Gifts for Friends: $30 & Under Intentional Gifting

We’ve all been there. We want to gift our friends something nice without spending an arm and a leg, but want it to be something that they will actually use and enjoy. So today I’ve cultivated a list of items that are perfect for this situation. Below are 10 items that aren’t expensive, but that you wouldn’t necessarily buy yourself regularly, so they are great to receive as a gift. If you have the means within your budget, I would recommend stocking up on some and keeping them on hand for those moments when you want to give someone special a little something.

Tip: Going the extra mile when wrapping a small gift can help it feel like something really special even if it didn’t cost you much.

Arches Candle from Good & Well Supply Co: I fell in love with this candle when I received it myself as a gift. It is the best smelling candle I’ve ever smelled and one I will continually buy until they stop making it. Mikey and I are both obsessed with it, so it’s a great home scent for everyone. All of this companies products are 100% vegan, 100% ecofriendly, and ethically sourced, which is means you can feel great about gifting it to someone you love.

Hearth & Hand Flour Sack Tea Towel: One of my favorite things to gift a friend, especially as a house warming treat, is a beautiful tea towel.

Better Way Tea in ‘Warm Happy Place’: I love tea and I love receiving new teas that I haven’t tried before, especially ones that are a little more nice an expensive. This one from Better Way Designs (shoutout to my amazing friend Bekah who’s business I’ve linked this tea through) is so delicious. It is unlike any other tea I’ve had before and really gives such a cozy, experience when drinking.

Glo Skin Beauty Suede Matte Lip Crayon in Monogram or Trademark: This is one of my favorite lip products of all time for weddings. I very often put bridesmaids in one of these two shades because they are natural, long wearing, comfortable and look so different and beautiful on every skin tone. At $20 a lipstick, these are a great small gift for someone who loves an everyday lip color because they are great quality and look good on everyone.

Zebra Mildliner Highlighter Pack: A massive pack of beautiful shades of highlighters is not always a justifiable ‘need’ in someone’s budget, but boy do these make writing more enjoyable. If you know someone who uses a handwritten planner, writes a lot of notes, is creative and doodles, or just wants to bring a little joy into their everyday life, these are such a great gift! I love that they are double ended so they have two thicknesses.

Hydroflask Tumbler: Who doesn’t want a travel mug that keeps their hot drinks hot for hours and their cold drinks cold for hours? This gift is amazing for SO many people, and I can’t recommend Hydroflask enough. It’s not secret over here that Mikey and I are obsessed and this one is on my list for Christmas.

Sapo de Solis Handcrafted Soap: This is my favorite local soap company and I love that you can buy them online too! If you’re local to the Lansing area, you can find them in the REO Town Marketplace and often at the Okemos Farmer’s Market. I love how long these last and the scents are amazing. We’ve switched to bar soap in both our shower and our bathroom sink and while I have many soaps on hand that I switch in and out, I always seem to go back to buying from Sapo de Solis when I need soap!

Flowers & Thrifted Vase: This is a really simple and meaningful gift that can bring a nice touch to someone’s home. I find beautiful vases at the thrift store all the time that are great for gifting. You could even go a step further and DIY the vase by painting it, etc and making it a unique gift. Then, stop at your local farmer’s market, flower shop, or grocery store, and pick up some flowers to put in your vase before gifting! I have personally received dried lavender and I highly recommend it because it lasts for months instead of just a couple days!

Endangered Species Chocolate: I love this brand of chocolate. The packaging is beautiful and great for gifting, and I love that there is a special cause behind the company because it makes gifting it, that much more special. Each flavor of chocolate bar is associated with a different endangered species, which you can see on the back of each bar. When you purchase them, 10% of the Net Profits go towards saving that animal. This would be a really great gift idea for someone who loves a specific animal like Elephants, for example.

I hope you enjoy these gift ideas for small and meaningful gifts. If you have any suggestions to add to the list, please leave a comment below and let me know!

Have a beautiful day,

Andrea

Disclosure: Some of the above links are Affiliate links meaning that I make a commission off the purchase of the product through my link. This does not affect the price of the product on your end. I would never recommend a product that I didn't love and all opinions are my own. I am thankful for you choosing to purchase through my links, as it helps me create more content for Andrea Fontana Beauty

Stocking Stuffer Ideas (Gifts under $20)

Welcome back to the only gift guide I will be doing this year! I love stocking stuffers because they can be so fun and random so here is my little list of stocking stuffer ideas for you this year!

