We’re diving deep into gifting season right now – and as much as perfumes might seem like the most popular gift choice for your loved ones, it’s also one that is easy to get absolutely wrong. We don’t need another *open pop culture reference* “it’s an avocado… thanks” moment *close pop culture reference*.
Selecting the ideal perfume for someone can really be a fine art, because it’s less about the bottle of the fragrance, the brand or the scent itself, but more about capturing the essence of that special someone. You want to find something that resonates with their personality, unlocks good core memories and becomes a fragrant extension of who they are – and that’s a lot of pressure.
Fear not, we’re here to help you navigate through the nuances and subtle cues that define your special someone’s essence, their style, the memories that they most cherish and the adventures that define them to find… the one.
We sat down with Beauty Director and fragrance connoisseur Alice Du Parcq, whose nose we very much trust, as she helps us break down the best ways to nail the complex art of buying fragrance for someone else.
What are the rules for gifting fragrance?
Fragrances are such personal purchases, and all we want is to find the ‘perfect scent’ for our loved one, but Alice recommends us removing the word ‘perfect’ completely from our vocab when shopping. “That’s putting so much pressure on yourself. If you head into this with the simple goal of gifting something beautiful and lovely, that’s enough.”
What do you need to know about a person to find their ideal scent?
There are a few questions you should really know the answer to when gifting perfume. However they’re not as specific as you may imagine. “Try to find out the bigger, more broad picture of their lifestyle and style habits,” says Alice.
At this stage you really just want to unravel the various aspects of their preferences and personality. “Do they love matching their friends in a style tribe? Are they always following the latest viral trend? Do they love vintage and seek out heritage brands? Are they a strict vegan with a clean lifestyle? Maybe a beauty activist with a charity purpose behind every purchase? Once you’ve pinpointed their general lifestyle habits, you’re on the right track,” she adds.