We Found the Best Small Gifts for $40 Or Less (2024)

When it comes to gift-giving, there are undoubtedly occasions for which and recipients for whom you’ll want to splurge and go BIG. There are also plenty of times and situations where a small gift is more than appropriate, think if you’re purchasing for someone whom you’re not particularly close with, you're picking up a teen gift for your child, or you want to get a little something ‘just because.’ (After all, it always is the thought that counts.) Plus, opting for a gift that’s “small” in the financial sense is great for your wallet, not to mention that gifts that are physically small are much easier to travel with or ship. All that’s to say, it’s well-worth having a list of go-to tiny-but-mighty presents that are sure to please. Case in point: We rounded up some of the best of the best, all of which are both tangibly small and ring in at $40 or less (with just a few notable exceptions).

Jones Road Beauty Miracle Balm

Is this makeup or skincare? Answer: A little bit of both. The deeply nourishing balm adds plenty of hydration (thanks to the use of natural oils), but also imparts a lit-from-within glow, and, if you opt for one of the eight tinted shades, a gorgeous wash of subtle pigments that’s gorgeous on cheeks and eyes. When we tested it, we especially loved how healthy and radiant it left our skin, rather than unnaturally glittery.

Ilia Liquid Powder Chromatic Eye Tint

This cream-to-powder shadow delivers a beautiful hint of color; good luck choosing your favorite among the line-up of 16 shades, which come in both metallic and matte finishes. We especially loved how easy it was to apply, no matter whether you use the doe-foot applicator or your fingertips, and how long the color lasts without creasing or smudging, even on oily lids.

Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Lip Balm

Read Full Review: I've Found the French-Girl Lipstick of My Dreams

A small gift from Chanel? Yes, please. This multi-tasking lippie is the perfect option, delivering lightweight and non-sticky hydration, as well as a subtle wash of color. Take your pick from five wearable hues, all of which start out with a little bit of sheen and dry down to a natural matte finish. Our favorite part? How gorgeous and effortless the color looks, and how comfortable the formula feels on lips.

Tula Skincare Glow Get It Cooling Brightening Eye Balm

Read Full Review: Tula's Eye Balm Provides a Quick Fix for Tired Eyes

Say buh-bye to tired, puffy eyes. This easy-to-use stick hydrates and brightens the entire area around your eyes in seconds, all while imparting a cooling and refreshing feel. We were especially impressed by the fact that it works equally well over and under makeup, and can even pull double-duty as a highlighter.

Hawkins New York Essential Stoneware Pinch Bowls

Whether for housing salt, storing condiments, or serving nuts, this set of two adorable bowls is a kitchen must-have. Made from scratch-resistant and dishwasher-safe ceramic, they’re available in six neutral colors.

Victorinox Classic Swiss Army SD Pocket Knife

With seven different functions, this is one small gift that’s undeniably practical and smart to have on-hand. Plus, it comes in 10 different colors.

Pure Enrichment WAVE Mini Zen Soothing Sound Machine

Weighing in at a mere .03 pounds, this tiny sound machine defines portable. It’s ideal for hotel stays, to keep on your nightstand, or to use during meditation or yoga, and offers six different calming sounds.

Awkward Auntie Quotation Mark Bookend

How cute would this bookend be for any bookworm or writer? Available individually or as a set, they’re all hand-dyed, making for a distinct uniqueness that gives them an artisanal feel.

Baggu Baby Baggu

Even though this reusable tote folds up into a tiny four inch by four inch size, it can still hold up to 50 pounds. It’s the perfect size to tote your lunch or a change of clothes; we also love how many fun prints and patterns it comes in.

Mustela Multi-Purpose Balm

You know how the dad in the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding uses Windex to solve every skin ailment? This salve is basically that cure-all…just in a totally natural formula that’s safe for babies, kids, and adults. With a variety of avocado extracts, it soothes all kinds of rashes, irritation, itchiness, dryness, burns, and more.

MiniLuxe Nourishing Cuticle Oil Rollerball

Not only will this cuticle oil leave nails and skin nice and hydrated, it’s also completely natural, so much so that it’s even EWG-certified. And the rollerball applicator makes it easy to use anytime, anywhere, without having to stress about spills.