Scratch Off Bucket List Top 100 Movies Poster

We’re starting with this one because I got this one for Mikey last year and we are obsessed with it. I originally gifted it with the intention that he would just scratch off what he’s seen and keep going, but he wanted us to watch all 100 together! It’s perfect for nights when we don’t know what to watch. We just search our stream services for something that’s on the list and we always have fun guessing what the graphic underneath is going to be!

Justin’s Peanut Butter Squeeze Packs

If you have any peanut or almond butter fans to gift, these squeeze packs are fun because they have tons of different flavors and are pretty expensive to buy regularly for yourself. I would love to find the chocolate hazelnut almond pack in my stocking. You could easily buy a pack or two and split them among many stockings!

‘The Nightingale’ by Kristin Hannah

This book was my favorite that I read in 2019. I’m not sure how well it will fit in a stocking (haha) but it’s a great gift for a fellow book worm. You could also buy the kindle edition and then print off the paper and put it in their stocking!

Slipper Socks

These are another great item you could buy and split among many stockings because when it’s wintertime can you really have too many cozy socks? The answer is no! Gift your favorite people some cozy!

The Wet Brush Original Detangling Comb

I recently bought myself this comb because I wanted something I could keep in my toiletry bag for use at the gym after showering. I love this one. It’s easy to use and detangles my hair well when wet! If you know an avid gym goer or even a guy (Mikey likes this one too) this would be a great addition to their stocking and it’s really affordable!

Tony Moly Sheetmasks Set

It’s no secret that I love sheet masks. I’ve tried the Tony Moly brand many times and think they make a great gift so your loved ones can always have some masks on hand! I’ve linked a set that has some other goodies too that could be gifted with the sheet masks or even split apart for another gift!

Stasher Reusable Bags

If you know someone who is trying to find more sustainable options for everyday life, this is a great gift to add to their stocking! Stasher bags are my favorite because they come in a variety of colors and sizes, are dishwasher safe, and have a really great seal. I am slowly trying to replace all of my plastic bag usage over to these and would really appreciate someone gifting me one!

Magnetic Meal Planning Pad

I received this exact meal planning pad as a gift for Christmas two years ago and it is AMAZING! If you know someone who is trying to be better about meal planning and cooking more at home, this is a great little gift to add to their stocking. I received it with a cookbook I had been wanting and it was one of my favorite gifts I’ve ever received. Such a good combination. I love how it’s organized and that it’s magnetic so that I can throw it on the fridge and easily see all week what I’m planning to make for meals!

Stonewall Kitchen Holiday 2019 Jam Tree

As someone who makes biscuits every Sunday (Hello Biscuit Sunday!!), I think this is the perfect little treat to find in a stocking. Little jars to try multiple flavors is always fun, and Stonewall makes such delicious jams and jellies!

Welly Face Saver Clear Spot Bandages

If you struggle with blemishes ever, you know how helpful it can be to find something that works well. I have tried multiple ‘zit stickers’ as I like to call them, but none have ever worked as well as these. They dry up the blemish so well overnight that I think all women should have them on hand. WARNING: Be gentle with who you gift these to. Make sure you only gift these to someone who you are close to and would be comfortable receiving these from you. Blemishes and skincare issues can be a sensitive topic, so make sure you are being thoughtful and kind before gifting.

Morphe 3B Pure Nude Eyeshadow Palette

This is the cutest little mini eyeshadow palette! If you know someone who loves matte warm eyeshadows this is the perfect little stocking gift for them! I personally bought one for myself because I loved it so much! Haha

Tazo Tea Bags

If you know a lot of tea lovers it can be really nice to buy a couple different kinds of teas and add a few bags of each flavor in everyone’s stockings! I personally love the Wild Sweet Orange flavor but Tazo makes many amazing other flavors too.

What are your family’s stocking traditions? Do you open them first? Last? On Christmas Eve? My family always opens them last on Christmas morning.

