Hold onto your red coffee cups—the holiday season is upon us. The decorations are going up and all of those merry earworms are starting to dominate the playlists of every shop and restaurant in town. This season typically flies by as quickly as it arrives, so if you haven’t begun planning your gifting ahead of the big sales coming up later this month, you’re already behind.

This week, I’m kicking off the annual MIDDI gift guides with three picks for all of the beauty fans on your list. Whether you need something easy for the office exchange or want to elevate the routine of someone special in your life, these items will surely bring a smile—and a bit of extra glow—to whomever the recipient may be.

Happy planning!

1. GOSHI Exfoliating Shower Towel (£12.43)

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If you need a stocking stuffer or white elephant gift, let me recommend this shower-time superstar. During our stay in Tokyo, I was reintroduced to the Japanese body towel and its skin-softening benefits. Much larger and lighter than a standard washcloth and scratchier than a loofah, these towels from GOSHI need less soap to suds up and help you clean every curve from head to toe. Made from ultra-fine 100% recyclable nylon and produced in Gunma, Japan, they rinse and dry quickly between uses and last, on average, between three and six months.

2. Jones Road Shower Fragrance (£39)

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Gifting a fragrance can be tricky. Scents are very personal, so if you’re going to go that route, keep this word in mind: clean. If someone you know is looking for a new signature scent, add your name to the waitlist (underneath mine) for this buzzy perfume from celebrity makeup artist Bobbi Brown’s line Jones Road. The main notes are orange blossom, neroli and sea spray for a light scent reminiscent of that post-shower freshness. They can keep the sleek, minimalist bottle in their bag for a midday or post-commute pick-me-up.

3. MERIT Beauty Five Minute Morning Set (£188)

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Wanting to streamline my makeup bag for our trip, I ordered nearly the entire lineup from Merit Beauty, the makeup brand from beauty guru Katherine Power. Like Glossier for grownups, their ethos is quality over quantity to get you out the door fast, and I’m hooked. The Minimalist covers like a dream without causing greasiness or breakouts and I was amazed at how many coats of Clean Lash I could apply without a single clump (I stopped counting). Want more? Add on the Solo Shadow or Bronze Balm—their handy color wheel can help you find the perfect shades.

In case you missed it …

Tokyo Treasures Petra Canan Trudell · Nov 6 Read full story

MIDDI is a weekly roundup of mid-priced beauty, fashion and home buys released every Monday. Have a product you’re searching for? Leave your suggestions in the comments.