Wondering what to get that special someone in your life this Christmas? The team at The Sybarite have tried and tested the best and most luxurious skincare, beauty and scent products to help spark your imagination this December – for both men and women.
White Peacock Lily by D.S. & Durga
Besides the gorgeous fragrances of D.S. & Durga, we also love its architecturally designed packaging and ethos – each box contains a description behind the scent including a story and its notes. The perfumes designer, Durga, has a background in architecture, whilst D.S. is the nose behind the concoction of the D.S. & Durga scents – each batch is handmade in small amounts using “balsams, resins, plant oils and premium perfume ingredients” at their facility in the Bronx in New York City.
White Peacock Lily is composed of oleander, cabreauva rouge, grapefruit pith, white lily cream, Egyptian jasmine, alabaster violet, liquid ambrette seed and vanilla. This scent is perfect for someone who prefers subtle notes of jasmine mixed with a hint of vanilla with a background of citrusy yet slightly bitter tones, reminiscent of a garden laden with lilies.
Micro Love by Jusbox Perfumes
For the hipster, the cool millennial or even the well-groomed man, Jusbox Perfumes combines their passion for music and scents. The creators behind Jusbox are a pair of siblings whose background in music led them to create perfumes for some of the most important fashion labels in the industry. Now, they bring with them their own line of fragrances and t-shirts.
Micro Love has got more of a musky scent to it; sophisticated, manly and quite appealing. The inspiration behind the scent comes from “the alliance of humans and technology” going back to the nineties and the overtaking of technology. It is a scent that we feel is well suited for the young man that is in tune with trends, has a love for music, art and style.
Monsieur by Bruno Jovanovic (Editions de parfums Frederic Malle)
Unlike other commercial perfume brands, Frederic Malle enlists the world’s best noses to create their own scents exclusively for the brand. “The blend of Frédéric Malle’s ideals with the distinct personalities of each perfumer, and the total freedom provided by Editions de Parfums has created a brand with no definite house style. Its singularity comes from its striking heterogeneity, whereby each nose has expressed and unleashed his or her creative instinct to the fullest.” Therefore we feel this is the perfect gift for the highly discerning and sophisticated man who appreciates the tailor-made approach to style and of course, perfumery.
Monsieur to us is a rather strong and bitter scent made up of patchouli, tangerine, rum absolute, cedar and incense, with hints of amber, vanilla and musk to create this sharp tone. Created by Bruno Javanovic, a rising star in the world of perfumery, he has created Monsieur to encompass the gentleman seducer. We recommend this for the more serious and stylish man about town – he won’t be disappointed.
Une Rose by Edouard Flechier (Editions de parfums Frederic Malle)
We adore this feminine, rosy yet dominating scent by Edouard Flechier. Just as its name suggests, Une Rose is “the intoxicating, earthy aroma of a garden rose pulled from the ground with its roots”. Composed of Turkish rose, geranium and wine dregs this is the perfect perfume well suited for the daring yet elegant women who isn’t afraid to try anything. This scent in particular has got an animalistic element to it, yet the rose notes in the background also make this scent chic, seductive and well-mannered.
Peacock Throne (hair fragrance) by Thameen
An eau de toilette for the hair is Thameen’s Peacock Throne. Packaged in a stylish black box laden with gold text, the royal blue bottle is filled to the brim with notes of Indian jasmine, Egyptian orris, pink pepper pearls, patchouli, vetiver and vanilla with top notes of Sicilian Lemon Oil and Nutmeg. This is an altogether spicy, vanilla-ish scent with the added benefit of keratin to keep hair sleek, smooth and smelling wonderful.
Smashingly Brilliant by Diana Vreeland
Another one of our top olfactory gifts is Diana Vreeland’s range of hypnotic scents which comes in a stylish red box. The scent is innocent and sweet with hints of seriousness and true style. With notes of lemon, bergamot, verbena, basil, juniper, berries, geranium, suede and wood this is the perfect scent for the fashionista about town. Although more suited for the summer time, we feel this is one stylish scent that is smashingly brilliant for Christmas gifting.
