So You Want To… Give the Gift of Glow with Katie Sturino

She’s glossing over it. Katie Sturino is a body-positive content creator, author, and all-around Megababe—which happens to be the name of her beauty line that has an anti-chafing stick you must try. (It literally changed our lives.)

If you follow her on IG, you know she’s got the gift of fab. So in partnership with CVS Beauty, we called her for advice on creating the perfect gift sets (which all ring up for under $20, by the way), the ultimate stocking stuffer, and other affordable presents for all the wonderful elves who make our worlds go ‘round.

True or False: Beauty buys are a good holiday present?
Yes! Not that you’re asking for this type of enthusiasm, but the truth is yes [laughing]. It’s always useful, and depending on where you’re shopping, like at CVS, it can be budget-friendly.

What’s your gifting philosophy?
If I’ve heard someone say they want something over the course of the year, I’m someone who will buy a gift early, save it, and give it to them at Christmas or their birthday. I also love giving practical gifts—something that they’re like, “Oh, thank God”—that they’ve never tried before or something they’ll use.

So we like making gift sets. What are some products we could assemble for a friend who’s not super into makeup?
I would go with Neutrogena makeup remover wipes from CVS because those are something that seem kind of like a luxury. You don’t need [them] because you can just wash your face, but those wipes are amazing. I also got Cetaphil face wash for my goddaughter who’s starting her skincare routine. It’s a really clean and easy way to get into skincare, and it’s something she might not think to ask for.

What about for someone who loves a bold beauty look?
Try the blue mascara from L’Oréal because it’s super cool and something you wouldn’t think to try for yourself. I like pushing the boundary, and the same thing goes for this L’Oreal red lip gloss. It’s good for holidays and pushes people out of their comfort zones.

What look works with blue mascara?
I like it with a casual day look because it adds something special. You’re like, “Yeah, I’m in a sweatsuit, but look at my lashes.” The blue is a subtle cool that you surprise people with.

Is there a Goldilocks option between those 2 for an understated but still glam look?
I would go with the Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara. The thing about mascara is that it expires and people don’t often replace it! It’s something you forget to buy or have for way too long. [Also,] the Garnier Fructis hairspray. I actually bought it for my husband from CVS. He’s always stealing my sh*t to keep his hair back, so now he’s got his own stuff.

Are there any beauty gifting don’ts we should know?
Anything having to do with hair preferences. Don’t buy someone a tweezer, razor, mustache bleach…Those are personal items that people have to pick up themselves.

Help! We have, like, $5 and need a stocking stuffer.
Oh, Ardell lashes! I have them on right now. A friend gifted me my first pair of lashes because she was like, “You should try these. It’s much more cost-effective than going to have your lashes done.” I started doing them and was like, “Well, these are amazing.”