Pamper the ones you love with these great gifts
Anybody can use a bit of extra self-care in their lives — whether it's a well-versed beauty buff who loves a pampering routine or someone who doesn't take enough time for themselves and could use some much-needed relaxation. A self-care gift tells the recipient that you think they deserve to be spoiled with an indulgent and luxurious gift, which is always a welcome compliment if you ask us.
Ahead, you'll find the very best self-care gifts for everyone on your list, from massage guns for athletes to luxe creams for skin care aficionados and everyone in between. The gifts range from splurge-worthy high-end products to affordable trinkets that make for great stocking stuffers. We also included a number of products that have earned rave reviews from the BestReviews Testing Lab.
By the way, if something really catches your eye, don't feel guilty treating yourself: After all, you could use a little comfort, too, after finishing all that holiday shopping!
Best massagers
If you've got a runner or other athlete on your gift list, consider this therapeutic massage gun, which can help relieve pain and eradicate muscle knots after a grueling workout. This model, a BestReviews staff favorite, offers nine speed settings and comes with eight attachments that let you dig deep or go lighter on target areas. It runs on a rechargeable battery that gives you about three hours of battery life per use. It's fairly compact and easy to throw in your gym or travel bag.
Experience post-workout recovery, improved sleep and mobility, and stress relief with this high-quality massage gun. It includes five targeted attachments — a thumb for trigger points, a cone for pinpointing muscle treatment, a wedge for reduced tension and a standard ball and dampener, which can be used on all muscle group. They work on five customizable speed ranges to give you the perfect massage for your needs. This product also stands out for being ultra-quiet.
According to our tester, the effect of this gun "feels pretty similar to getting a massage.... It’s way better than my foam roller as far as convenience and speed, and it feels way more versatile and targeted. "
If you know someone who suffers from migraines — or someone who just loves to pamper themselves — this eye massager is sure to delight. Its built-in heating pads deliver a comfortable temperature between 104 and 107 degrees as the eye area becomes relaxed thanks to oscillating pressure and rhythmic percussion massaging. It even has Bluetooth connectivity, so you can play a soothing soundtrack while you use it.
Best facial tools
If you're looking to tone and firm your face's skin, we suggest this product, vetted by the BestReviews Testing Lab. While creams and serums can treat the skin's surface, this device uses targeted microcurrents that go deeper to help smooth lines and contour or sculpt the facial muscles. If you're unsure of how to use it, don't worry: You can use the NuFace app to access step-by-step instructions tailored to your needs and to track your progress.
This nifty, affordable tool makes an excellent stocking stuffer for anyone who could use a bit of extra pampering. Pop it in the freezer before using it all over your face. The cold therapy is not only relaxing, it can help reduce puffiness in the face and around the eyes and relieve muscle pain, headaches and migraines. After a rough night, this product is especially soothing when used first thing in the morning.
This deep-cleansing spatula can help eradicate dirt, oil and clogged pores on the face — it works just like a miniature facial from the comfort of your home. It gets deep into hard-to-reach crevices like the sides of your nose and around your mouth. Use it alone on a dampened face or with your favorite skin care products to optimize the performance of creams and essences up to 20 times. The wireless device is rechargeable via USB cord.
Pore vacuums are all over TikTok, with users raving about their ability to suck out dirt and grime. This electric version uses suction to target blackheads and whiteheads and effectively lift impurities from the skin. It comes with four replaceable suction heads, ideal for different areas of the face based on the various sizes. The vacuum has five adjustable power levels, so you can find the one that's most comfortable and suited to your needs.
Best skin care
This lactic-acid-based daily toner helps target acne, pores, blemishes and dark spots. Still, it's safe for various skin types including normal, combination, dry and oily skin. It's formulated with lactic acid to help remove dead skin cells and promote a smoother-looking texture, salicin to visibly minimize pores and azelaic acid to help boost radiance and even skin tone. Our tester noted that it helped their hyperpigmentation and made their skin smoother. It's available in a mini 3.4-ounce size, which makes a great stocking stuffer, in addition to the 8.5-ounce and 16.9-ounce sizes.
Take it from a BestReviews tester, who raved that this cream was "probably the best-smelling lotion I've ever smelled." If that isn't enough to convince you, they also noted the texture was "super buttery and luxurious." The firming body cream uses fast-absorbing cupuacu butter to deliver deep hydration and essential fatty-acids deep into the skin. Meanwhile, antioxidant-packed guarana extract and acai oil help prevent environmental damage to your skin and Brazil nut oil helps support the skin's natural ability to protect itself.
Collagen can help reduce wrinkles and maintain smooth skin. This vegan collagen serum can be used on the face, eyes, neck and decolletage to help visibly firm and smooth skin. Other ingredients include alguronic acid, which helps reduce the look of lines and wrinkles and fights environmental damage, and microalgae oil, which works to hydrate and restore radiance.
LED face masks are super popular on TikTok, offering a variety of skin care benefits including reducing wrinkles, improving skin texture and helping fight acne. That's because red light waves can help accelerate the production of new collagen and calm redness. This high-end version uses 132 LED bulbs that deliver a powerful 10-minute facial treatment said to reduce wrinkles and improve skin's texture, tone and firmness.
Time spent barefoot and in sandals during the summer can leave your feet callused and rough. Winter is the perfect time to rehab the skin on the bottom of your feet with products like this exfoliating foot peel. Each box contains two booties (one for each foot) that are worn for one hour before you wash off the liquid. Over the next five to seven days, the dead skin on your feet will peel and fall off, revealing smoother, softer skin beneath. This product makes a great stocking stuffer.
