Hey there A Bottled Rose, It’s a Mood Scent 4 week. WOO HOO! This month the crew are looking at Gifting 2020. The end of the year signals all kinds of gifting. Loads of the major religions have giving events, work places, sporting groups and friend groups all join in and it can become a bloody expensive and time consuming nightmare. This year has been a tough slog for a lot of us (me included, especially financially) and within my friend circle it’s been proposed that we keep the gifting to an absolute minimum. COOL! So I have been scouring the web and stores for some excellent deals, discounted beauties and a couple of lavish, over the top bits and bobs.
Can’t wait to read about your favourite Gifting 2020 in the comments too.
So excited to be blogging with these three superstars again: Esperanza L’Esperessence, Megan Megan In Sainte Maxime and Samantha I Scent You A Day. Check theirs out too.
Mood Scent 4: Gifting 2020
As this year has been the year of hand washing because soap is known to break down the C19 virus I thought it a perfect gift this year. Who doesn’t love to wash with something luxurious? It’s also a very reasonably priced gift and you can always break a gift pack into separate parts and gift singly, especially good if they are individually wrapped!
Mysore Sandal Soap
Most perfumistas know of this legendary soap already but we forget it’s a perfect gift. Costs next to nothing and is perfect because so many perfumes have sandalwood as a base note so it will never clash with what perfume your gift receiver is wearing. At this price I think there’s probably only a pinprick of the real deal Mysore Sandalwood (if that) but still it smells excellent and comes from far off India.
Nesti Dante Soap Gift Set 6 x 150g
I love these excellent Nesti Dante gift sets and buy them regularly to split apart as gifts. They sell the bars singly as well so no one will know you went the cheaper route. Italian soaps! So glam, right? The sets come in a huge range. The soliflors shown are nice and the cities of Italy are another good lot. Jin and Anna Maria get Venice soaps almost every year because we had such a wonderful time together there and it’s a little reminder.
Oriza Legrand Rose du Roy Soap
This year I’ve bought the Oriza Legrand Rose du Roy eight pack to split and give for the first time. I’ve not tried them but my previous experience with the brands soaps leads me to believe they will be as rich and sudsy as the rest of their soapy offerings. I love their packaging too. It always looks so lavish and olde worldy. The price is pretty good too. PLUS Oriza does FREE WORLD SHIPPING if you spend 100€, grab their sample set for yourself while you’re at it eh?
Here are some other ideas than soap. Fragrance and candles have long been a staple in my gift giving arsenal. While many of my friends are perfumistas, most are not. They love me giving them interesting and unusual (for them) fragrance choices. they can then brag that their perfume crazy blogger buddy chose this for them. Obviously scent is extremely personal for a lot of people but there are also a huge number who are extremely happy to have the drama of the department store fragrance hall removed from their lives.
Sira des Indes by Jean Patou
The perfume world has been rocked by the shutting down of all Jean Patou fragrance manufacture in 2020. So I’m gifting a few friends the now historic Sira des Indes. It’s a creamy spiced floral with lovely banana overtones. Sweet enough to be youthful, warm and spicy enough to be sophisticated and weird enough to at least give the perfumistas a smile. All very low key village wise so no one will be skunked or tormented. Currently at the discounters the 30ml EdP and 200ml Shower Gel are very reasonable. They both come beautifully boxed and I’ve bought about 6 sets. Historic and lovely.
Adam Levine For Her
OK, you can put your snob away right now. I don’t care what you think about him, his music or anything. This fragrance is killer! I have never had so many unsolicited compliments about a perfume before, EVER! Spicy white floral sandalwood with a vanilla heavy amber. Regularly compared to EL Sensuous and TF Santal Blush but I can’t really comment on them because while nice they didn’t have the same impact on me or for the people around me. The bottle is fabulous too and it costs NOTHING! Seriously, they are basically giving it away. Pair this with a Mysore Santal Soap.
Lastly, what would a gifting post be without a luxury candle or SIX?
