Hey Hey Posse! It’s ALL OVER. For those that celebrated I hope it has been a fun and safe one. There is one thing that’s guaranteed. Over half your gifts will be unsatisfying. I hope everyone gave you receipts. We have had a very low key, budget kinda Xmas in 2025. Mostly F&F got shower gels, candles and incense. A very few got jewellery. There was a smattering of other gifts too but almost everyone in our circle doesn’t need any more stuff. We like to entertain our closest with dinners or lunches and that’s the big gift. Food and time. So I’ve had my eye on some really excellent things we can buy ourselves as a Rubbish Present Reset. Yes, take anything unwanted that came with a receipt back and buy yourself something fragrant. You deserve to have something you really love.
This is also a bit of a Best of 2025. I really didn’t try that much of the new stuff though. So a heavily curated to my taste version of the best. Hope you like it, or get some ideas, or just enjoy the read.
Rubbish Present Reset 2025
Eshal by Neela Vermeire Creations
What an incredible statement of life and survival by one of my best friends and inspirations! After a few years of tragic illness and strife Neela bounces back with this green floral masterpiece, Eshal. A tart and honeyed version of the big white floral that is breathtaking in its sparkling beauty. Hilariously, Jin and I were treated to a 20 spritz wear of it by our dearly beloved friend Val the Cookie Queen while she was in Australia. It was so dense and overwhelming that it had us spluttering BUT we also got to smell it writ large as possible and then live the scent trajectory as it mellowed and humanised. If you haven’t tried Eshal then, as a perfumista, you must. It is a revelation. It may not be your cup of tea but it is an important release that treats tuberose is such a beautiful way. Here’s Neela’s NVC site.
Patchouli Noir by Mandy Aftel
OK, I was going to do a blurb about Patchouli Noir here but it’s too good to be a short reference. Next week I’ll have the full post about it. SO GOOD it needed a page to itself. You can order samples at Aftelier Perfumes.
Verbena Citrus by L’Occitane
To be fair Verbena Citrus became available in 2024 BUT I had no idea till last month in store buying something completely unrelated and now I REALLY want a shower gel. It’s everything the original Verbena is but with an extra dash of grapefruit. So good, so satisfying. MMMMM
La Sel d’Issey by Issey Miyake
La Sel d’Issey really rang my bell this year. YES, I know it was originally released in 2024 but I got to sniff it this year for the first time. It’s AUSTRALIA! We are sometimes six months behind because of seasons. I do love salty fragrances and this unashamed clarion call to salt is spectacular, and fun. It’s rocketed to #1 on the To Buy List and will be a 2026 purchase.
Peche Mirage by Guerlain
Can I first say that this is not something I loved for me BUT I was watching some young things trying it in David Jones after it was released and it really hit them hard. I could see them falling madly for it and being surprised by how much they loved it. It was really heartwarming seeing a new breed of perfumista born. So, while I concede that I’m not the target market here, the target market is being hit.
On the NST Daily Lemming December 11 they had this Aussie soap company, Wavertree and London (reopening online in the USA Jan 5). I’d never heard of them so went straight to the site and bought a few for Xmas gifts. They are gorgeous and affordable.
Wedgwood 350ml Fortune Mug is just freaking spectacular and EXACTLY the right size for me. 350ml is perfect for a cuppa and I can get through it before it gets cold. Also very satisfying. How bloody beautiful is it?!? Also, it’s on sale.
I hope there are some fun things here for you to buy yourself. Anything in particular take your fancy?
OR Do you have some suggestions of lovely self care beauties?
Portia xx
L’Occitane Citrus Verbena is my signature scent! Wearable any time for any circumstance. Also, that Fortune theme is so lovely. If money were no object, I’d ditch my current dishes for those.
OOOHHH! Love that Citrus Verbena fits you so perfectly VerbenaLuvvr.
HA! Yeah, I wish you a goodly period in your life when money becomes not object.
Portia xx
I now only buy for family. The cost of living is biting hard.
Both sons & the eldest’s wife wanted money but they did get gift bags as well. DH & I shared a year of streaming services & smaller gifts. No returning & swapping out needed.
That porcelain mug is beautiful!
I’m also feeling the pinch Alityke, over 2025 my spendable weekly money halved. Onward and upward, will be working towards recouping this losses this year.
Cash and a little gift bag is a fabulous idea.
Agreed, Wedgwood have outdone themselves.
Portia xx
Of everything on your list the only one I’ve tried is Peche Mirage – it’s absolutely lovelYhat mug is BEYOND GORGEOUS!
I’m at the Too Much Stuff stage as well… but well thought out gifts still delight me. I’m THRILLED to have gotten a Milk Street ( culinary) subscription and several of those waxed amaryllis bulbs ( which I probably wouldn’t have gotten for myself but they’re maintenance-free and bloom a lot shorter than conventional bulbs
And … I got a box of CRACKERS! I’ve written about my love of the NutThins multi seed ones so a Certain Someone sent me boxes of the earlier versions! Yum!
