This was going to be a beauty round-up, but I’ve seen the way my other half uses my products, so I thought I’d do a round-up of gifts to share… or not! Here’s a handful of luxury items and brands that I have totally fallen in love with recently. Also check out my other Wellness guide for more gift options for this Christmas.
Nabeel
I was kindly sent a selection of Oud products from Nabeel. Founded in 1969, it means “Noble” in Arabic, Nabeel Perfumes is amongst the top manufacturers of perfumes and is the largest incense manufacturer in the Arabian Peninsula. The scents are like nothing else, especially the Oud Naseam Bakhoor and incense I received.
They are gentle to burn and slow to release their fragrance, with top notes of Bergamot, middle notes of cinnamon, Ylang-Ylang and base notes of Oak, which create the most beautiful blend.
Bakhoor or Bakhur, an Arabic word which means Fumes, the term Bakhoor in this sense mainly refers to the wood chips that are soaked in fragrant Oud oils; which is the oil extracted from the rare Aquilaria tree. This fills the room with a rich scent perfect for meditation in the morning to a sophisticated take on an evening gathering.
Starting the day with these scents is a totally indulgent ritual that I promise you will thank me for later and you can purchase them here at Nabeel.
Brioni
Following on the fragrant note, this isn’t a female scent, but who hasn’t had a sneaky spray of their partner’s fragrance?
I was so disappointed to miss the launch via a breakfast reception at the iconic Brioni townhouse in London, however, I was kindly sent a bottle of Eau de Parfum Essential. When I describe it, after my introduction to my love of oud and woody fragrance above, you’ll see exactly why this is the perfect scent for you both.
It opens with sparkling bergamot and bright aromatic cardamom, the earthy patchouli enhances the heart’s woody facets which feature an exclusive tonka bean variety, used for the first time in perfumery. It’s a scent complimentary of the luxurious brand it represents and it envelopes you in a long-lasting warm, rich scent.
The packaging is made of heavy Italian glass with a thick, curvy base. The square-shouldered, bevelled bottle is simply adorned with a satin label, inspired by the ones sewn inside Brioni bespoke suits, hemmed by a golden cross-stitching motif. The magnetic cap is engraved with a B, as is the top of the golden pump spray. Echoing the natural inspiration of the Eau de Parfum Essentiel, the glass bottle is lacquered in a green gradient. Brioni can be purchased online.
Ilapothecary
This Christmas ilāpothecary encourages an expression of love by offering gifts that show how well we know each other and how deeply we care. Introducing meaningful beauty gifts that not only deeply nourish and relieve the face and body, but also uplift the mood and boost emotional wellbeing.
Their flagship store at 99, Kensington Church Street was the location of their Christmas launch on the 28th of November where they showcased their beautiful new products. The festive collection is made up of sleek urban and ecological clutches in two sizes and premium gift boxes, for special people in your life, including yourself of course.
“Ilapothecary’s British, award-winning, wellbeing functional beauty products, are 100% natural unique pioneering blends of powerful remedial ingredients, that were formulated to support the busy man and woman from urban stresses and help to rebalance, strengthen, nourish and uplift”.
Their ‘beat the blues’ Eau de Parfum is a transformative essence with essential oils that are known to uplift the mood, revitalise and stimulate happiness and it most certainly does with the most incredible combination of oils. Its minimalist packaging would suit his or her bathroom shelf or dressing table! You can visit their beautiful store or purchase here.
RINGANA
I was sent a vegan beauty travel set from RINGANA, which are available in three different versions (light, medium and rich) to suit every skin type, as well as one for men, plus, in the interests of sustainability, each set comes in a handy, transparent branded travel made of recycled PET. They are also ensuring that men get sustainable skin care when they’re out and about with their travel set for men.
Freshness is RINGANA’s DNA. When the founders, Andreas Wilfinger and Ulla Wannemacher, started making skin care products, freshness was the key point. It was their dissatisfaction with what was available on the market that drove them to make skincare products themselves, not just any old skin care, but rather fresh products.
“One thing that the founders knew for sure from the word go: they would only find real efficacy in nature. After years of hard work, a huge amount of idealism, and many findings, their completely new approach to skincare finally reached fruition: fresh skin care”.
To make RINGANA products, they use natural raw materials that are absolutely pure and effective. There are no mineral oil-based substances, stabilisers, PEG emulsifiers, formaldehyde, silicones, nanoparticles and other environmentally harmful substances. In addition, no raw materials of animal origin or from genetically modified organisms go into our products.
Even though we aren’t travelling until February, I know I’ll use this travel beauty set before then, these are a perfect gift for the globetrotters in your family. These can be purchased here at RINGANA.
So, to conclude; in the interest of harmony in your households this year, be sure to buy something you BOTH love!