Abd El Kader Petite Candle by Cire Trudon
This is a big ticket item but the petite size is still in budget. Your receiver won’t even have to burn it, the fragrance is so gorgeous and fills the room effortlessly on opening with the fragrance of Moroccan Mint Tea. Anyone who knows candles will be blown away by this generous and thoughtful gift. Their home will smell amazing and they will get hours of burning pleasure.
The blurb runs: A gust of freedom blowing from the Mascara coast and the mountains picks up on its way the green scents of fresh mint, the rashness of fights, ginger’s hot and peppered air and the perfume of tea and tobacco from the Ouled Nail tribe
Boujee Bougies
OK, I’m going to brag. My friends Nick, Pia and Thomas have created these flamboyant luxury candles. They are heavy duty perfumistas in their own right and Pia is becoming quite a famous perfumer. They were only released last week and I’ve not yet held or smelled them but everyone we know is going fully bat shit crazy for them. The packaging is a happy marriage of lux and fun, the names are punny and apparently the scents are TO DIE FOR! I’m so excited for them that I bought a complete set of the big ones to give to my buddies for Xmas. They are mid priced and if you buy the lot you get free shipping to the world! WOO HOO!
Here;s a link. GO SHOPPING! Boujee Bougies
Don’t forget to go across and read the other three members of the Mood Scent 4 crew:
Esperanza L’Esperessence
Megan Megan In Sainte Maxime
Samantha I Scent You A Day.
So what are you Gifting 2020 ideas, will you be using some of mine?
Portia xx
A Bottled Rose 
Hi Portia
I’m so glad you included Adam Levine in this post. I love it and as you say it’s cheap as chips. X
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Hey there Matty,
HOW did it take me so long to find the Adam Levine? Hanging my head in shame,
Portia xx
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I’ve no idea what took you so long, but I can see you’re awfully glad you did. I’m curious to know how you came across it. I’ve had mine for quite a while now. I think I read about it on another blog, perhaps Sam at I scent you a Day, but I can’t remember.
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It has so long been talked about as amazing Matty and it came up as a recommendation while I was shopping on FragranceNet. For this tiny bit of money I figured if it was awful I could just give it away.
Portia xx
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Because of you I bought Adam Levine for $13. It’s quite nice! I’ve only worn it once so far but enjoyed it and the bottle is fun. I am giving Bath & Body Works lotions this year. Very low budget due to the financial situation but that’s okay, everybody understands. I’m still enjoying all the candles I bought last year & didn’t finish. Also got a bunch of inexpensive incense sticks just to stink up the house (my husband doesn’t really like it so I break them into small pieces). 😉
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Hey TaraC,
YAY! I’ll take the enabler pin for that one then. I bet it gets loads more wear in future.
Yeah, it’s going to be a far less flamboyant Xmas this year here too.
Portia xx
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Another Adam Levine fan here! I love your soap suggestions, I often give pretty wrapped Italian soaps as gifts at my office (though most of us haven’t been there more than a few times since March, so no gift-giving this year). I’ll be giving some of the Byredo/IKEA candles as gifts; they’re very pretty in their ceramic holders, and the smells I’ve tried so far are lovely. I’m thinking of setting up a “rummage box” of fragrances I hardly wear and letting my daughters choose whatever they want. I have a gift set of Memoir d’une Odeur to give my son, if he likes it. Dear husband is getting some accessories for the new outside gas grill that is his big gift this year. Our kids are chipping in together to get us a new outdoor fire pit for family use, as the old one is rusted through, which is a very sweet thought on their part. I had fun this weekend choosing gifts from a list for needy families in our city and buying those. Several warm clothing items, a few children’s toys for little ones, and (always) children’s books.
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YAY OH! So glad we are Adam Levine twinges.
I wish Australia had those IKEA candles but it doesn’t look like they are heading this far.
SO GOOD that you’ve been buying for the local people who aren’t doing so well. That’s the Xmas spirit right there.
Portia xx
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We can both look forward to the Boujee Bougies! I bought the “discovery set” of 5 minis. They all sound amazing.
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OOOOH! Exciting Nose Prose.
I’m going back for the minis for myself when the finances settle.
