Gift Guide - Make Up For Ever's Best Of Set

It's makeup set season out there. Or are they called makeup kits? Regardless, there's a lot of choices, and it can be a bit scary bananas to wade through all the duds to find the good ones. I have a theory that all the ill-advised colors that don't sell during the year are saved up for the gift sets (that's what they're called!) - they're always trying to sneak a maroon eyeshadow or brown lipstick in there some way or another, and in the past I've tended to steer clear.

Thankfully, that reign of terror seems to have abated - there's a bunch of cute and well chosen kits this holiday season, and they're about as easy and stress free a gift as you'll find for the girls on your list.....

My favorite kit of the season is the Make Up For Ever Wild and Chic Best Of Collection, which is quite a mouthful, but worth it. It would suit my best friend, my sister, my mother and my boss. Quite a broad group. It's a smart selection of MUFE's best-selling items, in the perfect neutral shades, for a nicely discounted price. I was lucky enough to be able to try all the products out, and most I'll buy again separately -which is bad for my wallet, but bodes well for their quality.

The kit includes:


A full sized tube of Smoky Lash mascara in black. I tried this, it clumped and felt dry, and I almost threw it over my shoulder with a cry of "not another rubbish mascara!" This was entirely unwarranted. If you wipe excess product off the brush, it creates thick, separated, fluttery lashes in the deepest black, and holds a curl beautifully. So don't make snap judgements, and always wipe the brush.

A full sized pot of Aqua Cream eye shadow in shade #13 - a lovely neutral rose gold, that's shimmery but not garish, and doesn't budge once it's set. Blend quickly! Also a fab primer - sets powder shadow like nobody's business.

A full sized Lab Shine Lipgloss in shade S4, a shimmery peachy pink. I'm not really a lipgloss girl. It makes me feel like I'm 14 (lipgloss was the shit when I was 14, ranking only behind butterfly hair clips and visible bra straps). Also, my hair always gets stuck in it. Somehow this one has drawn me back into the fold. It's nice and sticky, shimmery but not sparkly, and is the perfect neutral - something about the shade also makes green eyes look really green, which is nice. If you have green eyes.

A travel sized (read: mini) Aqua Eyes eyeliner in Mat Black - I don't like how they've taken liberties with the spelling of matte, but otherwise this is one of the softest, smoothest liners I've ever used. I'm a kohl girl myself, but this is so nice that I've found myself drawing on the back of my hand with it, just to feel how soft it is. Which is wasteful, and strange.

A travel size HD Microfinish Powder - I don't really use powder, so I'm not the greatest judge of this, but feels like silk on the skin, and seems to smooth and blur imperfections without looking overly matte - it's also universally beloved by makeup artists, and the little jar will last a good long time.

A travel size HD Microperfecting Primer - one of the most popular primers on the market, it's light and fresh feeling, and a good addition anybody's routine - the tube should last at least a couple of months, and might even get me to start wearing primer. Maybe.

So there you have it - I name Make Up For Ever's Wild and Chic Best Of Collection the perfect holiday set - nice colors, useful products, excellent formulas, good value - it's my favorite this season, and hopefully will remain available year 'round. Pick it up online or in person at Sephora, and see if you can actually get it wrapped and given as a gift, or if you end up keeping it for yourself. I won't judge you either way.

Have someone on your list this would suit perfectly? Or is there another gift set you have your eye on? Tell me all about it below!

(This product was a PR sample. MUFE is cruelty free:)