MANILA, Philippines – Gift shopping can be one of the most exciting parts of the holiday season; after all, there’s nothing quite like finding the perfect present for your loved ones. But between the holiday rush, long queues, and crowded malls, deciding which gifts to give can also get very stressful and overwhelming. 

To help with decision fatigue, here’s a Rappler-approved curated selection of gift ideas, ranging from wellness picks and beauty must-haves to unisex accessories, gadgets, and family-friendly fun.

Glow and grow essentials

Makeup and skincare aren’t just for everyday upkeep — they’re also a form of self-investment.

Pixi Beauty’s new SuperGlow highlighter is a solid balm formula designed to deliver a fresh and radiant finish, using hydrating ingredients that adapt to all skin tones. It is available in shades Ice Pearl, Gilded Gold, Natural Lustre, and Petal Dew.

Miss Universe Philippines 2022 Celeste Cortesi has added a new shade to her lip care brand Asul with Cherry Red, a warm-toned, night-out-ready option under its Limited Edition Scented Lip Peptide line. The formula offers lightweight hydration with UVB protection.

Since launching, Asul has released four variants — Shea Butter, Berry Babe, Pink Guava, and Toasted Coconut — to work across different skin tones and are suitable for all genders. The lip peptide combines shea butter, jojoba, and sunflower oils, menthol for a mild plumping effect, and peptides with SPF 15, and can be worn on its own or layered over lipstick for shine.

Your makeup is just as good as the health of your skin, and Habitude is a Filipino skincare brand built on mindful daily habits. Habitude also collaborates with local artists to make its beautiful, vivid packaging.

The Dew It All Essence hydrates like a toner and nourishes like a serum, with Galactomyces Ferment, Panax Ginseng, and Rice Water to boost radiance and strengthen your skin barrier. The Skin on Holiday Serum calms, plumps, and softens lines with niacinamide, sodium hyaluronate, and EGF oligopeptides. Finish with the Thicc Water Toner, packed with VB9+, Pomegranate Extract, and Centella Asiatica, to restore pH balance, protect, and prep skin for the rest of your regimen.

Planning to gift your Gen Z friend or sibling? Aside from the multi-colored star pimple patches, Posh Skin Co. has a new K-Beauty-inspired acne skincare range. Designed for everyday use, this five-step routine helps tackle breakouts, dullness, and uneven texture while keeping skin hydrated and glowing.

The five-step routine includes an Acne Cleanser, Acne Toner, Acne Moisturizer, Acne Serum, and the Korean Pink Clay Mask, all formulated with Allancica (Allantoin + Centella Asiatica) to calm irritation, lock in moisture, and strengthen the skin barrier.

Want to save on pasabuy orders? Japan’s cult favorite skincare Melano CC, known for its gentle yet effective Vitamin C formulas, has arrived in the Philippines.

Melano CC’s lightweight, science-backed, Japan-made staples are made for everyday use, even in our humid weather. The routine starts with the Vitamin C Brightening Enzyme Face Wash, a gentle exfoliating cleanser that deep-cleans pores, smooths texture, and lifts impurities while keeping skin hydrated. This is followed by the Vitamin C Brightening Lotion, a water-light daily formula for normal to combination or oily skin that helps fade dark spots, calm redness, and boost glow. The line’s hero, the Vitamin C Brightening Essence, combines pure L-Ascorbic Acid with high-performing derivatives in a lightweight, fast-absorbing formula.

Everything is housed in airtight packaging to preserve potency for up to 18 months.

To cap off a festive look, OPI’s Holiday 2025 Collection from Rustan’s delivers bright and glittery nail polish colors that reportedly last up to seven days without chipping. From rich reds and warm browns to sparkling golds, these holiday-fit shades combine vibrant pigmentation with a shiny finish.

Content creator Small Laude’s skincare line Small Steps Skin wants to make “skincare simple and straightforward,” with a routine that can be followed and used by anyone of any skin type.

For the holidays, Laude prepared a travel-friendly Lakwatsera set with the daily essentials in compact, easy-to-pack sizes. The set includes a Daily Gentle Cleanser, Pore Caring Treatment Toner, Ultra Light Sunscreen, Brightening Power Glow Serum, and the Feel So Light Niacinamide Gel Cream, for cleansing, sun protection, and hydration.

For within

For the fitness-conscious, gadget-loving men (or women) in your life, the Ultrahuman Ring AIR is a subscription-free wearable that delivers actionable insights into sleep, energy, and daily performance.

With the holiday season often throwing off sleep schedules, the Ring AIR helps users stay energized by focusing on restorative sleep, which is essential for long-term health. Its Brain Waste Clearance feature tracks deep sleep and heart rate patterns, while comprehensive tracking monitors recovery, movement, real-time stress, and women’s health through temperature-based cycle awareness.

Lightweight yet durable, the Ultrahuman Ring AIR also offers up to six days of battery life.

From deep-cleansing facials to treatments targeting hydration, brightening, and skin texture, a spa day at Wunderskin in BGC combines advanced techniques with soothing care.

Each session is tailored to your skin’s needs, like the homegrown center’s Signature HydraFacial, which deeply cleanses, hydrates, and extracts while enhancing skin with targeted boosters to address specific concerns. If you’re looking for a quick and effective refresh, GeneoX offers a 3-in-1 treatment that exfoliates, stimulates collagen, and tones the skin with zero downtime.

