🎁It’s Official: These Are The #DamnGood, Non-Boring Holiday Gifts Of The 2025 Season, According to Us

Summary

Breaking Beauty Podcast – Episode Summary

🎁 It’s Official: These Are The #DamnGood, Non-Boring Holiday Gifts Of The 2025 Season, According to Us

Hosts: Jill Dunn & Carlene Higgins
Date: November 26, 2025

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Episode Overview

In this highly anticipated annual #DamnGood Holiday Gift Guide episode, beauty editors-turned-podcasters Jill and Carlene reveal their curated picks for the most exciting, non-boring beauty gifts of the 2025 holiday season. Drawing on their combined decades of swatching and testing, the duo covers gifts at every price point for every beauty lover—from makeup and fragrance to accessories and skincare. With personal anecdotes, unboxing excitement, and honest reviews, this guide isn’t about the predictable: every item is chosen to spark genuine joy and meet their high standards for truly unboring gifting.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Setting the Tone: Why Non-Boring Gifts Matter

• Jill and Carlene stress their deep industry experience:
  “We always say that we’ve seen it all, swatched it all. So we have a pretty high standard for what would be considered unboring.” – Carlene (01:17)
• Gifts should feel fresh, joyful, and thoughtfully chosen.

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1. Charlotte Tilbury Holiday 2025 Collection

Hollywood Instant Look in a Palette – Pretty Glowing Beauty

• Timestamps: 02:36–06:26
• Key Points:
  • The beloved “5-minute palette,” now in a sparkling pink lamé cover (very festive).
  • New campaign featuring Céline Dion, who uses the actual product.
  • “What I found exciting is the campaign behind it. Did you see the Celine Dion campaign for Charlotte Tilbury? She was actually in a video…” – Carlene (03:20)
  • Two skin tone options; $69 US/$88 CAD.
  • Clear, “makeup for dummies” palette structure—easy, glamorous, crowd-pleasing.
  • Mention of the new Blush Glow formula: “Brand new cheek color, a light-catching formula for radiant pop.” (06:00)
• Gift Pick Bonus: Pillow Talk Iconic Lip & Cheek Kit in Christmas Cracker packaging—a genius universally flattering gift and top stocking stuffer. (05:22)

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2. Emi Jay Hair Accessories

Sweet & Sleek Styling Set & Toasted Hair Clips

• Timestamps: 06:26–10:21
• Key Points:
  • Pink boar bristle brush and hair “slick stick”: French, old-timey vibes, chic, functional.
  • “Every single girl on the Lower East Side and in Soho… teddy bear coat and one of these clips in their hair. It is a formula.” – Jill (08:36)
  • The “Sweetheart” and “Good Effing Clip” as must-give gifts for trendy 20-somethings.
  • Packaging comes ready-to-gift, with “To:” and “From:” on the box.

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3. RMS Beauty x Hart Collab Lip-to-Cheek Locket Necklace

• Timestamps: 10:23–14:19
• Key Points:
  • A 10k gold-plated locket necklace that opens to reveal RMS Lip-to-Cheek Tint.
  • “Wearable makeup, everyone. Wearable makeup and I’m here for it.” – Carlene (14:14)
  • Easy to use without a mirror; collab celebrates small, women-led Charleston businesses.
  • “When you open it, it says ‘carpe diem.’” (12:09)
  • Also available on a red cord at lower price, on-trend “cord jewelry” option.
  • “Very chic… old money vibes… A conversation starter.” (14:20)

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4. Luxury Fragrance Picks (+ Customization Tips)

• Timestamps: 19:14–23:44
• Key Points:
  • Guerlain Shalimar Eau de Parfum Intense (vanilla): Celebrates 100 years with a modern vanilla-forward twist. New logo.
  • Pro-Tip: Many high-end fragrances & lipsticks at select Sephora/Dior boutiques can be engraved or monogrammed, making a classic luxe gift feel personal.
  • “You can make it special, you can customize it. I don’t think enough people know about that.” – Jill (20:35)
  • Glossier You Duo—Top 2025 Google-searched fragrance gift, cute “paint can” packaging, comes with both full-size and travel formats. “You don’t even have to gift wrap it at all.” (22:52)
  • Makeup by Mario’s Ethereal Eyes Palette and Glow Recipe—flagged as other top-searched gifts.

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5. L’Occitane French Advent Calendar

• Timestamps: 23:53–27:02
• Key Points:
  • Iconic French-girl beauty in a chic illustrated “house” advent calendar—$210 US / $240 CAD, with $369/$409 value.
  • Includes bestsellers from hand cream to deluxe moisturizers and body oil; has three full-size products.
  • “Looks like a French country farmhouse… It’s just so, so fun.” – Carlene (24:54)
  • More affordable mini advent also available.
  • Highlighted as ideal for moms/mother-in-laws/all Francophile beauty lovers.

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6. Other Luxe Mini & Indie Gifts

a. Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Petite Trio

• Timestamps: 27:14–29:07
• Petite, soft blue blush sticks in bestselling shades; $60 for three.
• “I am a sucker for anything petite… As soon as I saw it, I was like, ‘give me.’” – Jill (28:01)

b. Soft Services Buffing Bar Miniature Collection

• Timestamps: 29:15–32:24
• Book-shaped box with individually wrapped mini body buffing bars in multiple scents.
• “It reminds me of the Lifesavers candy storybook in my stocking.” – Jill (32:07)

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7. Skincare Standouts

Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum Holiday Set

• Timestamps: 32:48–39:12
• Full Sulwhasoo ritual (cleanser, iconic serum, ginseng cream); $116 US.
• “This is like the La Mer of K-beauty… It’s a traditional gift to the mother of the bride and dignitaries.” – Carlene (33:28, 38:51)
• Carlene shares personal results: “When I get off a plane, I usually have inflamed skin… My skin just looked neutral… my face is not the usual bright red.” (35:22)
• Serious science behind the ginseng—backed by Johns Hopkins research.
• “It was not fluff science. It was legitimate.” – Carlene (36:55)

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8. Affordable Kits & Viral Favorites

Jones Road Beauty – Great value sets, first-ever sitewide holiday sale: up to 20% off sitewide over $100. (45:22)

Fenty Beauty Glossy Posse VIII Lip Luminizer Trio

• Timestamps: 46:32–49:12
• Sparkly, ombré “sunset in a tube” glosses; $45 US for the set.
• “Look at this: three layers, like a three-layer cake… That’s fun. I feel like a teen—instant hit.” – Carlene (47:54)
• Cost-effective to split up as stocking stuffers.