Up your shower routine with this exfoliating body scrub, great for giving someone who loves a bit of extra pampering in the shower. Using a combination of lactic and glycolic acids, this luxurious body scrub helps loosen the skin's top layer and decongest pores, while pumice buffing beads gently but effectively sweep it all away. The result is healthier-looking skin that feels soft and smooth.
This high-quality cleanser, from a dermatologist-favorite brand, makes a great gift for someone looking to elevate their skin care routine in a simple way. The BestReviews Testing Lab found this foaming product best suited for those with normal to oily skin. It uses a combination of soothing prebiotic thermal water, moisture-retaining ceramide-3 and soothing and restoring niacinamide to gently but effectively cleanse skin.
A gua sha routine can help depuff your skin and provide daily relaxation. This charming set includes a butterfly-shaped rose quartz gua sha tool and a chamomile-infused face serum that helps nourish irritated skin and relieve redness. Used in tandem, the products can lift, drain and sculpt the face, leaving a radiant and dewy glow. This product is great for a beauty buff who loves to put in the extra time and effort for an elevated skin care routine.
Best hair products
Olaplex is a splurge-worthy hair care brand found on the shelves of top-notch salons. If you know someone who likes to give their tresses some extra love and care, this repairing treatment would make an excellent gift. It works to repair extreme damage, turning dry, brittle strands into soft, shiny and more resilient hair. This product should be used in the shower and rinsed out before following with shampoo and conditioner.
This multi-use hair tool is the ultimate splurge — and any beauty lover would be thrilled to receive it. It can dry, curl and straighten hair thanks to six versatile attachments, including two curlers, a volumizing round brush, two straightening brushes and a flyaway tamer. The best part is that it styles your hair with air, not extreme heat, so it helps maintain healthier tresses without causing damage.
Our tester loved this upgraded version of the user-favorite hot air brush, with a slimmer, easier-to-maneuver shape than the original, as well as an added medium heat setting that's perfect for fine, dense hair. The all-in-one tool gets wet hair dry and straightened into a salon-quality blowout with minimal time and effort — and that's all the more appealing when you consider the affordable price (especially compared to high-end models and salon visits). Our tester found it simpler and less tiring than using a traditional hair dryer with a non-heating round brush.
More of the best wellness technology
This showerhead attachment may not look like much, but it has a big impact: "My hair and skin are super soft and my curly hair is less tangled and less frizzy," noted the BestReviews tester who tried it out. "This is a huge upgrade." That's because the product filters shower water before it hits your skin and hair to remove chlorine, heavy metals and other contaminants that contribute to common skin and hair issues, such as dry skin, damaged hair, change in hair color and rashes or irritation.
If you know someone who's a fan of red-light therapy but doesn't want to shell out for spa services each time, this home red-light therapy lamp is a great solution. This lightweight lamp uses red and near-infrared light, said to aid in muscle recovery and pain relief, as well as delivering other health and anti-aging benefits. The plug-in model has four adjustable levels of brightness and comes with safety goggles, recommended for wear during use.
Are heated towels the definition of peak luxury? We think so. This 26-liter bin can fit up to two oversized towels and heat them to a warm, cozy temperature in just a minute. The heat is adjustable and goes up to 275 degrees. Flip the switch right before you take a shower or bath and you'll have spa-like heated towels after you're done. Or you can delay the start between 30 minutes and 24 hours, and you can keep the heat going for 20, 40 or 60 minutes. Pro tip: Try heating your socks in the winter for an extra-cozy feel.
Though it's intended for baby wipes, consider popping your makeup remover wipes in this lit warming dispenser. The plug-in device ensures you get comfortably heated towels each time. There's even a built-in light that automatically shuts off after 10 minutes and a transparent window so you can see exactly how many wipes you have left without opening the box. Its silicone seal keeps moisture locked in, so you don't have to worry about a half-empty pack of towelettes drying out on you.
If you know someone who suffers from hot flashes or night sweats, they'll surely appreciate this cooling neck and shoulder wrap that delivers fast relief. It's also useful for nursing moms and people with multiple sclerosis or migraines. The best part of this nylon-and-foam cooling pad is that it re-cools at room temperature and is ready to go in about 30 minutes, so you don't have to worry about refrigerating it.
More of the best wellness products
The Naked palettes have been beloved fan favorites for many years, and for good reasons: The all-flattering hues are easy to mix and match, and they can be incorporated into nearly any makeup look. The Naked 3 focuses on rosy-hued neutrals in ultra-smooth mattes, shimmery pearls and shiny metallics. The 12 shades are easily blendable and apply with a velvety texture. This set also includes a dual-ended brush and interior mirror.
Treat your tired feet to some fancy foam recovery technology, which absorbs 37% more impact than traditional footwear foam materials to reduce the stress on your feet, joints and back. The patented footbed is designed to cradle and support the arches, reducing energy exertion in the ankles by up to 47% compared to competitors’ footwear. The shoes are especially useful for athletes and gym-goers to wear after a workout.
Hydration is also self-care, and an insulted water bottle is a gift appreciated by almost anyone. This 24-ounce version from Owala got rave reviews from our BestReviews tester, who said it surpassed even their high expectations. The stainless steel bottle, which includes a straw, comes in 17 gorgeous colorways, so you can pick a different version for everyone on your list.
Is there anything as cozy as snuggling up under a fluffy blanket in winter? This microfiber version from Barefoot Dreams, which comes in four dreamy hues, makes that more luxurious than ever thanks to an unbelievably soft fabric. Toss it on your couch or bed for an elevated, chic look. And don't worry about stains — it's conveniently machine-washable and dryable, and the fabric won't shrink, pill or wrinkle.
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Talia Ergas writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.