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It’s been a long year, and the pandemic has forced many of us to forego pleasures we’ve long enjoyed. But there are few crises that cannot be made at least a little better with some retail therapy. Since Covid hit I, like so many others, have done what could probably be described as an alarming amount of online shopping. What I’ve discovered is a selection of little luxuries and everyday indulgences that have helped to make my time in quarantine feel more like a five-star hotel and less like… well… quarantine.
Many of these are near failsafe gift ideas, and so as my gift to you I’ve compiled a list of some of my favorites for you to buy her — just because (you’re living through a global pandemic together.)
Chanel Body Care
I’ve been using Chanel Skincare since I was 14 (my mother has always been very adamant that good skin starts young), but by far my favorite beauty indulgences since Covid hit have been Chanel body care products. There’s a full range of products on their website that are great for in the shower or outside of it. Among their failsafe gift items are the La Creme Main hand cream, and the Hydra Beauty Nourishing Lip Calm. Both come with pretty steep price tags, but they’re top quality, so a little goes a long way; I’ve searched high and low all year for a lip balm to combat the dry lips I get from wearing a mask, and the Hydra Beauty lip balm fixed it overnight. I use both every night while I’m getting into bed like Carmella Soprano, and I feel so indulgent that I forget for those brief few moments the pandemic exists at all.
Louis Vuitton Makeup Case
Speaking of my bedtime routine, I recently invested in a Louis Vuitton makeup travel case that I keep on my nightstand to hold all the aforementioned Chanel body products as well as Tylenol, band-aids, hair scrunchies, condoms etc. You really can’t go wrong with anything LV, but their makeup bags are pretty universal. They’re lined so that creams and other makeup and body products won’t ruin the interior if they leak. When it’s safe to do so, I’m excited to actually use my travel makeup case to travel, but for now, it makes my nighttime routine that much more luxurious.
Bulgari Bath Products
I discovered Bulgari bath products at one of my favorite hotels in Greenwich, Connecticut. Years later I bought a bottle of the matching Eau Perfumee, and the woman who sold it to me remarked that everyone who bought it found it at a luxury hotel. These days, I use the Bulgari Au the Vert after my shower and before bed (another ritual I’ve picked up from my mother: wearing perfume to bed), but a few months ago it dawned on me that I could turn my shower at home into a luxury hotel shower. Bulgari sells “guest sets” that include bar soap, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, body lotion, eau parfumée and moist towelettes. The scent is also relatively unisex, so you’ll enjoy it too.
Italian Linens
I’ve spent basically the entirety of quarantine making my bedroom look like Laura Ashely designed the set of The Godfather; think romantic, warm and old fashioned. And the piece de la resistance is my bed: I have a bright gold bed frame, and most importantly I recently invested in an Italian made duvet cover from Schweitzer Linens. I went with the Carnations pattern because it has a bright white background offset by delicate pink flowers. But Schweitzer has something for everyone: simple solids, ornate florals — all designed to look and feel like you’re staying in a five-star hotel resort on Lake Como.
La Perla Sleepwear
As you may have gathered at this point, I believe pretty strongly in having a luxurious bedtime routine, and no indulgent sleep would be complete without silk sleepwear. Shortly after Covid hit, I treated myself to one short silk slip from La Perla thinking it would be something I’d wear every once in a while when I wanted to feel good. After one night sleeping in it, I knew why it came with the price tag it did: I felt like I was sleeping in old money. That’s really the only way I can describe it — like the nightwear version of Logan Roy’s townhouse. I now own seven, so just trust me when I say you should buy her one.
Mosser Glass Dresser Dishes
The woman in your life has likely seen this classic bathing lady dish. My mother has had one on her dresser since I was a kid, and thanks to a few chic boutiques, it’s rightfully enjoying widespread appreciation all over aesthetic Instagram. The brand behind the iconic dish is Mosser glass, and what you might not know is they make a lot more enviable glassware than just the bathing lady. And, pro tip: just because something doesn’t say “jewelry dish” doesn’t mean it can’t be used for dresser storage — some of my favorite pieces are intended for kitchenware like this pink sugar bowl that’s perfect for earrings, or this jam dish that I keep my watch in.
A Fancy Comb
To really up the ante on your luxurious grooming routine, an expensive comb will always please, and Winden has a variety of sizes and colors for all hair types and taste. I love mine because it’s pretty enough that I can leave it out on my dresser, and it reminds me of when you watch women in old-fashioned movies and they sit down at a vanity with their brush and mirror set out in front of them.
Hanro Soft Touch Bra
Ok this one might require a little input from the woman in your life, but trust me when I say this bra is amazing. I know it looks simple, but it quite literally feels like it is made from butter. It is the softest bra I have ever worn; I throw mine on under a big white button down and leggings and it’s perfect for those days around the house. She’ll love it, you’ll love it. What more could you want.
Créations de Paris Stationary
Around mid-pandemic I had a long-distance tryst with a man in his 50s who had few redeeming qualities but who did send me a few handwritten steamy letters. And you know what? in these times of separation and desperation, it worked for me. This year we’ve all been a little farther from our loved ones than we’d like, and as a result a lot of us have embraced different means of long-distance communication: FaceTime and Zoom, remote game nights and movie nights. But if you’re really looking to scratch that itch, nothing beats sitting down to write them a letter. This set of stationary from Catbird in New York (a great spot for gifts in general) a both generic and beautiful and makes for the perfect letter writing experience.
Elsa Peretti Diamonds by the Yard Necklace
Ok hear me out on this one. I know the price tag is a little hefty, but I treated myself to an Elsa Peretti Diamonds by the Yard a few months ago, and the serotonin hit of seeing a diamond necklace every time I catch myself in a mirror while I’m staying home is: priceless. Truly, I will never again underestimate the power of wearing diamonds causally. And honestly, I’m not really a jewelry person but that’s even more reason to splurge on a piece like this: it’s classic, it has a near universal appeal, and it can be worn with almost anything, even around the house. If you don’t want to break the bank on the three-diamond piece, you can go with the single diamond necklace or bracelet, or even one of her Color by the Yard pieces which feature stunning emeralds and rubies that are every bit as timeless as the diamonds.
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