Beauty: Treasure troves

Elizabeth Arden Solid Perfume. Photo / Babiche Martens

Think of them as the Faberge eggs of fragrance, little jewelled delights filled with solid perfume. These mini-compacts would make a gorgeous gift that would serve as a keepsake, a piece of jewellery, a dressing table ornament or perhaps a little pill box.

Solid perfume, which can be waxy or powdery, is an excellent alternative to liquid fragrance when travelling. Although still relatively uncommon, some brands bring out limited edition solid perfume compacts, especially at this time of year in the lead-up to Christmas. Here's some that are worth seeking out.

Estee Lauder is particularly well known for the category and each year issues a range of scents in Christmas collectible compacts.

These have been part of the brand's offering since 1963, with more than 750 designs having been made. The first contained Youth Dew and was coloured Lauder's favourite shade of blue. Each compact is made of pewter, then plated in three metals, sometimes including 22 carat gold, before being enamelled and set with crystals. Some have fetched nearly $15,000 at auction.

The company tours the complete collection around the world as a museum-style exhibition. A small seasonal showing of these intricate treasures can be seen at Smith & Caughey's city store in the weeks ahead.

1 Pretty Solid Parfum Flower Pendant $59

Elizabeth Arden has put this popular scent in a small locket-like necklace. Pretty indeed.

2 Narciso Rodriguez Essence Scented Powder Brush $88

No, not a solid, but not a liquid either, so we thought we'd sneak this little 10g brush-on scent into the column. It's a limited edition and the perfumed powder gives skin an iridescent finish. Easy to use and carry around. (From Smith & Caughey's and Farmers at Albany, St Lukes and Hamilton.)

3 Ange ou Demon Diamantissime Edition Sparkling Solid Perfume $108

The jewel-like holographic pattern box contains Givenchy's perfume in a waxy alcohol-free formula that allows its middle and base notes to gently diffuse. A small brush can be used to spread the iridescent scent across the neckline or shoulders to bring a glimmer to the skin.

4 Estee Lauder Private Collection Jasmine White Moss $400

This weighty Art Deco style pendant contains the legacy of two women, cosmetics house founder Estee Lauder and her granddaughter Aerin, who discovered an unfinished formula in the archives and turned it into a fresh but elegant tribute to her grandmother called Private Collection Jasmine White Moss. The blue and white stones embellishing the gold square were chosen because they were Estee's favourite colours for home decor. (From Smith & Caughey's.)

5 Pleasures Glimmering Take Out $320

Modelled on a Chinese takeaway box, this jewelled compact from Estee Lauder contains Pleasures scent and is one of around a dozen new designs for Christmas 2009, including a One Horse Open Sleigh ($950). (Available from Monday at selected larger Estee Lauder counters.)

6 Clinique Aromatics Solid Perfume $94

A poppy design adorns this compact of the heady, hippy luxe Aromatics mix, which so suits the solid perfume format. (From Smith & Caughey's.)