I hope you enjoyed these ideas and if you have any stocking stuffer ideas of your own, be sure to comment down below and let me know them!

Happy Holidays,

Andrea

Disclosure: Amazon links are Amazon Affiliate links meaning that I make a commission off the purchase of the product through my link. I would never recommend a product that I didn't love and all opinions are my own. I am thankful for you choosing to purchase through my links, as it helps me create more content for Andrea Fontana Beauty.

Under $20 Gift Guide

It’s the fourth and final day of Gift Guide Week and tonight I’m bring you a gift guide of gifts under $20! It’s a combination of all kinds of random gifts and hopefully it can bring you some ideas if you need a budget-friendly last minute gift. In case you missed the previous three gift guides from earlier in the week you can click below to visit each one!

• The Skincare Nerd’s Gift Guide

• The Makeup Lover’s Gift Guide

• The Cookbook Gift Guide

1. 5 Lbs of Gummy Bears:

   Hear me out. These are the BEST gummy bears I’ve ever had and I can never stop eating these. If you need a funny gift for White Elephant that someone would laugh at but actually enjoy, this would be great! Or if someone you know just loves candy…like me…

2. Scratch Off Bucket Lists:

   You may have seen these with world maps, but they also have ones for Top Movies, Books, etc. If someone you know is a really into something specific like books, this is a great gift that they will be able to use for a long time, and even display if they want!

3. Handheld Milk Frother:

   If the person you are gifting to loves coffee, matcha lattes, chai lattes, etc, a handheld milk frother to allow them to make yummy coffeehouse drinks at home is a great option. I love mine and use it all the time.

4. Expensive Coffee/Tea:

   It’s really nice as coffee and tea drinkers to receive quality coffee or tea that you might not always have the budget for. I’ve linked my friend’s coffee company because it’s the coffee I drink every morning and it’s so delicious! I highly recommend it. My favorite tea (besides organic green) is the Tazo Wild Sweet Orange Tea.

5. Christmas Ornaments:

   I think it’s fun to get really funny ornaments for people. Paper Source has some really great ones this year, like this avocado one. World Market also has a lot of great inexpensive ones in store!

6. Card Wallet:

   Card wallets are a gift that are always nice to get because it’s nice to have a small wallet to carry to the gym, running errands, or when you simply can’t carry a normal sized wallet. Target has many great options including the one I’ve linked above.

7. Camping Hammock:

   I think this gift would be great for someone who likes to spend time outside, even if it’s just in their backyard! This hammock can support a lot of weight and hold two people which is nice! I already know who I’m gifting this to this year!

8. Papermate Inkjoy Gel Pens:

   These are my favorite pens and if the person you are gifting to loves stationary, planners, or just having a great pen to write with in many colors, this gift set is great!

9. Subscription Service:

   Subscription services are nothing new, but I love gifting them because it allows people to see if they like it and continue on if they so choose. My personal favorite is the Book of the Month, subscription which is great for readers! It’s just $14.99 and you get a beautiful hardcover book every month and can choose between a few different options!

10. Plants:

    Plants make a great gift for the holidays, especially if you live in a colder climate. It’s nice to receive a little bit of greenery for inside your house when outside it’s looking a little dull and gray. I haven’t personally ordered from Costa Farms before (the plants I linked above), but I’ve heard great things about them!

11. Silk Eyemask:

    Having a nice silk eyemask is something that would be a great gift, but not everyone would necessarily buy for themselves. I love sleeping with an eyemask because it really feels good to have slight pressure over my eyes and the darkness helps me fall asleep faster. Silk is great and won’t tug on your skin, so this is a classic black mask that anyone would love.

12. High Quality Candle:

    Everyone loves getting a nice, high quality candle, especially women. There’s just something about always having a candle burning that is so cozy. I’ve linked my favorite scent from my favorite candle company (from my home town of Kalamazoo!) above, Kalamazoo Candle Company! I love their scents and supporting small companies!

13. Amazon Gift Card:

    When in doubt, get the gift card to Amazon. I promise no one will ever be sad that they have free money to Amazon.

What did you think of the above gifts?! Do you have any recommendations that are under $20? Comment below if you have some.