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9. Extra-Special Indie Moment: Carlene’s Launch – Cassatt Lade Retinoid Skin Ointment

• Timestamps: 49:20–54:23
• Carlene gifts Jill her new launch: a French-inspired, retinoid ointment in a “trunk”-like blue box.
• “The actual exterior packaging stands out so much. It's very French. I feel like I’m at Versailles.” – Jill (51:14)
• Designed for sensitive skin; gentle but effective, with scientific “slugging effect” for increased absorption and comfort, not strength.
• Now available at cassattbeauty.com and Lux Atelier (Oregon, US), with glowing first reviews.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On what makes a #DamnGood gift:
  “As much as there’s, like, huge influencers on social media who love Charlotte Tilbury…what first drew me to this line is that she made it very easy for people like me to learn how to do my makeup to the next level.” – Carlene (04:16)

• On hair trends:
  “Every single girl on the Lower East Side and in Soho… teddy bear coat and one of these clips in their hair. It is a formula.” – Jill (08:36)

• On gifting personalized classics:
  “You can make it special, you can customize it. I don’t think enough people know about that.” – Jill (20:35)

• On skincare science:
  “It was not fluff science. It was legitimate.” – Carlene (36:55)

• On indie and out-of-the-box gifts:
  “Wearable makeup, everyone. Wearable makeup and I’m here for it.” – Carlene (re: RMS x Hart Locket, 14:14)

• On new traditions:
  “It’s a traditional gift to give a set to the mother of the bride at weddings in Korea, and to dignitaries. That’s why I think it’s an exciting gift…” – Carlene (38:51)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:44] – Charlotte Tilbury Sparkly Palette & Céline Dion Campaign
• [06:35] – Emi Jay Hair Accessories & Trend Talk
• [10:23] – RMS x Hart Lip-to-Cheek Locket Necklace Live Unboxing
• [19:14] – Guerlain Shalimar, Dior Personalization, Glossier You
• [23:53] – L’Occitane Advent Calendar & Holiday Packaging
• [27:14] – Westman Atelier Blush Trio
• [29:15] – Soft Services Buffing Bar Mini Book
• [32:48] – Sulwhasoo Skincare Set & Science Deep Dive
• [45:22] – Jones Road Beauty Sale Alert, Fenty Lip Glosses
• [49:20] – Carlene’s Cassatt Lade Retinoid Skin Ointment Unboxing

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Final Thoughts

Jill and Carlene offer a lively, honest, and deeply informed tour of 2025’s best beauty gifts, mixing trend-savvy picks with enduring classics and personal favorites. Whether you’re buying for the “girl about town,” the skincare lover, a fragrance fanatic, or just yourself, this episode makes clear: gifting beauty in 2025 can be anything but boring.

“Happy holidays, everybody. Happy shopping. And next week we have another hashtag damn good episode reviewing viral products of 2025—so come back for even more gift inspiration!” – Jill (54:25)

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For product links, promo codes, and visuals, check out Breaking Beauty Podcast’s YouTube and blog.

Transcript

[A]

The following podcast is a dear media production.

[B]

Welcome to Breaking Beauty the podcast. All about the breakthrough people, products and moments in beauty. We're your hosts, Jill Dunn and Carlene Higgins. Welcome back to Breaking Beauty Podcast, everyone. I'm your co host, Carlene Higgins. I'm here with the fabulous Jill Dunn.

[C]

Hey, Carlene.

[B]

And we are two beauty editors turned podcasters here in your feed every single Wednesday, chatting about the breakthrough people, products and moments in beauty.

[C]

And this is a very special episode, one we look forward to every single year. And it's our hashtag damn good holiday gift guide. And these are always like just so fun to put together for everybody. Because beauty gifts, they bring joy. Let's be honest and especially with this timing that we're doing this episode, it's like right before the holidays officially start. Black Friday Cyber Monday. And the theme of today's episode is these are the hashtag damn good. Non boring, non boring Beauty gifts of the season according to us, every price point. So we have something for everyone.

[B]

I think it's more exciting this year.

[C]

I'm okay.

[B]

I'm really excited. And so I think it's the perfect time to talk about unboring gifts because who really wants that? Honestly, given that we are beauty editors and we've been doing this for 20 years, we always say that we've seen it all swatched at all. So we have a pretty high standard for what would be considered unboring. I think we can safely say that. So I definitely have a few things today that like a wearable jewelry piece. That is beauty. I think that's so exciting. A Seline Dion approved palette for your face that I'm really excited about. A lip gloss that's three different colors. I mean, who wouldn't like in this in the same tube, guys? It's like a stack stacked set of colors. Who wouldn't be excited?

[C]

French girl inspired advent calendar. The cool girl hair brand hair clip stocking stuffers galore. So without further ado, we should get into this. And I do want to make mention that we are on YouTube as well. Breaking Beauty podcast. And we have all of the gift sets in front of us. If you want to watch this episode, please join us on there.

[B]

Yes. Then you can see all of the beautiful products for yourself. All right, Jill, we are getting into our gift guide. What? This is the first time we've seen what each other has chosen as unboring gifts. So I'm gonna ask you, looking at my spread, what catches your fancy?

[A]

What are you excited by the Charlotte.

[C]

Tilbury because I haven't seen that one. I'm guessing this is a face palette. She does it so well.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

So let's talk about it.

[B]

Okay, everyone, this is so sparkly and beautiful. I'm going to open it for you. This is called the Hollywood Instant look in a palette, which is not a new product, but it is a new shade. I believe it's called Pretty Glowing Beauty. What is exciting to me, first of all, it's got this beautiful, sparkly pink lame cover on the palette. Just new. It feels very holiday, very festive. But what I found exciting is the campaign behind it. Did you see the Celine Dion campaign for Charlotte Tilbury?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

I just thought it was so special that Celine Dion was in a Charlotte Tilbury campaign and not a still image where she's had maybe some celebrities and big models in the past, like Kate Moss, but she was actually in a video, and it's. You can catch it on YouTube, where here's like, a little picture of it where she's holding the fragrance. She's doing her full glam, like what she would wear at a Las Vegas residency.

[C]

And.

[B]

And one of the products that she holds is this palette, which apparently was used on her. And I just love the concept of the five minute palette. This is one of her first products that she created. And honestly, it's what made me fall in love with the brand, because it's all about teaching you how to do your makeup in five minutes. But being very clear that this is a cheek color, this is a glow blush.

[C]

This is literally spells it out.

[B]

It smells spelled out right on the palette. So I love that kind of Makeup for dummies mentality. Because as. As much as there's, like, huge influencers on social media who love Charlotte Tilbury and use it very well, what first drew me to this line is that she made it very easy for people like me to learn how to do my makeup to the next level using her stunning formulas by helping us out, and I just love that. So this palette is $69 in the US and $88 in Canada. This actually comes in two tones. So there's one. This paler one is called Pretty Glowing Beauty, and there's a darker one called Dreamy Bronzed Beauty, which is stunning as well. And I just love the whole campy, glampy campaign it brought. So it brings you joy. Like, you watch it and you're like, the holidays are here.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And. And it's just, as you said, Charlotte Tilbury does holiday so, so well.

[C]

Yes, darling.

[B]

And you can't go wrong. Like, everybody's going to love this.

