Xmas gift advice (miniature painting)

So, lets say these Reaper kits (I couldnt help but get both of the learn to paint kits) work out well and I dig it, usually I buy stuff i want when I want, which irritates my wife no end, in no small part to having nothing left to get me when christmas rolls around.

I dont necessarily want to send her a list the size of the GDP of a small pacific island commune, but in more general terms, lets say I can ask her to get me a set of brushes, whatever other basic kit would be worth having and some paints. In particular it would be very convenient to get those paint sets, I've seen Citadel (but don't really know if I need base set and shade set, layer set and dry set is already 4 boxes of paints which would then start to push into a bit OTT budgetwise.
Kolinsky brushes arent super expensive if you just buy a couple, are they worth it, I like the chunky handles for starters by the look of it but there are various Army Painter, GW brush sets with 3 or 5 brushes in it as well that would work out cheaper

As I would be a beginner, and this would be a gift, I'm guessing that you cant go wrong with a starter set of brushes and some Citadel sets, but its much more likely I will be doing primer, base, wash, highlight, done so maybe Base & Shade set, skip layer set, and what is dry set? drybrushing?
oy and those Stormcast Eternal starter paint sets have 3 minis as well as all the paint needed to do them to their schemes? that seems like a very cheap price (less than just whatever is a base paint set)

Any good tips for specialist paints which are good to have, like metallics, or blood effects or basing stuff?

and just to reinforce again - spray Chaos Black primer is fine, or better to brush on Vallejo type primer out of the bottle (I like the no fumes aspect but worry my shitty skills will lead to clumsy results even before I start painting)?

and "sealer" is that what the same as "varnish" and this is best brush on, getting matte and gloss for different surfaces (and to mix), thats brushed from a bottle right

sorry for all the fucking annoying questions

The Citadel technical paints are great for effects. "Blood for the Blood God" makes very realistic blood. Nurgle's Rot is a great slime as well.