Saturday, November 20, 2010

Jo Malone Holiday Gift Guide

Every year, I give some of my friends (and myself!) something new from Jo Malone for Christmas. Jo Malone makes fabulous, limited-edition gift sets. I think they look classy, with their heavy cardboard boxes and black ribbon, and what's inside is even better. If you know anything about your friend's tastes in fragrance - or lifestyle - there will be a set that works.

Last night, I went to an "intimate" Jo Malone event at Neiman Marcus Tysons Galleria. Held off the beauty floor by the artistic Diana Foerster, Jo Malone representative at Neiman Marcus, it was a lovely introduction to the Jo Malone Gift Collection. I want to share some of my selections with you - just in case you need some inspiration for your holiday shopping.
This year, the Bath Oil Collection ($85) caught my fancy. I know Jo always recommended that you use her bath oil on your skin after your bath, but I love to soak in bath oil-fragranced water. I leaves my skin hydrated and with a subtle scent that lasts for hours. This collection contains six amply sized (30 ml) bath oils: Lime Basil & Mandarin, Grapefruit, Pomegranate Noir, Red Roses, Orange Blossom, and Vanilla & Anise. I am going to have to keep it for myself. It's on hold for the In Circle event.

The Cologne Collection ($95) is almost as nice. Not quite as good a buy (since I can't pour it in my bathwater and the sizes are smaller (9 ml)), the Cologne Collection has six harmonious scents that can be mixed and matched to suit your mood or the season, just like you would with your clothing and accessories. It includes the same popular scents: Lime Basil & Mandarin, Grapefruit, Pomegranate Noir, Red Roses, Orange Blossom, and Vanilla & Anise. Red Roses and Orange Blossom are two of my favorite Jo Malone fragrances.

I've already purchased The Candle Collection ($85). I buy one for myself every year. I've finally stopped the charade that I might give it away, and I've acknowledged to myself that I can't.

Jo Malone's Candle Collection has a palette of six distinctive, delicious scents to infuse any room in your home with a Jo Malone miniature candle for an uplifting sensory experience. This year, the collection contains: Lime Basil & Mandarin, Grapefruit, Pomegranate Noir, Nectarine Blossom & Honey, Orange Blossom, and Wild Fig & Cassis. I've already promised the Pomegranate Noir candle to Loyd Cassler. It's interesting to me that it's the favorite Jo Malone fragrance of my guy friends. They would probably love the Pomegranate Noir Fragrance Chronicle ($95).

The Pomegranate Noir Fragrance Chronicle tells the story of an intriguing pomegranate accord blended with notes of delicious fruits, spicy florals, and warm smoky woods. Transform Pomegranate Noir with the accords of Raspberry, Casablanca Lily, and Guaiacwood in the set to create a daily, personalized blend of this iconic fragrance. In the chronicle, Jo Malone provides the Pomegranate Noir Cologne in a 30 ml size and three 9 ml individual note fragrances: Raspberry Cologne, Casablanca Lily Cologne, and Guaiacwood Cologne. I gave a friend the Red Roses Chronicle last Christmas and converted her to Jo Malone!

A colorful collection (and I'll admit not my fragrance "cup of tea") is Jo Malone's Travel Candle Collection with Farrow & Ball ($95). Since there's something for every taste, this will please those who like scents that "smell and look like the holidays."

Jo Malone's partnership with Farrow & Ball, color experts and supplier of elegant decorative paints, produced. The collection combines three scented and colored, amply sized travel candles in Pomegranate Noir in Eating Room Red (No. 43), Wild Fig & Cassis in Pelt (No. 254), and Pine & Eucalyptus in Green Smoke (No. 47). It's a nice gift - or a very generous hostess present.

There's so much more! The Tea Box Deluxe Candle Collection ($425, perhaps way out of gift range) is a limited-edition keepsake that is luxuriously nestled in a beautifully textured cream-colored tea box. Three uniquely scented deluxe candles (400 grams) come complete with their own engraved Jo Malone candle lid and a silver-plated wick trimmer and candle snuffer. The collection includes Eau de Cologne, Parma Violets, and Sweet Almond Macaroon.