For women looking to invest in long-term wellness, OneLife Pilates Studio — now with a new and sleek branch in Shangri-La Plaza Mall — offers Physiopilates Care Packs focused on mobility, science-backed fitness, physiotherapy, and flexibility. The Back Pain Care Pack is a structured 12-week program designed to ease persistent discomfort and improve everyday mobility through low-impact, personalized sessions.

OneLife also offers Pelvic Floor Health and Pregnancy & Post-Pregnancy Care Packs, making it a thoughtful gift for women seeking expert-led care that supports strength, recovery, and overall well-being.

NEXT+ Wellness Center in Quezon City, on the one hand, brings a new wave of fitness and recovery to the Philippines. The Red Light Therapy Reformer and Mat Pilates classes combine exercise and therapy to help clients reportedly heal at a cellular level. Beyond pilates, NEXT+ also offers recovery and relaxation sessions, pain management, and biohacking treatments suitable for everyone, including seniors. 

S&J Beauty adds to its Beauty Blends lineup four new wellness powdered drinks — Milky Avocado, Curvee Coffee, Cucumber Lemonade, and Milky Melon.

Milky Melon is a skin-brightening antioxidant drink formulated with glutathione, niacinamide, Vitamin C, and Cynara scolymus to support immunity and liver health. Milky Avocado is a Japan-formulated, FDA-approved blend designed to brighten skin, help reduce hyperpigmentation, support joint health, and boost the immune system.

Thailand’s viral Pastel 2-in-1 Inhalers, are now more widely available in the Philippines, in Watsons, 7-Eleven, and National Book Store branches.

Each on-the-go inhaler provides a cooling sensation when inhaled, and is typically used to help relieve nasal congestion, dizziness, or mild headaches. The potent yet relaxing formula combines menthol, camphor, borneol, eucalyptus, peppermint, and ylang-ylang essential oil, and comes in pastel shades such as pink, green, navy blue, purple, and yellow.

Accessories for everyone

For the glammed-up loved ones in your life, Tommy Hilfiger’s jewelry collection can be perused through local website Fine & Mine. Some timeless options include the Intertwined Circles Chain Bracelet, with 23K gold-plated stainless steel and signature Hilfiger etching, to the Layered Set Bracelet, featuring a double-chain design and iconic enamel stripe.

Make a theater fangirl happier with Penny Pairs’ new Wicked collection! Glinda’s Wand Gold Necklace is a layered set inspired by her iconic wand and starburst motifs. For an edgy touch, the Elphaba Gold Studs feature brilliant green cubic zirconia stones.

Home sweet home

As a centerpiece to potluck parties or as a thoughtful gift, Designer Blooms’ Real Pine Collection features eye-catching arrangements of mini trees, wreaths, pinecones, and flowers in fresh evergreens and festive accents. With colorways like Red Reverie, Gilded Simplicity, and Vintage Evergreen, each piece smells and looks like the holidays.

Music lovers, commuters, or introverts would appreciate the Bose’s QuietComfort® Earbuds for premium, noise-free sound with thoughtful, comfortable design for immersive listening without distractions. The water-resistant earbuds are made for daily movement and for everyday listening.

Sneaker heads would also appreciate the PUMA’s H-Street OG and Premium line. Sleek, lightweight, and iconic, the H-Street comes in versatile tones — from crisp whites and earthy browns to standout reds and greens.

The OG collection adds playful personality to everyday looks, while the Premium edition offers understated polish for evening ensembles. Both are designed to be comfortable and versatile enough for either casual, active, or celebratory occasions.

And how about a home away from home? If you’re celebrating out of town, luxury resort Manami Resort in Sipalay, Negros Island is celebrating with “Seashells and Holiday Spells.” Part of the week-long occasion are nightly dinners at Dayaw, Merry Melon Glow cocktails, a traditional Noche Buena on December 24, and a Mediterranean-inspired feast at Lingaw for New Year.

The Negrense-owned Manami Resort offers 18 villas and suites sustainably designed around the natural beauty of Sipalay.

Fun and family-friendly

Aside from Serenitea’s new fruity Holiday Harvest series (Winter Coconut Peach and Merry Berry Dragonfruit), kids can also snag the new SPY x FAMILY collectible merch, which includes totes (P399), aprons (P499), and umbrellas (P499) for an add-on price with any Serenitea purchase. 

For the kids’ school baon, the Original Spinning Lunch Box by Wonder Box is a cute and convenient gadget. Its detachable spinning tray keeps snacks organized and has a handy strap and playful waterproof stickers that make it perfect for kids on the go. It’s also packaged in a colorful gift-ready box, with colors available in light pink and green.

Fit for the family, Discovery Primea’s “A Heartfelt Christmas” offers seasonal highlights for all ages, like “The 12 Cocktails of Christmas,” a lineup of handcrafted drinks available from December 12 to 23. Guests can also stop by the Gilarmi Hot Chocolate Bar to customize their own cup, or at Terazi Spa.

The Makati hotel’s rooftop restaurant Flame also presents a special set menu for Christmas Eve, “12 Cuts of Christmas,” with premium beef cuts. – Angel Baleña/Rappler.com

Angel Baleña is a Rappler intern studying Creative Writing at the University of the Philippines Diliman.