I hope you enjoyed Gift Guide Week on Andrea Fontana Beauty! If you liked it be sure to let me know so I can do something similar next year!!

Have a wonderful time picking out the perfect gifts for your loved ones,

Andrea

Disclosure: Amazon links are Amazon Affiliate links meaning that I make a commission off the purchase of the product through my link. I would never recommend a product that I didn't love and all opinions are my own. I am thankful for you choosing to purchase through my links, as it helps me create more content for Andrea Fontana Beauty.

A Cookbook Gift Guide

Welcome back to gift guide week here at Andrea Fontana Beauty! Just in case you missed my two previous posts here are the links for them; The Skincare Nerd’s Gift Guide & The Makeup Lover’s Gift Guide.

Today we are talking…COOKBOOKS! One of my favorite kinds of books.

If you’ve been following me for awhile you probably know how obsessed I am with them. My collection is past 50 at this point so I thought I’d offer a few suggestions and describe who I think they would be best for.

The Traditional or Brand New Cook

If you have someone on your list who is new to cooking I highly recommend either ‘The Joy of Cooking’ cookbook or ‘The Fannie Farmer Cookbook’. I have both and refer to them often for classics. They would be a great staple for any college student, newlywed or even someone who has found a new love for cooking, because they are filled with basic recipes that everyone needs.

If your gift is for a cook who is unfamiliar in the kitchen, I highly recommend ‘Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking’ because it teaches you so much about what it takes to make a great meal. The Netflix series is also AMAZING and not to go off on a tangent but you should watch it ASAP.

The Gluten Free Cook

I’ve talked a lot about ‘True Roots: A Mindful Kitchen’ a lot, especially on my Instagram. I have made so many of the recipes and they are so amazing. If someone has dietary restrictions like gluten, dairy, or refined sugars, this would make a great gift.

The Fit Cook

I received ‘Bobby Flay Fit’ for Christmas last year and I’ve used it so much, there’s a burn mark on the cover from the coils of my stove. If the person you’re shopping for is into fitness and healthy eating, but doesn’t like sacrificing flavor, this is a great option! The recipes are easy and rely on using a lot of great spices to create clean and delicious meals.

The Pasta-Obsessed Cook

If the person you are shopping for likes pasta or noodles (I mean who doesn’t though…) these are two of my favorite cookbooks that I have actually used quite a bit in the last few years. ‘The Ultimate Pasta and Noodle Cookbook’ has recipes from all types of cuisines, not just Italian. It’s again a great reference book. My other recommendation would be for someone who LOVES Italian pasta and I’ve talked about it before on here. ‘250 True Italian Pasta Dishes’ is great for those who want to learn which types of pastas go with which sauces and how to choose veggies to add in. It has many great combinations and even a section with fast weeknight recipes.

The Beauty Loving Cook

I know I just mentioned this cookbook in my Skincare Gift Guide, but I have to mention it again in case you missed that post. If you are gifting to a lover of makeup, skincare or nutrition, ‘Eat Beautiful’ is an amazing collection of in season recipes to promote healthy skin and beauty.

The Italian Food Cook

Did you really think I wouldn’t include an Italian section. My pick for this year goes to a cookbook my boyfriend got me for my birthday one year because he wanted me to cook from it. ‘The Sopranos Family Cookbook’ is not only full of delicious traditional recipes, but it’s also really fun to look through.

The Cook Who Loves to Give Back

If you have a friend to gift this season that loves to give back, this would be a great option for them. The ‘America The Great Cookbook’ is a collection of signature dishes and family recipes from chefs all over the country. So not only is it a great collection of different types of cuisines, but the proceeds go towards helping ‘No Kid Hungry’ fight childhood hunger.

Now if you have a cookbook addiction like me or you’re shopping on a budget this holiday season, don’t forget that thrifted/used books are a great way to reuse and recycle books! I don’t know what I was doing before I started using Thriftbooks.com to order all of my books from. I have been buying from them from almost a year and have always had great luck with them. The customer service is also great if you have a question. I have found some of my favorite cookbooks for under $5 before! If you click this link, you can save 15% off your first purchase on Thriftbooks.com!

Do you have any favorite cookbooks? Be sure to comment below and let me know which ones you are obsessed with that I need to add to my collection.

