happy hale*days 2011: budget edition

a freelance deadline kept me unexpectedly away this week, but i am delighted to be back to prove that gifting can still be pretty even on a budget!

let's have a peek at 2011's most fabulous presents under $40 . . .

1 - every girl will want to make a date with gypsy's newest underpinning. {$34; save 20% off sitewide with secret code gypsylovesyou. offer ends mon, dec 19th.}

2 - malie organics' roll-on perfumes will delight eco lovelies with scents reminiscent of paradise. {$29; spend $200 and receive a complimentary scent and free shipping with your order. offer ends sat, dec 17th.}

3 - bikini loving beach goddesses will adore a kini pouch by acacia which is sewn of the same gorgeous fabric that lines their flirty collection. {$30; find in-store at i heart hanalei.}

more possibilities for your gift list after the jump!

4 - office mates can count the days to their next holiday on emi ink's desktop calendar. {$13; find at the wedding café at ward warehouse & menehune mac's windward mall holiday pop-up.}

5 - handpoured hawaiian lip balms by maoli perfumes (created by mama coco's keiki) will keep lips kissable with xmas cheer. {$5; first 50 orders receive 50% off with secret code hapahale. offer good sitewide and ends when the 50th order is placed or on fri, dec 24th.}

6 - remind time-crunched friends to live in the moment with little hand, watch faces remade with vintage embroidery by machinemachine. {$36}

back soon with the aloha friday scoop!

island crush: scented alohatherapy

a kiss of the islands without the side effects of synthetic scents? yes please! kai and kalani, the keiki creators behind maoli perfumes, just introduced a quartet of solid fragrance balms formulated with essential oils and tropical absolutes infused in a good for you & the planet shea butter base.

the handcrafted scent memories are made in small batches (with help from mom & dad, natch) and already have me dreaming of lei stands, pikake blossoms, ka'u oranges and roasted cocoa beans.

sigh . . .

$28 online. (+ free worldwide shipping!)

family affair

a little last minute mother's day gift idea inspired by a sweetly scented potion crafted by two keiki and a fresh alternative in a world filled with factory made fragrances. while many readers will be wooed by maoli perfumes' fragrant promise of a "spray of sunshine" conveniently packaged in a glass bottle, the story of how this wee perfumery came to be may prove even more irresistible.

let's rewind to 2007 when the hughes 'ohana left hawaii for the rainy northwest and the resulting homesickness of sons kai and kalani who instantly missed the islands and its distinctive blend of sandy surf, tropical blossoms, and all around hawaiian goodness. mom mari decided to utilize her aromatherapy background to introduce her sons to the science of scent via a home study assignment exploring the formulation of natural perfumes.

two budding alchemists were quickly revealed and, after a few attempts, the brothers concocted a balmy elixir with notes of mexican wild lime, orange blossoms, pikake, ka'u gold oranges, and vanilla. the lesson book had barely closed when mainland friends began inquiring about the sweet scent worn by the brothers as a reminder of their island home, and so, quite unexpectedly, their next assignment was hatched.

fast forward to the present and the family has redefined homework with kai and kalani mixing and labeling batches of their island blend while dad helps out with the graphics/website and mom keeps everything running behind-the-scenes from ordering supplies to bottling, shipping, and marketing maoli's keiki-inspired scent.

although maoli's first offering, colonia dulce (a nod to mari's spanish heritage), was originally created with a younger audience in mind, sensitive grownup noses will appreciate that the eau de cologne is blended with certified organic essential oils, is free of synthetic components, and tested on humans not animals.

even better, the project includes a lesson in paying it forward with a portion of purchases donated to organizations like malama hawaii, heifer international, the shea project, and women for women international.

currently, maoli perfumes can only be found in its online shop so click over and enjoy free shipping on your order!

p.s. request a complimentary sample here.