[C]

I found that one of the products that I kind of snuck into this roundup was also from Charlotte Tilbury because she did this packaging, I think, for the first time ever for her, which is like the Christmas cracker package. And I just think that these are so fun and such great stocking stuffers. And it's the Pillow Talk iconic lip and cheek kit. And she put on it universally flattering, which is why I think it is a genius gift. And that is the brilliance of the whole Pillow Talk universe. Everybody can use it.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

So that's why I think it's a good gift as well.

[B]

Yep. And if you're already a fan of Charlotte Tilbury, just letting you know that in the palette, there is a brand new cheek color.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

It's called the Blush Glow in a new light catching formula for radiant pop.

[C]

She's done it again. She's done it again. Yep. And I do think it's great value and I think it'll be one of those things that we keep an eye on. Black Friday. Charlotte Tilbury, in the past, anyway, has always done excellent Cyber Monday Black Friday deals. So that's one to watch.

[B]

All right, Joe. Well, if I'm being honest, looking over at your table, what I am most interested in is the mej. So tell me, what have you got over there?

[C]

So if you guys aren't necessarily familiar with me, J, it's spelled E M I and then J A Y. It's a hair accessories brand that has branched out into hair care. I talked about their brushes three years ago on our gift guide because you could do personalized hair brushes, and they have just continued to level up ever since then. So the product that I'm talking about today is actually their new boar bristle brush and their hair slick stick. It's called the sweet and sleek styling set, and it is $64 and with an $86 value. And it's. They have select retailers in Canada, like in the US Threats for it. But in Canada, for instance, they're at Narwhal.

[B]

So, yeah, my favorite fashion boutique in Toronto.

[C]

Little indie places. So this is just like a very adorable set that makes it so dead easy to do. Like the slick back bun I have. I really like the hair, the wax stick that comes in here because it's not too much hold, but it's better than the one that I used to use on Amazon. I'll be real this. It was so efficient, but the smell was so bad that I couldn't handle it. So this one, I feel like is. It's. It's kind of the.

[B]

It's giving you everything.

[C]

It's the best of both worlds.

[D]

Yes.

[B]

Okay, here's the brush. I'm gonna hold it for Jill. It's this really fun pink color on one side, like a Lucite pearlescent pearl.

[C]

It's like pearled. Yeah.

[B]

And then you flip it and you get the bore bristle brush, which is again, very like French old timey.

[C]

Oh, that's so pretty too. Yeah. So this is the stick, the styling stick. Now, I will say that this is already sold out, so I'm hoping. I'm hoping that they restock it. If you don't find it on Sephora guys, go to the MEJ website, which it's currently is in stock. The other thing I wanted to shout out from them that I think they really nailed is their toasted collection with their hair clips.

[B]

Oh, I love their hair clip.

[C]

So the. I was just in New York back to back, kind of in the whole. Every single girl on the Lower east side and in soho. What were they wearing? They were wearing tights, a teddy bear coat, and one of these clips in their hair. It is a formula. And I'm telling you, if you have somebody on your list that is like a girly in their 20s, a girl about town, get them one of these clips, they will not be disappointed. And they did them up with diamante and like chocolate checkers. They're just like very fun and cute. And the.

[D]

It's called the.

[C]

This one's called the little. This is the sweetheart clip. You and I both like the big.

[B]

I like the good effing clip. I have a dark red one and I love it so much. I wear it all the time.

[C]

The one that they did, it's like.

[B]

A little bit pricier for a clip, but you can feel the weight of it with these. It feels again, like a French old salon kind of clip.

[C]

Yes. And this one is the part of the. This is the part of the s' mores collection. The one that is for holiday. And it's just absolutely adorable.

[B]

Bows on. It's a cream colored clip with little brown bows. And I'm obsessed.

[C]

Yeah, no, it's a really good gift. And they even put on the box at the top to and from. So you don't even need to wrap this one.

[B]

And you can. You don't even need to put my name on it. I already.

[C]

You already know that it's for you.

[B]

Take it.

[C]

What's so funny. And I'll tell you why this is a hot ticket item. I had friends over this past weekend. They spotted the mej bag which I.

[D]

Have in the room.

[C]

It's pink and white stripe. And they said, you, you have those? I need, I. I need them. I'm like, no, I'm taking them to la. We're got to do our gift guide. And then they're like, can I have one after? I was like, no promises. I was like, carlene's going to want one too.

[B]

Absolutely.

[C]

The number one.

[B]

Slam dunk. Slam dunk.

[C]

What do you got?

[B]

Okay, I need to tell you guys about something that's personally very exciting to me. This is the RMS by Heart collab Lip to Cheek tint in beloved. And so this is a lip to cheek product by RMS Beauty. If you're familiar with Rosemary Swift. It's a necklace with a locket. And when you open the locket, it's got a little lipstick.

[D]

Gorgeous.

[B]

That doubles as a cheek blush. Okay. How adorable is this? So we're gonna unbox it together right now. Jill.

[C]

Ooh.

[B]

But yeah. So Rosemary Swift, who we love.

[C]

Look at that. So pretty.

[B]

She's a fantastic makeup artist. She's well known for her luminizers, which is one of the original beautiful soft highlighters that came in a cream formula. And it was very new because before that it was just really garish powders. So she's so great at that. And she's based in Charleston now. So this jewelry company called Hart H A R T is also based in Charleston. And so the founders got together to collab and create this jewelry item. So it's this really pretty gold locket on a chain. It's US$250 for this. And it's a 10 karat gold plated brass.

[C]

Plated gold plate of brass.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. So it's got this little kind of diamante.

[C]

Yeah, that's the word I was thinking about with the clips too, is diamante. Yeah, it's this little.

[B]

It's like cubic zirconia, you know what I mean? And then you open it and that's where the little, this little guy is going to go.

[C]

Pops in.

[B]

He pops in.

[C]

That's so cute.

[B]

And when you open it, it says carpe diem. So it's just like a pretty keepsake.

[C]

Small business helping small business. I'm here for that.

[B]

Exactly. And I watched the video where they did it and the jeweler was putting it on without having to look in a mirror. You can just open the locket use your finger. You can reapply your blush. You can apply your lippy. It's so easy. So I love that. It's just like an easy little idea. And I actually have from years ago. Maybe I'll give this.

[C]

I was gonna say it reminds me of a press, like a YSL or Lancome gift from many years ago that they used to sell.

[B]

Yeah. Well, I don't remember there being a lippy, but I have two solid fragrances. I have a solid fragrance necklace from Chloe from years ago.

[C]

Yep.

[B]

And it's silver. I love it. I actually brought it on this trip. I love it as a jewelry item. But then I also love the perfume, too. It's Chloe inside, so, yeah, it's magnetic. So you just pop it in. And I'm gonna do a little demo because I already smished it with my finger. But what's great about it, too is it's not a deep, intense red that you need a mirror to put it on. Of course. Rosemary Swift, all of her products are very skin care ingredient based. So it's rich in, like, baroody oil and cocoa butter oil and things like that. So it's very moisturizing. Yeah.

