Holiday gift sets offer exclusive items

Beauty sleuths take note.  There are treasures hiding in this season’s holiday gift sets.  Take the euphoria Calvin Klein Holiday Gift Set for example.  Between the 50 ml eau de parfum spray and the 100 ml sensual skin lotion sits an exclusive 10 ml rollerball.  ”You won’t find that rollerball anywhere else,” explains Mavis Fraser, a marketing director for Coty Prestige.  ”You can’t buy it on its own.  It’s only available in this set.”  That’s because fragrance companies are using special items to thank loyal customers for buying holiday sets.

Vera Wang Princess is also offering an exclusive item this season: a rollerball/lipgloss duo that comes in a cute pink cosmetic case with a 50 ml eau de toilette spray and 75 ml satiny body lotion.  It retails for $82 with a value of $124. “Traditionally, the gift sets with exclusive items sell out quickly,” adds Fraser.  ”So if you see one you like, don’t wait.  You may find it sold out the next time to visit the store.”

New York designer Michael Kors has designed a chic solid perfume cocktail ring for his Very Hollywood Michael Kors Gem Set.  It comes with an eau de parfum spray and body lotion in a chic box. The ring will likely be popular with collectors of limited edition beauty items like solid perfumes and compacts.

“A lot of thought goes into selecting the specific products for each set,” says Clinique’s Kelly Amsterdam.  ”We like to offer consumers both new products as well as best-selling favourites in the mix. When it comes to fragrance sets, we like offer clients their fragrance of choice in different variations.  So if you’re a fan of Clinique Happy, you can enjoy a set that may include the signature perfume spray, body cream, and a convenient rollerball version that includes a lip gloss on the other end.”  Last year, Clinique offered a trio of solid fragrant pencils that were very popular with consumers.

In the end, the best advice with gift sets containing exclusive items is be quick. These don’t last long and they aren’t replenished. Once they are gone, they’re gone.

by Dave Lackie