Black Friday seems to be hanging on, we hope you #shopsmall and today is Cyber Monday (which for many of us is really 365 days a year). If you are a regular reader of CaFleureBon you know I don’t believe in blind buying perfumes as a Holiday Gift unless it is a much-wanted bottle and I have reservations even then. Even if you think you know what they want, true perfumistas are likely to spring for that bottle without telling you it’s off of their “Must…Have…Now” list and they are already onto the next acquisition, most likely something unobtainable and found only as a numbered Limited Edition and as times are tough went in on a split, so they end up with a decant. Last year I had a change of mind. A dear friend was lusting for an Aftelier Perfume and I bought it for her as a Holiday Gift. Now my confession… although I test hundreds of fragrances a year, I wear five-ten on a regular basis. My precious bottle (it shall be nameless) was down to a few drops and I gently hinted to our team, “so maybe if you want to get me a Holiday Gift…” So all bets are off and I am now thrilled with a bottle of one of my favorites. Now that I have almost (but not quite)discouraged you from giving fragrance as a holiday gift, it is time to think outside the bottle. This year‘s 2019 Holiday Gift Guide is filled with scentabulous ideas that will please even the pickiest perfume peeps.
Best Perfume Holiday Gifts That Aren’t Perfume
Roja Parfums Elixir Crème Suprême is what I wear on those rare days I don’t want to wear perfume. This luxurious body cream moisturizes and hydrates as well as makes my skin feel silky smooth, with a scent trail that lasts for 6-9 hours. It’s also beautiful to layer with many of Roja’s fragrances (I like it to amplify the sillage of Roja Parfums 51 Pour Femme and Elixir Pour Femme). Top Notes: Bergamot; Heart Notes: Lily of the Valley, Geranium, Rose de Mai, Jasmin de Grasse, Ylang Ylang, Heliotrope, Violet, Raspberry, Peach; Base Notes: Violet Leaves, Cinnamon, Cedarwood, Casmir Wood, Sandalwood, Vanilla, Orris Sur Cèdre, Orris, Ambrette, Musk 200 ml/ $255
Many fragrance companies have beautiful candles, so give or get a smoldering scented “fragrance in wax” for Holiday Gift? Inspired by Bizet’s Carmen, Belle Fleur ‘s Scarlet Flower has top, mid and heart notes, just like a perfume and is composed by world renowned perfumer Jerome Epinette… created with rose, cassia flower, myrrh, oud, cinnamon, coffee flower & saffron. With a burn time of 50-55 hrs, your evening might turn into a long (hopefully passionate) weekend. If you are lazy, like me, the box is so beautiful you don’t need to gift wrap. $80.00
Are those sugar plums that are dancing ALL NIGHT in your head whirling like dervishes as you stress about the holiday season? Provision Dream Extract by Provision Scents (from our Notes from the Lab Contributor and professional perfumer Sherri Sebastian) is what I personally mist onto my pillowcase, the bed linens and throughout the entire bedroom. Within minutes, I chill-ax and can fall asleep. Eco-certified clary sage, Italian bergamot, clean amber, musk . Holiday Price of $44 for 100 ml
One of the most delicious non-perfume Holiday gifts which is sure to delight is Aftelier Perfumes Ginger-Rose Chocolate bar, a collaboration between the renowned natural perfumer Mandy Aftel and Areté Chocolate. Mandy is every bit as passionate about flavor as she is about scent and her chocolates took six months to create. Composed with 67% Belize Maya Mountain Chocolate and Aftelier Perfumes Turkish Rose and Indonesian Ginger Chef’s Essences, it’s absolutely delicious and makes for a perfect aromatic holiday stocking stuffer. Confession, I ate the whole bar in one sitting. $15.00 ALL NATURAL
Providence Perfume Co. Beauty Elixir Oil: As the Editor in Chief of a perfume site you would think that the # 1 question I get when people meet me is about fragrance. Actually it’s about my hair. As someone who adopted argan oil early on, I have grown skeptical of the clutter of argan oil products on the market that contain little or no argan oil at all. I asked American artisan perfumer extraordinaire Charna Ethier who created this magic elixir, “How much argan oil is in the Beauty Elixir”. She replied, 60 percent Michelyn that is nearly 5 x the amount of what’s out there”. This is perfect holiday gift for yourself or those who would appreciate a non greasy, nourishing hair and nail and cuticle treatment that smells divine, (with orange blossom, neroli and jasmine). $44/2.oz ALL NATURAL
Why play reindeer games, when you can play perfume games? The perfect Holiday gift for the fragrance connoisseur is Master Parfums Olfactory Game. Players will be able to learn and recognize different accords, try to assemble them to create new ones and sketch out a fragrance…so stimulate your olfactory memories, and discover a simple and efficient vocabulary to assist you in describing all things aromatic. Included are 120 questions, 40 olfactory challenges, 1 educational booklet, 12 scent pens and 100 blotters. 70 euros
Who is that whispering but Michelyn, CaFleureBon is a perfume site, and you HAVE to put in perfume. I said I would, and I will…. so simmer down
Fragrance A-J: Give special someone, (and that might mean you) a holiday gift of a perfume from Ineke Ruhland of INeKe. One of the most talented indie perfumers on the planet, every perfumista I know loves at least two or three of her award-winning perfumes. This year, her Holiday Bundle includes her Deluxe Sample Collection and a gift code for a full-size fragrance of their choice. The Deluxe Sample Collection includes seven of Ineke’s gorgeous perfumes from the powdery lilac of After My Own Heart to the newest Jaipur Chai, her first gourmand (reviewed by Lauryn here). At a price of $125 for the holiday special, the Deluxe Sample Collection ends up being a free bonus, and you can be sure that your gift recipient gets a fragrance that they/you love. Need some help choosing? Read Sr. Editor Ida Meister’s The Three You Should be Wearing.