[C]

She was the queen of clean beauty before it really became.

[B]

Yeah. Huge. So it ends up going on quite sheer. Right. Fancy.

[C]

But yeah, it's pretty.

[B]

I feel like it's. It's like, it's great. They also have a version where the locket comes on a red cord and it's really pretty and a little bit less expensive. It's 175.

[C]

Yeah. Yeah. And maybe more that you could wear that all year round, too. Yeah. Yeah. I think, like, cord jewelry right now is very hot.

[B]

Totally agree.

[C]

So it's a good layering piece. That's so fun. Yeah.

[B]

So.

[C]

And indie businesses, you know.

[B]

Yeah, exactly. And just out of the box, like, that's exciting to me.

[C]

Yeah, it's really cute. Very good.

[B]

It's a limited edition collab.

[C]

Cute.

[B]

It's wearable makeup, everyone. Wearable makeup. And I'm here for it.

[D]

Oh, this is very chic.

[C]

This is like you're going. You have old money, like when you have this on. Yeah. Especially with the. The turtleneck. It's very fun. Yeah. Obsessed. Obsessed.

[B]

This is unboring, everyone. This is absolutely unboring. And a conversation starter. I will say.

[C]

That's very true.

[D]

Pausing to shout out seed. They're one of our show partners this week. I love when you get on a supplement routine and immediately you start to notice the benefits and that's definitely the case with seed. So seeds DS01 daily symbiotic is something that I take to sort of ease.

[C]

Bloating, keep me regular.

[D]

And I love that it's so easy to incorporate into my daily routine. And DSO1 is formulated with 24 clinically and scientifically studied strains to support whole body benefits. So that includes gut health, skin health, heart health, immune health, gut barrier integrity, gut microbial balance and micronutrient synthesis. And it's just two capsules a day. And really the magic is that DS01 is formulated with strains clinically validated to reduce abdominal bloating and intermittent constipation after two weeks. And I personally noticed even after just a couple of times of taking DSO1 that I was much more regular. I'm sure that's TMI, but I'm just letting the girlies know. So if you want to get ahead of the new year with a routine that helps, you know by going to see.com Beauty and use code Beauty to get 20% off your first month, that's 20% off your first months of seeds DS01 Daily [e-mail] Beauty and use code Beauty at checkout to save 20% off your first month. Once again, that's seed.com Beauty and use code BEAUTY to save 20% off. We'll link to the software in our show notes and on our website. Now back to the show.

[A]

Today's episode is brought to you in part by Canna Co. So the holiday season is officially here. That means we get to wear those really fun open back tops or deep plunging V neck dresses. But we also need some boob solutions. So if you have never tried boob tape that lifts you up without having all of the straps and gear that you need with a bra, it's definitely time to give it a try. And there is one company that's making it easier with three different shades of boob tape so that you can find one that looks as seamless as you need it to with any outfit you're wearing, no matter how sheer it is, how see through. It's called Can A Company. It's a black owned shapewear and boob tape brand built to help women look and feel confident in any outfit. It was founded by Mary Lease Uwa Be Can, a company started from a personal journey of body image, healing and empowerment after years of struggling and feeling unseen in mainstream beauty spaces. So Mary Le created Can A Company after realizing that existing boob tape brands rarely catered to all skin tones. So she created this brand out of her small New York City apartment with a dream to make women feel seen and literally supported. So Canna company gives you that, like, customizable bra option using boob tape. And the best part is it stays in place during heat sweat, weddings events, long nights dancing on the dance floor. This product has been spotlighted in InStyle magazine and Destination I do. So if you want to try it for yourself, visit Canaccompany Co and use code BREAKING BEAUTY at checkout for 20% off your first purchase. That's K A n a C O M P a n y co and use code breaking beauty for 20% off your first order. And now back to the show.

[E]

Hey, guys, I'm Whitney Port, and this is With Wit. A lot of you may know me from reality tv, and the reality is a lot's happened since the Hills With Wit is dedicated to having real, raw and occasionally ridiculous conversations with the people who have had a profound impact on me. Because on With Wit, very little is off limits. Subscribe so you don't miss any of the amazing conversations to come. New episodes of With Wit are available every Tuesday on all platforms.

[B]

Okay, what's next, Jill?

[C]

Well, something that I find unboring. It's one of my favorite things. I want to talk about fragrance.

[B]

Okay.

[C]

And I'm going to talk about a couple of fragrances. One that excites me greatly is Guerlain. Celebrated 100 years of Shalimar this year. Surviving 100 years in the beauty industry is no easy feat, especially a brand that has their own in house perfumer still and makes a lot of their sense. And so they are celebrating with a brand new version of Shalimar. I love the updated logo as well.

[B]

Very large, stunning.

[C]

And this is their lesson. So Essence. Eau de parfum. Intense with vanilla. So they've made it, I would say more not palatable. But we all know that vanilla is so trending and so exciting right now in perfumes. So they have updated their formula with this for 2025, and I love it. Now, the other thing that I wanted to shout out, and I don't think a lot of people know about this, but this is already special in and of itself. But at select Sephora stores, you can get perfumes, lipsticks, palettes, all this stuff engraved, right? Or you could get a custom initial put on it. Like if. If you're like, I know this person loves this perf or this red lipstick from Lancome, but you're like, maybe it's a bit boring. That I'm giving them the same thing they always use.

[B]

Right.

[C]

You can make it special, you can customize it. Now, I don't know about the return policy on that, but I'm just letting people know. I don't think enough people know about that.

[B]

That's a great point. And actually I went to Dior's new beauty destination, which is in Yorkdale mall in Toronto. It's the only. It's their first beauty store in Canada. And they had gifted me a personalized engraved fragrance from there. So they had gifted me the Dior Rose Star, which is the new part of their prive collection.

[C]

Gorgeous.

[B]

And put my name on it. But when I looked into it on their website, they actually have a whole personalization service that you can do where you can do, where you can customize not only the fragrance, but also makeup.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Which I feel like the Dior girlies would be all over that. You can also select charms to adorn their Miss Dior couture. Like bow that's on the fragrance.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

There's so many ways that you can. You can actually do one of their labels. You know how they have that printed bow. I forget what it's. What it's called, but they have like the same pattern on their shoes. And it's just. Yeah. I feel like people would be like, all the girlies would be all over this.

[C]

Well, what's interesting too, about Sephora embroidery.

[B]

That's the word I'm looking for. It's like you can embroider the bow.

[C]

Gorgeous.

[B]

How amazing is that?

