Gift Guide: Kimi's Favorite Things
Even though I don’t create a ton of gift guides, there’s one I’ve been meaning to put together: a list of my favorite things! Of course, this is inspired by Oprah and the other bloggers that also put together similar gift guides. I wish I had started putting together this gift guide years ago to see how different (or similar!) they would’ve been from year to year! The first one I made was in 2022.
This gift guide is a collection of 20 items across clothing, home, beauty, and jewelry that I have and love, and all of these are things I either would give or have given to others! As this is my personal list of favorites, this gift guide definitely skews towards women, but there are some things that I think anyone would love. Many of the links are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission if you make a purchase at no additional cost to you. This helps me fund the free content you see here, and I appreciate it more than you know!
If you’ve ever been asked by family or friends for gift ideas and can’t think of anything, use this gift guide to give you some ideas! I’ve been there more times than I can count, and I find it really helps to have sort of a default list of things you love and/or use regularly just in case someone asks.
Happy shopping, friends! 🤗
Gift Guide: Kimi’s Favorite Things
Clothes
Madewell Medium Transport Tote (available at Madewell, Zappos, and Shopbop)
My medium Transport tote was a birthday/first-job-after-PhD gift to myself that I’ve been using daily for over five years now. I love mine so much; it’s the perfect everyday size for the office. For short ladies, the medium size is great because it’s not overwhelming.
Le Specs Air Heart Sunglasses (available at Shopbop, Nordstrom, Revolve, Net-A-Porter, and Selfridges)
You see me wearing these in every single blog post! They’re my signature sunglasses, and I now own them in four colors/variations. They’re high quality, and they’re a great deal, especially if you can find them on sale. They’re the perfect gift for the woman in your life that loves oversized, cat eye-style sunglasses.
I don’t personally gift a lot of clothes (unless it’s for Korri and/or my brothers, who are all somehow the same exact size in clothes), so cute accessories like beanies are great because you don’t need to know a size! My pom-pom beanies from J.Crew (new version) have been staples in my winter wardrobe for years now. I own four of them! Plus, you can almost always find them on sale. Don’t buy them if they aren’t!
Vuori joggers are such a crowd pleaser! I personally own and love the performance joggers; they’re lightweight and very soft. I got Korri hooked on them, too. He’s a big fan of the Sunday performance jogger, which is just the men’s version of the performance jogger with an extra zippered pocket on the leg. They’re a bit of a splurge but worth it, especially if you can find a color you or your recipient likes on sale! (If you’re not sure of their size, a Vuori gift card is always appreciated.)
Dagne Dover Landon Carryall (read my review; also available from Shopbop, Nordstrom, and Saks Fifth Avenue)
My Dagne Dover large Landon carryall bag is one of my favorite purchases of 2023! It’s a really great size that fits a surprising amount AND it fits under the seat in front of you on the plane. I walked through a pretty crazy snowstorm and the bag got covered in snow and somehow it didn’t stain or get anything inside wet, so the water repellency works great as well! It’s the perfect splurge gift for the avid traveler in your life.
Home
I buy one of these blankets during almost every Nordstrom Anniversary Sale—sometimes for myself, sometimes for others because I already have so many haha. They are so soft and wash really well! Plus, the price point is great. The cats love them!
I just purchased my first ChappyWrap a couple of months ago, and now I have three (two original size, one “royal” size for our king bed). Korri LOVES the Chappy, as do the cats. It’s a luxurious, lightweight fleece blanket. It’s a great gift around the ~$100 mark that you may not think to buy for yourself but that you’ll love.
Kindle e-Reader (shop the paperwhite version)
If you love to read and don’t already own a Kindle or some sort of e-reader, I highly recommend one! It’s the easiest way to travel with multiple books, and I also find that I read books faster on Kindle versus a physical copy. If you already own a Kindle, you can ask for Amazon gift cards to buy Kindle books or Audible credits for audiobooks (though I highly recommend getting a local library card and using the Libby app for both if it’s available). A case for your Kindle would be a nice gift, too!
You know how much I love Brightland’s olive oil! Their Artist Capsule (lemon, chili, basil, and garlic flavors) is my favorite. It’s like a treat every time I use some! Brightland just released a mini version of the Artist Capsule that makes a PERFECT gift. Other yummy gift sets are available, too.
