Hopefully you’ll find something at Chamonix worth gifting this year. If not (or if you need more), we made a list of other things we actually like that we don’t sell. Check out our gift recommendations below.
Jess
1) Aqua Universalis Laundry Detergent by Maison Francis Kurkdjian
This is a bougie one because yes it is $55 for laundry detergent and that is crazy but your laundry will smell like it was touched by angels. I got this as a gift last Christmas and used it only on our bedding and it lasted me most of the year. It was such a treat to get into bed with everything smelling so good.
2) Bear Necessity Tallow Deodorant by Papa Bear Naturals
I don’t know if deodorant is a good gift but I always like to put personal care items in stockings so I’m going to recommend it. I have tried so many natural deodorants only to have them work for a month before I start smelling like a hot Italian grinder. I gave this one a shot after seeing an ad on Instagram and I’ve been using it for probably almost a year and not a smell in sight. It’s made with tallow, magnesium and beeswax with no aluminum, not much of a scent to it but it works. Both Nick and I use it now. Also this is one of those sites where the offer a bunch of deals at checkout so maybe buy one and see if they offer you a discount on something else (the whipped tallow balm is also good).
3) The Signature Skillet by Le Creuset
I’ve owned this skillet for about 15 years and use it every day. I use it for eggs, quick reheats, sauces, you name it. I also have the dutch oven which gets a ton of use but this little skillet is my go to.
Shop here: https://bit.ly/4ha9cOo
4) The Defined Dish Cookbook by Alex Snodgrass
I use this cookbook all the time for solid healthy weeknight meals. It’s not super gourmet (I typically use the NYT Cooking app for fancier meals) but if you need ideas for some yummy and easy family meals this is a great resource. Our girls love the chicken pot pie pasta and the Greek Chicken Thighs and potatoes and Nashville hot chicken are on heavy rotation in our house.
Shop here: https://bit.ly/3IGhyAI
5) Instant Treatment by Chihtsai
My former hairdresser in LA turned me on to this years ago, it is a basically a leave in conditioning treatment that you put on your hair after it dries and it leaves your hair so silky but most importantly it smells SO GOOD. A nice little everyday luxury.
Shop here: https://bit.ly/4o5HWTH
6) Bread Machine by Zojirushi
I hate store bought bread and had been wanting to make homemade bread for a while but failed too many times at making sourdough starters. I don’t really have the time to commit to weekly bread making from scratch so bought this on amazon. This machine makes it super easy and makes amazing loaves of bread that look like something you would pick up from a bakery. There’s lots of options on different kinds of breads but I just use it for white sandwich bread and use organic bread flour. The one caveat is that you need to use a food scale but once you get the hang of it it’s super easy – just weight the ingredients, throw them in the machine in order, push a button and in a few hours you have a delicious loaf of bread.
Shop the bread machine here: https://bit.ly/3VN8wVA
This is the food scale I use: https://bit.ly/4qdsOoY
7) Fragrance Sample Packs by Luckyscent
When Nick and I lived in LA we used to shop at the Hollywood Scent Bar which really got us into the world of niche fragrances and eventually led to us creating our Chamonix candle and incense fragrances. Scent Bar online is called LuckyScent and they do these fragrance sample packs which give you an opportunity to try several fragrances you might not have come across otherwise. They have pre-made ones which are great or you can do a custom fragrance fitting where you let them know what kind of scents you like and they will cater the scents to what you like. I do one of these in Nick’s stocking every year. The only drawback is that they are not sprays but I think the scent selection makes up for that. We are big fans of Steve’s picks!
Shop the sample packs here: https://www.luckyscent.com/brand/322/luckyscent-sample-packs
8) Sweaters by Babaà
This is a bit of an investment piece but makes a really great gift if you are into quality sweaters. These are made in Spain with wool from their sheep in Northern Spain – I won’t go too far into it but you can read about how the wool is sourced on their site. They are one size but have a nice oversized fit. I own two of the cardigans – one in cotton and one wool - and wear them almost daily. One thing to note is that the cotton is very heavy which I like but maybe you don’t? The wool is super warm and lightweight. The website is https://babaa.es/.
Here are the links to the ones I have:
https://babaa.es/shop/women/cardigans/cardigan-woman-no19-mist/
https://babaa.es/shop/women/cardigans/cardigan-no86-sukkari/
9) Faux Fur Blanket by Pottery Barn
This might be my most suburban mall mom take but these blankets are so cozy I love them so much. We have two at our house and I have gifted them to other people. They have a nice weight to them and are super warm for chill couch days. I’ve seen dupes of these at other places but they are never quite as good. I wish they weren’t so pricey but they usually go on sale around the holidays so probably look for that.
Shop here: https://bit.ly/3KTtH6c
10) Soft Stretch Turtlenecks by L.L. Bean
On a recent trip to Maine with Nick I stumbled across these at the LL Bean store in Freeport. I love turtlenecks and have struggled finding ones that aren’t too tight, too thin or low quality and these are it. They have a nice loose fit without being messy looking, the fabric is a pima cotton with a nice weight and smooth hand feel and the neck has the perfect amount of slouch without being too tight. They come in a bunch of colors, stripes and prints and as an added bonus you can add a monogram.
Shop here: solid. https://bit.ly/4mPICLU
Stripe: https://bit.ly/3VLWMCE
Print: https://bit.ly/3ILjk3x
Nick
1 + 2) B683 and Ganymede Eau de Parfum by Marc Antoine Barrios
These two we found through our lucky scent sample packs and were the two Nick liked so much he bought the full size. The B683 is an earthy – woody-spicy-resinous fragrance and Ganymede is more of a fresh woody fragrance. Both are incredible and will have you smelling like a million dollars, or at least smelling like Nick.
Shop B683 here: https://www.luckyscent.com/product/822000/b683-by-marc-antoine-barrois
Shop Ganymede here: https://www.luckyscent.com/product/822001/ganymede-by-marc-antoine-barrois
3) Hall of Fame Steve's Picks by Luckyscent
If you’re not ready to commit to a full bottle, Nick recommends Steve’s Hall of Fame sample pack.
Shop here: https://www.luckyscent.com/product/3221298/hall-of-fame-steves-picks-by-luckyscent-sample-packs
4) Sunwashed Textured Cotton Sweater by L.L. Bean
This was Nick’s find on our Maine trip – it’s hard to find a good men’s sweater that doesn’t fit too tight or look business casual. Nick sized up on his to get a more oversized fit and it’s a great quality sweater that wears and washes well. We put it in the washing machine and dryer which is key.
Shop here: https://bit.ly/46PZrAa
5) Twill Pants by Incotex
Nick’s favorite pants. Great fit and quality but quite pricey so we have never paid full price for them. Nick scours ebay for them and had gotten many pairs that way. Including a link to the pants at retail but hopefully you can find a pair in your size on ebay too.
Shop here: https://bit.ly/3VMn5Zu
6) Notebooks by Rhodia
What Nick uses for all of his note taking needs. Side staple only. A great gift for all note takers.
Shop here: https://bit.ly/3Wlx4Fa
7) Sunglasses by L.G.R.
Nick got into these shopping at Gregory’s Optical in Providence. He wears the Meknes but style and has also bought a couple of pairs of others on ebay.
Shop here: https://www.lgrworld.com/en/product/meknes-gold-havana-scuro-09-green-vintage-photochromic/
8) Ebay
Many of Nick's recommendations can be found on ebay at discounted prices, he regularly scours for brands he likes.