[C]

I love that idea. But what's interesting about the Sephora piece is that it's not online. It's only in select stores. So that's why I wanted to shut that out. Because you may not even know to ask for it, but they have it there. And then the other thing I wanted to shout out when it comes to fragrance is glossier.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Because glossier you fragrance is. It's iconic in its own right at this point. This is like some people. This is all they wear and this is all they will ever wear. And I wanted to shout this out because this is a the most adorable little, like, paint can gift set. So it's got the glossier you duo, it's got the perfum full size and the travel size in here. $88 US I think that's so affordable. And again, you don't have to gift gift wrap it at all.

[B]

Yeah. And that's a fun one.

[C]

Why I wanted to mention this, Carlene, is that Google Just put out their holiday trend report about them. Most search for gifts in 2025. This is one of them.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Wow.

[B]

Okay.

[C]

Right?

[B]

I believe it. I mean, it's super cute. I do like the idea when a gift set is in a container where it already feels exciting before you even open it. And I feel like that's what they're accomplishing there. You could put a bow on that under the tree and like, you'd be done.

[C]

Interestingly, one of the other top googled gift sets was the makeup by Mario. Ethereal eyes palette.

[B]

Oh, the sparkly one.

[C]

Yeah. Which is newer. So I guess maybe people are thinking, oh, I know my friend likes makeup by Mario. I'll search out this, the new palette from him. So I just thought that was fascinating.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

And glow recipe.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Interesting glow recipe for skincare.

[B]

Well, we can't do a holiday gift guide without talking about an Advent calendar. I mean, am I right?

[C]

I know we've waited too long, so.

[B]

I know. So I have one here, which I'm going to have to put it on my lap like Santa.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

It's so large, and it's crossed the sea to get here. Okay. This is the LA advent calendar. It's 210 US dollars with a $369 value. And it's 240 Canadian with a 409 dollar value. So it's funny that you mentioned that your girlies were all excited about the mej, because I also had my friend Allison over, who was helping me do unboxing, and she had laid everything out on the table, and she saw this and just started running toward the front door. She was like, this is mine. This is mine. Because when you look at it, it looks like a house. It looks like a dollhouse.

[C]

Yeah. It's so cute.

[B]

It's large. It's pro. To give you guys an idea, it's probably like roughly a foot by a foot by a foot. And it, it looks like a house. It has kind of the tromp. Ly. Yeah. It's like drawings on the outside.

[C]

It looks like a French country farmhouse. Doors and windows all over it. Bright yellow.

[B]

Exactly. And then you just pull it up. And here you have the 24 days. So cute, of holidays with joyful surprises in here.

[C]

Just like great illustration all over it. Very chic, very elevated every side.

[B]

It's. It's just so, so fun. I don't talk about l' Occitane a lot, so I, I. And it is an iconic French brand, so I do want to take a Second to shout it out. They're really famous for their almond oil bath and shower products.

[C]

Always in my shower.

[B]

Which is really. Always in your shower.

[C]

Oh, always. That oil smells like heaven.

[B]

Yeah. So they have the almond supple skin oil in here, which is iconic. They also have the Immortelle divine cream which is like they're very creme de la creme. It's actually quite pricey. They have that in here. Hair, hair care products, fragrance, skin care and body care.

[C]

So it's like the hand cream is. So they do.

[B]

They have the hand cream which people swear by.

[C]

It's amazing.

[B]

And there are three full size products, so that's important to know because most of them are mini. This is priced higher. If you're a l' Occitane fan, please know that there is another advent cal calendar that's available at Sephora. That's like half the price. It doesn't come with as many units and it doesn't have any full size products. Because I did see some complaints online. People were like, I buy my mama loss at hand. You know, Advent calendar every year. This one's out of price range. So there is another one available. But this is like the deluxe. Yeah, the really like next level. And like I said, it does have three full size products in it. So there's two different price points. But I feel like anyone who would receive this would be thrilled. But especially great for moms and mother in laws and people who just want.

[C]

To indulge in little beautiful things, little French moments. Okay, I'm very quickly going to shout out this gift set that I have no business liking as much as I do, but I love it.

[B]

Explain.

[C]

Because it is from Westman Atelier and it is their baby cheeks blush stick Petite trio. I am a sucker for anything petite. And of course Gucci Westman, amazing makeup artist. We still need to have her on our podcast. And her products are just so beautiful. Texture wise. Every color is so well curated. And these little baby blush sticks are in this soft, soft, pale blue.

[B]

Stunning.

[C]

I'll give you a couple to try. And these are her three bestsellers. So it's Petal jam and Shushette and Shoe shot.

[B]

Wasn't that. Was that.

[C]

That was shoe pet.

[B]

Oh, okay. Carl Lagerfeld's. Yeah, but no, this is an imposter.

[C]

Very French as well. But I just love the curation, the color. And it is. I'm going to give you the price because it is. Her line is very expensive.

[B]

Let's face it, it is.

[C]

So these are $60 for the trio.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

And it's a 78 value, but normally one, I think is like 50 or $60.

[B]

Bigger.

[C]

Bigger still. So I'm really into this. And I was like. As soon as I saw it, I was like, give me. Yep, I'm gonna need that. And this is a line, a sleeper hit line where I know I kind of got a couple of people hooked on it. Like, yeah, they tried products that I gave them, and they went out and they rebound bought it.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

She is doing something special with this brand.

[B]

So there's a sort of a pinkish tone, a reddish tone, and a corally tone.

[C]

I would say, like, more nude.

[B]

Yeah, for sure.

[C]

Depending on your skin tone, but yes, exactly. And like I said, I don't know why. It brought me joy, and so I needed to share it with you. And I am legitimately excited to dive into all of this. It was very difficult to keep this in the. Nice. In the package. Nice.

[B]

And open it and use it.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

I think minis are always adorable and bring people joy, but especially when it's like a luxe or really cool product.

[C]

Yes.

[B]

I think there's something kind of unexpected about it. Like, remember the little perfumes that you would get? And like, my mom used to have them on a shelf like a collection. There's just something so special about that, and I feel like that's the Gucci. Westman is really hitting on that. Another one that I think definitely ticks, that adorable box is the soft services buffing bar, Miniature collection, volume one. This is another one that my girlfriend just absolutely squeed over. It looks like a book, you guys. It looks like a book from a library. And you. It's got a picture of the beautiful. I mean, they have the best marketing and photo campaigns. Like, they're just. Their taste level is like Chef's kiss. So there's a picture of the buffing bars, which are really popular.

[C]

Yeah, this. This whole brand is basically all focused on body care.

[B]

Yes. Yeah, exactly. Thank you. And so you open it up, and voila. There are four minis of their buffing bars. And they are so cute.

[C]

They're all individually wrapped.

[B]

Our producer has her jaw on the floor, so I think we've proven the point that this is not boring. They're all individually wrapped in kind of like wallpaper.

[C]

You know, that kind of remind me of when I think this is a 2.0 IDE. The fresh soaps.

[B]

Yes.

[C]

Remember when fresh used? That was the gift.

[B]

I was just thinking that.

