Holiday Gift Guide

The time has come for gifting and giving; whether you’re scrambling for a surprise gift, deciding on who’s making it to your “yes” list, or having a “treat yourself” moment for the holidays, this gift guide is catered to anyone from beginner to even the most advanced skincare junkies. We hope you enjoy, cheers!

Foundational Stage

We always welcome new members to the skincare community because skincare is what? That’s right, self-care. Besides building a beginner skincare routine, finding the right products is equally essential. A healthy skin barrier builds on cleansing, moisturizing, and SUNSCREEN, SUNSCREEN, SUNSCREEN!

Cleansing, moisturizing, and using sunscreen are the three pillars of healthy skin, but gifting a serum is always a great introduction to the world of serums and an even greater add-on as something extra special for our loved ones. The latest version of Calming Serum from Beauty of Joseon is a hydrating yet lightweight, antioxidant-rich serum to soothe sensitive skin and strengthen the skin barrier. The latest version retained its green tea + panthenol duo to calm and soothe sensitive and irritated skin with the addition of Artemisia Capillaris extracts–a species of mugwort– at a high concentration to boost its efficacy. Green tea is known to be prolific in EGCG–a potent antioxidant that combats oxidative stress caused by UVB rays– that protects the skin barrier, which makes this a powerful duo with sunscreen.

Developmental Stage

This is where we talk about targeting specific skincare goals/concerns and yes, I know you’re thinking about which serum to buy for your loved ones. That’s not a good idea and I’ll tell you why.

At this stage, we’re familiar with serums and have a clearer understanding of our skin. Unless you know your loved one’s skin concerns and history, it’s very hard to find the serum that will be just right for them or suitable to their liking e.g. is the texture thick or thin? Does it contain ingredients that counteract what they’re already using? Does their skin react to certain ingredients? You get the gist.
Skincare is very nuanced in which case, we have curated a list of alternatives that are more suitable for special occasions.

 
A cleansing balm and a lip sunscreen are no-brainers to take your cleansing and sunscreen game up a notch. The I’m From Fig Cleansing Balm takes on heavy-duty makeup with ease. Not only is there 7.8% fig and oil water to nourish the skin while cleansing away all the impurities, but there is also a sweet floral aroma that gives a pleasant sensorial experience, a bonus for those who don’t mind fragrance.

 
Similarly, the Mentholatum Melty Cream Lip comes in milk vanilla and rich honey–fragrance-free as well for members who don’t like fragrance– to compliment the deep moisture it provides. As its name suggests, the product melts into your lips with ease, leaving a plump and glossy finish. If you had to choose an item for a stocking stuffer, this would be it!

 
Dr.Ceuracle–known for their biphase kombucha essence–released their Jeju Matcha Clay Pack to reduce the appearance of pores and provide oil control with 20% Kaolin clay, 8.5% Bentonite, as well as 3.5% green tea extracts. This mask gives antioxidant boosts to the skin with a hydrating and refreshing finish–a wonderful take-your-sweet-time-to-care-for-yourself treat for a dopamine boost.

 
BT21 Hydrocolloid Patches are one of the cutest patches you can get to beautify your breakouts and pigmentation. Not only are these patches aesthetically pleasing, but there are also different active ingredients to target specific needs: the acne patch contains zinc to reduce inflammation and kill acne-causing bacteria, the Happy Skin patch contains kojic acid for hyperpigmentation, and many more!

Refined Stage

Here is where most people struggle with not knowing what to get their friends and family because the recipients are just so knowledgeable in skincare that they have practically everything in their arsenal. But chill on the reindeer grunting, we got you on this one as well.

A powder wash is a less well-known but effective cleanser. The Stabilized Rice Bran Enzyme Powder Wash comes out in powder form and immediately emulsifies when it comes in contact with an appropriate amount of water just like a regular water-based cleanser. However, the secret–but not so secret–use of this enzyme powder is exfoliation. The rice bran enzyme creates a slightly gritty texture when less water is added to give the skin a gentle physical exfoliation suitable for daily use.

