So you got your gift list down. You’re buying your brother a new iPad, a spa gift card for your mom, and a new tie for your dad, but need some extra little gifts. Well, as I mentioned in my Body Shop post last week, bath and body products make great little stocking stuffers (or fifth day of Hannukah kind-of gifts).
I feel like most malls now have a Body Shop or Bath & Body Works store, but for those of you who want to gift something more exotic and want to jump the pond without actually doing so, look into European lines.
My favourite two European lines are definitely Yves Rocher, which hails from France, and Organique, which comes from Poland and is actually brand new to Canada. I have talked about both brands on my blog before, but if you are looking for some affordable luxury skincare, take a look at these.
I love Yves Rocher’s holiday sets because they always smell so yummy and are incredibly affordable. The scents this year include blackberry, pear, and raspberry.
My picks are definitely the Cocoa Orange Sparking Shower Gel, which was also made an appearance in last year’s holiday collection, the Blueberries scented candle, the Blueberries Sparkling Body Powder, and the Pear Caramel Fizzy Bath Cube. The best part about these items is that the majority of them are under $10. Yves Rocher does have stores in Canada, but your best bet would be to order online as they often give great deals for online orders.
For those who want to gift something that is more exclusive, take a look into Organique, which is a bath and body line hailing from Poland. Their products are a little more pricier, but the quality is great (they feature a nature-safe, organic formula). Plus, since its so new, whoever you are giving it to will be one of the first people in Canada to have it.
My top picks are the bath bombs, the Cranberry Body Butter, the Chocolate Bronzing Body Butter, the Chocolate Sugar Peeling, their lip balms, and Aromatic Shower Gel. If I had to choose one item to gift from all of those though, hands down it’s the Chocolate Bronzing Body Butter, seriously this stuff smells so good and gives you a slight tan (if you can keep it on that long, I always want to lick it off because it smells so good!).
You can order Organique products online through their Canadian website, or if you reside in Winnipeg, they are having a (tax-free!) launch party at Forever Young Spa Boutique at 569 Academy Road this Friday, December 5, 2014 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. CST. Check out the Facebook event page for more details.
Are bath and body products on your stocking-stuffer list?
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So your friend is beauty obsessed but you don’t want to get her just one gift? I’ve been there. You go to Sephora looking for the perfect item that will surprise her. Maybe a mascara? A lip gloss? A palette? Rather than just give one expensive gift (you can’t just gift a mascara and nothing else!), try a beauty box filled with deluxe samples of different products.
One of the first beauty box subscription services in Canada, as well as the leading one, Loose Button Luxe Box members receive seven to eight beauty and lifestyle products based on their beauty profile, AKA a quiz which tells the company what you like and don’t like.
Beauty boxes are not new, they’ve been around for a while and although I don’t partake in any anymore, I still think they make great gifts for someone who loves beauty products but are stumped on what to give them.
What started off as a monthly service, Luxe Box is now available in annual ($24 per season), semiannual ($25 per season) or quarterly ($26 per season). The quarterly boxes can be cancelled anytime and the semiannual and annual can be transferred anytime. They are also shipped free.
If you are thinking that a Luxe Box would make a great gift for someone on your list, they are offering three limited edition boxes that you can upgrade to for a small fee that are special for the holiday season. I was actually gifted the Zoomer Luxe Box, which includes items that were specially chosen by the editors of Zoomer magazine, including:
- Orlane Firming Serum for Neck and Decollete (15 ml)
- Crabtree & Evelyn Pomegranate Nail Lacquer (full size)
- Burt’s Bees Lip Crayon (full size)
- Skyn ICELAND eye gels (full size)
- Loose Button tweezers (full size)
- Nexxus Youth Renewal Elixir (4 ml)
- Model Co. Power Lash mascara (full size)
- Biotherm Blue Therapy Lift & Blur (10 ml)
- Plus a nine-issue (one year) subscription to Zoomer magazine
I do want to note that because my box was a press box, I was told ahead of time that they ran out of extra Burt’s Bee lip crayons. I also want to note that for some reason I never got the mascara…
This box (a $120+ value) retails for $38, or you can upgrade your existing box for $8. To be honest, the thing I personally loved the most about the box was the packaging. It comes in a sleek red box, which could totally be reused for a small bottle of wine, and the items come in a dust bag with the Loose Button logo. I found the items to be alright, typical beauty box stuff – serums, nail polish, etc., but I did like the tweezers, which seemed to be very sturdy, and let’s be honest, who doesn’t need a pair of tweezers (I have like four, but I can always use another pair).