L’Artisan Parfumeur discovery set is a perfect holiday gift and includes five of the iconic niche house’s most legendary fragrances including Mûre et Musc Extrême and Premier Figuier by Olivia Giacobetti. Please note the three other fragrances in the set will vary depending on if you reside in the US or Europe. 60€/$70/£54
Shalini is the creative director for four ultra-luxe haute parfums and a former fashion designer. Each of her coveted extraits are collaborations with Master Perfumer Maurice Roucel. The buzz of the blogosphere and on many of our editor’s personal Holiday Gift lists is the new Shalini Parfum Flight Set. In a beribboned gift box, the set includes 7.5 ml of the white floral masterpiece Shalini created in 2004, Jardin Nocturne inspired by Dubai, Amorem Rose and Paradis Provence that launched this year (Despina’s review here). $580 Shalini Parfums are available at Indigo Perfumery and Jovoy Paris.
One of the highlights of 2019 was Dawn Spencer Hurwitz’s Heirloom Elixir Limited Editions, and we reviewed every one! A Limited Edition that could only be purchased for a month or so, refilled and then they were gone. Loving Dawn believes in second chances, so she’s offering the last six No. 4 through 9 from this past year in 10 ml (refillable) rollerball bottles. Please take a moment to read Gail’s review of #9 Lautrec here and #8 Gold Leaf here. Lauryn’s review of Sharkskin # 7 here and Wild Coyote # 6 here. You can read Ida’s review of #5 White Rabbits here and Love is Everything #4 here. This set IS everything. $175
One of my favorite fragrant discoveries this year was the house of Senyokô Paris whose perfumer Euan McCall of Jorum Studio composed four perfumes that had us sighing with delight. The Franco Japanese aesthetics of Madama Butterfly II, Migration De L’Abre, La Tsarine and Duo de Fleurs show such artistry in composition and their discovery set packaging is as beautiful as exquisite origami. Another great stocking stuffer for your favorite perfumista at $18
Still can’t decide? Are you lusting for a perfume or samples that YOU wanted at Indigo Perfumery ? Go ahead treat yourself from over 50 niche, artistic and hard to find brands in Ann’s beautifully appointed and curated shop in Lakewood, Ohio with this $50 E-certificate.
–Michelyn Camen, Editor in Chief
Rafal Olbinski
This year every one of the 12 perfumed Holiday gift in the guide is part of a draw.
WORLDWIDE: Many Thanks to Mandy Aftel for Ginger-Rose Chocolate bar. ALL NATURAL
USA, EU and USA: Love to Shalini for the Flight set of four parfums
USA and Canada ONLY: Many Thanks to Ineke for her wonderful holiday gift bundle
USA and EU Only: Grateful to L’Artisan Parfumeur for their discovery set
USA and EU ONLY: Merci Senyokô Paris for the discovery set.
USA and EU only: With gratitude to Master Parfums for one Olfactory Game
USA ONLY: With gratitude to Sherri Sebastian, the founder and perfumer of PROVISION for Dream Extract Room and Linen Spray
USA ONLY: Thank you to Tony and Meredith at Belle Fleur for the Scarlet Flower candle
USA ONLY: So generous of Europerfumes the Official US distributor of Roja Parfums for the Elixir Creme
USA ONLY: From the ever giving Dawn Spencer Hurwitz The Heirloom Elixir Gift Set
USA Only: Ann, you are the greatest … one Indigo Perfumery $50 Gift Card
CON USA ONLY: Charna, we are thankful for one Providence Perfume Co. Beauty Elixir Oil
To be eligible for our scentabulous 2019 Best Holiday Gifts for perfume lovers please leave a comment with someone in your life who really deserves a great holiday gift and why, where you live and as many of the 12 you would hope to win and are eligible for. You must be a registered reader. You can do so here, Draw closes December 7 2019.
We announce the winners only on our site and on our Facebook page, so like Çafleurebon and use our blog feed…or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume.
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