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There’s a time and a place for buying gifts for others.

There’s Christmas. Birthdays. Weddings. The purchase of a new home. Sometimes the stress of life leaves few options for release, and the ritual of purchasing a luxurious little gift for yourself becomes an act of self-care.

Here are 6 luxe and ethically-sound gifts you can enjoy for yourself – without the guilt.

Ethical Fashion

Q: What do you do when you want to spoil yourself with some new glad-rags, but can’t bear to be a part of the race-to-the-bottom which is the current fashion industry and its high-street fashion retailers?

A: Consider the emerging ethical fashion market!

Ethical fashion from thespottedquoll.com.au (the merino-wool wrap jacket is particularly gorgeous and versatile) is the perfect antidote to mass-made clothing and fast fashion. Lovingly crafted and made-to-order, it’s composed of fine merino wool, and made in Tasmania, Australia, with the further benefit of being cross-seasonal. Ethical fashion retailers add money and jobs into local economies, and don’t benefit from underpaid and underage labour. They also use renewable and sustainable resources.

Bespoke Perfume

Scent is at the heart of memories; we’re often able to relive moments in time through the scent of objects, places or people. Finding a signature scent is a task which requires time, patience (waiting for a perfume to dry-down and bloom on skin takes many long minutes) and an endless supply of olfactory neutralisers (coffee beans, anyone?).

 

Buying a signature scent needs not be a task which ends in a monumental headache (usually courtesy of the perfume section in your local department store selling the best French perfume brands). Bespoke, one-of-a-kind scents can be created in-stores and even online. Using these services, you can concoct all sorts of fragrant potions, even naming them to your desire.

Handmade Shoes

Shoes see a lot of wear, and they perform the massive task of supporting us as we trundle through our daily lives and activities. Purchasing a small-run pair of hand-made shoes or boots is an investment in the quality of workmanship and attention to detail that handmade artisanal items offer. When choosing a pair to buy, choose a timeless style – you will find that the incentive for consistent wear will ensure that you’re getting the most value for money from your investment.

Small Batch Liquor

A cheaper (and less permanent) indulgence is readily available and becoming increasingly popular.

Small batch liquor and craft beer brewing is growing exponentially, and is a part of a larger trend towards local, non-corporate consumption. Though alcohol intake on-the-whole is down, the purchase of small batch liquor and craft beers is rising. Many consider these drinks to be of greater quality (because of the nature of smaller batches), and their status as more trendy, tasty choices to their corporate counterparts makes them an excellent choice of gift for someone else (or more ideally) for yourself.

Subscription To A Streaming Service

Depending on your location and climate, you may be in need of some downtime, or time alone.

A cheap (and ongoing) gift to treat yourself to is an entertainment subscription service. Do you like music? Consider a Spotify or internet radio subscription. If you’re more of a film or television buff, perhaps Netflix is a better pick. There’s an ever-growing list of streaming services available from the comfort of your bed (or couch… or anywhere with internet access for that matter). Do your research and find the one (or many) that fits your needs and guilty pleasures.

Eco Retreat Holiday

This is the most indulgent (and expensive) idea on this list – and for good reason. An eco retreat holiday is the ultimate in luxury getaways; it’s a slice of heaven with a conscience. Think ecologically-sound spa treatments, nature walks and nourishment. This is the type of gift everybody should give themselves at least once in a lifetime.

Ultimately, whenever you choose to indulge yourself with a gift, it should bring you joy, and not guilt. These ideas presented here balance their environmental, moral and social impacts, so that you can enjoy your slice of luxury without a side order of remorse.