Tracee Ellis Ross' Best Gift Picks for Your Girlfriends

Who better than the über-stylish actress to curate gifts your besties will go bonkers for?

Perfect Pears

"There's nothing better than giving pretty, juicy pears," says Ellis Ross, who adds that a squeeze of lemon "elevates them to a gourmet situation." (Tip: Wait until the skin around the stem wrinkles for a perfectly ripe bite.)

Buy It! Frog Hollow Farm pears, $44 for 3 lbs.; food52.com

Soothing Incense

"I received this as a gift about three years ago. It smells wonderful, and the minimalist packaging is beautiful."

Buy It! Sandalwood incense, $32; communedesign.com

Curly Hair Care

"Those of us with curly, coily and tight textures use a lot of products and love the ease of a jumbo bottle you can pump out in the shower," says the Pattern brand founder.

Buy It! Juicy & Jumbo duo, $72; patternbeauty.com

Multipurpose Bowls

"I really love a bowl—especially a pretty one. Everything tastes better out of a bowl to me," she says. "And as a gift, they're versatile. People can use them for food or trinkets. And OK is a lovely store full of amazing finds."

Buy It! Japanese bowls, $38 for 4; okthestore.com

The New 'It' Bag

"This Black-owned company is incredible," she says of Telfar, winner of CFDA's accessories award two years in a row. "Their bags are notoriously hard to get. I still don't have one, but I'm hoping I will one day!"

Buy It! Telfar shopping bag, $202; shop.telfar.net

Healthy Stocking Stuffer

"I discovered these chips by accident!" says Ellis Ross of the potato-free, low-carb and high-protein snack, made of chicken. "It's like one of those things where you're like, wait, what are these? They're just delicious."

Buy It! Chicken chips, $27 for 6 bags; wildebrands.com

A Better Body Wash

"My beauty mantra is hydration, hydration, hydration," says Ellis Ross. This seven-oil blend leaves skin clean but not dry. "It's a lovely gift for anyone who cares about their skin."

Buy It! Glossier Body Hero daily oil wash, $18; glossier.com

Sophisticated Salt

The huge, flaky crystals are a favorite of foodies and "give everybody the impression you know what you're doing in the kitchen," says Ellis Ross, who initially ordered this jumbo size by accident — but because she puts it on everything, she now says "it was the most practical thing I've ever done."

Buy It! Maldon sea salt flakes, $25 for 3 lbs; amazon.com

Powerful Page-Turner

Ellis Ross was among the many fans of this blockbuster novel about the divergent paths two Black twins take when one decides to leave their small town and pass as white. "It was a great book. I broke down when it ended," she says. "I always say a good book is like a best friend."

Buy It! The Vanishing Half, $24.84; bookshop.org

Rose-Colored Glasses

That pretty pastel glassware you've seen all over Instagram? That's Estelle Colored Glass, and Ellis Ross says it's as good as it looks. "They hold a lot of liquid and they're beautiful," she says. "It's a black owned company, and I am a huge fan."

Buy It! Estelle Colored Glass rocks glasses in Amber Smoke, $85 for 2; estellecoloredglass.com

Softest Sweats

"I've been wearing FreeCity since Girlfriends, and these were my uniform all through the pandemic, when I was at home," Ellis Ross says, adding that the pockets are roomy enough for your cell phone and AirPods when you're padding around the house. "These sweatpants are just perfect for all body types, and they're so soft, it's unbearable. They feels so good on your body and they're functional with a pocket. Come on."

Buy It! FreeCity pocket sweatpants, $245; freecitysupershop.com