Rodin Olio Lusso
For the minimalist that still craves a bit of luxury, we cannot recommend Rodin’s line of products enough. Its founder Linda Rodin has been in the fashion business most of her life and began dedicating her time to skincare when she realized the lack of simpler products “that caress the skin noticeably without delay”. After two years of experimenting, Rodin created her most reputable product range yet, the Rodin Olio Lusso Face Oil – a luxury oil now used by models and makeup artists.
The Rodin Olio Lusso scent couples well with Rodin’s beautiful jasmine and neroli candle, which together make for the perfect bath time treat.
Beauty Restorer (de-stress face tool) and Bathe-Rite (de-stress bath minerals) by HAYO’U
Another bath time treat for stress reduction is Hayo’u’s Himalayan bath salts, which contain lotus flower and frankincense, along with its amazing beauty restorer tool made from cooling Xiuyan Jade.
Hayo’u (meaning wellness in Chinese) was founded by Katie Brindle, who developed the Hayo’u method after experiencing an unfortunate car accident which left her in pain, resulting in her taking a journey into Chinese medicine. The method relies heavily on Chinese healing properties which Katie has spent a generous amount of time studying and practicing.
We absolutely love Hayo’u’s bath minerals both for its healing properties and the ingredients it contains. Himalayan salt is known to contain over eighty minerals, which can improve circulation and remove toxins, whilst Frankincense can help relieve stress and reduce inflammation. Finally, lotus flower packs a punch with protein, phosphorus, iron and vitamins B and C.
The Beauty Restorer is the perfect accompaniment for that bath time ritual. This special jade stone is cool to the touch and when used daily it helps to stimulate the skin and draw out toxins and tension from the face whilst its ergonomic design provides that soothing sensation when swept across the face. Perfect for those who need to unwind and relax.
EB FLORALS
It isn’t every day that florist becomes a perfumer, but Eric Buterbaugh did just that. The reputable floral designer has lent his vision to fashion houses, celebrities and the like has now turned his attention to the art of scents by working with some of the best master perfumers in an aim to capture the true essence of flowers into beautifully crafted glass bottles.
The Sultry Rose scent is perfect when accompanied by the divine scent of the EB jasmine candle. Sultry Rose is made up of pepper, passion fruit, ottoman rose essence, rose water, vanilla orchid, saffron, ambrette music, oud, and ambergris accord. Contained ever so simply in a glass flask, the pinkish hues are stunning. Just a dab will do as the scent is ever so magically concentrated that it can remain on the skin for the whole day. It is a fairy-tale scent that is sweet, pure and innocent.
Why not accompany this perfume with the perfect home candle? We suggest jasmine for its deeply calming yet alluring scent.
Lilou et Loic
For the home we have Lilou et Loic’s luxury scented candle and hand wash packaged in beautifully grey and white striped coffret boxes. We chose Lilou et Loic for its lifestyle appeal and its expertise in delivering home-scents and essentials using the finest oils and ingredients. Its signature candle is the Black Amber and Saffron made of ginger, cinnamon, saffron, clementine, black amber jasmine, guaiacwood, cedar wood, sandalwood, cashmere musk, patchouli, and birch for an all-around oriental fragrance. A bit of spice with hints of vanilla, jasmine and patchouli makes this candle perfect for Christmas time.
The Fig and Rhubarb hand wash adds that extra luxury home element made of fig leaves, rhubarb, thyme, lavender, Vetiver, oakmoss and leather.
Susanne Kaufmann
Susanne Kaufmann’s special edition advent calendar and luxurious candle make perfect gifts for the home.
Before her skincare launch, Susanne operated the Susanne Kaufmann spa in Hotel Post Bezau, working alongside pharmacists and dermatologists to create holistic and organic products that benefit ones well being.
The advent calendar is beautifully packaged with 24 mini products, from shampoo and body butter to bubble bath, essential oils, tea, hand lotion and creams. Although we’re already in December, this is the perfect introductory gift to discover the Susanne Kaufmann brand.
