For the beauty and fragrance lover, five Colorado brands to gift this holiday season
Most of the fun of gift-giving comes from seeking out or just finding presents that really speak to their recipient. And I find that scents are a cunning way to do it. Just light a candle, take a bath or spritz something before leaving the house, and you’re probably reminded of certain moods, people, places.
As gifts, scents can be tricky, since they’re so personal. Still, I love taking a chance and giving something with a fragrance — who doesn’t love bergamot? — and better still if the products are made locally (which plenty are). Here are five Colorado-based companies that sell lovely, fragrant holiday gifts that you can order online or pick up locally.
1. Zents‘ spa-like scents almost force you to relax for a moment. Ten fragrances — anjou, earth, fig, fresh, mandarin, oolong, ore, petal, sun and water — fill soaps, shampoos, creams and more body products. My favorites are the triple-milled bar soaps ($16) in mandarin and anjou, and the soapstone repairing balms ($53) in earth and sun. zents.com
2. Margot Elena‘s bestselling perfume brands like Lollia and Tokyo Milk are on boutique shelves across the country, but they’re also created right here in Colorado. To start, the bottles are all beautiful to display, and then the scents are intoxicating with an edge (see Bulletproof, Excess, Honey & The Moon). You can find all sorts of beauty and home products on the site, but start with the perfumes ($12-$48). margotelena.com
Provided by Osmia
Soaps from Osmia, based in Carbondale. The beauty brand was founded by a former emergency room physician who now makes products for all skin types.
3. Osmia, based in Carbondale, was founded by a former emergency room doctor. Her soaps, oils and treatments are all made with skin conditions and overall health in mind — treating issues like acne, eczema and rosacea, but also just maturing skin, sensitive skin and combination skin types. Try the black clay facial soap ($24), the adzuki nourishing mask ($50) and the water body oil ($64). osmiaorganics.com
George Boe V, Provided by Rosy Rings
Rosy Rings’ botanical candles come in scents such as Wild Plum & Cannabis (left) and Roman Lavender.
4. Rosy Rings makes chunky pillar candles filled with dried flowers, citrus and leaves. These botanical blends act as both decor (think refined cottage core) and home fragrance in one. And the scents are just as pretty and flowery, with names like apricot rose, iris moon and Roman lavender. Each of the bigger statement candles will set you back $58-$76, but they burn for at least 120 hours. rosyrings.com
5. Formulary 55 makes bar soaps, face masks, body scrubs and more, all packed in black-and-white printed card stock that make each product feel like its own little present to unwrap. I like that the bath line doesn’t feel gendered (though there is a separate men’s line). Scents include ocean & oakmoss, aloe leaf & mint, and agave & teakwood. My current favorite is the honeycomb & neroli bar soap ($6-$12). formulary55.com