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