It’s one of those big events: her birthday, the anniversary of your first date, or a holiday like Christmas or Valentine’s Day. It might just be that you want to surprise her, cheer her up after a hard week at work, or show her how much you love her. The pressure is on to find a romantic gift.
Have no fear. Women love romantic gifts, and among the items at the top of her wish list is probably fragrance. If shopping for fragrance fills you with trepidation, read on. We have some pointers to help you pick the perfect fragrance gift.
Know the basics.
Although it isn’t essential to fragrance shopping, knowing some of the basic information about perfumes and products can help you make an informed decision. So here’s a quick overview.
What is it? Those pretty (and usually expensive) little bottles are filled with a combination of a little perfume or fragrance oil, and a lot of alcohol. When perfume is applied to the skin, especially to a warm spot on the body like the neck, the warmth of the skin causes the alcohol to evaporate, leaving the subtle trace of perfume oil on the skin.
Types of Fragrance: Perfume is the most concentrated version of a scent sold (except for actual perfume oils, which aren’t generally available in the commonly sold scents). Cologne is a more diluted form of scent (it contains a higher ratio of alcohol), usually about half as strong as perfume. Other liquid forms of fragrance, such as eau de toilette or after-bath splash, are usually 1/4 the strength of perfume. More diluted doesn’t necessarily mean not as good. It just depends on her preference: some women want their fragrance in its most concentrated form, and will apply only a drop or two; other women actually prefer the cologne form so they can apply it liberally and not worry about overdoing it.
Other products: Most popular fragrance lines offer other products, such as body lotion, body wash, and bath powder scented with the fragrance. Eager salespeople at some stores will try to convince you that all the elements are required in order to correctly “layer” the scent. If it sounds suspiciously like a plot to separate you from you dollars, it probably is. All half-dozen elements of the fragrance line aren’t required to make a lovely gift that she can really use and enjoy. So buy the whole collection if you are so inclined (she’s sure to love it), but know that it’s not essential. Most fragrances are also available in smaller “purse” sizes -- particularly popular with busy women who go directly from the office to dinner or other evening engagements, or whose job requires frequent travel. The purse size is a great inclusion in a collection of items, but isn’t recommended as a stand-alone gift.
Kinds of scents: Fragrances usually fall into one of several scent categories:
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Green or Fruit scents combine fruit aromas with grassy scents; the result is a clean, fresh smell. This scent category has become increasingly popular in the last decade.
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Floral scents are any combination of flower essences, resulting in a classically soft, sweet scent. Most perfumes fall into this category.
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Chypre scents combine a floral scent with earthier aromas like bergamot or oak moss; the result is a warm, woodsy yet delicate scent.
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Oriental scents combine the warm smells of vanilla and spices, resulting in rich and exotic scents.
Perfume Notes: Perfumes are traditionally structured to contain three levels of “notes,” known as the top note, the middle or heart note, and the base or bottom note.
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The top note is the initial aromatic impression a fragrance gives -- recognizable when the bottle is opened and the fragrance is applied to the skin; after a few minutes, the top note aroma is no longer noticeable. Top notes tend to be light aromas, like mint, cucumber or lemon. The top note typically comprises ten to twenty percent of the perfume essence.
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The middle or heart note is the “second” scent, the one detectable after the fragrance has been on the skin a few minutes, and is the result of the interaction of the wearer’s body chemistry and the fragrance; common examples include lavender, gardenia, pear and rose. Middle or heart notes account for the majority of the blend -- about sixty to seventy percent. These are the scents that give a perfume real character and body, and this is the note that dominates from a few minutes after the application of the fragrance until about three hours later.
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The base or bottom note of a perfume is the deep, strong aroma that becomes apparent after several hours of wearing. The base note rarely comprises more than 10% of a perfume essence, as these heavier scents can overwhelm the balance of notes if used in larger quantities. Familiar base notes include musk, patchouli and sandalwood.
