NBC Select spotlights May’s freshest launches for giftable impulse buys

A more deliberate kind of impulse buy

The sharpest gift ideas this month are not the loudest ones. They are the launches that solve a daily annoyance, make a routine easier, or feel just distinctive enough to say you paid attention, which is exactly why NBC Select’s May roundup lands as a gift story as much as a shopping list.

The monthly New & Notable column is already past 37 best new products for May, and the mix tells you where gifting is headed: less novelty for novelty’s sake, more products with a clear use case. Google, Nike, Tower 28 and lululemon all fit that mood, and even the broader cast of brands in the roundup points in the same direction, with names like KitchenAid, Garmin and JanSport reinforcing the idea that the best present is often the one that earns its keep.

Wellness upgrades that feel more personal than premium

Google’s Fitbit Air is the clearest example of a gift that feels current without trying too hard. At $99.99, it is positioned as Google’s smallest and most affordable tracker, and the screenless design makes it feel less like a gadget and more like a quiet health companion. The Fitbit Air pairs with the Google Health app, includes a three-month trial of Google Health Premium, and offers week-long battery life, which is the sort of practical detail that matters once a gift moves from the box into everyday life.

That combination makes it especially smart for someone who wants useful feedback without a bulky wrist display or a subscription-heavy commitment from day one. Google is also leaning on Google Gemini for fitness, sleep and health insights, coaching, plans and goals, which gives the product a more guided feel than the average step counter. It is a natural fit for a new parent, a friend rebuilding routines after a busy stretch, or anyone who likes the idea of wellness support that stays out of the way.

Studio clothes that read as a thoughtful fashion gift

lululemon’s Yoga and Pilates Collection turns a category that can feel repetitive into something much more giftable. NBC Select highlights the line’s relaxed, comfortable, distraction-free approach, with pieces made from mesh and the brand’s Nulu fabric. The assortment includes cropped tanks, joggers, shorts, tops with built-in bras and leggings, which makes it feel like a complete uniform rather than a single throwaway item.

That matters because activewear gifts work best when they feel specific to how someone actually moves. This collection suits the person who lives in Pilates classes, the friend who wants a polished set for studio workouts, or the traveler who wants clothes that do not look like afterthoughts once they leave the gym. It also fits the bigger shift in gifting right now, where the most appealing fitness present is not extreme or aspirational, but calm, wearable and easy to put into rotation.

A retro sneaker that hits the sweet spot between nostalgia and price

Nike’s Moon Shoe OG is the kind of sneaker gift that lands because it has a story. NBC Select calls it Nike’s first-ever running sneaker brought back, and that heritage gives the shoe a built-in sense of relevance that many retro revivals are chasing. The design stays true to the original with a nylon upper, leather accents and a waffle sole, while the $105 price keeps it in a range that feels accessible for a fashion-minded gift.

The men’s and women’s sizing broadens its appeal, and the wider sneaker conversation around the shoe suggests Nike is positioning it as a seasonal retro drop, not a one-off nostalgia play. That makes it ideal for the person who likes to wear a piece of sneaker history without paying luxury-collaboration prices. It is also the sort of purchase that can work for birthdays, graduations or a milestone gift where you want something recognizable but not overdone.

Beauty that prioritizes comfort over drama

Tower 28’s place in the roundup reflects one of the most useful shifts in beauty gifting: the move toward products that simplify rather than complicate a routine. The brand’s SOS line is built for chronically sensitive skin, including acne, rosacea and eczema, which gives it a very different energy from the glossy, trend-chasing beauty drops that can dominate seasonal gift lists. This is beauty as relief, not performance.

That makes Tower 28 especially strong for practical gifting. It suits someone who is careful about ingredients, someone whose skin reacts to too much fragrance or too many steps, or anyone who likes products that feel comforting and uncomplicated. In a gift box, that kind of usefulness often reads as more luxurious than a flashy palette or a product designed mainly for the shelf.

Why these launches feel giftable now

The common thread across these May launches is restraint. Katie Couric Media’s take on the month favors practical, thoughtfully designed products over pure impulse buys, and that instinct shows up here in every category, from beauty that calms skin to tech that tracks health without shouting for attention. The most compelling gift trends right now are not about impressing someone with price; they are about choosing something that slips neatly into the recipient’s actual life.

That is why this month’s strongest launches feel so easy to recommend for occasions that call for more than a generic present. A $99.99 tracker can feel more intimate than a pricier gadget, a $105 sneaker can feel more special than a safer staple, and a studio set or skin-soothing beauty product can feel deeply considered when it matches the way someone already lives. The new gift logic is simple: the most current present is the one that does something useful, and does it beautifully.