Gifts & Prizes Contest Day 1: Caught the scent

The holiday season is one of my favorite times of year — for obvious reasons. Each year though I find myself continuously stumped about what gifts to get for some of my friends and family. From now til that magical morning, Effortless Anthropologie will be featuring gift ideas to help inspire. And because this is the season of giving you’ll have a chance to win a few gifts for yourself too.

DAY 1: CAUGHT THE SCENT
Aside from the allergic among us, scents are one of my favorite gifts to give. Many times you can guess the scent someone will like based on their personality. Below are some of my favorite options. Often these are available in travel sizes at drugstores or places like Bed, Bath & Beyond. They make a great stocking stuffer.
For the girl about town, Prada’s perfume is the perfect scent. The amber-based scent is one of my personal favorites for its mix of nostalgic musk and modern airy floral mix. As much as I love this scent men seem to like it even more — I get tons of compliments when I wear this fragrance on dates or nights out on the town. It’s a bit too strong to wear to work in my opinion but for those days when you want to feel alluring this is the scent to wear. This fragrance comes in sizes ranging from 1 oz ($50) to a 2.7 oz refillable size ($115).
Prada Eau de Parfum Spray: Buy it from Sephora, Lord & Taylor, or Zappos Couture.
I tend to like rough scents for men — something woodsy and strong. My all-time favorite scent for men has to be Polo Black though. It’s aggressive without being overpowering and has a dash of fresh citrus below the musk. How many of these gift sets have I left under Christmas Trees? Let’s just say a bunch. These sets run from $60 to $75. If you want something woodsy like I originally mentioned, Burberry’s Men Sport is the best option out there right now. It also ranges from $60 to $75.
Polo Black gift set from Ralph Lauren: Buy it from Macy’s, Sephora or a smaller set from Ulta.
Burberry Sport Men: Buy it from Nordstrom, Sephora or straight from Burberry

Know someone chic and confident? ChloĆ©’s gift set is the perfect option for them. The peony and freesia top scents will tickle your nose gently before the story continues with light florals. This is the kind of scent that doesn’t shout but lingers pleasantly for a moment or two after you’ve walked away. It’s not intrusive or aggressive like muskier scents so it’s a good office scent. The gift pack also includes body lotion and, in some sets, shower gel. Prices range from $95 to $125. The perfume is available in a roll-on to-go version for $25.

ChloĆ© gift set: Buy it from Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom or Saks Fifth Ave.

On Wednesday evening I had a chance to meet the creators of Anthropologie’s latest line of fragrances. Le Labo is a boutique house in New York City whose co-founders Fabrice Penot and Edouard Roschi have a discerning and appealing taste. Their strong point of view is a great fit for an Anthropologie collaboration. (Le Labo’s website has a certain Anthroesque quality to it, no?) They’ve previously created scents for the likes of Armani and their line with Anthropologie is an incredible array of scents. The designers were inspired by a sense of nostalgia and times gone by. The inspiration for the perfume bottle is an 18th century poison bottle (!!!) and the cap by an earring belonging to one of the staff member’s grandmothers.

At the in-store meet and greet I could not stop sniffing the solid form of the perfume. I love the idea of just throwing it in your purse and dabbing a bit on when needed. Besides the solid medallion ($28), the perfume is available by the bottle ($62) or in candle form ($32). The most popular scent is the Chant de Bois (femme woodsy), but my personal favorites were the Bouquet Blanc (decadent florals) and the Poudre D’Orient (exotic aromas).

Buy the Le Labo scent for someone on your list exclusively from Anthropologie.

Which brings us to our first contest! I’m so enamored with the medallion version of this perfume. The design is inspired by 19th century coins and the scent within easily dabs on. One lucky community member will win the concrete parfum scent of their choice! 

Here’s how to enter:
Just leave a comment on this post or via email to the EA contest inbox letting me know which scent you’d like. You must follow Effortless Anthropologie to enter. To become a follower click the “FOLLOW” button in the Kindred Spirits section of the sidebar.

The not-so fine print: You are entering to win one (1) Le Labo concrete parfum of your choice, based on availability. This contest is not sponsored by, endorsed by or affiliated with Anthropologie or Urban Outfitters. This contest is void where prohibited. This prize is not transferable. This prize may not be exchanged for cash. Once contacted, the winner has 72 hours to claim the prize. International entrants welcome!

The contest will close on Sunday, December 12, 2010, at 5 PM ET. The winner will be announced on Monday, December 13, 2010. Good luck to all!


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