Consider her personal style when you make a selection. Is she still finishing up her education? Yet to decide on a career? Just back from a year of travel or volunteer work overseas? Or on her second career already? Does she like to follow fashion trends, eat at the newest restaurant in town, catch that up-and-coming band when they’re still touring small clubs? If so, she’d probably love something new and unusual. So consider selecting something different than what she already has, even a newly launched scent.
On the other hand, if she’s a more established in her life, if she’s developed her own personal style and isn’t a slave to fashion, she may not want a trendy new scent. It’s not that she isn’t adventurous; it’s just that she knows who she is. It’s reflected not only in her attire, but in her home décor, the books she reads, the music she listens to. In particular, if her personal style is classic, you might want to steer clear of new scents in favor of some of the legendary fragrances, like those from Chanel.
Is she somewhere in-between? Don’t worry, there are many suitable scents. Make note of her passions (other than you!). Does she love the outdoors? There are scents likely to appeal to her rustic side, in the chypre category described above. Is her house filled with leopard print pillows, candles and chinoiserie? You’ll want to consider a more exotic scent from the Oriental category.
Find out her perfume habits.
Her personal style alone isn’t enough to go on. You need more facts. Many women have a favorite scent that they wear all the time. Others tend to keep two or three, each unofficially sanctioned for a particular type of wear: one for every day, one for evenings out, maybe a third scent just for special, romantic occasions. Some like to try new scents each season and might wear anything, any time.
Snoop a bit around her bureau or in her bathroom, and find out which kind of perfume-wearer she is.
If she owns perfume and/or cologne, body powder, and lotion all in the same scent, it’s probably a favorite of hers (unless the containers are full and stowed in the back of a cabinet -- it may have been a gift that she doesn’t really care for). She would probably most appreciate an item in that scent line, or a replacement for her most-used item, if she’s running low.
If she has dozens of perfumes, you probably can’t go wrong getting her one more.
If you’re not finding anything resembling perfume, investigate a bit further. No bath powder or shower gel? Is her soap and deodorant unscented? It may be that she’s allergic to perfume and scented items -- or just doesn’t like them. If in doubt, find a subtle way to ask. If she doesn’t wear perfume or use scented products and has no interested in starting, it’s time to shops for something else. Our suggestion: jewelry, or a classic accessory, like a great scarf, or leather gloves.
Be sure to scribble down the names on the bottles you find among her things. Having trouble finding the important information? Check the bottom of the bottle, which may display a label with the maker and scent name. Note also whether what you’re looking at is perfume, cologne, eau de toilette, body spray, body powder, scented body lotion or shower gel, or other. For your own reference, you might also want to note the volume of the bottle (scent products are usually measured in ounces).
When you’re shopping…
Ask a knowledgeable salesperson to review the list you’ve made, and explain the items to you. If your gal’s fragrance collection all falls into one scent category, you probably should buy from that group as well. If a range of categories is revealed, consider purchasing something in one of the less represented categories.
If you’re buying a new fragrance for her, or she doesn’t own a scent at all, your best bet is probably cologne. Cologne is generally less pricey than perfume, and if she doesn’t love the scent, you haven’t spent a fortune on something she won’t wear. If you feel relatively confident that she’ll like the scent, go ahead and get a bottle of the perfume -- even if your budget means it’s just a small bottle. If she has the perfume or cologne already, round out her collection by getting one of the other items -- the bath powder, the body lotion or body wash.
Don’t over-shop.
If you plan to just head to the perfume counter at Macy’s, smell a dozen or so perfumes, and decide from there, think again. Experts say that once you’ve smelled three or four perfumes in succession, you lose your ability to fully evaluate the fragrances. With perfume, it doesn’t necessarily work to follow your nose.
Don’t blow the moment.
She may be so pleased that you selected something she loves that she’ll want to know, “how did you know what to pick?” While we don’t want to recommend lying, we do strongly advise that you avoid telling her that the cute salesclerk let you smell her neck, and it was great, so you bought the scent. That’ll kill the romantic moment instantly. Instead, when she asks, you can launch into an astute discussion of the fragrance’s top, middle and base notes, and your bride-to-be will think you’re as brilliant as you are thoughtful.
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