Powerful chemical exfoliants can give your skin an immediate brightness and even texture, particularly chemical peels. The Skin1004 Zombie Beauty Bloody Peel comes out in a dark red color–hence, bloody–with AHA at 17% to remove the dead skin cells on the stratum corneum, allowing more youthful skin cells to surface. The physical and visual experience of this product is not for the faintest of hearts because there’s a “bloodshed” for the rebirth of skin.

Another form of exfoliation that usually doesn’t cross our mind is dermaplaning. Some might be appalled by the thought of using blades, let alone maneuvering them on the face. However, dermaplaning not only helps newer skin cells to surface but also facilitates the absorption of other products i.e. making the most out of all the skincare products. The Shiseido FT Prepare Facial Razor can be used to trim your eyebrows as well as shaving your cheeks, forehead and any broad areas of the face. It is also rust-resistant and has a safety guard. Again, just like the blood shed, crossing blades is an equally advanced technique and should be approached with caution. 

If your kin(dred) enjoys facial massages, jade rollers and facial oils are the perfect duo. Applying both can give the physical benefit of lymphatic drainage and the chemical benefit of nourishing the skin e.g. Fortify from Stratia contains tamanu oil and squalane to provide a lightweight yet rich nourishment on the skin from the inside out, creating a slippery surface so the jade roller can effortlessly roll across the face, giving a facial massage.

Explore New Things

Time and time again, the question of “What is the trendy ingredient?” preemptively strikes, pushing skincare companies to come out with more unique and interesting formulas. Although oo35mm is not a skincare brand, we carry unique products, some are only available to us!

 

 

oo35mm X Holy Snails Angel Shark Sauce is a special serum –that does NOT contain sharks–only available at oo35mm. Angel Shark is a Tea Tree water and Madecassoside based serum infused with 10% Niacinamide, lactobacillus ferments, and Sea Kelp bio ferment. Tea tree water and niacinamide have antibacterial properties and help with sebum control. Sea Kelp and Lactobacillus are probiotics to regulate the skin’s microbiome and soothe irritated skin in addition to the madecassoside. For the friend who is constantly on the hunt for indie skincare products, this is it!

 

The other “angels” from our store special are the Derma Angel Acne Patches. These patches are a staff pick acne patch well known for its ultra thinness and near sheer invisibility that targets even the most inflamed acne. With inflammatory acne comes post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH). Derma Angel Lightning Patches contains tranexamic acid to fade pigmentation and centella to soothe the skin, which makes this an excellent aftercare product. Together, they are a wonderful duo suitable for all skin types and a thoughtful gift for people who are acne prone.

A hidden gem in skincare and a staff favorite of our team is beet. In addition to the rich pink color, beets are rich in antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory properties to soothe irritated and sensitive skin. The I’m From Beet Purifying Mask contains beet root extract at 5ppm and red beet enzyme powder at 1.5% to nourish the skin. There is kaolin clay in this mask that helps with oil control and simultaneously, provides deep hydration to nourish the skin. Face masks are always a delightful treat!

Still Not Sure?

If you’re still undecided on what to get for your friends and family, we get it. Skincare is very personalized and finding the right product for other people is difficult. In that case, gift cards are always a good way to let your loved ones know that you have their hobbies in mind. You may come in for an in-store gift card or we can email the gift card to them to be used online.

In the case that you do come into our store, don’t hesitate to ask our wonderful staff for a free skincare consultation and we can work together to help you achieve your skincare goals! Note: we don’t bite…sometimes :)

The oo35mm blog team wishes you Happy Holidays! XOXO

 

References

1. Skin Protective Effect of Epigallocatechin Gallate [PMC]
2. Lactobacillus Ferment (Explained + Products) [INCIDecoder]
3. The Potential Benefits of Red Beetroot Supplementation in Health and Disease [PMC]

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