Christmas Gifts For The Five Senses No.1 - Smell!

 

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Christmas Gifts For The Five Senses No.1 - Smell! Bonjour Mes Amis, I hope that you are tucked up and toasty this morning? It's certainly getting chilly in the mornings and evenings, although we did very well throughout October so can't complain! This is my last missive from the capital for a while as we move on Monday, and next w/e I shall write to you from Amberley (complete with bucolic photography so be prepared!). It has been so long in coming that I can't quite believe that the day is almost here! We have had a lovely week. Last night we entertained my cousin and her new beau who stopped off on their way to Paris for a romantic w/e (ahhhh!). Otherwise, it has been all about getting the final preparations in order for our departure. I will admit to bouts of nostalgia - I have been in my lovely house for over 27 years and it feels slightly strange to be relocating, however I shall be flitting back and forth so this is silly and entirely in the mind. One must embrace every new chapter and we intend to be blissfully happy in West Sussex! And now for Christmas! Are you ready? I have to say that I have bought two gifts and the GD's is ordered, so am feeling slightly smug this year - a first I can assure you, as I have previously belonged to the school of 'very last minute'!  As I mentioned last week, this year's gift guide is on the theme of the five senses and I thought that we would kick-off with 'Smell'! I have spent most of my career as the PR representative for many of the best, luxury, perfume houses, thus 'smell' is obviously the sense that speaks to me most readily and intimately and is certainly something that I have applied much thought to over the years. Smell is perhaps the most luxurious of the senses but it is also vital to enjoy food (there is no 'taste' without smell) and the very essence of intimacy. I always remember an interview with a woman who had lost her sense of smell in a road accident and, when asked what smell she most missed, the answer was not 'bacon' or 'roses' but "the smell of the man lying next to me", which I think is both the saddest and most romantic thing that I have ever heard (the good news is that she recovered so don't worry!). The most fascinating thing about smell is that we all experience it slightly differently, as scent-receptors vary from individual to individual. I believe that this is a contributory factor to the food and drink that we each prefer -  a particular taste may be ore or less intense, depending on the particular profile of our noses! My own sense of smell, trained over decades, is acute, which is both a gift and a curse. In a rose garden in June, I experience paroxysms of joy and I adore our perfumery as I can smell and identify the fragrances being sprayed by clients from my office next door - BUT, on the Tube, on a warm summer's evening during rush hour I am utterly tormented, and feel slightly nauseous for most of the journey! It may not be essential to be surrounded by gorgeous fragrances all of the time, but they enrich one's life experience beyond words. Scent feels wonderfully indulgent and that is what gifting should be all about - selecting something extra special, a treat to really spoil the recipient! And so here are just a few of my favourite 'premium pongs', guaranteed to seduce the senses and bring olfactory joy to the festive season and beyond! Shop Now - Home Fragrance Collection Scented Candles & Diffusers  As you know, Rigaud's classic 'Cypres' fragranced candle is a favourite - opulent and luxurious, it even looks Christmassy with its green wax and red ribbon! Urban Apothecary's divine 'Oriental Noir' diffuser, with vanilla, nutmeg and coffee notes will suit the sitting room or hallway, while 'Tuberose Petals' is perfect for the boudoir and 'Fig Tree' is my scent of choice for the kitchen as it compliments food smells. The options here is endless - Rigaud's 'Gardenia' and 'Cythère' are to die for and the glorious ‘Tournesol' (sunflower) not only looks sunny with its yellow wax, but smells like a summer in a jar. Shop Now - Soap Collection Soaps Ahhhhh scented soaps - how I love them! Although I have sensitive skin, I am careful with my selection and find that luxury soaps are well-formulated and gentle. We stock 'triple-milled' soaps, as they are compacted and therefore last a lot longer. There's a great deal of choice so I am jut selecting a few bestsellers to get you in the mood! 'Fig & Almond Milk' and ‘Cypres' (the latter excellent for gentlemen) are standouts from Italy. We have Soap-on-a-Rope to which I am addicted as was bought the 'apricot' by the GD and its exfoliating action and scent are great for waking me up in the shower and leaving skin feeling soft and renewed.  Shop Now - Soap Collection Finally, we have Roger & Gallet, the classic, triple milled circular soaps that I used to buy for my grandmother when I was a child ! Not only has this brand got one of the best histories in the world of fine fragrance (more of that later) but the scents actually get stronger the more the soap is used! We have box-sets of three soaps in 'Fleur de Figuer' - not quite 'figgy pudding' but you get my drift(!), and this is a delightfully cool, green summery scent. Finally, 'Apple Cider Soap' from Nova Scotia Fishermen is an excellent choice for adventurous chaps! Luxury soaps make fantastic gifts as they are both practical and indulgent - my only request is that you make sure that they are used - no stashing them in the knicker-drawer! Perfume Perfume makes a glorious gift and, as smell is tied to memory, creates a very personal bond with the wearer. Do not worry about gifting scent as we can provide a small sample phial with every perfume so that the recipient can try the sample and exchange the perfume if