Buying a perfume for a loved one is not straightforward, but this Christmas gift guide to perfumes is here to help you.
Contents
Perfume Gift Guide
Fragrance is very personal: our taste may evolve over time, but we always want to choose a signature scent that makes us feel amazing. When buying a fragrance for someone else, the challenge is to find something that matches our friend or loved one’s personality and preferences.
Christmas Gifts
You can choose gift sets, stocking fillers and even secret Santa items. If you want to treat yourself, why not select a fragrance that comes with a free gift (we won’t tell anyone you kept the gift). Maybe you’ve always wanted a Ralph Loren holdall, a Dream Candle from Ghost or an Obsessed gym bag from Calvin Klein.
His & Hers
“A couple that buys perfume together, stays together!” While this may not be the traditional version of the famous saying, it is true that our sense of smell is really important when it comes to attraction. For an extra sparkling Christmas, you could experiment with matching his and hers fragrances:
- for example, Issey Miyake L’Eau d’Issey for him and her
- for example, Michael Kors for him and her
- for example, Paco Rabanne 1 Million for him and Lady Million for her
Choosing a Fragrance
To choose a fragrance, you can start by its component parts or notes.
For example:
- Oriental (for example, Viktor & Rolf Spicebomb or Paco Rabanne XS)
- Florals (for example, Gucci Bloom or Flower by Kenzo)
- International (for example, Dolce&Gabbana The One or Paul Smith Extreme)
- Fresh (for example, Versace Man Eau Fraiche or Armani Code)
- Sweet (for example, Jimmy Choo or Mugler Angel)
A Side Note: Discontinued Fragrances
If you ever want to buy me a perfume for Christmas (hint hint, nudge nudge!), I wish someone could replicate the truly stunning Asja by Fendi, launched in 1992, but which was discontinued several years ago. I am keeping a vintage bottle safe as if it was some sacred and miraculous religious icon. Of course, I hardly use it, but I have been looking for years for a similar fragrance. This perfume has a strong oriental vibe (the name says it all), with spices, woods and flowers.
The description of Asja by Fendi lists the following ingredients:
- Amber
- Apricot
- Benzoin
- Bergamot
- Bulgarian rose
- Carnation
- Cedar
- Cinnamon
- Egyptian jasmine
- Honey
- Lemon
- lily-of-the-valley
- Mimosa
- Musk
- Nutmeg
- Orchid
- orris root
- Peach
- Raspberry
- Sandalwood
- Styrax
- Vanilla
- Ylang-ylang
To help my search for a similar fragrance, I looked at the ingredients of other perfumes.
For example, one of the recommendations for perfumes similar to Asja by Fendi is Spicebomb by Victor&Rolf, which I love. It is more floral and less rich in spices, but it’s gorgeous.