Don’t forget to come back here tomorrow for Day 4 and my last day of Gift Guides on Andrea Fontana Beauty,

Have a great day,

Andrea

The Makeup Lover's Gift Guide

Similarly to the previous Skincare Nerd’s Gift Guide, I wanted to share some makeup products that any makeup lover would be happy to receive. I can tell you that I would be happy to get anything on this list, so whether you have a sister, girlfriend, daughter, or maybe even you need ideas for what you want to ask for, READ ON!

1. Juvia’s Place Eyeshadow Palettes:

   I’m putting these palettes first on the list for a few reasons. First, the price is unreal. Most of their palettes are around $20 and the quality of the shadows I’ve tried is crazy! They made the list because they are newer to the scene, and I don’t think most makeup lovers will have collected them yet. The pigmentation is amazing and I think any makeup lover would be so excited to unwrap one this year and add it to their collection. My favorite is the Warrior Palette that I got at Ulta for $20.

2. Brush Cleaning Matte and Brush Cleanser:

   Cleaning your brushes is the least fun part of doing your makeup, but it simply has to be done for healthy skin. Getting a makeup lover a tool to make the process quicker and easier would be amazing! I love this one from Real Techniques because it has a strap that my fingers slide through so it fits right onto the palm of my hand and stays put. It’s really inexpensive and works well! To make it a complete gift, add on a brush cleaner and you’re good to go. My favorite deep cleaning brush cleaner is this bar soap from Dr. Bronner’s. It cleanses my brushes and conditions them to feel so soft!

3. Makeup Lesson:

   If you know someone who is new to makeup or recently has been getting into it, I highly recommend booking them a makeup lesson with a professional makeup artist. It’s a great way for them to learn new techniques and can be extremely individualized depending on the person! If you are local to the Central Michigan area and would like to gift a makeup lesson with me to someone you love, feel free to email me and we can talk details! I also sell gift cards at the bottom of every page of my website (so scroll down)! 1 hour makeup lessons are $65 with me and I would love to spend time teaching you or someone you love.

4. Makeup Mirror or Vanity:

   A new mirror to look into while doing their makeup is a great makeup lover gift idea! I personally have one really similar to this one from Conair that was given to me as a gift YEARS ago. I love it because I can take it around my house and do my makeup in any location near a plug, because you guessed it…it also has a light! It’s double sided, one side being more magnified than the other and has lights on both sides.

5. Beauty Blender:

   It’s no secret that beauty blenders are awesome, but they can be a little pricey. Getting one as a stocking stuffer or an add-on to a gift would make any makeup junkie happy. It’s kind of like getting them the really expensive nice socks that they don’t like buying themselves; but we all need socks right?

6. Generation G Lipstick:

   I’m obsessed with these. My newest favorite everyday lip product is one of these Glossier Generation G Lipsticks in the shade ‘Cake’. If you have a light to medium skin tone, you can wear it with no makeup and look instantly more put together, or it will compliment whatever makeup look you have on. They give you the perfect lip stain look that I talk about loving all the time! I guarantee that whoever you buy it for, it will live in their purse as a go to product. If you have never shopped with Glossier before, you can click this link to get 10% off your first order!

7. Makeup Brushes:

   Can a makeup lover ever really have too many brushes? The answer is no, but I think you already knew that. I personally love the Real Techniques brushes and I’ve given them as gifts many times. I especially love their sets for gift giving because you can give more while keeping it budget friendly. The Sculpting set, Enhanced Eyes set, and the Flawless Face set would all be great options. I also really love this Setting brush and have three just in my makeup kit because it can be used in so many ways!

8. Ulta/Sephora/Target GC:

   Similar to yesterday’s Skincare Nerd’s Gift Guide, I guarantee that if you are giving a gift card to a makeup lover, they have a list of products they are dying to try but don’t want to spend the money on yet. Your money will be very gratefully received so they can try something new! You can always give gift cards with the intention of purchasing a particular type of product (like a new palette or foundation) but allowing them the ability to go in and see products and decide for themselves. I find that this takes away a little of the impersonal-ness that some people fear when gifting someone a gift card. If you tell them the intentions, the thought will not go unnoticed.

