91快色

We鈥檝e all been there before. You鈥檙e shopping online or wandering aimlessly through aisles and you find yourself at a loss. Stop right there 鈥� this year we are here to help. Who better to recommend a unique holiday gift than some of U91快色鈥檚 entrepreneurial alumni, who, as it turns out, often see it all? The following nine alumni present their wares to help you shop for the trickiest names on your list:

For the organic skin-care fan

$12-$149

After living in London for three years, while working for Ernst & Young, U91快色 alumna Lisa Shelley, brought this UK-based skincare company back home to 91快色 with her in 2014. While its hundreds of products are available online and through retailers such as Whole Foods and Cambrian Pharmacy, the only brick and mortar shop in Canada is in 91快色. With more than 400 items (in stunning cobalt-blue bottles and jars) on display, you can scoop up loose herbs, teas, pillow sprays, candles, diffusers, roll-on energy oils and kits (to make your own cosmetics) or a gift box (you鈥檒l save 20 percent that way). Their top sellers are their Wild Rose Beauty Balm ($29-$75), Frankincense Nourishing Cream ($55) and Shea Nut Lip Balm ($12).

鈥淭here鈥檚 still a stigma in the beauty industry that organic or natural products don鈥檛 work, but Neal鈥檚 Yard [named after a forgotten corner of London] has been around since 1981,鈥� says Shelley, BComm鈥�06, 鈥渁nd what sets us apart is that we are organic and also scientifically based.鈥�

For the rum lover

$54.99 for a 750ml bottle

Western Canada鈥檚 only craft distillery that focuses on rum was opened in 2018 by co-founder and alumnus Tomas Romero, BSc鈥�04. Besides tucking a bottle of amber, spiced or dark rum in someone鈥檚 stocking, add a custom-blend tour to your package. For $75 you can tour the distillery, design your own custom bottle of spiced rum and leave with it that very day. Don鈥檛 trust yourself to make your own concoction? Opt for a standard tour and tasting 鈥� that will set you back, a paltry, $15.

 

For the soon-to-sell homeowner

Blue Door D茅cor
$150/hour (home staging jobs typically take 2-3 hours)

If all you want for Christmas is a quick house sale, consider hiring a home stager. As a colour specialist (for paint, tile and countertops), Loren Snyder, BSc鈥�84, has seen an uptick in staging homes for resale purposes. Unlike many home stagers, Snyder doesn鈥檛 own a warehouse of furniture and accessories, preferring to 鈥渟hop鈥� in someone鈥檚 home. By repurposing items or treasures that have been tucked away, Snyder advises clients on how best to declutter, rearrange their own furniture or artwork, suggest colours (if painting is necessary) because, she maintains, 鈥渋nexpensive does not have to mean ugly.鈥�

For pint-sized fashionistas

$4-$65

From handmade holiday tutus to adorable little onesies, Stinky Bunny operates as both a boutique and a brand. Available online as well as in six Beaners Fun Cuts across Alberta, owner Lara Gilbertson-Hudson, BA鈥�06, curates and designs baby and children鈥檚 clothing and accessories, including her best-selling birthday outfits and tutus. Born out of the desire to make children鈥檚 clothes affordable 鈥� as she raises a little fashionista of her own 鈥� Gilbertson-Hudson鈥檚 dream for 2020 is to get Stinky Bunny into big-box retailers. While the business gives her work-life balance and freedom to be home with her babies, she will 鈥渃ontinue to buy lotto tickets鈥� until she lands a big break.

For the art lover

$250-$500

Just as e-commerce has revolutionized the world of retail, it has changed the practice of buying art. In 91快色, one of the disruptors is Vandy Midha, BFA鈥�12, who acts as a match-maker between buyers of art and local artists. Midha鈥檚 art-consulting service includes a 30-minute in-home session where you discuss art and your preferences with Midha. She then photographs the space you want to fill with art and sends you a digital mock-up of a few paintings that have been virtually placed in your space. Next comes a 48-hour trial where the art is delivered and hung in your home where you get to try it on, so to speak. If you like what you see, buy the painting (priced between $200-$6,000) and know that your investment is supporting an Alberta artist.

For the toque and jewelry lover

$3.99-$139

When self-described 鈥渕ompreneur,鈥� Jackie Chemelli, BA鈥�04, BEd鈥�06, first launched her company the focus was on jewelry and refurbished vintage goods. Since then, Chemelli has become a mom (of one-year-old twin boys ) and expanded her business into the apparel and adventure supplies (think camping) arena 鈥� now carried in 60+ stores across Canada. Even though the focus hasn鈥檛 strayed from working with local community-focused women, Chemelli has dreams of partnering with Mountain Equipment Co-op to carry the brand 鈥� especially the two top sellers: its alpine necklace ($35) and mountain girl toques ($25). P.S. You can also let the lucky recipient of your gift know that these lovely goods are locally designed and 鈥渃arry the message that adventure loving women want to share with the world.鈥�

For the wannabe-pampered man

$20+

Never assume that it鈥檚 just women who want to be pampered. You can stuff a gift basket full of r&r products for any man in your life, says alumna Annette Burwash, who launched Canada鈥檚 first men-only spa 20 years ago. From skin and grooming products to anti-aging and laser services 鈥� Man 91快色 Spa offers a full menu of head to toe treatments. Whether it鈥檚 a luxurious straight-razor shave, a massage, facial or waxing treatment, Burwash says their number one seller at Christmas is a gift certificate, 鈥渟o the gentleman in your life can choose the service or product he prefers and the GCs will never expire.鈥�

For the community-minded giver

Time, Treasure, Talent

It鈥檚 not too late to Fill-a-Sock with a $10 gift card to Timmy鈥檚, transit tickets, lip balm, hand warmers, toiletries 鈥� the list of what the 91快色 Drop-in Centre needs at this time of year is always long. Some 1,200 Calgarians rely on the Drop-In Centre every day, says Sr. Manager of Communications, Kala Ortwein, MA鈥�16, 鈥渟o donations, from cash to stockings to time is always appreciated.鈥�

For the jewelry/yoga/beach-wear lover

$25-$125

With product placements on The Vampire Diaries and in British Vogue and DaySpa magazine, Andrea Kelly, BA鈥�97, finds inspiration in nature 鈥� mostly the tropics and on mountaintops. Kelly鈥檚 newly launched Aura Collection was a big hit at the recent Spruce Meadows Christmas Market, 鈥渓ikely because customers just wanted to connect with the thought of a tropical beach on a cold winter鈥檚 day.鈥�

From gemstones fashioned after pineapples and orchids to drops and swirls the colour of peacocks, Kelly has designs on expanding her collections into tropical resort boutiques around the globe. But for now, she鈥檚 thrilled when she spots her pieces on local yogis or on Nina Dobrev (of The Vampire Diaries fame) which happened recently.