Holiday gifts can be tricky. What can you give someone that is new unique, or at least a novel take on a classic gift? The Advice Sisters have rounded up six gifts that help you do routine things with elegance, luxury and pleasure. From fragranced gifts to beauty tools, to goodies that pep you up in the morning, we think these six suggestions will make every day just a little bit better and more special. Which are you going to add to your own gift list?
the packaging: Crabtree & Evelyn’s lavender bath & shower gel
There is just about nothing more calming and comforting than the scent of lavender. That’s why spas use it liberally while you’re waiting for treatments. Bring the Spa-ahh home for yourself with the Crabtree & Evelyn Memory Makers Ultimate Gift Set which now is just $44.00 and a $76.00 value. A trio of very nicely scented lavender products: Lavender Bath & Shower Gel (250mL); Lavender Body Lotion (245mL) and a lovely Lavender Eau de Toilette (30mL) are nestled into a beautiful, hard-sided gift box with “framed” graphics of holidays gone by. There’s a clear cover over the products inside. But there’s a surprise in there as well! Boxed in small version of the outer box, is a charming little white porcelain bird ornament, to use for years to come, or for a gift tag. The Lavender Eau de Toilette reminds me of a market in Provence, use it to also scent your linens or lightly spritz your home on those days when you are feeling “restive.” The Bath & Shower Gel and the Body Lotion have beautiful graphics of lavender on them. The Bath & Shower gel has a flip-top carp, and it has Lavender oil, peony, magnolia and elderflower extracts to help condition skin along with Glycerine to moisturize. What it doesn’t have, is mineral oil, parabens, phthalates, propylene glycol or sodium lauryl sulfate. The Body Lotion leaves that super scent of lavender on your skin. The easily absorbed lotion in a pump bottle has a blend of calming botanical lavender oil with extracts of elderflower, magnolia and peony to help condition your skin. It also has shea butter and evening primrose, almond and coconut oils and no mineral oil, parabens, phthalates or propylene glycol. After Christmas holiday shoppers note: This set makes a great gift for both men and women and of this writing it was still available at this link on the Crabtree & Evelyn Web Site . For more holiday treats for you and others, visit the web site: http://www.crabtree-evelyn.com/
We love the ease of holiday gift sets and stocking stuffers. They bring a smile on the face of every recipient! Repechage® introduced a glittering make-up gift set with a translucent mineral rich loose power and mantra conditioning lip gloss (with soothing, smoothing Shea butter and coconut oil), creating a beautiful cranberry stained lip. We love nourishing lip glosses that stay on throughout the party! This lip gloss gives you a great cranberry tint without looking too bright. The loose powder made our complexion smooth and kept our makeup fresh. This duo is packaged in a silver box tied with a gold ribbon so really, wrapping isn’t really needed. Just add a bow and a gift card and your shopping is done! The price set is $44.00 and available online at www.repechage.com or in spas and salons.
Elemis is one of our favorite spa-centric lines that we were introduced to on cruise ships and elegant spas. We’ve loved their high performance and luxurious products for literally, decades.. But you don’t have to go on a cruise or get to a spa to enjoy their products, or gift them. One for Holiday 2015 that we are calling out as a great little splurge is the yummy-smelling fragrance set from Elemis Forever Frangipani ($66.00 a $118.00 value). The elegant red box opens up to reveal 4 products with a light, exotic white, pink and yellow flower scent that is unique and difficult to describe. The fragrance is made from the exotic frangipani plant (not commonly used by many perfumeries). You’ll get a full size frangipani monoi shower cream (cleanses gently while you inhale the exotic scent of frangipani), frangipani monoi body oil (quickly absorbed to moisturize effectively without being sticky), frangipani monoi body cream (to really smooth skin, with macadamia oil and lipid-rich sesame oil), and frangipani monoi fragrance mist (to keep the fragrance lasting for hours). The 4 products lets you layer the fragrance for all day staying power. While some may be hesitant to try strong floral scents, this unique scent can be worn daytime all year long without knocking someone over. Buy a set for yourself and as a gift. Elemis is available at spas around the United States or on various spa websites. Find it on www.elemis.com or www.timetospa.com.
Are you or someone you know a glitter girl? For you this holiday, there are affordable, but glamorous and glittery beauty tools from Cricket. The Pro Eyelash Curler is part of Cricket®’s beauty hardware ‘Dazzling Collection’ along with the Pro Kabuki Brush both available in buff, blush and bronze with sparkle colors. Using a makeup brush is a routine thing, but when you glam it up and make it into a travel-friendly version, it makes using it, so much more fun! The Pro Eyelash Curler has a cool ergonomic bedazzled handle for comfort, and a design that helps create an intense curl on lashes of any length and thickness. The ergonomic handle was definitely more comfortable than the regular eyelash curlers we have used in the past, even with the “bedazzling.” To match the Pro Eyelash Curler, you have to try the travel friendly powder brush crystallized cap and handle. The super soft synthetic bristles let us apply powder for allover coverage. The best part was the ease how this brush did not require you to turn or push the bristles back in. When you are done using the brush, just put the cap on and push down. These glittering but totally high peformance tools will be fun for you and gift recipients all year round. Best of all, they’re an affordable $16.65 each, see www.cricketco.com or find both beauty tools in salons, beauty supply stores, and various other beauty outlets.
It’s cold inside and out. Who wants to walk on cold floors with bare feet? Wouldn’t you rather treat your toes to lavender-infused socks? LOVE MINX NY specializes in socks! Their socks selection is sensational. For something more than just socks to wear outdoors gift someone or yourself with indoor comfort. We like the lavender-infused socks that range in price from $15.00 for fluffy chenille socks, to the ones in the photo on the left that are booties with a pouch for your cell phone, built in. We didn’t personally try the cell phone socks, but we felt the soft, silky fabric and can say for sure that any of these would be cozy. Argan and Lavender-infused capsules calm the senses (crush them and sniff) while grip treads allow you to walk about securely. On a cold day, or in a house with cold floors, these are the gift you will want! To order yours visit http://loveminxny.com/ also reed light pr. They have lots of socks, and even slipper socks with a place for your cell phone.
The first thing many people do to get going in the morning is get their hit of caffeine from coffee or tea. Whether it is via French press, coffee maker or Keurig in K-cups, good coffee is the basis of making mornings better and brighter. Community Coffee has been around since the early 1900’s. The creators named the company: “Community Coffee” to honor friends and neighbors. Today Community Coffee offers several different gift sets and lots of different coffee blends. Their Premium Coffee Variety Pack ($23.99) for example has a variety of roasts to try. The set includes one ground roast 12-ounce bag of each Dark Roast, Breakfast Blend, French Roast and Café Special® coffees, packed in a gift box. Their Premium coffees are made with 100% Arabica premium and specialty beans of the highest quality. I can’t suggest a favorite as the blends suit different tastes. Community Coffee also has tea, and if I remember correctly, the tea used to be packaged in tea balls, not flat bags. Today, 100 traditional (flat) tea bags in a box is just $3.50 is a way to treat tea drinkers to a Lousiana tea made with blend of orange pekoe and pekoe cut black teas from around the world. Brew it for a few minutes for an aromatic cup of tea that is never bitter but full of flavor. Both the tea and the coffee are available in decaf, too. Easy to order at: http://www.communitycoffee.com/
*a special thank-you to advicesisters.com contributor, Jura Zibas, for helping to create this review