[C]

I feel very sad, honestly, that we don't have any fresh on this table because they used to be the number one go to brand for gifting. But anyway, now it's soft services.

[B]

And so these buffing bars. By the way, this is $39 for this gift set, which I think is a nice price for. For gifting. Like you could even give a coworker this. And so this is limited edition as well. It comes with four different buffing bars and in each kind of something to make everyone happy. There's the original fragrance free. It has a moderate to intense exfoliation. There's Affogato l', Orange, which is also mild to moderate exfoliation. There's Green Banana with moderate to intense exfoliation. So you could go to town on your heels. And then there's also the DS and Durga collab that they did, which is called De Baser. This is also a moderate, moderate to intense exfoliation. It just has that DS and Durga, like next level scent to it. It's a creamy, ripe fig fragrance. So they recommend that you use these bars for stubborn texture concerns, like rough patches, keratosis, pilaris on the back of your arms. If you have that kind of like chicken skin or maybe on your thighs, they really give you that smoothing effect. But it's super fine, these crystals, so it's not like scratching at the same time. I think this is like a surefire hit. So I love it.

[C]

I'm having flashbacks to childhood when I used to be obsessed with getting the Lifesavers candy storybook in my stocking.

[B]

This is so funny.

[C]

This is what it's reminding me of. It reminded me of. And if that wasn't on their vision board, I'd be a little shocked.

[B]

Yes, you're absolutely right.

[C]

I just tasted those butterscotch Lifesaver candies in my head right now. So good. I feel like that's going to sell out, no doubt about it. So get to it, everyone. It is out of stock currently on Sephora. So run, don't walk. All right, so, Carlene, I need to ask you about skincare. What do you think is non boring in terms of a skincare gift?

[B]

Yeah, I mean, I think there's always going to be the skin care junkies. And let's be honest, some people are buying the sets for themselves as much as they're buying it for others. Of course, if you're a Sulwhasoo fan, I am super excited by the First Care Activating Serum Holiday Set. It's 116 US dollars with $160 value. And what I love about this set is first of all, it's great for travel because it has everything you need. It has a gentle cleansing foam, the first care activating serum which is iconic and the concentrated ginseng rejuvenating cream. So it's like a three step and.

[C]

This is like, this is like the preeminent K beauty brand. Yeah, it is like the La Mer.

[B]

Of K Beauty of Korea. Exactly. And then it also comes with the large full size Sulwhasoo activating serum. So I love the fact that they're mixing like you get the full size and then this is almost like a bonus offering, you know what I mean? So you're getting, you're reupping on the thing you really want but then you get to try these extras as well. And I will say that the foaming cleanser, the gentle foaming cleanser I find is non drying Y which often with foaming cleansers they can be drying. And then the ginseng rejuvenating cream, I think you would love this, Jill, because it's a water base. Even though it's really hydrating and it is designed to be used for, you know, if you have more mature skin, it's still a water base. The number one ingredient is water. So it's not going to make your skin oily. And it's perfect for layering which is obviously the K beauty way. If you do have a serum as well, you're not going to feel greasy. And I will say I went to, I had the great privilege of going with Sulwasu to New York this year to celebrate 60 years of ginseng research which is what is, you know, loaded into the bottle of the first care activating serum. And honestly, before I even learned anything, I. They left a set like this in my hotel room and I used all the steps. When I get off a plane, I usually have the most inflamed skin. So I need something that's going to reduce and calm that inflammation right away or I get a lot of redness. So I use this line and I felt like my skin just looked neutral. But here's the thing. The next morning, believe it or not, Jill, I actually went to the gym in the hotel, if you can believe it.

[C]

Of course I can believe it. Why would I normally don't.

[B]

That's very rare for me. So I actually did it and I was running on the treadmill and no, that's not true. I was doing the elliptical and when I finished my workout, there was a mirror Right in front of me so I could see my face the whole time. And I was like, my face is not the usual bright red color that it turns okay work out. I'm not saying that it's like, was that I was hitting, like, high levels of cardio, and. But normally when I walk off the treadmill or anything like that, like, my skin is red. And so this. I could literally see in the mirror that it was working, even just after one use. So I love that. But really, what I loved about that whole event is this ancient Korean herb, which is Jin saying, getting its due because Sulwasu had partnered with the Johns Hopkins University.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

And they hosted the symposium where mostly it was academics in the room. Like, there was only just a handful of editors there. And honestly, I'm looking at everybody else playing it cool. Like, nobody understood what they were talking about unless you had a PhD in your name. Ron Robinson was there, the chemist. I'm sure he understood. But it was so highly academic. And there was people standing up and, like, asking questions about the ginseng research that they were doing with John Hopkins. And it was, like, all of this to say it was not fluff science.

[C]

Right.

[B]

It was legitimate. And they were. You know, again, a lot of the content was over my head about ginseng, but it was like, how it cuts off this pathway and how it helps with, like, antioxidant. Is it not cell death and all of that? And it's. It's. It's more than that. It's about, like, the communication between cells and senescence.

[C]

Longevity, basically.

[B]

It was about senaissance and, like, returning these cells to quiescence, which I had never heard that term before, but it really was an elevated conversation that just really showed the seriousness of the science. And I could see the ginseng, like, pickled in a jar when we walked in. And I was like, I just love the fact that science is catching up to an ingredient that has been revered in Korea for so long and is finally getting its due. Because this whole, like, science versus nature conversation, I just find it really. You have. And I have talked about this. It's, like, hard to listen to these days. It's kind of like it's about the best of both worlds. And I feel like that's really what sulwhasoo brings to the table, but love it.

[C]

Well, I told you only in an Instagram comment that one of my summer jobs was on a ginseng farm, so.

[B]

Yeah, exactly.

[C]

It wasn't in Korea, though. It was in P.E.I, so that's a story for another day.

[B]

But honestly, just hanging out with like the, the educator and the publicist, I learned so much about Korean beauty.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

I can't tell you, like different dandelion tea. Different teas because we did a tea ceremony like what to drink for detoxifying and all of these rituals and how to wake up your lymphatic glands and, and all of that. And it was just all about like yin and yang and I just have a whole new respect. And one thing that I learned is that in Korea sulwhasoo, it's a traditional gift to gift a set to the mother of the bride.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

At weddings and they also give it to dignitaries. It's, it's like a ritual to give. It's a special gift to give. So that's why I think in the spirit of that it to me, it's an exciting gift to give somebody a skincare product that has a lot of science behind it but is also truly.

[A]

Revered in other cultures.

[B]

So yeah.

