Sneak Peek: Chanel Holiday 2011 Gift Sets

But wait, there’s more! Chanel’s holiday offering also includes several gift sets! I only photographed the color/cosmetics sets, but there are fragrance sets as well. And for anyone who was disappointed by last year’s Chance Eau Fraiche set, fear not: original Chance is back for gifting this year. Like the rest of Chanel’s holiday offering, these items should be on counters in October.

First up: Les Essentiels Le Regard Noir (otherwise known as the Essential Smoky Eye set). This set includes Chanel’s Smoky Eyes quad, a black Stylo Yeux Waterproof eyeliner, Inimitable Intense mascara in black, an eyeshadow brush, and a mini biphase makeup remover. Please note the adorable snowflake pull on the zippers of the bags. The set is $149, which means you’re getting only the bag and the makeup remover for free, but would make a lovely gift.

The next holiday gift item is a double-sided, regular/magnifying mirror compact. When I questioned whether someone would want to buy this for $42, my sales associate assured me that it was a “level 4 mirror,” which is apparently the highest quality mirror you can put into a compact (making it less likely to break). This information is impossible to verify via Google.

There is a lip giftset, the Glossimer duo. This set contains full-sized Glossimers in Spark (which is gorgeous) and unique-to-this-set Liaison (a “glitter-tinged translucent shade”). It also includes a mini lipliner in Nude and sharpener. It’s $55 (Glossimers are regularly $28.50 each).

Finally, the brush set. This set retails for $125 and contains an angled powder brush, a foundation/concealer brush, a lash and eyebrow brush (I’ve always called this a spoolie), an angled eyeshadow brush, a smudge brush, and an angled lip brush. You’ll also receive a “bag which provides space for both brushes and makeup.” Most interestingly, this year’s set contains European brushes. My sources tell me that the American brushes will be slowly phased out and replaced by the European brushes. (And European brushes are preferred by most Chanel connoisseurs I know.)