The Perfect Guide to Gifting Perfume, Choosing a Scent for a Loved One

The fragrance experts at Parfum Muse have put together the perfect guide to gifting perfume, with suggestions that will help you choose a gift in confidence

Perfume is one of the classic and thoughtful gifts almost everybody loves to receive—but we know that it can be tricky trying to choose a scent for somebody else. Particularly if you don’t live with the gift recipient, you may not know their favourite fragrances or brands, and getting it wrong can make a beautiful gesture fall short.

The first piece of advice we'd give is that perfume is very much a personal luxury item, and it's well worth taking the time to ask friends or family members for help. If you'd like to purchase an elegant bottle of fragrance for a date, their friends will likely be able to lend you a helping hand.

The fragrance experts at Parfum Muse have put together this guide to steer you along the right path, with some handy suggestions that will help you choose a great birthday, anniversary, or ‘I love you’ gift with confidence.

Matching a Gifted Perfume to the Recipient's Personality

Most people adore a particular type of scent, and it's often easy to make an educated guess about a fragrance someone will like, even if it’s not their usual fragrance, by thinking about their personality and sense of style.

Bold, stand-out, sultry fragrances suit people who love to be noticed and to be the focal point in a crowd, whereas someone who is quiet or reserved will usually prefer a more subtle, discreet scent.

Amber, spicy, woody, and heavier florals are all big scents for larger-than-life personalities, and softer citruses, light floral notes, and delicate tones are best for a clean, classy vibe. As a quick perfume buyers' guide, we've listed some popular scents with some suggested fragrances that may match your giftee perfectly.

Fresh Perfumes for Everyday Wear

Scents with a pop of citrus, such as lemon or grapefruit, feel clean and energising or use marine notes like saltwater that cut through to take the edge off sweeter fragrances. These perfumes are popular since they’re infinitely wearable, feel fresh, and are widely liked. Try:

• BDK Citrus Riviera. This scent uses fresh flavours like eucalyptus, fig and mandarin alongside deeper, richer notes of patchouli, orange blossom and neroli.
• L’Humaniste by Parfums Frapin combines top notes of citrus, pink berries, black pepper, and the natural essences of juniper and nutmeg, creating a cologne that is full of power without being overwhelming.
• Perseus Eau de Parfum, with its mixture of light, bright scents—grapefruit, blackcurrant bud, vetiver, and green mandarin—feels like an airy, calm summer day.

Masculine and Woody Scents

A denser, richer, woodier scent is often used in colognes but can also be a base note in a stronger eau de toilette. Warm and earthy fragrances like cedarwood and sandalwood are slightly creamy and calming and feel like a snug, comforting blanket of scent. Try:

• Chopard Amber Malaki or Cedar Malaki – eau de parfums with woody heart notes, base notes like tonka bean and patchouli, and a lighter grapefruit and cypress top note.
• Laboratorio Olfattivo Tonkade – a perfume with a heady blend of patchouli, vanilla, neroli oil, cardamom, incense and amber woods.
• NoteBook Cashmere Wood and Honey – an aromatic fragrance with spiced citrus, honey and vanilla mixed with warm, sweet wood.

Exotic Amber Fragrances

Striking amber fragrances feature musks and are often mixed with vanilla for a mildly sweet essence, without giving too much prominence to a stronger musk-based accent, which can feel overpowering on its own. People who love the exotic and have a little mystery about them often go for amber scents. Try:

• Desert Rosewood Perfume Concentrate. This mix of desert rosewood, patchouli, cardamom, violet, and nutmeg is designed as a rich fragrance using Australian rosewood as a key accent, lightened with mandarin and vanilla.
• Alkemi by Laboratorio Olfattivo combines Arabic incense and Indonesian patchouli with ylang-ylang and amber for a truly arresting fragrance with resin and wood notes.
• Casmir Eau de Parfum by Chopard has a slightly tropical theme, using coconut, mango, peach, and bergamot with more exotic touches of amber, musk, and patchouli.

Feminine, Calming Florals

Modern florals are less potpourri and more graceful, sweet and romantic, and use essential oils that can feel relaxing and calm. Traditional scents like rose and lavender are often used as base notes, with a refined and luxurious feel. Try:

• Chopard Rose Malaki, with deep rose heart notes, including rose petals and rose absolut, with a distinct leather and saffron edge to elevate a simple floral into a more sophisticated scent.
• Delina La Rosee from Parfums De Marly uses lychee, pear, and bergamot with mixed floral heart notes, including peony, Turkish rose, and transparent flowers, as a young, vibrant alternative to the signature Delina scent.
• Rosewood Eau de Parfum is a fresh, slightly spicy perfume from Banana Republic. It uses an amber base with green tea, citrus, and bergamot for a light, graceful scent.

Picking Perfumes for Loved Ones Who Are Hard to Buy For

If you’re still stuck, we’d point you towards our gifting options, which are designed to help you select a fabulous gift for any recipient of any age. We also provide complimentary gift wrap on all orders, which is ideal if you are running out of time and have yet to be inspired.

Gifting perfumes is absolutely possible and very well received, but we'd suggest two alternatives if you feel your gift recipient has a particular taste and you’ve not been able to find out which brands of perfumes they most love to wear.

The first is a discovery box set, which combines several attractive and popular fragrances into one. This ensures the recipient can pick and choose the scents they love or try something new.

Our Fragrance Discovery Boxes are superbly presented and available for him or her. You'll also find Bridal Edits and the festive, stylish boxed Delina gift set with a full and travel-size bottle to take anywhere.

Finally, we’d recommend thinking about exquisite candles, reed diffusers or home mists since stylish homes that smell incredible can be just as comforting and enjoyable as a gorgeous scent. Try a La Maison J.U.S candle or a sleek black Eight & Bob candle and holder gift set, and we’re sure your giftee will be delighted.

About Parfum Muse

Parfum Muse is the new luxe shopping destination for perfume lovers, showcasing some of the UK’s most premium niche and fine fragrances.

***
Source Company - https://www.parfum-muse.com/