Gone are the days of miniatures thoughtlessly tossed in a box with a fragrance. Coffrets, says Rosie Green, are finally covetable.
Naff, dull, whatever…. Christmas beauty gift sets, or coffrets as they are known in the trade, used to be so uninspiring that beauty editors always denied them column inches.
But last year, something happened. Rather than just sticking an undersized body lotion that wasn’t selling next to a perfume in a box and knocking off a couple of quid, beauty companies channelled time and thought into making them properly desirable.
Mark Tranter, Fragrance and Beauty Buyer at Selfridges, says: ‘Brands have really upped their game, taking a step away from the value for money option of ‘fragrance plus an ancillary product’ and instead worked on gifts that offer a point of difference and exclusivity.’
Instead of a beauty gift being an ‘extra present’ he says, these sets can be a main present. (With Selfridges ultra luxe offerings from Tom Ford and Acqua Di Parma at £1000 and £396 respectively, they’d have to be!).
Daniela Rinaldi, Beauty Director of Harvey Nichols, agrees. ‘Christmas gift sets aren’t plain boxes anymore. Customers are prepared to pay more, so companies have been able to put some brand character into their design.’
So from heart-stoppingly extravagant personalised gifts to wantable hat boxes to tree baubles via crackers, these are the beauties we want under our tree.
Tom Ford Private Blend 4 Piece Lipstick Gift Box
£144, Selfridges (in store only)
We love this purely for the gorgeous mahogany-coloured box, but the fact you can personally pick which four lippies are inside makes this all the more exquisite.
Chloe Signature Eau De Parfum Gift Set
£52, www.boots.com
We are lusting after the lush blush hatbox that contains a 50ml Eau de Parfum and 100ml body lotion.
Dr Hauschka Mini Rose Trio
£8.96, www.drhauschka.co.uk
Who doesn’t love a mini? This rose day cream, rose body oil and rose body moisturiser collection is gratifyingly purse friendly.
Lancome Christmas Crackers Gift Set
£50, www.selfridges.com
A Beauty Crush of the girls at Get the Gloss. Forget bad jokes and paper hats, Lancome’s yuletide offering has dinky versions of its make-up and skincare classics.
Balance Me Beautiful Skin Collection
£20. www.balanceme.co.uk
Beauty editors love these essential oil packed products, and this kit includes a super moisturising hand cream, body wash, a wonder eye cream and radiance face oil.
Acqua Di Parma Colonia Assoluta Coffret
Is it the fabulous yellow box, the divine smell of the fragrance or the generous sizes of the Colonia Assoluta Eau de Cologne, bath and shower gel and body cream that sets our hearts a flutter?
Aromatherapy Associates Ultimate Collection
£50, www.aromatherapyassociates.com
A set of nine 7.5ml bath oils from Space NK. Every single year we want one of these. Every single year.
Origins Ornament
This contains samples of their five best-selling products and looks pretty hanging on your tree. Love.
Espa Little Box Of Calm Gift Set
£12.50, at Harvey Nichols
Luscious diminutive bottles of their divine Restorative bath oil and body oil.
Kisses from Clinique Superbalm Gift Set
£25, www.clinique.co.uk
Cute.
Clarins Face and Body Essentials Gift Set
The case might be old school, but we want all the classic products from cleansers to Beauty Flash to hand cream.