It’s Holiday Gift Guide time!
For those of you who follow me on Instagram, you probably saw that my mom was in the ER right before Thanksgiving Day, after falling and breaking 9 ribs. Yes, 9. She’s ok thankfully, and made it home in time for Thanksgiving, but I was in no shape to be doing any content creation, so I missed a post for Black Friday.
That said, she’s doing better now and I thought I’d jump on here and share some of my favorite products just in time for Cyber Monday. Because let’s face it, I wasn’t going to be doing any in person shopping on Black Friday anyway. Not trying to lose an eye over an air fryer, ya know?
Not all of these are on sale for CM, unfortunately, but still a pretty solid start to your holiday shopping.
I’ve broken this out into a few categories: Content Creator, Foodies, and Lifestyle (or what I like to call the “Getting Old + Skincare Gift Guide”). After all, I am still a person and I use a lot of products to keep me looking and feeling like one. Not to mention I get asked a lot about my skincare routine (I’m sorry to be a cliche but it’s true), so here you go.
Enjoy!
Please be advised this post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I make a small commission. Every little bit helps when you do this for a living and I appreciate your support. 
Content Creator Gift Guide
Weighted Base Phone Stand – Whenever I post a video or a photo and this stand is in the background, people (who create content) always ask for the link. It’s one of those things I cannot live without. It has adjustable height and a weighted base, but the BEST part is how you can angle the arm in pretty much any direction you want. It’s not the easiest thing to transport (because of the base) but you can unscrew it if you’d like and pack it up that way. I just leave it and use a bag with a structured bottom. LOVE THIS THING CANNOT RECOMMEND ENOUGH.
Mini LED Light – this is for those of you who want to get better lighting in dark places without carrying around big lights. It’s adjustable and has a diffuser, and can also screw on top of your DSLR. I use it handheld mostly when I’m in restaurants and it’s only slightly less annoying to those around you than using the flash on your camera. If you’re gonna draw attention to yourself, might as well at least make the photos and videos worth it.
Gimbal Stabilizer Phone Holder – this is on sale for Cyber Monday! WOO HOO. If you’ve never used one of these before, you’re missing out. It stabilizes your phone while you’re walking or filming in motion, so you get a smoother vid. Super cool and easy to use. This is another one that I’ve heard good things about, but it isn’t on sale.
Phone Grip – I could not live without one of these and it shocks me that people do. Even if you’re not a “content creator,” phones have gotten so big and annoying to comfortably hold, why not make it easier on yourself? It also makes taking selfies a breeze, since you can get your arm further away because you’re strapped in. This one I like a lot because it’s VERY slim, so it doesn’t add a lot of bulk like a pop socket or get stuck on things like the ring kind does. It also works in most phone stands/holders!
Pivo Pod Lite – This is an “Auto Tracking Smartphone Holder” that I’ve seen all over TikTok the past 6 months. I’m not gonna lie, I have yet to try it myself, but I just bought one because I know a bunch of people who swear by it. AND it’s on sale for Cyber Monday! Basically it’s for those times when you’re filming solo and want to move around, the Pivo will move WITH you (auto tracking). I’m excited to try it!
Ring Light w Holder/Remote – this is actually different than the one I own, but mine is a POS so I didn’t want to link to it. And since this one is on sale for Cyber Monday, I just bought it. I like that it has a remote and the base looks sturdy. When I tell you a light breeze could knock over mine, I’m not kidding. At the end of the day though, it still works. A light is a light. So my including this one is just based on reviews and my prior purchases.
Foodies Gift Guide
Best Veggie Peeler – I was beyond skeptical of this thing until I actually used it. It makes peeling potatoes, carrots, and anything else SO easy. I don’t know why it’s better than the ones with the handle grip, but it is. Just trust me. I have arthritis in my hand, I know what I’m talking about.
Frywall – One of those things I’ve been using for YEARS and cannot believe I lived without for so long. This silicone splatter shield may look insane, but it WORKS. Prevents your kitchen/floors/backsplash from greasy splatters AND it’s dishwasher safe. I have the 10″ and the 12″ but I think the 10″ is more versatile. Truly a great gift, I’ve gotten it for multiple people over the years!
French Press Coffee Maker – I know this may sound like a giant “duh” but I love French Press coffee, and this one is just so pretty in the copper/rose gold color. I’ve had it for years and it makes me feel like I’ve made it. Not to mention it makes a damn good cup of coffee (I didn’t know how to make coffee until I was in my late 20’s when I got this thing, I shit you not).
