You can never go wrong with a basket of beauty gifts for a female friend/relative at christmas?

Question

True or false?
Personally i am too nice a person to keep reminding them that most commercial stuff makes me itch or brings me out in a rash. And i really don't expect them to buy me one that has little or no unnecessary chemicals in it. And spa or massage vouchers are a few price brackets up. Bah. Humbug!

Answer 1

I get probably 2 every year, and they just sit on my shelf, un-opened for years. I think a basket of lotion and body wash is like saying "i didn't put a lot of thought and effort into your gift, so here ya go"
We had a white elephant gift exchange at my office christmas party, where you just bring something from home that you don't want to Re-gift. 5 people out of 12 brought one of those lotion baskets.
So i think you ALWAYS go wrong by buying a female a beauty gift basket as a gift, unless you know exactly what one they would want.

Answer 2

Definitely false! Personally I'd never give a gift basket of beauty gifts or food items *unless* this is something per person specifically is interested in...and then, usually I'll create a custom gift basket myself, from the heart.

Most of the pre-made beauty gift baskets are chock full of petrochemicals and artificial fragrances that are drying & irritating to the skin or worse. I can't think of any reason why anyone would want to give that as a gift (well....unless it's someone you don't like)!

However...massage certificates can be a very good thing if you go to the right therapist, as massage can increase circulation, move stagnant lymph, and ease achy muscles and stress. Ask around for a therapist which uses simple straight oils like sesame for massage - and if the person can tolerate it, medicinal grade essential oils. Personally, I'll take one of those anytime!

Answer 3

I know what you mean but how grand would it be if you got a gift set of castille soap from Dr Bronner with no artificials and some natural beeswax balm and eco-friendly shampoos like from Planet Organic?

http://www.drbronner.com/index.html

If you don't know what Dr Bronner's natural soaps are, go to the link above. Going by the name "The Alchemist", then I think you'll like what you read on their website.
The founder was a man who bottled his own castille soap and you could get it in "hippie" shops in America and part of the appeal was the crazy messages on the outside of the bottle. The soap is gorgeous but when you're in the shower or ahem, on the loo, you can read the bottles which are covered in sayings from his seemingly almagated religion or way of life. It is an interesting read.
If you're American, you can drop the hint that you would actually use skin friendly soaps which are only slightly more expensive but last a lot longer or there may be an alternative in the UK.
Good luck.

Answer 4

I'm not quite sure what point you're making. Just reading the question without your explanation made me want to offer warnings about checking for allergies, scent preferences, etc., so it's something I might do for a friend if I'd had the chance to mosey around her bathroom/whatever and discover what kind of cosmetics (if any) she likes. Otherwise I wouldn't take the chance, or I'd make sure that they could be swapped - which rather takes the mystery out of it.

So you may be back to dear old 'it's the thought that counts' and assemble your own basket of treats that you know she'll like, and wrap and present them yourself. Might I suggest that you think about things that you know she likes but perhaps finds difficult to get hold of or is always forgetting to get for herself? E.g. my best friend once admired a very soft emery board that had originally come with an airline flight bag and I found them in Marks and Spencers for a couple of quid ... but it was the remembering that made the difference.

Answer 5

False, I hate receiving beauty gifts like that at Christmas. I also have the problem of cheap products bringing me out in a rash. Most people who know me know this, it's really annoying when I do receive them.

I don't usually buy them for others either unless they've specifically asked for some. It's just a way of buying impersonally for someone you don't really know that well. It's also a way of telling them you think they smell!!! Or so I think anyway!

Answer 6

Not true, It can show that (1) you don't know them very well, (2) you just did not care enough to put thought and time into your gift, (3) you were just very lazy. i don't know your relationship with the person but it does kind of feel "oh i almost forgot 'bout you" -ish thing. So yah a basket with home made food, soap, stuff that you make and put time into is a great basket and makes everyng i just said boguos, but a store bought basket with some stuff that was at the font of a store is a lil' insesiive, UNLESS they like smells and you go to a purfume/Bath and body works and you get them something like thing like that.

Sorry for the ramble, but it happened to me before.
hope this helps :)

Answer 7

Ugh, I hate getting 'smellies' for Xmas... I mean, it's lovely that they've thought of me and everything, but I'm a sensitive soul too, and one that won't use stuff tested on other living creatures either, so I usually end up giving the stuff away...

Hope your nearest and dearest are reading this, Alchemist. It's sooo difficult to tell people without ruffling feathers, isn't it?!

BTW, if there are any of my secret Santa's reading this, you can never go wrong with a cheeky little merlot... : )

Answer 8

Well, I think women like receiving beauty products for Christmas. Of course, in some situations it can lead to misunderstandings like when you give a bottle of parfum to a usually smelly person but otherwise, I think women are glad to get a small bottle of perfume or body lotion or scented bathing products. Lots of women love relaxing in a tub full of scented hot water. If they are allergic to it then you should know about it. I wouldn't buy cosmetics to someone of whom I don't know whether s/he's allergic to beauty products or not.

Answer 9

Only if they're very nice beauty gifts (i.e. not cotton wool buds or tesco value shampoo). Something from Lush or a posh shop. If they look cheap you may as well not buy anything for that person at all it looks really bad on you. Would rather get chocolate!

Answer 10

False some women do not care for the stuff!
Charles--That Cheeky Lad
Wishing a Wickedly Happy Christmas to one and all who celebrate!