A Gift Guide for The Gen Zs in Your Life, According to a 24-year-old

I love, love art gallery ODD ONE OUT. The small space in Wan Chai’s Star Street Precinct is dedicated to printmaking, graphic arts and illustration – and its prints and ceramics make for a super thoughtful, one-of-a-kind gift. Pick a hand-painted piece from the current exhibition Glimmers Of The Stones featuring Japanese printmaker Ayaka Asano – I like Blue Youth – or a tiny art zine, like Rose Wong’s Homebody!

You might have spotted very on-trend “female body” vases and ceramic pieces around town, but my pick would be this regular-shaped Castaway Roots Vase with a gorgeous illustration of a woman holding a clay pot among greenery. There’s something soothing and (dare I say it?) “gardencore” about it. You could also go for the equally beautiful Castaway Fetch Vase. Both are available at Thorn & Burrow.

It’s difficult to narrow down to a single makeup giftset pick, but this one from ultraluxe beauty brand Charlotte Tilbury checks all my boxes. Containing an eyeshadow quad palette, powder blusher, lip liner, and matte lipstick all in a universally-flattering berry-rose shade, the “Walk of No Shame” face kit has literally everything you need. And if stocks run out, the Pillow Talk Makeup Secrets set lets you pick the same four items, just in the brand’s signature nude-pink Pillow Talk shade.

From the blogger behind LadyandPups.com (“an unapologetically angry food blog”), The Art of Escapism Cooking is an entertaining and intensely personal cookbook. Mandy Lee was born in Taiwan, raised in Vancouver and has lived in New York, Beijing and, currently, Hong Kong – her cookbook features more than 80 Asian-inspired fusion recipes including surprising takes on comfort favourites and truly innovative dishes.

I must confess – I’ve already gifted a bottle of Chloe’s Perfume Naturelle. And as I carefully packed it up and signed the card, I thought… what if I bought one just for myself? It’s because the new version of the French fashion house’s signature fragrance is heavenly: a fresh, light rose scent with citron and blackcurrant top notes, rose and neroli middle notes and a cedar base note. Woodsy and floral without being too musky and overpowering. It’s packed in a gorgeous clear Chloe bottle and is available in three sizes.

If you’ve yet to try one of Simran Savlani’s sauces, this is your sign to get one right now. Savlani is a restaurant management graduate from Le Cordon Bleu Paris and her food brand A Spark of Madness stocks mouth-watering sauces, as well as a cookbook. Handmade in Hong Kong, the ‘Crack Sauce’ is described as a palette awakener – spicy and creamy, sweet and nutty, salty and tangy. It’s the perfect gift for a foodie Gen Z-er, a multi-layered sauce that pairs well with everything from dumplings to salad, cold noodles, and French fries. Feeling generous? Pick up the Spark Set, which comes with the Crack Sauce, Crispy Chili Oil and Caramelized Spring Onion.

These mini versions of frank body’s Original Coffee Scrub and Buff Marshmallow Body Scrub are perfect for a pampering routine: buff, scrub, rinse, and repeat. Ideal for maybe anyone – especially the most stressed person in your life, who’s in dire need of some unwinding and relaxation.