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Holiday fragrance gifts 2016, part 7

Posted by Robin on 13 December 2016 56 Comments

Today, the first of two luxury posts that will wrap up our eight-part series on fragrance related holiday gifts. As always, we're listing the luxury items in price order, so today is (relatively) affordable luxury, and part 8, to follow on Friday, will be the crazy expensive luxury. Do add any of your own recommendations in the comments!

Annick Goutal purse spray

We are starting off easy, with a refillable purse spray from Annick Goutal: "A precious, elegant and travel-friendly accessory that you can take everywhere!" Comes with the purse spray and two 8 ml refills. Available in Petite Chérie, Eau d'Hadrien and Rose Pompon; $60.

 

Lancome X-Mas edition La Vie Est Belle

From Lancôme, the "X-Mas edition" of the ever-popular La Vie Est Belle. 50 ml Eau de Parfum for €86 (about $91) at Douglas in Lithuania.

 

Esteban Black Tonka

From Esteban, Black Tonka, a collector bottle of 2006's Tonka fragrance: "For Tonka’s 10th anniversary, ESTÉBAN created a 100 ml limited edition celebrating this iconic fragrance. A revisited version of the bottle, the cap and the packaging to glorifie [sic] the perfume, that remains unchanged. Ripened under a tropical sun, marked by its passage in the ships holds, the precious tonka bean conceals a velvet heart..." In Eau de Parfum, €120 (about $128).

 

Guerlain Nahéma

From Guerlain, 100 ml of Nahéma Eau de Parfum in the bee bottle: "Nahéma, the perfume creator's favourite fragrance, paints the most beautiful portrait of roses dedicated to a woman. Jean-Paul Guerlain loved roses to the point of adoration. It took this creator four years to develop this rich and sumptuous women's fragrance whose main olfactory note gradually transforms into a haunting presence. Nahéma is an enigmatic elixir whose muse is an oriental rose with spellbinding charm." $142 at Neiman Marcus.

 

Hermès L'Ambre des Merveilles Calligraphie edition

From Hermès, L'Ambre des Merveilles in the 2014 Calligraphie edition by artist Wissam Shawkat. 100 ml for €142 (about $150) at Sephora in France.

 

Thierry Mugler Angel Jewel Star

From Thierry Mugler, the Angel Jewel Star: "Enter a bold new universe with the Angel Jewel Star. The decadent scent and disruptive edges of this brilliant silver bottle collide to empower her and unveil the seductive temptress within." 75 ml for $185 at Nordstrom.

 

byredo-1996-s

From Byredo, the 1996 collectors box: "Byredo presents a unique collector's box for the holiday season composed of three vials of 1996 Eau De Parfum and an engraved red leather spray. 1996 Eau De Parfum is inspired by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin's "1996 Kirsten" photograph, which depicts the angelic face of a young girl. The emotional response to this image is captured within this earthy, ethereal, and slightly confectionary fragrance. Includes three travel-friendly vials [12 ml] and engraved red leather spray." $190 at Barneys. (If this is not luxurious enough for you, do consider Byredo's $330 Italian marble hand cream squeezer.)

 

bling-ouch

From Victoria's Secret, the 2016 edition of Bombshell Luxe: "Sexy today, sexy tomorrow, sexy forever: it’s the Bombshell you love, now in a collectible, limited-edition design with colorful Swarovski® crystals." $250 for 50 ml.

 

blue-bottle-acc

From Frédéric Malle, leather travel cases made by the Italian company Valextra. Available to hold your 50 and 100 ml bottles, in six colors. Shown is the 50 ml case in Cobalt Blue, $280.

 

big-baies

From Diptyque, the Une Nuit Chez Diptyque edition of the Baies candle: "This limited-edition Baies candle is housed in a glossy black Virebent vessel, embossed with stars. 10 stars are hand-painted in gold." 1500g / 150 hour burn time, $350 at Bloomingdales.

 

armani-rose-s

From Giorgio Armani, 100 ml of Rose d'Arabie Eau de Parfum along with a matching candle, "beautifully packed in wooden box which can be used as a decorative object". $380.

More fragrance gifts...

Holiday fragrance gifts 2016, part 6
Holiday fragrance gifts 2016, part 5
Holiday fragrance gifts 2016, part 4
Holiday fragrance gifts 2016, part 3
Holiday fragrance gifts 2016, part 2
Holiday fragrance gifts 2016, part 1

Filed Under: fragrance shopping, home fragrance
Tagged With: annick goutal, armani, byredo, candle, collector bottles, diptyque, esteban, frederic malle, gifts, guerlain, hermes, holiday, lancome, luxury, thierry mugler, victorias secret

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56 Comments

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  1. daffodil-13 says:
    13 December 2016 at 1:52 pm

    I may have to pick up the Guerlain as my Christmas gift to myself this year. The bottle is so beautiful, and I love bees and roses.

    That Victoria’s Sexret bottle is truly hideous, in my opinion. But to each their own!

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    • Robin says:
      13 December 2016 at 1:57 pm

      The Nahema is a bargain!