Ninja Space Saving Air Fryer – ok so, this is not my air fryer, but it is my mom’s. I got it for her for Christmas a while back and she LOVES it. I can confirm it’s really great since I’ve used it a bunch, and the flip up space saver thing is SO cool for small kitchens. It has a ton of features to air fry, bake, roast, broil etc, and fits a lot more than the type of air fryer that I have (the egg-shaped basket kind).
Chef’s Journal – this just sounds like me, so if you sound like me or know someone who does that also loves to cook, I bet they’d enjoy this gift. Ideal for the aspiring sarcastic chef.
T-Fal Nonstick Jumbo Pan – I use this for everything. Literally I got this as a gift in 2018 I think and I’ve been using it weekly ever since. I make sauce with it, I make pasta with it, I make sauteed anything with it. It’s just a great pan and so easy to clean. I love all my T-Fal pans but this one and the frying pans I use the absolute most.
Funny Food Puns Kitchen Towels – you know how much I love a good dad joke, a pun, and music. These got me immediately and they happen to be on sale for Cyber Monday! I might make someone buy these for me… lol (not kidding at all).
Funny Plastic-Free Produce Bags – I love Uncommon Goods! I only picked one or two things from this site because I love a lot of their stuff and it’s hard to narrow down. But these struck me as really cute, especially if you’re trying to do your part for the environment.
Garlic Press – another thing I got for my mom that she loves! She hates chopping garlic (I love it), so I thought she might like this because it’s easy and less aggressive looking than a normal garlic press. Plus it keeps everything in that cute little compartment until you’re ready to use it!
Getting Old + Skincare Gift Guide
Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair – people really do ask about my skincare routine, and this has been a staple for as long as I can remember. I hate the smell, I’m just gonna say that right now, but I really do feel like it makes a difference in my overall skin tone and helps with reducing fine lines/pores. Oh and I’m 38. If that helps.
Estee Lauder Daywear Moisturizer – this is the moisturizer I use during the day, and I like it because it’s got SPF 15 in it AND it smells like cucumber melon or something delightful unlike the Advanced Night Repair. It’s hydrating but not overly greasy (my skin is a combo of normal/dry and if I do break out ever, it’s in my forehead region between my eyebrows or around my cheeks/under my eyes).
Neutrogena Rapid Clear Spot Treatment – I’ve been using this stuff since I was in college. Maybe even High School. I swear by it! When I see a little pimple about to creep up, I dab this on a few times per day and it’s minimized by the next day, if not completely gone.
Theracane Massager – Ok, I know this looks a little insane, but I promise it helps. It was recommended by my physical therapist, and since I have a ton of neck/back problems (as you can plainly see by the rest of this list), I buy basically any and everything that I think will help. This is one of them. It gets to the spots on my back that I cannot reach with my theragun. Because I live alone and I can’t exactly ask my doorman to do that for me, ya know?
Sleep Spray – I love this stuff. Not just because I enjoy the smell of lavender when I’m sleeping, but I truly feel like it helps. Maybe it’s a placebo, but I have other friends who swear by it too. What’s the harm in trying it? The sweet smell of lavender on your pillow before getting a good night’s sleep??
Crystal Peel Microdermabrasion Bar – I never talk about this, but that’s because I never found a solution UNTIL NOW. I have that skin condition called Keratosis Pilaris (KP, for short), which means I get lots of little bumpy acne-like things on the backs of my arms and legs (primarily on my arms though). It drives me nuts because I have pretty good skin otherwise, and yet I can’t escape this chicken skin. UNTIL CRYSTAL PEEL. I swear this is the ONLY thing I’ve used that works, and yes, that includes prescription strength creams from the dermatologist. It’s VERY ROUGH, so be gentle when you first use it, because it is quite literally like rubbing sandpaper on your skin, but within a week, you’ll notice a difference.
Chirp Wheel – back to back problems! Someone recommended this to me a few years ago and I stretch my back/neck on it almost every morning. I still get my neck/back pains but they are significantly less frequent since I started using this. You can literally HEAR the cracks in your neck/back as you roll on it. It’s very satisfying.
Muscle Scraper – Another thing I discovered in Physical Therapy, but a friend recommended this one to me, and I use it about twice a week. I’d use it more but my hand/wrist/forearm is so messed up that it gets kind of sore the day after. I’m also not shy about really getting in there to get those knots out. There are different brands you could buy that are cheaper, but I like that this one comes with the skin protector gel, a carrying case, and a towel. Perfect for traveling to shoots, in my case.
The post My Holiday Gift Guides: 2022 first appeared on The Skinny Pig.