Can’t wait to hear how you like them,
Portia xx
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I had that Sira des Indes body Cream! Only just finished it in fact. Love sandalwood soap…;) Roger & Gallet was my fave, though not sure you can still get it.
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Hey there Vanessa,
Did you enjoy the Sira de Indes?
I have some Roger & Gallet Sandalwood Soap, Shower Gel and Lotion rattling around here somewhere. Thanks for the reminder. It seems they ONLY make the soap now, bummer.
Portia xx
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You make me want to start using soap Portia.
Im not gifting anything fragrant this year but I should be receiving a Diptyque candle and a Neom Room Diffuser.
I ordered the Boujee Bougies Succulent candle for myself. I won’t be waiting till Christmas 🙂
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Hey Tara,
You don’t use soap? That’s so interesting. It’s the most effective defence against C19, especially on your hands. I also like that when it goes down the drain, it’s just soap. Not putting antibacterial stuff into the system, killing the weakest bacteria but creating strains of resistant mega bacteria.
(I’ll just get down from my Soap Box! See what I did there?)
LOVE the Diptyque candles. So glam.
WOO HOO! Can’t wait to see how you love the Boujee Bougies Succulent too.
Portia xx
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I didn’t know all that Portia. Will give soaps a second thought.
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Hi Portia, haven’t come across Adam Levine here but will have a look, for the Sira des Indes as well before the prices rise astronomically. The Cire Trudon candle is a very luxurious gift! Love that we both chose Boujee Bougies and the Oriza soaps. Love the creaminess of these soaps. XxxEsperanza
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So glad to see you Esperanza,
Yeah, we were definitely thinking along similar lines this month. is that the first time we’ve ever had a double snap?
Portia xx
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Dearest Portia, what splendid ideas! I’d seen that Mysore soap on Amazon and it was so cheap I wasn’t sure it would be any good, but thanks to you I’m about to order a truckload. Agree about Adam Levine – it’s about ten quid over here and is a great sandalwood. I love the idea of teaming a soap to your perfume. Anyway, if I lived closer I’d be delighted with a bar of soap. I never get bored of it! Stay safe and well, both of you. xx
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Thank Sam,
YAY! So glad to introduce you to Mysore Sandal Soap. It’s a game changer.
If you lived closer we’d be hanging out every week. It would be fraking fabulous.
Portia xx
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HI Portia! Great list and so weird but I was searching for Mysore soap and nearly added that and then I completely forgot about it! Same for the L’Oriza soap. The Boujee is a brilliant suggestion – I need to try these. Actually it’s less stressful buying a candle than a perfume as well! xx Happy gifting.
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SO MUCH less stressful buying candles Megan, yes, good point.
HA! It looks like soap is the big winner for 2020 gifting. It’s especially good for acquaintances, stocking fillers and Secret Santa.
Happy holiday season to you and your crew, I hope it’s a safe and fun one.
Portia xx
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Hi Honey. I have bought one large and one small Boujee. Waiting for them to arrive. Cuir and Gilt.
I do not use soap, never have done really. I do like a nice smelling unused one sat around in the bathroom in a basket. I mostly use Fairx to keep my hands clean, and sometimes a liquid soap. I have not washed my hands any more during this pandemic than I did before. But that Mysore soap has been in and out of my life forever. Nice stuff.
The Levine bottle is rather nice, and I would give it a spray if I ever came across it. Maybe. I can never put my snob away, it is my Dæmon. Bussis.
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HA! I love that Val. Snob is a pretty good demon to have. Mine is gluttony.
Also, I love that you’ve had the Mysore Sandal Soap in your life forever. I’d never tried it till I met Varun in 2000, it was a total game changer.
Maybe you’d like the Adam Levine. Did you ever try Sahara Noir (I think) or Sensuous? Not the same but definitely in the ballpark.
Portia xx
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Nope. I never did. Hahahahahaha.
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This year I’m gifting some items from my own mini gift guide post – some to myself (perfumes), some for other perfumistas (perfume-themed mask). But other than that, no “civilians” are getting any scented gifts from me.
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YAY! For self gifting Undina. Guaranteed to get what you want. Zero drama.
Portia xx
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