necessary (it's a good safety net!). Here are a few ideas, and we are happy to advise, either on the telephone or by email if you require advice. I have tried to be democratic regarding prices as ours vary from £18 - £165 and we all have an approximate budget in mind for each person! There are some amazing fragrances at an extremely good price so it is more about finding the perfect fit! For Gentlemen   Caldey Island Cologne For Men (£20), made by the Monks on Caldey Island off the coast of Tenby, this is incense and musk crowned with spices and local flora. Castle Forbes - Forbes Of Forbes (£60), is a walk in the forests of the Highlands, with pine, oakmoss and a zesty orange at the top. Manly but elegant.... and it's made in a castle! Mysterious Oud (£50), a warm glow of oud blends with labdanum resin, ambergris, cedar and sandalwood. It's woody but with the power and mystery of the East. Jean d'Aigle  - Ambre Splash (£18), this unique fragrance is packed with pine, mint, cedar and zesty verbena plus a mesmerising hit of orange. Amber - Laboratory Perfumes (£80), this is a gentle, easy to wear and very arousing combination of fresh green, spices, woods and warm, glowing ambery notes. Roger & Gallet - L'Homme Cédre (£35) One of the first 'official' perfume houses, licenced in 1822, this is a symphony of Italian citron, cardamom, guaiac wood, patchouli and vetiver, infused with notes of mandarin and Italian sweet orange. For Gentlewomen  Florence - Tocca (£68), I adore Tocca and my mother (a woman with great taste!) wears Florence, the best white floral in the business - Gardenia, Jasmine, Tiari Flower - classy! Bianca - Tocca (£68), Young women adore the energy and fresh notes of lemon and green tea. Very easy to wear and youthful! Rose, Lilac and Jasmine - 47112 (£25), Yes from 4711, the cologne from 1793! They have created three new fragrances and, while they took their time(!), they were worth waiting for. The Bottles look stunning too - very, very glamorous! Quelques Fleurs - Houbigant (£130), Another classic (created in 1905 but 'refreshed' recently) and an exceptional floral composition created from a bouquet of jasmine and rose petals, gently blended with precious woods like santal, and warmed by a powdered musk.  Incense Water  - Sana Jardin (£95), The whole collection is excellent, but the latest offering is hypnotic. Again, easy to wear and with a honeyed, sunshine quality. Fleur de Figeur - Roger & Gallet (£21), Green fig is the scent of the moment and this is excellent. Flesh, leaf and the nectar with a dash of musk - uplifting and gorgeous! Shop Now - Mrs White's - Old Soak Finest English Bath Salts - £15.00 And lastly - Skincare & Bath Time!  Our own 'Mrs White's Old Soak Bath Salts' are made from English sea salt and essential oils, so are as natural as they can be and there are some delicious scents to choose from. 'September In Sicily' is wonderful to energise, 'Lavender' to relax and I am rather partial to both 'Wild Mint' and 'Rosemary & Orange' - each will fill the bathroom with the most wonderful aroma and the sea salts extract impurities from the skin whilst your nearest and dearest soak-away the stresses and strains of the day!  Shop Now - Mrs White's - All Natural Hand & Body Wash - £16.50 Mrs White's Hand and Body Wash is a great gift as it can be used as a liquid soap for hands (either in the kitchen or bathroom) or as a shower gel. 'Rose' is eternally popular,  or perhaps 'West Indian Grapefruit & Lime' for those that want a spring in their step each morning! Shop Now - Monk-made - Sanctuary Skin Cream - £7.50 The celestial skin creams from the 'Sanctuary' collection are perhaps most Christmassy of all, as they are handmade by Benedictine monks and the proceeds of the sales go towards their many good works!! I am using these exclusively as face/body and hand moisturisers at the moment and love all the scents so much that I use them on a daily basis - Rose & Honey, Vanilla and Coconut are my current three faves (although when I wear the Vanilla the GD says that I smell like cake and eyes me hungrily!). It's a lovely story, a quality British product and it does have the feel good factor (excuse the pun!). Shop Now - Olverum Bath Oil - 125ml - £38.00 I LOVE Olverum Bath Oil!! I used to be their PR many moons ago and subsequently Lawrence( Roullier White) became infatuated with it and I used to come home to the whole house smelling like a Spa! The recipe dates to the 1930's and, in my opinion, hasn't been bettered for making one feel relaxed and well - especially if one has a head cold. It has dozens of therapeutic ingredients, but the standout for me is Siberian Fir which smells a bit lit Christmas trees. Be warned - your whole house will smell like a magical forest for an hour or two and a squirrel my try and buy you a drink! One bottle makes 25 baths as this is a potent concentration and once you have bathed in Olverum your winter bathing will never be the same. It's like joining a secret society - skiers swear by it as it relaxes and restores bruised, tired muscles. I just love the scent! I hope that your nostrils are now aquiver and a few ideas are now fermenting?! I need to go and prepare for our final dinner party - I'm cooking this week (Henrietta and Simon be warned!). Then it's a little bit of packing tomorrow and we are all set for Monday morning! I feel like it's Christmas already and cannot wait to wake-up to the sound of bleating (sheep not the Good Doctor!). I am desperate for it to snow on Christmas Day - I probably have a city dweller's view of snow, and it is undoubtedly causes more problems in the countryside, but I so want to see the South Downs covered in a light dusting, especially if I'm inside roasting chestnuts on the log burner (not entirely sure if that's possible, but one can dream!). Have a lovely w/e and I shall be in touch! Michael x