Côtier Convokins Conversation Starter co*cktail Napkins

Here’s a fun take on the idea of ‘co*cktail party conversation.’ Each of these co*cktail napkins (you get a set of 50) features a unique icebreaker question. How fun would these be to bring to a dinner party?

Jack Black Beard Grooming Kit

Here’s everything he needs to keep his facial hair in check. This set comes with a wash, conditioning shaving cream, and beard oil (all in convenient travel sizes) along with a beard comb.

TRX Strength Bands

Resistance bands make a brilliant gift for any fitness lover; they’re super versatile and extremely portable. These TRX ones come in a variety of weights/resistances (the five to 35 pound options all ring in under $40).

Merit Beauty Flush Balm Cheek Color

This small, dome-shaped blush fits perfectly in the palm of your hand. And the buildable, creamy texture deposits just the right amount of color to leave your cheeks looking naturally flushed.

Pottery Barn Handcrafted Horn Cheese Knives

A perfect hostess gift, this set of four cheese knives features handles made from horn naturally-shed by buffalo. Each one has some slight color and pattern variation, ensuring these look way more expensive than they are, as does the oxidized finish on the variety of metal blades.

LYS Beauty Lash Confidence Mascara

A three-in-one formula, this new mascara (from the first Black-owned clean beauty brand to launch at Sephora) volumizes, lengthens, and curls. It’s also filled with conditioning ingredients to strengthen lashes, and ophthalmologist-tested, too.

Anthropologie Garnish co*cktail Picks

Use these for olives in a martini or accouterments in a Bloody Mary—either way, these four co*cktail picks are the perfect addition to any bar cart. Choose from either the olive or cherry designs.

Trywell Immuni-T Daily Immunity + Hydration

One serving of this powder supplement, from one of the few Black-owned health and wellness brands out there, helps boost immunity, thanks to the things such as vitamin D3, zinc, elderberry, and more. Plus, it’s also rich in electrolytes to keep you hydrated.

Nabila K Lip Polish

Chapped lips don’t stand a chance against this lip scrub. Sugar sloughs off dead skin, while shea butter and vitamin E moisturize. Best of all, it comes in 11 yummy flavors, think green apple and coconut.

Compera Pocket Notebooks

Whether for jotting down to-dos, grocery lists, or random thoughts, these notebooks (you get a set of four) are the perfect size to keep on-hand. Give them as a set, or split them up into four individual gifts, perhaps paired with a cute pen?

Open Spaces Storage Gems

This set of two, colorful acrylic storage containers is the perfect way to store and/or display all kinds of small trinkets. Also nice: They can be stacked or used side by side.

Isabel Marant Cadix Mini Bag

Okay, here’s one of two exceptions to our under $40 price point rule. If you’re looking for a gift that’s physically small but still feels special and splurge-worthy, here you go. The small straw bag features both a top handle and longer cross body strap, and is small enough to look super sophisticated, but large enough to hold all the basics.

Onsen Waffle Hand Towel

Who wouldn’t appreciate a hand towel upgrade? This set of two features a waffle weave that both looks pretty and dries quickly, and comes in nine colors.

54 Thrones African Beauty Butter

Loaded with rich, African shea butter, this is the perfect multi-purpose moisturizer to keep in your car, your pocket, your purse (you get the picture). It’s so rich that a little goes a long way, ensuring you’ll get plenty of use out of the tiny tube.

Letterfolk Concert Passport

Here’s an adorable gift idea for any music lover. The pocket-sized notebook has space to detail all of their favorite concerts, as well as save things like ticket stubs.

Thread Beauty Paint It Eyeshadow

Love a vibrant eye look? This liquid shadow comes in an array of bold and super pigmented shades that pop on even super dark skin tones.

Ban.do Feel Better De-Stress Ball

When life gets stressful, squeeze the heck out of this ice cream cone-shaped foam squishy. Heck, just looking at it will make you feel better.

Skeem Spark Calligraphy Mini Match Bottle

Pair this chic apothecary-style bottle of matches with a candle, or give it on its own. Either way, it’s a great small gift that anyone is sure to get plenty of use out of.