[D]

Laundry sauce is one of our show partners this week. Laundry sauce is all about elevating your laundry routine. They have pre measured detergent pods that not only clean your clothes but also make your clothes smell amazing. And they have so many different scents. They have like Italian bergamot and one that I'm really excited to try is the Australian sandalwood. So it's got cedarwood and eucalyptus. It's kind of clean and classic like a white T shirt would be. And they have a brand new scent as well that's very intriguing. It's called Himalayan cashmere and it's their first ever hypoallergenic fragrance. It's really created to be gentle on the most sensitive skin types. It's got a soft blend of floral, sweet pear, warm amber, creamy sandalwood and really kind of gives the vibe of a cashmere blanket, which is so nice at this time of year and whatever vibe you want to set. They have so many options at laundry Sauce. They have their signature and essentials package. They have detergent pods, they have scent boosters, dryer sheets and more. All designed to infuse your laundry with high end fragrance. Plus they fight stains and just elevate your laundry to a five star experience. So great news. If you want to add a little lux to your laundry routine, it's the perfect time to treat yourself or gift the world's most luxurious detergent to someone you love. Get up to 40 off your entire order when you go to laundry sauce.combeauty. don't miss their biggest sale of the year. Once again, that's laundry sauce.combeauty to get up to 40 off your entire order. We'll link to this URL in our show notes and on our website.

[A]

This episode is brought to you in part by Canopy so my son loves to steal any little gadget that I might happen to get into the house and he immediately took my canopy humidifier as soon as it arrived. I didn't really mind though, because skin care experts and dermatologists have long touted the benefits of increased indoor humidity for healthy, glowing skin. And he has eczema. Eczema, as you might say in the US. And here's the not so fun fact. Having dry air in your environment can begin wreaking havoc on your skin in as little as 30 minutes. So I know that this humidifier is going to help with the health of his skin. Here's the thing about humidifiers though. I don't love them all because visible mist from traditional humidifiers, it's actually unhealthy due to particles and bacteria being carried by the water into the air. With Canopy though, they have a mist free hydration system. It's invisible clean moisture, the best kind for your skin and your health. And canopy humidifier has an antimicrobial filter as well that catches irritating minerals and other like nasty stuff from the water before it's evaporated into your environment. So you'll never have to worry about mold. Canopy utilizes a unique technology that keeps the humidifier running until there's no water left inside the unit. And no water left inside that means no mold. The easiest part is that canopy goes right into the dishwasher and canopy humidifier also has a built in aroma diffuser if you like that. It uses the simple, healthy process of evaporation to fill your room with scented moisture. So if you want to check it out for yourself, go to get Canopy co to save $25 on your canopy humidifier purchase today with Canopy's Filter subscript and look for other canopy products such as the Canopy bath and shower filter too. Even better, use Code Beauty at checkout to save an additional 10 off your canopy purchase. Your skin will thank you.

[D]

Medicaid is one of our show partners this week. Guys, I have to tell you about one of the best sales happening right.

[C]

Now and it's actually their best sale of the year.

[D]

And that's from Medicaid so you can.

[C]

Rediscover skin that looks as vibrant as you feel.

[D]

And Medicaid, if you're not familiar, it's a British clinical Skincare brand trusted by dermatologists for visible age defying results without compromise. And right now is the best time of the year to try it. And that's Medicaid's 30% off. You heard me right, 30% off during their Black Friday sale. So if you've been curious about retinol, start with Medicaid's Crystal Retinol Night Serum. It's one of my personal favorites from the brand. It's award winning, ultra gentle and proven to work 11 times faster, everyone than traditional retinol. So it's going to be smoothing wrinkles, brightening dark spots and firming without irritation. Or you can try the fan favorite, which is the liquid peptide serum, clinically proven to smooth fine lines. In just seven days. I've emptied many bottles of that serum and if you want that lifted, deeply hydrated feel, Medicaid's newest innovation, which is their Advanced Pro Collagen plus peptide cream. It delivers visibly rejuvenated skin while reducing wrinkles. It makes your skin very juicy and plump. So this is the moment to elevate your routine. And personally, I have switched out so many products on my top shelf for Medicaid's product. There's something about this brand that just really jives with my skin.

[C]

So I feel like you guys will love it as well.

[D]

So Medicaid's 30 off Black Friday sale is happening now through Tuesday, December 2nd. No coupon code is needed. Visit Medicaid US. That's M E D I K8, the number 8 US and save 30% on age defying skin care. And if you're listening to this after Medicaid's Black Friday sale, don't worry, we've got you. Use code BREAKING20, which is our promo code to save 20% off your order. We'll link to this offer in our show notes and on our website. Now back to the show.

[C]

Before, before we move on to our last couple items. Everybody that's listening because I know everyone wants a deal at this time of year and I found out a deal that's kind of like for the first time ever that people need to know about Jones Road Beauty.

[B]

Oh, okay.

[C]

They have so many adorable little kits for the holiday season, including some of her. So this is the brand that's founded by Bobby Brown, of course, and she just came out with brand new lipsticks in September. And so a bunch of their new kits are like the essential lip kit or like little trios. And there's so many adorable and there's so many different variations of Them. But what I really wanted to say is that they are doing a holiday sale site wide for the first time ever.

[B]

Oh wow.

[C]

And you can get up to 20% off absolutely everything during the limited holiday solid sale. The more you shop, the more you save. So you get 20% off of orders that are a hundred dollars or more and so on and so forth. So I just wanted to shut that up because I know that that's a brand that you can't get in and everybody loves it. And for the first time ever, they're putting stuff on bundle and promotion.

[B]

So yeah, I mean, shut it from the rooftops.

[C]

Heck yeah. And speaking of non boring gift items, this little lip gloss set is from Fenty Beauty. It is called the glossy posse one. It's roman numerals. Excuse me for a moment. V I, I, I. Eight. That's eight. It's a three piece lip luminizer. And what's so cool about this is that yes, they have the original gloss bomb which is like kind of a apricot sparkly tone. But they have these two additional ones. Yes, Stacked.

[B]

They're like stacked different colors in one tube.

[C]

They're almost like sunsets in a tube. Yeah. And one of them is called sugar plums and the other is called spiked hot chocolate. And maybe we should swatch one of these. Yeah.

[B]

I mean, here's the thing. I feel like you look at this and you're like, what would that look like on my lips? Because it looks like a three layer cake.

[C]

And the price point is really good too. I think these are full size.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

There's. It's US$45 for this set and it says it's a 72 value.

[B]

These amazing big.

[C]

These look.

[B]

Yeah. So that's amazing. So you truly are getting that savings. Okay, we're gonna do a little swatch right now. Look at this. Three layers. Like a three layer cake. I'm not gonna put it on my lips.

[C]

Are you put it on, put it on the your back of your hand so we can see it on the camera.

[B]

We're swatching it's ombre, everyone.

[C]

Yeah, I don't know if you can.

[B]

See that, but look, it really is ombre.

[C]

That's cool.

[B]

That's cool. That's fun. I feel like a, like a teen, My daughter, your niece. Like this would be. This is an instant hit.

[C]

But honestly, even the that I feel like right now it's all about toasty makeup. And that is toasty makeup in a tube.