One gift set that I can't find on the Web is a precious little set of bath oil and shower gel, beautifully bottled, in either Lime Basil & Mandarin or Grapefruit ($35). Both of these fragrances should please anyone - men and women alike.

Another Jo Malone gift I like to give is the Vitamin E Nourishing Hand Treatment ($40), appreciated by those who like a touch of pomelo and cassis to leave the hands leave deliciously scented.

You can see the gift collection at Neiman Marcus online and at Jo Malone's Web site. Who wouldn't love to receive one? If you live anywhere near DC, you'll love Diana. She will take great care of you at Neiman Marcus at Tysons. Make sure to introduce yourself!

During In Circle, there will be many gifts with purchase at Neiman Marcus - one of those "one for me, one for them" times. The Jo Malone gift is particularly attractive. In Circle runs from December 7 to 10. There's also a "Scent Event" at Neiman Marcus that runs from tomorrow, November 21, to Sunday, November 28. During the event, you'll receive a nice clutch bag (I've seen it - pretty) plus deluxe fragrance samples with an $85 purchase of cosmetics and/or fragrances.

Diana is holding another evening event on December 4. Call 703-761-1600 and ask for the Jo Malone counter to make reservations.

Photos courtesy of Jo Malone

9 comments:

Unknown said...

i had a Pomegranate Noir but ended up giving away to my friend. It was too spicy and somewhat manly on me. But on her it smelled like the pomegranate with just a hint of spice. I wish it smelled like that on me!

juliapi said...

Hello,
What fragrance would you start with if you liked spicey/woodsey types? I usually wear fragrances like Thierry Mugler, Lolita Lempicka etc.

Charlestongirl said...

Hi Anna!

I also think Pomegranate Noir is spicy and masculine. I guess that's why all my guy friends love it. What I love about Jo Malone is that she made something for everyone, and the company still does. With my sets (the ones I keep), the Pomegranate Noir is going to Loyd and Chris.

Charlestongirl said...

Hi Juliapi!

Here are the fragrances Jo Malone describes as spicy, warm, and enigmatic (and I agree).

Nutmeg & Ginger
Amber & Lavender
Black Vetyver Cafe
Vanilla & Anise (send me your address, and I can send you a sample of this)

Here are the woody ones.

Wild Fig & Cassis
154
Sweet Lime & Cedar
Vetyver

Something for everyone!

Anonymous said...

hi, please send me a sample vanilla anise: laura rohrbacher 13021 s. 48th st. apt. 1080 phoenix, az 85044. thanks and happy holidays laura

juliapi said...

Hi Charlestongirl,
Thanks for the recommendations. I went to Saks and purchased Jo Malone's Vanilla and Anise. It's great.

juliapi said...

Hi Charlestongirl,
Thanks for the recommendations. I went to Saks and purchased Jo Malone's Vanilla and Anise. It's great.

Miss Brahms said...

"One gift set that I can't find on the Web is a precious little set of bath oil and shower gel, beautifully bottled, in either Lime Basil & Mandarin or Grapefruit ($35)." - Charlestongirl, you are absolutely right - these are perfect little sets that you can buy individually or put together with one of the travel-sized fragrances - perfect for a trip or for a guest bathroom! I had a customer tell me today that she'd love to see these gorgeous glass bottles in her hotel room...
And, I too love giving the hand cream as a gift. It also has dimethicone in it, so it creates an invisible shield on the skin and lasts through handwashing without a greasy feel like many shea-butter based hand creams.
Juliapi, you might like scent 154 or Vetyver, if you like woodsy - 154 is very popular. If you are in the Northern Virginia area, I would be happy to provide you with a sample of any of the fragrances you care to try!
Thanks so much Charlestongirl - you do all the work for us so we don't have to!

Charlestongirl said...

Anonymous, I will send it this week.

Juliapi, I'm so glad you found something you like! It's a bit spicy for my floral tastes, but we all like different scents. Each of us has so many choices!

Thanks, Miss Brahms! I never realized what I was getting into, but I'm having so much fun - thanks to all of you.