India Trip Shopping Guide- Best Beauty Gift Ideas for Cousins, Parents and Friends

In today’s India trip shopping guide, I am sharing the Best Beauty gift ideas, these are also great for the holidays or anniversaries, or birthdays. Keep scrolling to check it out.

What to gift my cousins in India? is one of the most-asked questions to me on IG. Handbags and beauty/wellness items are my favorite things to gift to cousins and friends when I visit India. They are probably most appreciated and used compared to clothing that might not fit them. I have already shared a post on Best handbags to gift friends and family which includes both splurge and budget-friendly options. Today I am covering some makeup and skincare items that will be amazing to gift to cousins or friends or your mom.

I made sure, everything I chose is budget-friendly or also shared affordable options so if you decide to get the same thing for all your cousins or friends, it’s not a heavy lift on your wallet.

India Trip Shopping Guide- Best Beauty Gift Ideas

1. Tinted Lip Balms

These are great for someone who doesn’t like wearing makeup and prefers all things natural. The Sugar tinted balm has a hint of color that looks very natural. I love the cocoa, honey, and rose shades.

2. Facial hair Remover

Everyone I recommended this facial hair remover absolutely loves it. You can use it to remove hair from the upper lip, chin, or entire face. It goes smoothly, you won’t feel a thing. It’s perfect for moms or anyone who doesn’t go to a parlor that frequently or hates threading. I also got the eyebrow hair remover for my mom, she absolutely loves both of them.

3. Laura Geller Makeup Palettes

The Laura Geller annual party kit comes as a set of 4 face palettes for $39, very well-made and pigmented. The palette includes eyeshadow, blush, and a highlighter. You can’t go wrong with these! they are currently 25% off, apply the coupon before adding it to the cart.  Also, recommend this Honest beauty eyeshadow palette, it’s natural, good quality, and budget-friendly.

4. Electronic Pedicure Foot File and Callus Remover

This is worth every penny! removes hard and dead skin like magic in one go. Easy to use and powerful. I got this for both my parents and in-laws.

5. Natural and budget-friendly lipsticks to gift

Lipsticks are probably the best makeup gifts. You can choose a neutral lip that everyone likes. I am sharing my favorite budget-friendly natural lipsticks with shade details below

• Honest beauty lip crayons– these are great for everyday use, light, hydrating and beautiful.

Favorite Shades- Fig (perfect pink shade) and Marsala (brown nude, looks good on any skin tone)

• Bare Minerals long-wear lipstick glides on smoothly and gives you a fuller and matte look. Love bold colors in this lipstick

Favorite shades- Cranberry (burgundy shade), petunia (Fushia pink; great for Indian festive wear), Cinnamon (rosy brown)

• Pyt Beauty Lipstick and Gloss love these, hydrating and you get your money’s worth with lipstick and gloss in one.

Favorite shades- Go-getter (berry shade), Rumor (cinnamon shade)

• Ilia High Impact Lipstick is super high-pigmented, very hydrating, and gives you a satin finish.

Favorite shades- rosewood(my fav- neutral reddish shade), marsala (brown nude),

Wild rose (mauve)

6. Suntegrity Tinted Moisturizer with SPF

With a little bit of coverage, this tinted moisturizer with SPF 30 is my preferred face moisturizer for all through the year. I got this for my mom, SIL, and MIL. They all liked it. The finish is very natural and doesn’t rip off the natural glow of the skin. The ingredient list is clean with 20% zinc oxide topped with many hydrating oils like hyaluronic acid, jojoba oil, etc.

I am in the shade Golden light. My other favorite is this Ulta MD sunscreen, it’s not tinted

7. Morrocan Oil

My favorite after-shower hair oil. It works wonders on dry, frizzy, and damaged hair. a little bit of product goes a long way and smells sooo good. You can also use it on dry hair as a heat protectant before using hot hair tools.  Linking my other favorite hair products in the slider below.

8. Exfoliating foot mask

This foot mask is a great gift for parents or anyone who suffers from cracked or dry feet. Picked it based on the reviews, haven’t tried it yet. I will update my review once I try it out.

9. Retinol Serum

The RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Facial Filler is very effective in diminishing fine lines and wrinkles and re-plumps the skin. I use the Roc Retinal Deep Wrinkle Anti-aging Night Cream every night. 

How to Use- Retinol can cause irritation, flaking, and dryness. Use it at night, after applying a moisturizer, wait until it sinks into the skin, then apply the retinol- use a pea size and apply a few dots to different areas of the face and rub it. It is NOT a MOISTURIZER. Added a couple of more effective and budget-friendly retinol for wrinkles n the slider below. 

10. Differin Adapalene Gel for Acne + Retinol

Differin Gel contains adapalene, a third-generation retinoid (derived from vitamin A), that treats Acne within the pore where the Acne starts and also helps prevent breakouts in the future.

How to Use: Apply a use pea size and apply a few dots to different areas of the face and rub and follow up with a moisturizer. This also works as a retinol so avoid using retinol on top of differin, as it might lead to irritation. You can start using two-three nights a week and slowly move to daily. 

11. Ice roller

This ice roller is awesome, it stays cold for a long time. You can use it to depuff eyes and face and for pain relief.

12. Toiletry bag

There are several great toiletry bag options in the market from budget-friendly to splurge-worthy ones. Shared my favorites in the slider below.

13. Makeup Brushes

This is a good gift idea for makeup lovers. I added several makeup brush sets to consider. The real technique is the best budget-friendly option to consider.

Like this post? Check out other India Abroad posts:

• Best Handbags to gift friends and family in India
• 9 days of Navratri 2022 Outfits
• Satyanarayana Puja In USA- DIY Mandapam and details 
• Varalakshmi Vratam- simple decor and Kanjeevaam Saree I wore
• Traditional Housewarming Decor and Details 
• Vihaan’s Tonsure ceremony details 
• Vihaan’s traditional First Birthday celebrations
• Diwali Decor
• Telugu Wedding rituals explained and my wedding pictures