HA! Yes, the mug is a winner Musette. I’m glad so many commenters have noticed its luxurious magnificence.
These are such YOU gifts. These people know and love you. As do I.
Portia xx
This makes my heart happy
You deserve a happy heart.
Happy New Year Portia et al! I love the idea of a present reset, or maybe just a small reward for surviving the season. I may sample the Patchouli Noir, but alas not the Eshal (which autocorrect insists on rendering as “Renal” ?). I have an unfortunate visceral response to tuberose, no matter how beautifully rendered. I’m sad about this.
I’m also sad that the very large necklace my sister sent me this year did not come with a receipt. It is so Not My Style that my husband actually laughed when I held it up. I’m sure my sister loves it – can I get away with regifting next year, do you think? It’s artisan made and I hate to think of it going unappreciated.
Autotrash gives me hives!
‘Renal’… because who doesn’t want to smell like a kidney? 😉
DEFINITELY regift MaggieCat. I’m a serial regifter and know many of my gift misfires have ended up in much happier hands. My joy is the buying.
BUMMER about tuberose. That must be very bloody annoying.
Portia xx
Happy new year Portia & Jin. I don’t really exchange gifts with anyone outside my immediate family, and they gift me experiences. They know that I buy my own stuff and don’t want any more. There are a couple of friends who exchange nice wines or liqueurs (and we usually end up drinking them together). From your list I want Eshal, Peche Mirage and Patchouli Noir?? and I’ll definitely try them. I’ve given up telling myself that I have way, way too much because I just don’t listen.
HA! Who among us does CassieFlower?
These are three excellent choices.
Portia xx
What a fun post! I’m past the point of getting “big” gifts any more, mostly sweet smaller, fun things. My gift to myself this year was loosening the purse strings a bit for “experiences” rather than things. Happy new year!
Experiences are a wonderful way to give March. Jin and I spent New Years morning at the local Wildlife Sanctuary. The largest group of Australian wildlife on earth. Every one of them is a rescue.
We love to wander through.
Portia xx
Thanks so much, Portia, and Happiest New Year! I must get my nose on some Eshal right away. No more dilly-dallying. And that Wedgwood tea mug is gorgeous! I love it! All the things you suggested are fabulous.
Hey there DinaC,
The Fortune Mug is to die for. SO glam. Imagine having your morning cuppa in something so ridiculously gorgeous?!?
Woo Hoo! Hope you love Eshal. I swoon every spritz.
Portia x
Happy New Year, everyone. I love the ideas here. I’m an introvert so only exchange gifts with a few friends and they either give me gifts to do with them or things they know I like. Nothing comes with receipts. I love all your ideas. Would like to try Eshal. What’s the best way to buy a sample in the US?
If you are in the US Lucky Scent appears to stock NVC.
Also at ScentSplit.
Can’t wait to read your reaction to Eschal JillS.
Hope you love it as I do.
Portia xx
Happy entry into 2026!
My peeps and fam are mostly at the ‘here’s what I need or would like’ stage of gifts. I still try to add a few small surprises for my son.
But anyway. Best things that landed and suggestions.
NVC Eshal. All your doing, Portia. I appreciate the other NVCs but they aren’t me. But this. Oh my stars!
My suggestions: as ever and for however long it lasts, Lush Sticky Dates shower gel. Joy as goo. Another Lush is the Wasabi Shan Kui shampoo. Finally, the cheap as chips now Clinique Aromatics Elixir. Our own alityke sent me a sample when we were all wowing over it and then I found a bottle at a price too good to miss. Witchiness in a bottle.
TOTAL itchiness in a bottle Cinnamon. Aromatics Elixir gets a spritz pretty regularly around here. SO good.
I’m extremely happy Eshal found you through me. What a fragrance. Sensational.
Portia xx
You definitely have some fun things here, a few of which I do fancy. I really like the Fortune mug. I want to try Peche Mirage by Guerlain. Peach in perfume can be so nice but I rarely find ones that work for me. Then there’s Patchouli Noir and I love patchouli.
Hey Maya,
Yes, that bloody mug is haunting my dreams. I’m thinking to buy it and give it to Jin to then give it to me for my birthday.
The patchouli is amazing. Full review next week.
Portia xx
You are fun and caught me unawares with Jin’s probable birthday gift for you! Let him know that I agree it would be a terrific gift for you. Dam, I can’t stop laughing!
YAY! Glad to have tickled your funny bone Maya.
I really want to try that La Sel d’Issey by Issey Miyake. I wonder if it’s like MH Fleurs de Sel?
Heya Tom,
Fleurs de Sel is more sophisticated and has a wider trajectory but salty wise, kinda similar.
Portia x