BEAUTY

Your Ultimate Fragrance Gift Guide for Xmas

Notes of giving

We’ve rounded up the newest fragrances of the season, as well as classics we have adored for years, for your ultimate perfume gifting this Christmas.

Chic aromas for day wear

Whether crisp and fruity or a traditional soft floral, this is the moment to find your new, refined fragrance.

Try: YSL Beaute Libre EDP 90ml, $225

YSL

Try: Chanel No 5 200ml, $371.

Chanel

Try: Bottega Veneta Illusione for Her EDP 75ml, $185

Bottega Veneta

Fresh and crisp for night time

So easy to wear and so adaptable, fragrances with crisp aquatic notes or dose of green will have you breezing through the evening. 

Try: Ellis Brooklyn West EDP 50ml, $161

Brooklyn West

Try: Ouai North Bondi EDP 50ml, $87

Ouai

Try: Elizabeth Arden White Tea EDT 100ml, $75

Elizabeth Arden

Try: Eau D’Italie Easy To Love EDP 100ml, $219

Eau D Italie

Try: Narciso Rodrigues Pure Musc EDP 100ml, $217

Narcisco Rodriguez

Floral & Feminine

Blooming notes with a hint of fruit are your go-to for an effortless summer.

fragrance

From far left, Maison Margiela Springtime In A Park EDT 100ml, $170Issey Miyake L’eau d’Issey Rose & Rose Intense EDP 50ml, $146; Burberry Her EDP 100ml, $180; Dior Joy EDP Intense 90ml, $254; BVLGARI Rose Goldea EDP 90ml, $220.

How to Find the Perfect Fragrance For You

Know your notes. When selecting a new scent, work out the types you already love and they’ll probably fall into the same family, “If you as for three or four fragrances a person loves, two will fall into the same fragrance family, whether that’s florals, oriental, woody or fresh,” says Michael Edwards, founding editor of Fragrances of the World. Need help? Go in store and talk to a consultant, who will guide you to the types of scents you love. Try Libertine Parfumerie and Mecca. Or go to Fragrances of the World and use the online finder.

Gift Tip

“Find out the perfume your partner loves, then seek out a variation of that fragrance, such as the body lotion or wash, which they wouldn’t buy for themselves” says Michael Edwards.

Before you walk in store, know what you want. It pays to have a good idea about where you might wear a new scent. “What we try to find out is why the person wants to wear perfume and when,” says Thomas Vilbert, global manager for Editions de Parfums at Frédéric Malle. “Whether it’s for work, for a special night or for a wedding, it really helps to find a signature scent.” Also, understand your personality. Whether you’re a bubbly, fun girl, or someone who prefers to take life a bit more seriously, who you are can also come into play when choosing your fragrance. “It’s important to understand your personality, because each perfume will fit to a personality,” says Vilbert. “If you like tuberose, it may define you as a person. If you like citrus, it may be that your are a leader”. 

This article originally appeared in the December 2019 issue of marie claire.

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