The Scented Salamander Perfume Holiday Gift Guide 2008 - Part 4: Fragrance Kits A Gogo {Shopping Tips} | The Scented Salamander: Perfume & Beauty Blog & Webzine

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Perfume kits are a great way to play with scents and constitute presents that people will enjoy even more over time adding the thrill of exploration and even creation to their usual experience of fragrancing.

You can also look at these kits as sets to be broken down into individual gifts within one family or circle of friends.

Some kits can also be viewed as collections of stocking stuffers.

At any rate, there is a trend to be potentially followed any way you see better fit for yourselves.

Please also check out The Scented Salamander Perfume Holiday Gift Guide 2008 Part 1, Part 2, Part 3; the Perfume-Shopping-Tip page; and the New-Perfume page for more gift ideas.

1 - Frédéric Malle Editions de Parfums Limited Edition Coffret Set

With this set what you get is an excellent cultural introduction to the works of several great contemporary perfumers who were given enough freedom to offer more personal and more ambitious creations under the artistic directorship of Frédéric Malle. Plus, it is a relative bargain, especially in US dollars, if you consider that you will not need to buy all the bottles of the perfume house one by one. $480 at Barney's.

"A vamped up version of the Frederic Malle Test kit, this limited edition coffret includes sixteen 10ml Frederic Malle perfumes. Also includes a limited edition book on the perfumers behind the brand's sixteen perfumes."

If you would prefer to start more cautiously and pay even less for smaller 2 ml samples and do not need the book, you can order samples from the Editions de Parfums site in sets of 3 with shipping charges added per each set....

2 - Jo Malone Tasting Kit

The set includes Pomegranate Noir and three compositions called Casablanca Lily, Raspberry and Guaiacwood which each emphasize the floral, fruity and woody aspects of the scent. The different layerings also correspond to different moments of the day. $110. It is already sold out on the UK site.

3 - Susanne Lang Couture Blend Kit

This set enables you to experiment with perfume blending. It contains 10 bottles of 5 ml bases. I once smelled a mix from this set and it smelled gorgeous. $95, at Luckyscent.

"No. 1 Grapefruit Citron: zesty and refreshing. Sicilian lemon with Grapefruit.
No. 2 Neroli Blossom: refined and vibrant. Neroli Blossom paired with Freesia and Gardenia.
No. 3 Aqua Marine: sensual and clean. Soft marine notes with Driftwood and Cedar.
No. 4 Himalayan Rose: rich and earthy. 10, 000 handpicked petals per oz of this rare Rose.
No. 5 Tuberose Absolute: classic and elegant. True French Tuberose with Gardenia.
No. 6 Vintage Patchouli: rare and unique. 7-year aged Patchouli with earthy Agarwood.
No. 7 Nude Musk: subtle and sexy. A skin musk accord activated by the warmth of skin.
No. 8 Opulent Spice: exotic and spicy. Frankincense, Orris, Black Pepper and Cardamom notes.
No. 9 Amberwood: sultry and warm. A true Amber scent with Amber, precious woods and resins.
No. 10 Vanilla CO2: delicious and sweet: A unique extraction of pure Madagascar Vanilla."

4 - Bath & Body Works Sleep - Warm Milk & Honey

The cute fleecy eye mask resembling the iconic one worn by Audrey Hepburn-Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany's will help you hit the sack sweetly. $16

"Our ready-to-give gift set will make her dream on and on. Includes 1 oz. Pillow Mist, 0.3 oz. Instant Aromatherapy in Sound Sleep and a Lambie Sleep Mask. 11 3/4" x 4 1/4" x 1 1/2". Sleep mask front is 100% polyester; back is 100% silk."

5 - Comme des Garçons Incense Series Gift Set

For the incense lover. Perfect for the winter and the Holiday season. Will encourage focus and meditation all year round. $380 at Luckyscent.

"A striking presentation of the evocative and hugely popular Incense series. Receive all five Incense fragrances (Kyoto, Avignon, Jaisalmer, Ouarzazate and Zagorsk) wrapped handsomely in black paper finished with a gold ribbon. A wonderful gift for Him or Her...bold, beautiful and truly unique. Special price!"

6 - Demeter Holiday 2008 Mini Set

Set includes 4 x 1/2 oz bottles of Egg Nogg, Snow, Hot Toddy, Baby Powder. $20, at Demeterfragrance.com

7 - Tom Ford Private Collection Rollerball Gift Set

See our previous post about this exclusive collection here. $225 at Nordstrom.

8 - Jo Malone Cologne Trousseau

"The Cologne Trousseau brings the art of perfumery to life. A suite
of twelve colognes is presented in a stately leather jewel box
accompanied with an elegant presentation tray and key. Hand-pick
your fragrance selection or allow a Jo Malone Stylist to offer distinctive
suggestions. Suggested Retail Price: 1200.00 US"

9 - Amouage 10 Piece Sampler Set

The Omani house of Amouage will seduce those who love the opulence of the Orient and wish to acquaint themselves with a perfumery that is both of the West and East. $65 at fourseasonsproducts.com

"An elegant presentation box, containing 2ml spray samples with leaflet. Each sample contains one of the current Amouage fragrances for Men & Women: Gold, Dia, Ciel, Reflection, Jubilation 25, Jubilation XXV."

10 - Molton Brown Enchant Gift Set

"With six of Molton Brown's most popular fragrances, this set of travel-sized shower gels is the perfect way to introduce a friend to the brand, or to treat someone who's already a big fan. Includes Sensual Hanaleni Moisture Bath & Shower, Heavenly Gingerlily Moisture Bath & Shower, Inspiring Wild-Indigo Bath & Shower, Blissful Templetree Moisture Bath & Shower, Relaxing Yuan Zhi Bath & Shower, and Enlivening Toko-Yuzu Bath & Shower (100 mL each).
Domestic. Ideal for frequent travelers." $50 at Bath & Body Works.

11 - Diptyque Book & Candle Gift Set

You can peruse the new book by Elisabeth de Feydeau author of The Scented Palace about the house of Diptyque while sitting by an imaginary fire place, or not, with the candle Feu de Bois.

"A perfect gift: Diptyque's beautiful coffee table book along with the classic Feu de Bois candle (or you can specify any other desired Diptyque candle scent in the comment box when checking out). With this gift the candle comes wrapped in our classic black Aedes signature box. The book is adorned with satin ribbon." $125 at Aedes.com

12 - Pacifica Solid Perfume Gold Collection Gift Box - Beloved Woods & Coveted Spices

"A collection of Pacifica's treasured woodsy and spicy fragrances in enticing, new Solid Perfumes, this set contains Spanish Amber, Sandalwood, Tibetan Mountain Temple, Madagascar Spice, Avalon Juniper, Mexican Cocoa, Mediterranean Fig, Tuscan Blood Orange and Waikiki Pikake. Price reflects 15% discount." $63.75 until Dec 25th at pacificaperfume.com