The Basenotes Holiday Gift Guide part 2
by Thomas Stone, 10 December 2007
In the second of our holiday gift guides Tom Stone and Colin Murchie take you through the best of the bargains - top tips to save the pennies over the festive season. If you are feeling a little more extravagant then see yesterday's guide to the top luxury offerings of the season.
Jean-Paul Gaultier
Jean-Paul Gaultier presents a glittering range of festive gift sets this year in four of the houses most popular fragrances, offering you a rare combination of indulgence and value.
One of my personal favourites, and an ideal scent for the winter season with its comforting notes of vanilla, amber and musk, the Gaultier 2 gift set includes a 40ml (1.2 fl.oz) Eau de Parfum, with the accompanying 100ml (3.4 fl.oz) Perfumed Body Lotion practically free.
Jean Paul Gaultier Classique is available in a similar gift set, while both Le Male and Fleur du Male combine an alcohol-free deodorant stick with a 75ml (2.5 fl.oz) Eau de Toilette.
Ted Baker London
For a truly British scent, Ted Baker is offering some sensational festive fragrance bargains with it’s X2O range. For the same price as the 75ml (2.5 fl.oz) Eau de Toilette, Ted is graciously chucking in a host of goodies in its X2O gift sets, including a 150ml (5 fl.oz) shower gel and body lotion in X2O Woman, and a 150ml (5 fl.oz) body wash and deodorant spray in X2O Man.
And as if that wasn’t already a bargain, both sets include a neat little 10ml (0.5 fl.oz) minature Eau de Toilette spray – an indispensable addition to your handbag or pocket over the party season.
Lancôme
Hot on the heels of a fresh marketing campaign surrounding Trésor, Lancôme have released a money-saving gift set containing a 50ml Eau de Parfum, 100ml Body Lotion and handbag-sized 7.5ml minature for less than the cost of the 50ml bottle on it’s own. In the USA, fragrance lovers have the choice of two. The Trésor Intro gift set contains a 1.0 fl.oz Eau de Parfum and 3.4 fl.oz Body Lotion. However, for just a few dollars more, the Trésor Exclusive gift set (pictured) includes a 1.7 fl.oz Eau de Parfum, 3.4 fl.oz Body Lotion and Foaming Bath Gel and a 0.16 fl.oz mini spray, all concealed within an elegant train case.
The fresh lavender and amber harmony of Hypnôse Homme is a perfect, warming complement to the glacial festive season, and Lancôme has created a range of cost-effective gift sets that will go down a treat this Christmas. For the same price as the Eau de Toilette spray, Lancôme has thrown in a 50ml Shower Gel and 100ml After-Shave Balm for UK customers, while, like with Trésor, US shoppers have a choice of either the Hypnôse Homme Necessities or Splendors gift sets. Splendors contains a 2.5 fl.oz bottle of both the Eau de Toilette and After-Shave Lotion, while Necessities offers a bit of variation with a 2.5 fl.oz Eau de Toilette, 3.4 fl.oz Alfer-Shave Balm and 2.6 fl.oz Deodorant Stick.
Yves Rocher
If you’re looking for something different this Christmas that wont break the bank, then you should definitely check out the Secret D'Essence range from Yves Rocher. The range comprises of 50ml (1.7 fl.oz) Eau de Parfum sprays of Rose Absolute, Voile D'Ambre and the new Iris Noir, all of which have a surprisingly high natural content and are of a quality way above what you would expect for the price.
Offers vary from country to country, ranging from Buy One Get One Free in the UK to up to 45 off thr recommended retail price in the US, with a free gift thrown into the bargain. The range also includes a body lotion and shower gel for each fragrance, meaning that you could make up your very own gift set of quality fragrances for a fantastic price. This is definitely one range that shouldn’t be overlooked.
Diesel
Diesel have some great-value gift sets available this season, particularly on it’s new fragrance, Fuel for Life. Gift sets include a 50ml (1.7 fl.oz) Eau de Toilette, and either a 200ml Body Lotion or a 200ml Shower Gel in the women’s and men’s sets respectively.
Looking for something for a little princess…
If you’re looking for something a bit different for that special little girl this Christmas, why not surprise her with the fun ‘Barbie’ fragrance. The scent even has an accompanying Lollypop Body Spray that’s sure to impress – probably even more than the most expensive of gifts!
And how’s about something a little unusual…
Exclusive to the Perfume Shop (UK) is 3121 For Her, the first fragrance from pop superstar Prince. Available as both a 30ml Eau de Toilette and a gift set including a 100ml Eau de Toilette and 7.5ml mini together with a 50ml body cream. Now really, who’d have thought!
Our top hint for bagging a bargain this season…
Boots the Chemist (UK customers) have some fantastic bargains on fragrances this Christmas, with offers ranging from 50% off to 3 for 2 on selected gift boxes. And if you can’t face the Christmas crowds, they’re offering free delivery on all online orders over £45. Keep an eye out for their extra advantage card points offers too.
Have a good one folks!
Additional research by Colin Murchie
About the author
Thomas Stone is a freelance writer based in the UK midlands.
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