Gift a fragrance in a new and different way! With a few options from Chanel, Marc Jacobs, Bottega Veneta and Balenciaga!

Why not just give a fragrance? - you may wonder. I am a big fan of giving fragrance as a gift - and I think most of my giftees are happy to get it, but there are a couple of problems I run into: the fragrance they like is expensive and just not in my budget that month or they only wear one fragrance and how many bottles of the same thing does anyone need? The solution of course are items from the same fragrance family and these days, there are lots to choose from!

Small budget? Perfumed soap is luxurious and not the kind of thing people will usually buy for themselves - it can also be kept in your lingerie drawer to keep your dainties smelling great! It can sometimes be hard to find as not every line does a soap but you can't go wrong with:

Chanel N°5 Bath Soap - 150g - $27 - it's Chanel, what more needs to be said for heaven's sake!

Solid perfumes are another way to gift fragrance which you can find it in very simple cases all the way up to full on jewellery like this little pretty:

Marc Jacobs Daisy Solid Perfume - 0.75g - $45 - it's a ring, it's a necklace, it's a perfume, it's like the superhero of fragrances! With notes of wild strawberry, violet leaves, ruby red grapefruit, gardenia, violet petals, jasmine petals, musk, vanilla infusion and white woods. Available at Holt Renfrew, Sears, Sephora, Murale and select The Bay stores.

You can never go wrong with a fragranced lotion, especially in the winter!

Bottega Veneta Body Lotion - 200ml - $65 - the scent is a leathery floral chypre with notes of bergamot, patchouli, oak moss, jasmine sambac and pink peppercorn. Available at Holt Renfrew and select The Bay stores.

If you are giving a gift to someone you don't know as well and think fragrance might be a little too personal, a fragranced candle is perfect - still very thoughtful but not as intimate!

Balenciaga L'Essence Candle -210g - $75 - helps create an ambiance characterized by the fragrant interplay of leaves, delicate flowers and soft mosses. Available at Holt Renfrew and select The Bay stores.

Other fragranced non-fragrance ideas will be gratefully received!

- Lisamarie -

a leathery floral chypre with notes of bergamot, patchouli, oak moss, jasmine sambac and pink peppercorn

Source: beautycrazed (http://s.tt/13zkJ)

a leathery floral chypre with notes of bergamot, patchouli, oak moss, jasmine sambac and pink peppercorn

Source: beautycrazed (http://s.tt/13zkJ)

a leathery floral chypre with notes of bergamot, patchouli, oak moss, jasmine sambac and pink peppercorn

Source: beautycrazed (http://s.tt/13zkJ)

Fancy French Fragrant Friday - L'Essence Balenciaga and Bottega Veneta Parfum

Horrifying as it may be to some of you, this is the time of year when I start thinking about Christmas gifts and not because I am some super organized wonder woman (anyone who knows me knows this not to be true) but because of one certain person on my list, I spend months beforehand obsessing over what to get her and yes, I'm talking about my mother in law.

Don't get me wrong, she's a lovely lady who never criticizes my housekeeping skills, bugs me about when we're going to have children or drops by without being invited but when it comes to buying her presents, I always feel like I've fallen short somehow. In the past few years I've settled on fragrance as the perfect gift - she seems to like it and there is always something new to get her but it's still agonizing trying to decide on just the right one. It can't be common, endorsed by a pop tart or have a tacky bottle and of course it has to smell good. Last year I got her Calvin Klein Beauty which she really liked so I need one to top it. Here are a couple that I'm considering:


L'Essence Balenciaga - 50ml  EDP - $110, 75ml EDP - $150 - a new take on the original Balenciaga EDP - but stronger and with added green notes in the form of violet leaves which actually makes it very appealing to me, next to citrus fragrances, I love a green fragrance!

Available at Holt Renfrew, Muale and select The Bay stores.

Bottega Veneta Parfum - 50ml EDP - $110, 75ml EDP - $150, 200ml Body Cream - $95, 200ml Body Lotion - $65, 200ml Shower Gel - $58 - a leathery floral chypre with notes of bergamot, patchouli, oak moss, jasmine sambac and pink peppercorn. To me this one smells very sensual yet elegant.

Available at select Holt Renfrew and select The Bay stores.

So which one to pick? They're both classy, french, in elegant bottles and smell good - albeit in very different ways... opinions welcomed!

- Lisamarie -