Versed Doctor's Visit Instant Resurfacing Mask

With a blend of alpha- and beta-hydroxy acids, this quick fix mask delivers skin-smoothing and brightening results even after one use. Use it weekly and you’ll see an even more noticeable improvement after just one month.

LottoLove Basic Needs 2-Ticket Gift

Consider this a more charitable version of a scratch-off lotto ticket. The recipient scratches off to see what they’ve won, but in this case they’re winning something that will be donated in their honor. It comes with a greeting card and envelope too, so you don’t even have to worry about wrapping it.

Boredwalk Good Company Guest Book

Those who host frequently will love having this unique take on a traditional guest book in their home. It features writing prompts to inspire guests to reflect on their time visiting you, and makes for a fun and lasting memento.

Kosas DreamBeam Silicone-Free Mineral Sunscreen

Even sunscreen haters will change their tune once trying this formula. Cushiony and creamy, it both moisturizes and brightens skin on its own, but also makes for a perfect pre-makeup layer.

Justina Blakeney Kaya Striped Ceramic Cups

Use these for sipping coffee or a co*cktail, a vase, storage for pens or makeup brushes…the options are truly endless. Either way, the fun and colorful striped pattern on these tumblers is sure to make you smile.

Voesch Moisturizing Heel Socks

This isn’t any ordinary pair of socks. Rather, the fuzzy pair boasts a jojoba and olive oil-infused lining that goes to work, moisturizing dry, cracked heels. Plus, they’re washable and reusable—up to 50 times.

World Market Square Resin Dandelion Paperweight

You can use this as a paperweight, or just as a decorative item on a shelf or coffee table. Either way, the resin cube etched with a very realistic dandelion inside makes for a great small gift.

Odacite Mon Ami Facial Acupressure Tool

Use this tool to stimulate acupressure points on your face, relieving muscle tension, boosting energy glow, and overall making your skin look more rejuvenated and youthful. Yes, please.

Saltair Pink Beach Nourishing Body Oil

With notes of coconut, almond blossom, and vanilla the scent of this luscious body oil will in fact transport you to a tropical island in the best way possible. Safflower, castor, and meadowfoam seed oils (among many others) leave skin perfectly hydrated and glowy.

Hello Adorn Tiny Twist Earrings

This twisted design of these itty-bitty hoops creates the illusion of two piercings even if you only have one hole. They come in silver, rose gold, and yellow gold finishes, as well as two different sizes.

Phlur Missing Person Hand Cream

We love a chic hand cream as a small gift, and this really is about as chic as they come. It has the same scent—a mix of jasmine, musk, and orange blossom—as the cult classic fragrance of the same name, and a hydrating, non-greasy formula made of squalane and glycerin.

iTOUCH Active Fitness Tracker

Keep tabs on your heart rate, daily steps, calorie intake, sleep habits and more with this wearable tracker. It even displays texts and calls when synced to your phone, an impressive feature given the price point.

Made by Rheal Concrete Coaster with Gold

Coasters are one of those foolproof small gifts—special enough to feel giftable yet still always practical and appreciated. This stunning set of four is made of hand-poured concrete with gold accents and finished with a cork bottom to prevent scratches.

Nest Amalfi Lemon & Mint Classic Candle

Candles always make a great gift, and that applies no matter how large or small they may be. This votive is perfect for smaller spaces, though still boasts a 20-28 hour burn time. It comes in a variety of scents, but we’re partial to this uber-fresh citrus and mint fragrance.

Klorane Dry Shampoo With Oat Milk

Dry shampoo as a gift? You better believe it when it’s this OG, a longtime fan favorite with cult-like status. It’s great for all hair types (and colors, since it doesn’t leave behind any unsightly white reside), and the mini size is great for travel or to keep in a gym bag.

Lawless Forget The Filler Overnight Lip Plumping Mask

Apply this lip mask before bedtime and wake up to a smoother, plumper pout. The delicious watermelon scent and flavor is just the icing on the cake.

Why Trust Byrdie

Byrdie contributor Melanie Rud has nearly 15 years of journalism experience coveringthe beauty and lifestyle space for some of the biggest magazines and websites out there. She’s written countless gift guides across a wide array of topics and categories, and isByrdie’s top gift guide writer. (She also prides herself on being an excellent gift-giver.)