Laundry detergent isn’t the most exciting gift ever 😆, but I love The Laundress products and think others would appreciate them, too. They feel high end and smell so lovely! After their recall issue last year, they’re back and better than ever! I can’t wait until the sport detergent is back. I also love the wool and cashmere shampoo, delicate wash, and wash and stain bar (new version yet to return). I own quite a few of their mesh garment bags, too. The Laundress products are currently also available at Bloomingdale’s and The Container Store.
Shop Kimi’s Favorites in Clothes and Home!
Beauty
Luv Scrub Exfoliator (available at Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, and The Container Store)
The Luv Scrub is the perfect alternative to the plastic loofahs; I love it for its unique scrubby textured mesh and easy lather. You can ball it right up and use it as you would a loofah, or you can leave it open to get your back. It lasts longer than a regular loofah, too. This is the perfect gift for anyone on your list!
Aquis Hair Wrap (available at Target, Anthropologie, Nordstrom, and Neiman Marcus)
I absolutely hate it when I’m on vacation and forget to bring my Aquis hair towel with me! If you’ve never tried one, you need to. They’re life changing! I own a regular hair towel and a hair wrap, and I find myself using the hair wrap more often because the button keeps it snug on my head as I move around getting ready for bed. There’s also a new towel called the hair flip that looks ideal if you have long, thick hair that can’t be contained by the hair wrap.
Kiehl’s Ultimate Strength Hand Salve (read my review; available at Kiehl’s, Sephora, Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, and Nordstrom)
I’ve been known to give small skincare products as “stocking stuffers” for my brothers…not sure that my brothers ever actually used the products I gave them, but oh well, haha. Kiehl’s hand salve makes a great such stocking stuffer and is ideal for anyone in your life, picky brothers included! This would be an especially nice gift if your recipient lives in a dry climate.
Farmacy Sheet Masks (read my review)
Few things are more luxurious than sheet masks! I love doing sheet masks every once in a while as a special treat for my face. I highly recommend bringing one with you next time you go on vacation! Korri and I both love Farmacy’s sheet masks. The sheet masks by SK-II are spendy but perfect for your mom, mother-in-law, or another woman in your life that loves the finer things in life.
Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask (available at Sephora and Amazon)
I started using the Laneige lip sleeping mask last year and have not looked back! As the name suggests, I use it at night; it’s the very last step in my skincare routine before heading to bed. I love it so much! If you were a fan of Lip Smackers as a kid, this will remind you of that (especially in the original scent!). There are a variety of different scents to choose from, and you can also shop a few different gift sets at Sephora! Give the entire set or split up the scents to give to multiple ladies in your life.
Dior Addict Lip Glow (available at Sephora, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Bergdorf Goodman)
Like my sunglasses, you also see me wearing Dior Addict Lip Glow in every outfit post! It’s a lovely, luxurious lip product that offers gorgeous sheer coverage. I am a big fan of both the pink and rosewood colors. There are now so many more colors available; the brick red color is a really fun option for fall and winter.
Briogeo Deep Conditioning Mask (available from Briogeo, Sephora, Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom, Shopbop, Target, and Revolve)
This is by far my favorite deep conditioning hair mask I’ve tried. The texture is so creamy and looks like something delicious to eat, haha. My hair loves it! Shop the entire Don’t Despair, Repair! line, which features the deep conditioning mask in various value sets.
I was skeptical about the smoothing skin serum (formerly called “Neck”) the first time I tried it, but I love this product! The product claims to make skin “looks smooth, supple, and quenched, with dark spots & crease marks visibly reduced.” It really does noticeably smooth out neck wrinkles! I was shocked. The price for a full-size bottle is steep but definitely worth it. SkinOwl has an online presence and also has a store in Boise; highly recommend stopping by in store if you are local! They’ll whip up a sample for you.
Jewelry
I love these simple crystal and gold stud earrings. They go with everything! They really are the perfect everyday earring that you or any woman in your life would love and appreciate.
Kate Spade Initial Pendant Necklace (available at Kate Spade, Zappos, Nordstrom, and Bloomingdale’s)
I purchased my Kate Spade initial pendant necklace in gold in a Nordstrom Anniversary Sale many years ago, and it’s been a staple in my jewelry collection ever since. I also gifted this to a friend! It has held up so well over the years; I’ve not had any of the gold rub off. Highly recommend this necklace for the simple jewelry lover in your life.
Shop Kimi’s Favorites in Beauty and Jewelry!