips Baby Baby Balms Set

I am thoroughly obsessed with Lanolips' unique formula – it includes lanolin, which expertly mimics the skin's natural oils to heal and hydrate dry lips, elbows, and even cuticles. This cute lil' trio comes complete with three mini-sized summery scents to give your giftee a nice taste of the warmer season. You could even break up the set between three different gifts if you plan to gift a bit more economically this year.

Grace & Stella Under Eye Patches Eye Glow Trio Set

These under eye patches are sooo nice for a quick self care session whenever you really need it. I like stowing them away in my fridge (as I do with face masks, too) so they go on cool when I apply 'em, which is especially helpful for de-puffing. This gift set is packed with 12 pairs, all boosted with niacinamide, peptides, and amino acids for brighter, more hydrated under eyes.

Mando Acidified Cleansing Bar

This cleansing bar is clinically proven to remove and control odor for 24 hours after showering – impressive, right? The formula is free of any SLS, SLES, phthalates, and parabens, so you can feel confident gifting it to sensitive skin-havers. This scent boasts notes of mandarin, lemon, and lime, which offers a real rejuvenating boost after the busy holiday season.

OUAI Fine Shampoo and Conditioner Set

I wish I could make you smell this shampoo and conditioner through the screen. Seriously, it's that good. Keratin and biotin help strengthen hair strands while chia seed oil nourishes the scalp. Your (or your giftee's!) hair will be full of life after a good wash. This OUAI set will supply a very luxe-feeling upgrade to the drugstore shampoo + condish they're likely using every day. I'm already plotting a restock for myself...

Lume Whole Body Deodorant 5 Pack Sampler

Whole body deodorant is a total game changer, and it comes in especially helpful for long camping or backpacking trips. I practically slather my entire body in it when I'm in the backcountry. This sampler set comes with 5 different scents to conveniently throw in a backpack, purse, or carry-on. Or, better yet, divide and conquer with this 5-piece to fill 5 different stockings! You never know when it'll come in handy for your gift recipient(s).

Lanolips 12 Hour Overnight Lip Mask

As fun as potted lip masks can be (I'm looking at you, Laneige), tubes like this one are definitely preferable since they're a bit easier to travel with. This mask's formula is power-packed with lanolin, hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, and ceramides that put in the work to heal dry or chapped lips while you sleep. I'm obsessed with the soft, buttery formula of this pick, mostly because it stays on for a long period of time!

Solawave 4-in-1 Radiant Renewal Wand and Serum Bundle

I am a Solawave truther a thousand times over. Ever since testing and reviewing it, I use it almost every day to give my complexion a nice boost. The tool employs red light therapy, galvanic current, and therapeutic warmth (fancy!) to tackle fine lines. This would make arguably the most impressive beauty stocking stuffer for the skincare-obsessed!

OSEA Undaria Algae Body Oil

Body oils, from my experience, are such a luxurious way to boost the skin's hydration when used alongside a good lotion. I like to use this OSEA pick a couple times a week since it feels so nourishing. I really enjoy that the formula isn't noticeably greasy, too. It also just smells like straight-up candy, which makes applying it all the more delightful!

Lanolips Golden Dry Skin Salve

I clearly do not play with dry skin – and this is the toughest season for it! That's where this salve comes in: hands, lips, or feet, it deeply hydrates and protects the skin from the elements. The gentle, clean formula is friendly on eczema, dermatitis, and psoriasis, so you really can't lose when you gift this cutie beauty stocking stuffer.

OUAI Leave In Conditioner & Heat Protectant Spray

Like I mentioned before, this is one of my all-time favorite OUAI products. I own about 5 different leave-in conditioners (don't ask, I might have a problem), and none of them are as smoothing and good-smelling as this one. Snag a travel size to make the perfect beauty stocking stuffer this year!

Tower 28 MakeWaves Mascara

Anyone who's tuned into the viral beauty scene will adore this Tower28 mascara. It simultaneously volumizes, lengthens, and defines, all while having some adorable packaging. Plus, your giftee won't see a single smudge or clump from the sleek applicator wand.

e.l.f. Monochromatic Multi Stick

I love keeping one of these bad boys in my purse when my face is needing a blush or lip color refresh. That's right – a single stick (shoppable in 7 different shades) can cover multiple parts of the face. The formula is relatively lightweight, and I love that it has just a hint of shimmer for the glow!

Keiko Agena has a complicated relationship with 'Gilmore Girls' character Lane Kim.

“I think what [the role] was for people was different than what it was for me,” she tells Juliet Litman on an episode of the Dear Felicity rewatch podcast (via People). “In a weird way, I feel like I want to honor the experience that people had from the show, and what it meant to them, especially young Asian people, because I get that comment a lot, about what it was like for them to see someone like that on screen.”

And it's no surprise that as much as Gilmore Girls viewers love Lane, Keiko "[loves] her too. I can tell, when I meet someone who knows Gilmore Girls or who loves Lane, it's like, I recognize that love. I see that you love that person."

But it's possible to hold two conflicting emotions at the same time, and although Lane Kim was an incredibly special role at the time, there are some things Keiko would do differently today. “The best thing is to have a Korean American writer [and a] Korean American actor,” she says. “I don't think that that role, cast that way, would happen today. But at that time, in 2000, it was such a different time that I definitely know I wouldn't have said no or pulled myself out of that situation at that time...Now it's just a mix of just having gratitude for having gone through that experience and having that experience.”

Keiko Agena also keeps in touch with two very special 'Gilmore Girls' costars!

And one aspect of Gilmore Girls that Keiko Agena is thankful for is her relationship with the Gilmore Girls cast! And there are two costars in particular she frequently keeps in contact with: John Cabrera (who played Brian) and Sean Gunn (who starred as Kirk).

“There is this kind of lovely nostalgia for that time, and yet also we have years since then,” she says. “I [have] gone to both of their weddings. Our friendship is part Gilmore Girls and appreciation for that crazy time, and then part just like a million other things that are just like friends.”

I was totally surprised to learn she keeps in contact with John and Sean (supposedly) more regularly than Alexis Bledel, but it makes sense when you remember Keiko, John, and Sean are all around the same age — and Alexis is 7 years younger. Hopefully we get another Gilmore Girls reunion to see our favorite television BFF's reunite!