On Beauty: There’s nothing wrong with luxury when it comes to Christmas gifts

Christmas is a time of excess, an opportunity to throw caution to the wind and treat your loved ones (and yourself, obviously) to indulgences you might not otherwise be able to justify.

There are certain cosmetic brands that we automatically equate with luxury, and this has to do with the marketing and perceived prestige of a brand. It makes one brand an ideal Christmas present and the other not as desirable. The gift of a Chanel, Tom Ford or Armani lipstick will always create more excitement than one from Rimmel or Maybelline, and this hasn't much to do with the quality of the product; it's all about the "giftability" of one brand over another.

For instance, let us consider the limited-edition Crème de la Mer lip balm, housed in a Swarovski crystal case (€120) and the humble Chapstick. Both will essentially do the same job, but only one of them would make an indulgent Christmas present.

Some brands just make fantastic luxury gifts. Buying anything from Jo Malone will mean that the person receiving the gift knows that we have gone to some trouble to seek out a luxury present, that we want to spoil them. A luxury gift will arrive in a beautiful box, tied with a ribbon and wrapped in scented black tissue paper. The House of Jo Malone (above, €165) has to be one of this season's best gift sets. It contains six of their best-selling products in fragrance, bath oil, candle and body creams.

Christmas is a great time to splash out on a box set, and I don't mean Love/Hate. A beautifully packaged gift set will thrill anyone who loves cosmetics, and there are some beautiful sets to choose from. Among my pick of the luxury skincare sets this Christmas are the Eve Lom Ultimate Collection set (£175) and L'Occitane Divine Collection (€169). You would have to wonder who is going to plump for the breathtakingly expensive La Prairie Eternal Platinum set, which costs €1,486.

Be careful with skincare gift sets: they might not be as welcome as you think. For instance, you absolutely do not want to spend north of €300 for a top-of-the-range set that advertises itself as a deep line corrector if your loved one was not aware of any deep lines. Until now.

Make-up is easier to get right . Sure crowd pleasers are the Deluxe Lip & Eye Palette from Bobbi Brown (€69), Laura Mercier Into The Wild Look Book palettes (€78), or a Charlotte Tilbury Supermodel kit (from €165). If all of this is too rich for your blood, then give a small, thoughtful luxury gift. Most high-end brands have beautiful treats for Christmas: Caudalie Mini Divine Oil Christmas Gift or mini Diptyque candles (€26) will strike just the right note.

[ beaut.ie ]

Twitter @aismcdermott

beauty@irishtimes.com

AISLING’S PICKS OF THE WEEK  

Guerlain

Météorites Perles d’Etoile

(€49):

As well as being easy-to-use and flattering on just about everyone, these little blusher spheres will make a show-stopping present.

Ren Ultimate Moroccan Rose Experience

(€55):

There is nothing more indulgent than some well deserved me-time . With this quartet of Rose Otto goodies, a serious pampering session is in order.

Molton Brown Black Peppercorn Gift Set

(€77):

Men like a bit of luxury too, even if they might not always admit it, and the sharp spice of black peppercorn is something special.

Armani Rouge Ecstasy

(€26.50):

There are three new reds in the range; everything from the satisfying click as the lid shuts to the rich, vibrant tones of these lipsticks makes them a true lust-have.

AISLING LOVES . . .  

Cloon Keen Copacetic

(€80 at cloonkeenatelier.com):

Another sumptuous fragrance from the Galway-based artisan perfumers with a sophisticated bergamot, rhubarb and lemon blend. A perfect winter pick-me-up.