      And yes — the VS bottle hurts my eyes.

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      • Dilana says:
        14 December 2016 at 9:29 am

        Has anyone tried the Eua de Nehama juice?

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    • Jenkr says:
      13 December 2016 at 2:53 pm

      Agreed, the VS one is just gaudy.

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    • Elisa P says:
      13 December 2016 at 4:50 pm

      The VS bottle looks like a kid’s Mother’s Day art project to me.

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  2. lucasai says:
    13 December 2016 at 2:31 pm

    Memo purse spray is darn expensive. 196 EUR for just an empty travel case. 3 x 10 ml refills add another 95 EUR…

    Log in to Reply
    • Robin says:
      13 December 2016 at 3:06 pm

      Yep — we have a spendy Memo set in part 8!

      Log in to Reply
  3. Lovestosmellgood says:
    13 December 2016 at 2:34 pm

    I am on a NO BUY but I would love if that bee bottle fell on my lap..but I doubt I would use it all before it went off.

    Log in to Reply
    • Robin says:
      13 December 2016 at 3:07 pm

      Yes, too bad they are not doing 50 ml.

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  4. Jenkr says:
    13 December 2016 at 2:53 pm

    I like the Hermes bottle.

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    • Robin says:
      13 December 2016 at 3:07 pm

      Me too — it would be my first pick on this list.

      Log in to Reply
  5. nicolasix says:
    13 December 2016 at 3:18 pm

    I was all set to be done buying perfume until AT LEAST Mother’s Day, but that Nahema . . . sigh.

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    • nicolasix says:
      13 December 2016 at 3:33 pm

      FYI it is currently unavailable on the Neiman Marcus website. I am both sad and glad.

      Log in to Reply
      • Robin says:
        13 December 2016 at 5:05 pm

        Oh dear, you’re kidding??

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        • nicolasix says:
          13 December 2016 at 6:15 pm

          You can back order it, but the ship date is listed as unavailable, which does not fill me with hope . . .

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          • Robin says:
            14 December 2016 at 7:07 am

            Well shoot. They just added it to the website recently.

          • TriesToBeClassy says:
            16 December 2016 at 9:05 pm

            Nicolasix – I am not sure you have seen this, but still, FYI: I have ordered the bee bottle while crossing my fingers, and was surprised to receive a shipment notice today. My bottle is supposed to arrive in 5 days. The website now says: “Expected to ship no later than 12/26/2016 Back Order”

          • TriesToBeClassy says:
            16 December 2016 at 9:06 pm

            *not ‘I am not sure you have seen this’, but ‘I am not sure you will this’ :)

  6. sweetgrass says:
    13 December 2016 at 3:35 pm

    The price on the Nahema seems fairly reasonable. I was thinking it would be more expensive than that.

    And that Ambre des Merveilles bottle is gorgeous.

    The VS bottle is hideous. It looks like somebody let their 8-year-old loose with some crystals and glue.

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    • pixel says:
      13 December 2016 at 4:12 pm

      Hee hee, that was my first thought about the VS bottle :)

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    • Robin says:
      13 December 2016 at 5:05 pm

      If the Ambre bottle was at the US Sephora, I’d be sorely tempted.

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  7. lucasai says:
    13 December 2016 at 3:55 pm

    On the other hand colette has that great Le Galion travel set
    http://en.colette.fr/coffret-collection-edp-x-9-legabecollec-1.html
    9 x 7,5 ml + case for 140 EUR doesn’t sound so terrible

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    • Robin says:
      13 December 2016 at 5:07 pm

      Not bad at all!

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  8. Jonas says:
    13 December 2016 at 4:12 pm

    For Canadian readers: Hermès has finally made the 4×15 ml pocket sets available online. I’d order one for myself but d’Orange Verte is out of stock right now.

    Log in to Reply
    • Robin says:
      13 December 2016 at 5:07 pm

      Thanks!

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  9. pixel says:
    13 December 2016 at 4:15 pm

    Yeah that Byredo tube squeezer thing is ludicrous. Clarissa and I had a good snicker about that when we were sniffing at Barney’s :) How expensive does your hand cream have to be in order to justify spending $330 to get the last wee bit out?

    Or I could use it on my Colgate – bwahahahaha!

    Log in to Reply
    • Jonas says:
      13 December 2016 at 4:29 pm

      It might be good for rolling pasta too. I don’t think I’ve ever seen something so needless and silly.

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    • Elisa P says:
      13 December 2016 at 4:57 pm

      Ha! I guess it’s the gift for someone who literally has everything (except a hand-cream sqeezer). I also would have taken out the thesaurus and found a different word for “squeezer” had I been at that meeting.

      Log in to Reply
      • Petunia says:
        14 December 2016 at 8:07 pm

        Hand cream press maybe? Still sounds pretentious and silly.

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    • Robin says:
      13 December 2016 at 5:09 pm

      Seriously, the hand cream squeezer gave me one of my biggest perfume-related laughs of the year. It truly encapsulates what Byredo is all about.

