Birthday Gift Ideas

With my birthday approaching (& consequently my sisters, we are 2 years & 1 day apart), I have been thinking about what would be the perfect, no-fuss gift for the girl who has everything. I compiled this list which I think would cover any modern girl. So here are some ideas for the next time you are in a gift-giving rut. I promise it will be easy for you and will feel special to the recipient.



1. Coffee Table Book 
Who doesn't love some gorgeous reading material to flip through on a lazy day? One currently on my wishlist is Emily Shuman's Cupcakes & Cashmere which has a little something for everyone: fashion, beauty, food, and life. Another favourite is Domino which is great for the girl interested in interior design or is moving into a new apartment (plus the cover is super pretty). Kate Spade's Things We Love would be another great pick.

2. High-End Nail Polish
Sometimes it's difficult to splurge on an expensive nail polish on oneself. However, it would be a nice treat to receive a wishlist bottle of sparkles from a friend. Deborah Lippmann polishes would be a classic choice. Across the Universe is pictured here, or go with Happy Birthday for some fun word-play. And if DL is still out of your price range just think of what brands might be special among your group of friends. Zoya is my personal favourite, and it would be cute to give a couple of polishes from the newest release.

3. Luxury Candle
Another "treat yourself" item that might never happen due to buyer's guilt, Diptyque candles are a perfect choice as a gift. Not only can the birthday girl enjoy the scent and ambiance of the lighted candle, but afterwards she can also use it to store her beauty essentials in chic blogger-style. As with the nail polish, same rule applies, if a sixty-dollar candle is out of your price range, how about the lovely three-wick Bath and Body Works candles? I don't know anyone who wouldn't be overjoyed to have more of those.

4. New Fragrance
Now this is the trickier of the gift ideas since scent preferences are such a personal thing. So either do some detective work to discover their favourite scents (or subtly bring them to Sephora and trick them into revealing their wishlist fragrance), or go with some universally loved scents. I find that most people tend to enjoy the Marc Jacobs fragrances or the Juicy Couture scents. Though each fragrance in their collection is unique, they all tend to be a mix of fruity and floral. A good balance that the majority of scent palettes will like. New releases or limited edition scents are good choices for gifts as well. Though the bottles double as gorgeous home decor, if you are buying on a budget, a rollerball is a less expensive way to gift a new scent.

Mix and match these suggestions to create the perfect gift. Wrap in pretty paper and attach a personalized card. These gifts would also work for celebrations other than birthdays too- housewarming, anniversary, graduation, any congratulation you can think of! Hope this helped the next time you are at a loss of what to give!

What are some of your favourite gifts to give and to receive?