12 Chic Women Weigh In on the Best Beauty Gifts for the Thanksgiving Host Inline
Photographed by Mario Testino, Vogue, June 20131/13
Photo: Courtesy of marie-stella-maris.com2/13Sloane Crosley, writer
“There’s an Amsterdam-based company called Marie-Stella-Maris, and you can’t go wrong with any of their scents or their packaging (they also donate a portion of their profits to a clean drinking water charity, which feels right for Thanksgiving). The candles are great, and they’re not exorbitantly expensive—though if we tack on international shipping, that gets a bit sticky. Overall, if someone is coming to my apartment for dinner, I don’t expect them to bring me anything nicer than what I already own. I don’t want to give my other products a complex.”
Marie-Stella-Maris Scented Candle, $41, marie-stella-maris.com
Photo: Courtesy of mendezboxingnyc.com3/13Padma Lakshmi, cookbook author and television host
“A beauty-related gift shows that the giver went a step further in their thought process to show care for the hostess outside of the production of putting together a fabulous Thanksgiving feast. I started boxing 15 years ago with a gifted lesson from the poet Mary Karr, and I will always be grateful to her for it. Every major city has a boxing gym, and while they may not be fancy, they will always do the trick. In New York I train with Dell Brown at Mendez Boxing Gym.”
Group and private lessons at Mendez Boxing Gym; for information: mendezboxingny.com
Photo: Courtesy of Astier de Villatte4/13Christine Muhlke, food editor and consultant
“Astier de Villatte dish soap in Sage: Who knew there was such a thing as luxe dish soap? The scent gives my dishwashing time an oddly spa-like tinge. Come to think of it, it would be great on sweet potatoes… And this Dan Barber–approved black currant and grapefruit hand lotion (biodegradable ingredients!) is made with pumpkin seed oil grown in New York state. I like the Hugo Guinness–esque label, too.”
Astier de Villatte Sage Dishwashing Liquid, $26, aedes.com
Photo: Courtesy of Joana Avillez5/13Joana Avillez, illustrator
“To be honest, I think the best thank-you right now is donating money in my name to Planned Parenthood, the ACLU, or the Natural Resources Defense Council. That sort of gift would truly give me the most peace of mind.”
Photo: Courtesy of Santa Maria Novella6/13Alice Gao, photographer
“I’d have to say this hand cream by Santa Maria Novella. For one, I never use my dishwasher (it’s an old habit from how my parents always just used the dishwasher as a drying rack—apparently it’s a very Asian household thing to do!), so I’ll surely be destroying my hands washing all the dishes. Secondly, I love all the packaging so much. It looks so beautiful on a nightstand.”
Santa Maria Novella Crema per le Mani, $54, smnovella.com
Photo: Courtesy of Byredo7/13Camille Becerra, chef and food stylist
“Look no further for the gift your hostess does not have but needs: hair perfume in scents like Flowerhead and Gypsy Water. Also, these burning papers kill any stale after-dinner smells and deliver your guests straight to the 1600s (when this incense originated) and to the most magical part of dinner—dessert.”
Byredo Hair Perfume in Flowerhead, $62, byredo.com
Photo: Courtesy of lakeandskye.com8/13Ryan Roche, designer
“I am obsessed with floral waters. My friend Courtney Somer, who lives upstate near me, has a beautiful range called Lake & Skye. For me, this is the ultimate hostess gift. We all need to take care of ourselves, and a floral-water spray is a quick way to nurture yourself anytime, anywhere throughout your day.”
Lake & Skye Rose Floral Water, $48, lakeandskye.com
Photo: Courtesy of captainblankenship.com9/13Laura Ferrara, fashion stylist and co-owner of Westwind Orchard
“I’d be delighted with any product from my favorite upstate beauty brand, Captain Blankenship. Jana locally sources her plant-based ingredients and makes them small-batch, so you feel them clearing your holiday space and conjuring positive energy. I also admire that her company is women-run, makes a positive environmental impact in their production methods, and uses only organic ingredients. There are also incredible CSA (community supported agriculture) organizations right here in New York doing wonderful things for their communities and for farmers. A donation to a CSA in my name would be one of the most thoughtful host gifts I could imagine.”
Captain Blankenship New Moon Smokeless Smudge Spray, $20, captainblankenship.com
Photo: Courtesy of Aesop10/13Nina Johnson, gallerist
“My favorite host gift is a bottle of Aesop’s Post-Poo Drops! They come in the most beautiful glass apothecary-style bottle and smell divine. They always get a good laugh, which is a wonderful ice-breaker and conversation starter, and you avoid having to keep a hideous bottle of aerosol spray in the WC.”
Aesop Post-Poo Drops, $29, aesop.com
Photo: Courtesy of mcmcfragrances.com11/13Helen Levi, potter and photographer
“What I would love someone to bring me is this room spray from MCMC Fragrances. I love their perfumes and haven’t tried this one yet. I think it would be a thoughtful gift in the context of lots of people coming and going in a small apartment!”
MCMC Fragrances Desert Rose Atmosphere Mist, $38, mcmcfragrances.com
Photo: Courtesy of shopeverydayoil.com12/13Taylor Patterson, florist, Fox Fodder Farm
“My friend Emma Allen’s Everyday Oil. The blend of lavender, clary sage, and palo santo essential oils is both calming and refreshing. I put it on in the evening before I go to sleep and in the morning to wake up . . . and as a midday pick-me-up. I have one in my bathroom, one in my bag, and one in my car.”
Everyday Oil, $48, shopeverydayoil.com
Photo: Courtesy of shoplvx.com13/13Helene Henderson, chef, Malibu Farm
“I love a mani-pedi and always bring my own polish: LVX, which is a seven toxin-free, cruelty-free, and vegan polish. Rive and Dahlia are my go-to colors. I alternate the colors on the toes depending on what mood I’m in, but I always and only do a buff shine on my nails, as you can’t wear polish when cooking!”
LVX Nail Polish in Rive and Dahlia, $18 each, shoplvx.com
