For the olfactory adventurer
Ten of the most popular scents from the 2-year-old online perfume company Pinrose have been gathered in this Rollerball Gift Set. Included in the smartly designed hexagon box are such favorites as Pillowtalk Poet, with notes of powder, geranium and clove leaf on a base of musk, amber and sandalwood, and Cuddle Punk, an olfactory medley of apricot, vanilla, jasmine, saffron and patchouli. Yes, it’s playful. Pinrose founders Erika Shumate and Christine Luby, who met at Stanford Graduate School of Business, created the fragrance brand to celebrate “quirky elegance” and appeal to the “modern millennial.” $60 :: sephora.com
For the hostess who has (almost) everything
Marisa Sharkey and Bianca Gates, longtime friends who love to entertain, were stumped by a problem that trips up hostesses everywhere: what to put on their feet. “I didn’t want to entertain in heels, barefoot or in sneakers,” Gates says. “But I couldn’t find anything that was both stylish and comfortable. Try Googling ‘fashionable slippers,’ ‘high-end slippers’ or ‘slippers that won’t make you look like you’ve given up on life.’ They didn’t exist.’ ” So, Sharkey and Gates, both Bay Area mothers of two with stellar business careers, decided to fill the market gap themselves. The result is Birdies, a line of luxury slippers that would look at home among a sea of Louboutins but are as cozy as your L.L. Bean shearling moccasins. “My fantasy,” says Gates, who grew up in Santa Ana and attended UCI, “is for Martha Stewart to wear Birdies every time she’s in the kitchen.” $120 to $140. :: birdiesslippers.com
For him
For the man who’s a minimalist, the Silver Line Utility Balm is a head-to-toe soother, for hair, beard, skin, even tattoos. Made with all-natural ingredients such as shea, cocoa seed and mango seed butters; jojoba and apricot oils; and beeswax, the balms come in three scents: Tree Ranger (eucalyptus, cedar and pine), Spiced Citrus (grapefruit and spices) and the minty Tea Tree. $90 for the trio of balms. :: beardbrand.com
For design lovers
Claus Porto has been creating fragrance since 1887, and the gorgeous packaging of its cologne, candles and soaps is as distinctive as the scents themselves. That’s true of the new Deco Candle Collection too. The diamond pattern of the candles’ porcelain vessels is meant to evoke a motif found in classic Portuguese architecture, while the box designs feature labels from Claus Porto’s archives. The complementary gift set of nine soaps is wrapped in those same stunning labels, and everything is produced by old world methods in the house’s factory in the historic coastal city of Porto. Candles, $75 each, and Deco Gift Soap Box, $60 :: clausporto.com
For your BFFs and you
The Holiday Soirée Collection from the clean cosmetics company Vapour Organic Beauty is the perfect stocking stuffer for your vegan best friend. Or anyone who would appreciate high-performance, chemical- and cruelty-free beauty products. In other words, it’s a crowd-pleaser. The collection includes the Soirée Eye Palette, a trio of glistening shadows in black and gold; black or soft brown liner; nude lipstick; and a zippered makeup bag. It’s pretty much everything a gal needs to get ready for a festive gathering. So stuff the stockings. But toss an extra palette in your purse for on-the-go touch-ups. $90 :: vapourbeauty.com