Although I don’t think the products are stellar, keep in mind that I’m a beauty blogger, and with that come a massive makeup and skincare collection (AKA I have more samples of products than a small Sephora store). I think this box would be perfect as a gift for moms because of all the anti-aging stuff in here, or even for a girlfriend. Although I would just send this to someone as a surprise, as I mentioned the packaging on this is totally bomb.
I haven’t received a Luxe Box in a couple years, but if you are a member already, I think it would be worth it to upgrade for the magazine subscription alone. I don’t think I have ever read an issue of Zoomer, but it definitely looks like something that would keep my interested.
If you were interested in subscribing, Loose Button was kind enough to send me a personalized link for a discount on any subscription. If you are already a member, you can choose to upgrade here, or if you wanted to purchase one of the limited edition boxes as a gift, click here. The last day to upgrade is on December 3, 2014.
Are you a member of any beauty subscription services?
Please note, product sent by PR, all opinions are my own.
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If there is one store I can think of when it comes to gifts for just about anyone, it’s The Body Shop.
Need an affordable secret santa gift? A stocking stuffer? A gift for your kid’s teacher? Bath and body products make perfect “generic” gifts for just about any occasion. I have often thought that The Body Shop makes the perfect “I wasn’t sure what to get you, so I got you this” kind of gift for just about anyone.
So, dear readers, if you are stuck this holiday season on what to get your boyfriend’s mom’s sister, read on…
For the teacher…
Want a new take on the whole give your teacher an apple thing? Gift The Body Shop’s Glazed Apple Treat Box (C$10), which comes with minis of their special-edition Glazed Apple scent. Housed in a candy-striped box, this set includes the Glazed Apple Shower Gel (60 ml), Glazed Apple Body Butter (50 ml), and a Green Mini-Crinkle Bath Lily (aka a loofah).
For your co-worker who has kids…
The holidays can be quite stressful, especially if you have kids. Gift your favourite coworker (you know, the one who balances her nine-to-five and nine and five year olds) with a bath jelly to take the pressure off. Try The Body Shop Glazed Apple Bath Jelly (C$12), which turns your bubble bath into clouds of sweetly scented bubbles.
The Secret Santa gift…
So you have your old cranky coworker and no clue what to get her? With the weather being dry this time of the year, body butter would be a great choice. And, why gift one when you can gift three? Fruity Sweethearts (C$14) includes three minis of The Body Shop’s most popular fruity flavours, including their Strawberry Body Butter, Satsuma Body Butter, and Mango Body Butter (all 50 ml), all housed in an adorable heart gift box.
The stocking stuffer…
I feel like this one is a given, but who doesn’t need a lip balm? Housed in a tin packaging and a variety of flavours (I love the Vanilla Brûlée one – limited edition!), this 20 ml balm is perfect for just about anyone.
For your boyfriend’s mom..
Give an assortment of goodies with the Festive Picks set (available in a variety of popular scents), which includes a 250 ml shower gel, 50 ml body butter, 50 ml body scrub, 100g soap, and a mini loofah. This set, which comes in a super-cute box, retails for $25 and helps send a child to class through War Child.
For the best friend…
Obviously this won’t be the only gift you’ll be giving your BFF come the holiday season, but if you like to give an assortment of goodies, this one is right on the money. The Body Shop Lip & Cheek Doll (C$15) is a red stain that is perfect for holiday parties. The best part? Obviously the packaging, which is a mini Geisha head. Double the product up and wear it on your cheeks for the perfect, “I just got out of the cold” look.
If you didn’t already feel great gifting these gifts already, The Body Shop is teaming up with War Child, the global charity for children affected by war, to grant children the wish of education. They aim to provide more than six million lessons in war-torn areas, so for every gift you buy, no matter how big or small, The Body Shop will make a contribution that funds a class for a child. Last Christmas, they raised $300,000 towards the building of five new schools with their Community Fair Trade partners around the world. The first school has already opened and another four will open by the end of the year in Nepal, Honduras, India, and Ghana.
So, not only will you be making someone close to you’s day, but also children half-way across the globe. Total win-win for everyone.
Who’s on your gift list this year?
Please note, this product was sent by PR. All opinions are my own.
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