I hope this gift guide brought you some ideas for this holiday season. Be sure to come back tomorrow to see my Cookbook Gift Guide and to see how I purchase my cookbooks used and on a budget!

As always, have a beautiful day,

Andrea

Disclosure: Amazon links are Amazon Affiliate links meaning that I make a commission off the purchase of the product through my link. I would never recommend a product that I didn't love and all opinions are my own. I am thankful for you choosing to purchase through my links, as it helps me create more content for Andrea Fontana Beauty.

The Skincare Nerd's Gift Guide

This week we are talking Gift Guides. That’s right, I’m bringing you four Gift Guides this week. Last year I did one big Gift Guide, but this year I’m breaking it up into four different ones and I hope come back each day and check them out!

Up first is going to be for the skincare loving guy or gal! Whether your budget is big or small, these items are great if you are looking for a gift for someone who truly enjoys taking care of their skin.

1. Expensive Mask:

   The holidays are the perfect time to get someone the expensive mask you know they will not buy for themselves. Here I’ve linked a few that I absolutely love that are worth the larger price tag.

   1. Herbivore Botanicals Blue Tansy (Great for oily/acne prone skin types)

   2. Farmacy Honey Potion Mask (Great for dry/aging skin)

   3. Korres Wild Rose Vitamin C Sleeping Facial (Great for brightening)

2. Mask Brush/ Mask Bowl:

   Sometimes certain face masks require mixing in a small dish and a gift like this is really nice to receive. Make sure that the brush has synthetic fibers though because they won’t be porous and soak in moisture. This set is a great option!

3. Gift Certificate for a facial or other skincare treatment:

   Facials can be a treat that we don’t often buy for ourselves, so receiving one as a gift can be really nice! Make sure you do your research and ask around your area to get specific details and recommendations on who is the best in your area. The last thing you want to do is gift a bad experience!

4. Skincare Tools:

   If someone is into skincare products but hasn’t experimented with tools, try getting an ice or jade roller for their face. It’s a fun way to step up your skincare game and use something that you might not have bought yourself.

5. Satin Pillowcases:

   These are great for both your hair or your skin. The satin allows you to glide smoothly over the pillow when you’re sleeping, and reduce the tugging on your face.

6. Headbands for Doing Skincare Routine:

   This one would be a great add on or stocking stuffer. If the skincare junkie you’re shopping for loves to do a lot of face masks, a headband like this one would be perfect to keep their hair away from their face when doing treatments.

7. ‘Eat Beautiful’ Cookbook:

   I absolutely adore this cookbook because of all of the information on specific foods and how they benefit the skin. If your skincare nerd loves to cook, this would be a great gift to incorporate beauty into their diet.

8. Aveda Shammy:

   This cloth by Aveda is great for removing masks, products, etc from the face without scratching the surface of your skin. I used these in school and love them so much! I use mine at home all the time. Plus you can throw them in the washing machine to clean them!

9. Sheet Masks:

   I usually buy a big set of face masks every year and give a few to everyone I’m giving gifts to. No one can ever have enough sheet masks because they are one time use. They are a must have for stocking stuffers.

10. Gift Cards to Ulta/ Sephora/ Target/ Amazon/ Dermastore:

    When in doubt, buy your favorite skincare nerd a gift card to go buy more skincare. I know that gift cards can sometimes seem impersonal, but if you buy one and say ‘this is for you to pick out a new face mask or cleanser’ specifically, it can make the gift feel more personalized. I promise you that no skincare junkie will be sad about money they have to spend on more facial products.

As you can probably tell, I didn’t want to just focus on skincare product recommendations. I wanted to try to recommend more detailed gifts besides the obvious ones. Of course when in doubt shower everyone you love in Rosehip Oil. hahaha (Did you really think I could get through a skincare gift guide without mentioning it? haha)

Coming soon also, I’ll have a Makeup Lover’s G.G., my Top Cookbooks to Gift, and stocking stuffers!

Andrea

Disclosure: Amazon links are Amazon Affiliate links meaning that I make a commission off the purchase of the product through my link. I would never recommend a product that I didn't love and all opinions are my own. I am thankful for you choosing to purchase through my links, as it helps me create more content for Andrea Fontana Beauty.