All I want for Christmas is… Perfume

I don’t feel like doing a Christmas gift guide this year, there are many other blogs and websites where you can find those and they’ll be done way better than my guide. But if I happen to come across something fragrant that’s worth your attention, something that becomes a lemming as soon as you look at it,  you’ll be the first ones to hear from me. And I just did find something pretty!

Among hundrets of niche perfume brands JUL ET MAD is one of my favorites & has a high place on my list; I’m always excited to read about their new developments. They’re also a perfect example of thinking about perfume lovers and clients in general. The brand is more high-end and luxurious, their awesome fragrances are crafted with high quality essences, but you have options to choose from.

If you don’t need a full coffret with a sparkly flacon you can pick a minimalistic version – a perfume in a sanded glass bottle in a plain box (called Love Basics). But that’s not all, if 50 ml is too much you can opt for a sleek black travel spray – Le Compagnon which holds 20 ml of the perfume. JUL ET MAD also offers you a possibility to try their line through 5 ml miniature. Could it get any better?

Oh yes it could! And it does! That mini, known as Love Dose have just gone through a total metamorphosis. From now on they hold 7 ml instead of 5 and have been repackaged into elegant & handy vials with sprays (instead of splash). Get a separate one (€25-28) as a perfect stocking stuffer or one of two available coffrets (€115-145) to gift more luxury. Plus they are refillable too!

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Couple of scented ideas for Christmas

I’ll be away for the weekend but I prepared a few Christmas gift ideas that might interest you.

If you’re a fan of dark and gothic style that is presented by Italian brand UNUM you might be interested in trying FEU_FERTILE, their brand new triptique of scented candles. “Light is our turmoil, it becomes energy carrying our internal substance. It is the flame swollen with our spirit, flexing but never losing its orientation to the sky. […] We look for the light until we blind our eyes, almost begging it to speak, in order to quiet the lack and sculpt our dreams.” Available in LAVS (wood monolith), Opus 1144 (bio cement monolith) and Ennui Noir (chipboard monolith). A 190 gram candle will provide around 50 hours of warmly flickering delight. Another novelty from the brand are incense resin stones for burning at home (set contains styrax, benzoin & dragon’s blood stones).

Some Aftelier specials for Christmas this year include face & body balm as well as Bergamoss in 9 ml EdP format plus Parfum de Maroc, also in 9 ml EdP. Face & body balms are based on beeswax. Rose variant contains Turkish rose absolute, Bulgarian rose wax, squalane & sea buckthorn oil while Frankincense one is made of 2 different frankincense oleoresins and organic frankincense CO2 extract. Bergamoss in EdP is a re-issue of previous limited edition but Parfum de Maroc sounds really mesmerizing, with its notes of saffron, galangal, Turkish rose, nutmeg, cardamom and myrrh. 15 ml balms retail for $35 while eau de parfums are priced at $60. I actually want to try them all!

Dear woman, please take care of your man’s face because they often forget to to that themselves. To do that, a new men’s grooming line from Le Labo comes in handy. As per brand materials: “An ode to old-world, traditional Americana barbershops. Modern textures with a retro feel”. Black packaging with golden letters look very cool. Line includes shaving cream, after shave balm, face lotion, beard oil, face bronzer and styling concret. Prices vary from $32 to $60.

From Aromatherapy Associates, Precious De-Stress Time – “Discover the magnificent benefits of Aromatherapy Associates’ calming Bath and Shower Oil in this indulgent Christmas kit, which contains one bottle of their signature De-Stress Muscle Bath & Shower Oil and one branded bauble for your tree. Enriched with the warming powers of Rosemary, Black Pepper, Lavender and Ginger, this Christmas set makes the perfect gift for a loved one who needs a moment of relaxation to unwind and de-stress from busy life.” Sounds like a perfect stocking stuffer and it only costs $12.

Jaroma (this brand’s name combines words jewellery & aroma) offers an aromatherapy pendant. It’s a locket that can house a small felt disc inside (in the set you get 10 pads in different colors). All you have to do is to soak the felt with your favorite essential oil (I wouldn’t hesitate to try using perfume on it either), lock it inside & it’s ready to be worn. Great thing is that these pads are reusable – you can wash them and apply a different oil. Pendant is made of stainless steel and it’s available in selection of different motifs on its front. You can find them on Amazon for around $15.