[B]

The other thing is I have long been obsessed with the gloss bomb, the gold version of this, I love it with a lip liner. It looks so good. And it. Because it's gold but it's not over the top.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

It's so glossy. It's beautiful for holiday. And what I'm clocking here is this kind of like peachy. I want to say rose gold, but in a good way. I am dying to get this on my lips.

[A]

I'm not lying.

[B]

Like this. This with a good lip liner I think would be a great like holiday.

[C]

Oh, I love that. You know, it's again, very toast toasty vibes.

[B]

The packaging for those of you who can't see, it's hot pink. It looks like it's got neon lights around it. It's just the box, the packaging, it's just super fun. And not boring.

[C]

And not boring. And a good price point. And that's the type of thing that if you really want to be cost effective, you could buy it and then like separate them.

[B]

That's right. And put it in stockings. If you have various gifts. Three daughters or whatever.

[C]

Love it.

[B]

Now, Jill, I bet you thought we were done.

[C]

I did, but I actually have a.

[B]

Gift for you, my friend.

[C]

Oh, let's see.

[B]

Tada.

[C]

Oh my gosh. Okay. This is Carlene's brand new baby. Woohoo.

[B]

This is the shipping box. It's the Cassatt Lade retinoid skin ointment. Everyone. It's here. It's finally here.

[C]

We're going to do live unboxing. So this is finally real.

[B]

It's finally real. I'm so, so, so excited. And I wish I could say I was gifting this to you, Jill, but she actually went ahead and bought it, everyone. So I. It's not a true gift. It's just me delivering it to you up close and personal. But I really appreciate you just like supporting.

[C]

Of course.

[D]

Okay.

[C]

If everyone's, if people aren't watching, it's in this very gorgeous pale blue box with the word Cassatt which is your brand name. This is almost like a rust colored.

[B]

Yes. Well, it's like a ruby red.

[C]

Ruby red.

[B]

Okay.

[C]

And what, how are you describing this blue?

[B]

We're calling it French blue.

[C]

Yes. B L E U. Oh, I love it. So there's like the little cat lady moment.

[B]

Yes. The leopard.

[C]

I love that. And, and then the actual box itself for the product is like you were saying, it's like a trunk kind of.

[B]

Yeah. I mean I call it the trunk because typical boxes are flat and then you construct them and you put the product inside this one is actually, like, fully constructed, like a fragrance. So I call it the trunk. You open up the top, and the front drops down like a drawbridge. And the reason I call it the trunk is because if you wanted to, you could travel with it like that so that your aluminum tube doesn't get dented.

[C]

Right.

[B]

So that's why I call it the trunk. You can reuse it. It's like, a little bit more sturdy the way that it spells.

[C]

But the actual exterior packaging stands out so much. Like, it's very French. I feel like I'm at Versailles kind of idea.

[B]

Exactly.

[C]

Was this inspired by something specific?

[B]

It was inspired by. I loved the idea of trompe l', oeil, which is like. Like the idea of an optical illusion that it looks like it's 3D, but it's not, to be honest with you. I saw that kind of concept at our nail salon in Toronto at Tips Nail Bar that we go to Leanne Collie's Nail Salon, and she has her wallpaper like that. And when I was in there, I thought, you know what? That would look amazing on packaging. And I loved the idea of architecture. Something classical that felt like the house of.

[C]

Of. Right.

[B]

Like the house of Cassatt. That's what I was inspired by.

[C]

Oh, that's so great.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

So it's a metal tube, everybody.

[B]

Aluminum.

[C]

Aluminum. It's an aluminum tube. I can't. I know you said to like that the trunk could protect it, but I like it when an aluminum tube shows the love of the usage. So I'm very excited to put this on my skin, and everybody should be shopping [e-mail] but you also have a very exciting debut in the US with an esthetician.

[B]

Yes. So we have our first retail partner in the US which is. It's called Lux Atelier, based in Oregon. And the founder is a master esthetician. Her name's Angela Morgan. And they just started carrying the product. They're so excited to carry it. I'm excited that they're excited because they have nothing like it, really. It's about the idea of a retinoid in an ointment, which kind of gives you, like, a slugging effect when you use it. It helps your skin not dry out when you use it at night, and it helps the ingredient penetrate further. So it's a very gentle retinoid. But it's effective because of that delivery system. And that's why you don't need to be afraid to gift it to people, because I designed it for Sensitive skin like mine. So it's not a strong retinoid. And in fact, one of our first reviews, shout out to Janice on the website. What did she write?

[C]

Here you have retailers, you have reviewers. I know I have a product in my hand, so this is very exciting. I'm so proud of you. This is.

[B]

Thank you.

[C]

Very cool.

[B]

Thank you. Okay, here's what Janice has to say. She says five stars. I'm 51 years old. I love this product. It's so comforting and nourishing.

[A]

Thank you.

[B]

Thank you, Janice, for being an early adopter.

[C]

I love it. I'm so excited to try this. I think all the right people are excited about this, Carlene, and I just think that it has all the hallmarks of a classic. And I can't wait to see what's next. Like 2026 is going to be.

[B]

Yeah, it's huge. It's going to be big. But I'm excited that you're finally going to get to try it.

[C]

I know because I tried initial iterations and if anybody's curious to learn more about the whole story behind Cassatt, we did do a sit down episode and chatted about the inspiration, how long it took, everything to do with your journey as a founder. We did that at the beginning of October. So go back, take a listen to that or just buy the product and support her.

[B]

Okay. Yes.

[C]

Anyways, with all of that, happy holidays, everybody. Happy shopping. And next week we have another hashtag damn good episode. We are going to be reviewing all of the top viral products of 2025.

[B]

So very exciting.

[C]

You know, buy these gifts before they sell out. But then next week we're gonna come at you again with the viral products that maybe you want for some last minute gifting.

[B]

And a lot of budget finds in there because a lot of stuff that goes viral is on Tick Tock and they tend to be very affordable. A lot of clones, I guess, is the new word.

[C]

Yay. Okay, thank you everyone. Be sure to check out this episode on YouTube at Breaking Beauty Podcast and.

[D]

Let us know what you'll be shopping.

[B]

Happy Thanksgiving. Thanks for listening. You can find details on every product mentioned in today's episode along with our exclusive promo codes on our blog at Breaking Beauty.

[D]

While you're there, be sure to sign up for our newsletter. Every episode will be delivered directly to.

[C]

Your inbox, so you won't miss a.

[B]

Single thing and get social with us. Let us know what you think of the episode. You can follow us on Instagram at Breaking Beauty podcast.

[C]

And did you know we also have.

[D]

A private Facebook group. Just search Breaking Beauty Podcast Chat Room.

[B]

You can even leave us a voicemail at any time with questions or feedback at 1-844-229-7-0302.

[D]

And don't forget to subscribe to us wherever you get your podcast fix Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts and Apple Podcasts where you can show us some love by writing a review.

[B]

See you next Wednesday. Ladder Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.