There are many approaches one could take for holiday gifting. You can shop your giftee’s wish list directly, browse our carefully curated gift guides for inspiration, or head to your favorite retailer to see their recommendation. In the spirit of the latter, we wondered: What do our retail expert friends predict to be the ultimate beauty gifts and winter bestsellers of 2025?
A Cheat Sheet to Retailers’ Holiday Beauty Bestsellers
Ahead, head buyers, merchandisers, and directors sound off on what’s flying off their physical and virtual shelves. From niche fragrances to skin-care sets and other seasonal salves, the options are plenty this season. Read on to see what’s really in for winter 202, to inspire your next beauty gift—for you or a friend.
Bluemercury
“Skin care continues to be a powerhouse category for us, with many brands offering value sets of bestsellers or trial-size sets to introduce new customers to the brand,” Bluemercury’s head of stores, omnichannel, and strategy Jenna Goldberg tells Vogue. To wit, it’s no surprise La Mer’s renowned face cream duo is an anticipated hit, alongside Dr. Diamond’s Metacine trio primed for skin renewal. Additionally, the team shares that hair-care jumbo and liter sizes are also incredibly popular during the holiday season as clients stock up on their favorites; plus, color cosmetics and fragrance—especially those which embody the festive spirit with gorgeous packaging and limited edition shades and scents. Advent calendars are also talk of the town at Bluemercury. “Clients continue to enjoy the surprise and delight element inherent in unboxing a special treat every day.”
Nordstrom
Holiday gifting is the name of the game at Nordstrom right now; and, per the retailer’s beauty director Autumne West, customers are prioritizing thoughtfulness. “They’re looking for something that feels like a splurge but personal,” West says. “We see customers seeking value—getting more for less is always a smart move this time of year—but of course still looking for gifts that feel coveted and special. Customers will be voting for their favorite brands that have limited edition or special holiday items—making the gift recognizable but still unique.” Of these gift-worthy trinkets, body care and fragrance are top contenders, especially minis. “There has been a surge of cute collectibles across all categories,” West adds.
Credo Beauty
Clean beauty marketplace Credo Beauty is seeing a boom in body and hair care. “Body tools continue to win in our environment due to customers willing to invest in their body routine and being able to bring spa-like tools into the home,” Gabriella Ramirez, merchant at Credo Beauty tells, citing Biotyspa’s formulas as a crowd-favorite. “As for hair, we’re seeing a huge focus on growth and repair,” Ramirez adds, across serums and bond repair treatments.
Violet Grey
Skin care remains Violet Grey’s bread and butter; the brand has specifically seen growth on science-backed brands like MBR, NakedBeauty MD, and Sweet Chemistry. “Our clients want streamlined, high-performance formulas that deliver results—especially as winter sets in and the focus shifts to barrier support, deep hydration, and multitasking treatments that actually work,” Rachel Richman, director of merchandising at Violet Grey tells Vogue. Additionally, the retailer is seeing increased interest in fragrance. “Our clients want discovery, they want the scent no one else is wearing.”
Dermstore
It’s no surprise barrier repair is trending at Dermstore. “Winter always calls for richer formulations to combat dry, cold conditions,” Chelsea Strauser, vice president of buying at Dermstore, says. “Dermstore sells restorative, rich creams at many different price points that always see an uptick in November and December through March,” noting Dr. Diamond’s just-debuted Metacine Hydr/o Moisturizer and U Beauty’s The Barrier Bioactive Treatment as two popular buys.
The retailer also sees an uptick of customers shopping with leftover FSA and HSA funds. “Our customer believes skin care is health care–what this looks like beyond using HSA/FSA funds is investing in holistic skin and hair health routines–utilizing tools like Jolie’s shower head for better scalp-care along with ingestibles like Wellbel for healthier hair. Optimal skin health is approached from 360 degrees, not just topicals!”
Meet the Experts
- Jenna Goldberg is the head of stores, omnichannel, and strategy and interim head of merchandising and marketing at Bluemercury.
- Gabriella Ramirez is a merchant at Credo Beauty.
- Rachel Richman is the director of merchandising at Violet Grey.
- Chelsea Strauser is the vice president of buying at Dermstore.
- Autumne West is the beauty director at Nordstrom.