Kaufman’s range of candles – lovingly made in Austria using mixtures of plant oils and waxes for that cleansing effect – make indulgent and surprising gifts that are sure to put a smile on your loved one’s faces.
Black Chicken Remedies
We’re aware the name doesn’t sound so appealing for Christmas but one can’t always be too conventional when gifting, and besides, it’s what’s inside that counts. As they themselves say “To be honest (and we always are) we don’t care about beauty trends. If you’re on the hunt for fancy packaging, fruity fragrances or fantastical foams you won’t find them here, sorry. We’re in the business of helping your skin be the best it can be…naturally.”
For the skincare fanatic wanting to try something new, Black Chicken Remedies is an Australian skincare brand that concocts remedial products with an aim to provide therapeutic benefit for the skin.
We’ve tried their ‘Balm of Ages’ and now swear by it – it can be used all over the body, even for those chapped winter lips, and it truly does wonders. A pasty-like consistency that when rubbed onto the skin glides like butter, making it a handbag must. Serums are always a popular topic these days when it comes to skincare and Black Chicken Remedies does a ‘Love Your Face Serum’ suitable for all skin types containing 10 pure essential oils. This serum is ideal for someone looking to stimulate their skins cell growth whilst promoting elasticity. To go with the serum, we recommend ‘Cleanse My Face’, which is again made of organic plant oils (13 of those in fact). Top that off with ‘Love Your Body Oil’ to hydrate and nourish your body. These make perfect gift sets for a friend or skincare fanatic obsessed with all-natural, organic ingredients that benefit the skin.
Pestle and Mortar + Antipodes
Serums are all the hype these days and with a plethora of them out there, it can be hard to choose the best. We short-listed Black Chicken Remedies for those that prefer organic ingredients, but we’ve also got a brand that contains pure hyaluronic acid – known to be “nature’s moisturiser”. We short-listed Pestle and Mortar for its minimalistic packaging and benefits to the skin. Free from animal testing and any ‘nasty’ ingredients, it is pure as its name suggests and can be used on sensitive skin.
Another organic skincare brand that we love at The Sybarite and suitable for a younger crowd is Antipodes. Their Nourishing Night Cream and Night Replenishing Serum left our faces feeling clean and refreshed the morning after application. Its serum is made of Himalayan goji berry, raspberry seed oil and hibiscus flower, whilst its night cream contains honey and Vinanza grape. These make great night-time treats especially during the cold winter months when skin needs a bit of nourishing.
Acqua di Parma – Gelsomino Nobile and Colonia Oud
Perhaps one of our favorites for the gifting season is Acqua di Parma’s collection of scents. Not only are they story-telling products, gifting this to someone will always make them feel exceptional and exquisite. With their attractive notes and stunning gift boxes, one cannot go wrong with an Acqua di Parma treat for Christmas.
For lovers of jasmine, Gelsomino Nobile is the ideal scent to gift that special someone on Christmas. This is the perfect perfume for those that love a floral scent that is not over-powering but light and elegant. Acqua di Parma offers this scent in a stunning light teal hat box which not only comes with the 100 ml perfume itself but also in the form of a body wash and body lotion. Reminiscent of Marie-Antoinette, we’re sure any woman will be delighted to lift the hatbox to find a beautiful set of Gelsomino Nobile.
This is a pure feminine scent that is fresh due to notes of Italian mandarin and pink pepper with hints of orange blossom, cedar wood and musk. We highly recommend browsing Acqua di Parma’s other range of gift sets as they are equally as stunning and boast a variety of different notes for the unique individual.
For men, we absolutely love Acqua di Parma’s signature Oud cologne, which also comes packaged with the sophisticated man in mind. The set includes the cologne as well as a hair and shower gel in the same scent. The notes are woody, masculine, not too over-powering and utterly unique due to a rare ingredient of deep Oud oil originating from the agarwood along with Russian coriander and Haitian Amyris wood. We recommend this masculine cologne for those looking to explore new scents for a signature smell. Leathery, woody, discreet and so classical, the Oud set is a definite must when it comes to gifting. The smart gift box speaks for itself.