      Log in to Reply
      • hajusuuri says:
        13 December 2016 at 7:32 pm

        But you get a FREE tube of hand cream!

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        • Robin says:
          13 December 2016 at 8:03 pm

          Ha, ok then I take it all back :-)

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  10. Elisa P says:
    13 December 2016 at 5:01 pm

    If $ were no object, my pick would be the Diptyque Baies SE candle. I do love that candle and am on my 3rd one already and the vessel is pretty nice.

    Log in to Reply
    • Robin says:
      13 December 2016 at 8:03 pm

      Plus, huge!

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    • nozknoz says:
      13 December 2016 at 9:44 pm

      I agree – that’s really beautiful.

      Log in to Reply
  11. nathanthomas50 says:
    13 December 2016 at 5:32 pm

    So funny that Byredo’s hand cream retails for a not too extravagant £23 and they want to you spend £220 on a machine to squeeze out the last drop – I’d rather spend the money to just buy 10 more tubes

    Log in to Reply
    • Robin says:
      13 December 2016 at 8:04 pm

      Or if you send me $330 I’ll come stomp on your tube for you to get the last bits out ;-)

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      • Elisa P says:
        13 December 2016 at 11:17 pm

        Haha!

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  12. SFguy says:
    13 December 2016 at 7:31 pm

    Back in the days when toothpaste tubes were made of metal you could buy a little key-shaped device that fit over the end of the tube and as you wound it up towards the cap it expressed every last bit of the contents. In other words, it was a 50 cent doohickey that did exactly what that Byredo thing does.

    Log in to Reply
    • hajusuuri says:
      13 December 2016 at 7:38 pm

      The 50 cent doohickey is now a $10 doohickey

      http://usa.loccitane.com/magic-key-press-tub,82,1,29193,993713.htm

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      • SFguy says:
        13 December 2016 at 8:39 pm

        This piqued my curiosity because the thing I recall using could not possibly cost $10. Indeed, a google search for “toothpaste tube key” turns up options for as little as $1.79. Any way you cut it, though, Byredo’s tool is fit only for fools.

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        • cassieflower says:
          14 December 2016 at 10:07 am

          A Fool Tool!

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    • Robin says:
      13 December 2016 at 8:05 pm

      I know this only because one year my father put them in our christmas stockings knowing, correctly, that none of us would know what they were and he would have a good time while we tried to guess.

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    • Elisa P says:
      13 December 2016 at 11:18 pm

      You might be able to use the key from a sardine can.

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  13. hajusuuri says:
    13 December 2016 at 7:45 pm

    The VS bottle is cute. I thought it was a jar of chocolates.

    The L’Ambre des Merveilles bottle is gorgeous. I wish it came in 50 mLs. The 100 mLs is too big for me to spray comfortably.

    I am using the Valextra case as an ultra-luxe travel jewelry case. I don’t need a case for my one and only FB of FM (Iris Poudre).

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    • Robin says:
      13 December 2016 at 8:13 pm

      I did not know Valextra but they make some darned cute travel bags, and turns out the Malle version is a comparative bargain.

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  14. nozknoz says:
    13 December 2016 at 9:51 pm

    FYI, I happened to notice last weekend that The Different Company has a wonderful Set de Voyage:

    http://europe.thedifferentcompany.com/set-de-voyage-n,fr,3,79.cfm

    I have the 48 heures aluminum spray container and can say it is really cool and functional. They offer 9 of the more recent scents in the 10-ml Voyage sprays that fit into it.

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    • Robin says:
      14 December 2016 at 7:09 am

      Oh, those are very cute! And purple.

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  15. missyl says:
    13 December 2016 at 10:08 pm

    The L’ambre De Meriveilles bottle is lovely! It would be a real temptation if it ‘came in 50mls.
    It sure would be nice if you offered it again, in the smaller size, Hermes.

    Log in to Reply
    • Robin says:
      14 December 2016 at 7:09 am

      Yes it would.

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  16. Dilana says:
    14 December 2016 at 9:30 am

    Frederick Malle must travel very differently than I do. The last t hing I want to do is add an extra package around a perfume I am trying to get through an airport line.

    Log in to Reply
    • Robin says:
      14 December 2016 at 11:49 am

      I’m sure he travels differently :-)

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    • nozknoz says:
      14 December 2016 at 1:08 pm

      A few custom LV steamer trunks would do. ;)

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  17. happy888cat says:
    14 December 2016 at 9:49 am

    Is the Nahema bee bottle a Limited Edition packaging or will they continue to offer it as a permanent?

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    • Robin says:
      14 December 2016 at 11:50 am

      I don’t know, sorry!

      The US Guerlain site currently only shows Nahema in extrait. The French site also shows the EdP, and lists it as part of the “Heritage Collection”.

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      • happy888cat says:
        14 December 2016 at 12:05 pm

        It’s okay, thank you!
        Here’s to hoping they are going to keep this form around. They already brutally took away the marvelous extrait. Seems like the least they can do! :P

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