In Defense Of Smellies: Why The Gift Set Is One Of The Best Christmas Presents Going

"Smellies" - even the blanket term for beauty gifts at Christmas is unbecoming. In living memory, the combination of individual products housed in a ceremonial box has always come off as less appealing than buying or receiving the product alone. Somehow it always felt like the other additions - a redundant hand cream, or body lotion perhaps - were just filler to the one thing you actually used or wanted, like being allowed to go to the party but only if you brought your little brother along with you. Maybe in a world increasingly obsessed with presents filled with personality and meaning, the beauty bundle felt a little thoughtless by comparison and subsequently fell out of favour. But times have changed, and the world has moved on - particularly in the grooming department - and we stand here today to champion this failsafe set, whoever you're buying for this Christmas.

Quite simply, gift sets have gotten better. Gone are the Lynx Africa duos or Royal Jelly miniatures for dear old Grannie, and in their place are routines, steps and capsule collections tailored to our every beauty whim. In the right brand's hands, a gift set values quality and logic, understanding above all else that its customers desire effortlessness, luxury and necessity - and absolutely no waste. Christmas gift sets are no longer frivolous or pointlessly packed with things we don't need, but are the perfect way to replenish a loved one’s beauty stash—or your own - with a snapshot of a favoured brand's cult classics and bestsellers, sometimes at a more accessible price point. And if there's one brand that is proving all these points and more, it's ESPA.

Since its launch in the early 90s, ESPA has become the chosen brand among the world’s leading spas and skincare obsessives. Stocked in world-leading spas all over the world including India, America, Paris, Marrakech, and London, their products are especially lauded for their aromatherapy effect - but in a way that never once feels remotely twee. ESPA pride themselves on being guided by a holistic philosophy, with naturally effective products (plant extracts, marine actives, and essential oils) that deliver sensory results. That means expertly crafted formulas that are a joy to use, from ultra-luxurious textures to mood-enhancing aromatics, making them a natural gifting choice. While there are plenty of universal options intended to elevate the every day, we're particularly enthralled by their artfully-curated products set with an intention - to encourage a feeling of positivity, to aid in a good night's sleep, or to celebrate the "jewel" ingredients of nature - which only add to the potential personality of a gift. 

Looking to rebrand the humble smelly? Discover Port's edit of the very best gift sets from ESPA below, each one almost guaranteed to elicit a squeal of delight on Christmas morning.