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Fragrance and smellies. Ever so popular at Christmas and we know that when (in times past) we walk into any beauty department and see those perfume coffret sets stacked up towards the ceiling. I think it’s almost like a default gift and I think it just feels a little special, thoughtful and something that you may not buy for yourself.
Although it can be quite a personal thing to buy for someone though there are certain scents that are wearable for most and a few brands that I would always think are a winner when gifting. Of course, candles for me are perhaps one of the BEST gifts you can both buy and receive and I will never sniff (I did that on purpose) at receiving a candle as a Christmas or any present.
These are basically a bunch of fragrances and brands I love in terms of perfumes and candles. It’s a bit more a spendier present, so perhaps if you don’t know a person well enough or have the funds at the moment, then opt for a lovely body cream or bath oil instead. These picks have a price range between £25 to £295 (!) so a bit more elaborate than my other gift guides.
Let’s just the big hitter done and dusted. Roja Parfums. Something I was fortunate enough to discover this year and both the fragrance were as beautiful as I had always imagined. I’m quite into my fragrance and have a huge range of perfumes ; I love niche, I like different and I don’t mind occasionally invested in something really special. Roja Parfums was a brand I had so much about and had tried a few sniffs and squirts when in Fortnum & Mason. I have the A Midsummer Dream (£295) which is stunningly heady, rich, opulent and a REALLY special occasion kind of perfume.
Roja Parfums also do accompanying candles to some of their scents and I also have the ‘A Midsummer Dream’ candle (£125) , again something I have been lusting after for many years. They are the ultimate in decadence and luxury and yes, the price absolutely reflects that. It’s an investment, it’s for someone or an occasion that is very special and when it comes to these, I would obviously suggest very much knowing that person you are purchasing for.
Both the fragrance and candles come in THE most extravagant packaging I have ever seen….oversized boxes, velvet interiors….heavy, luxe and O.T.T in every way. Roja Parfums is a whole next level experience.
Diptyue are one of the go-to candle brands and I think probably my most-purchased candles ever for a gift. They are so chic, recognisable and everyone likes a fancy candle as a special present once in a while. The candles start from £27 for the 70g votive. £78 for the standard 190g size and of course you can get bigger ones if you so wish. If you want to be on the safe side….go Figuier, Feu De Bois or Bailes. I personally love the headier scents of Ambre and OUD.
Diptyque Fragrances are also fabulous and they do SO many now. The very classic scent would be Philosykos which is their best-selling fig-based scent. Prices start from £72 for their Eau de Toilettes. I also love Eau De Sens de for the summer and Volutes is a nice, woody, spicy wintery scent.
Marc Jacobs are always pretty good and easy scents for gifting ; The fragrances tend to be quite ‘easy’ and wearable and non-offensive. Quite down the middle if that makes sense. The packaging is always really pretty and quirky and at the moment I love the Marc Jacobs Perfect (£69) and this makes a great gift. It is modern, bright and feminine and contains notes of Rhubarb, Almond Milk and Cedarwood.
JO LOVES Pomelo (£70) Jo of Jo Malone’s new fragrance line is Jo Loves so expect wearable, clean fragrances. For some reason, I MUCH prefer this new brand in comparison to Jo Malone. The Pomelo is her signature scent from the range and is a very fresh, unisex and uplifting. It is a grapefruit based scent so expect zesty, citrus vibes from the first spritz.
Speaking of Jo Malone...again, SUPER popular for gifting. I am personally not mad about their perfumes but I do have a soft spot for their candles and the Jo Malone Oud & Bergamot is my absolute favourite! It’s one that i love at this time of year as it’s just woody, rich, a bit spicy and sings winter and cosy nights in to me!
The Byerdo Rose of No Man’s Land (£115) is a personal favourite perfume of mine and I am low-key obsessed with most of these fragrances! This is one of the most beautiful and fresh, juicy rose scents that I own and I wear it so much. It was developed as a tribute to the brave, fearless nurses of World War I, who tended to injured soldiers in the heat of conflict, quickly earning themselves the name Roses of No Man’s Land. I always am so interested in the origin and influence of fragrances and Byredo always have some of THE quirkiest and fascinating.
We can’t do a fragrance gift guide without a bit of the big TF. Tom Ford Neroli Portofino (£174) or anything from the Tom Ford Private Blend collection is probably one of my dream gifts! I’ve been eyeing up the Rose Prick lately but I just can’t justify it myself at the moment, but hey if you can then they are as gorgeous as everyone says! The Neroli Portofino scent is maybe one of their signature scents as it’s just so fresh, wearable and unisex.
Potion Paris is the new, sustainable luxury, cruelty & toxin-free, fragrance brand delivered straight to your door. Once you have used your refills (they come in 10ml bottles that slot into your ‘main’ vial) , you send them back and re-use the bottles and get them refilled which I think is a really interesting and sustainable concept. To sample the scents, you purchase the Discovery Sample Set (£24.99) so you can try out each 7 unique scents a few times to decide which one/s are for you. This set also comes with a £20 gift voucher that you can then use against your main fragrance purchase.
Potion Paris fragrances use sourced and composed using rare, precious, ethically farmed and sustainable ingredients from around the world. They are completely cruelty free with no animal testing.
Last up and the newest candle to my ever-growing stash…..The Crabtree and Evelyn Femme De Force Candle (£25). This is such a lovely and more affordable luxury candle. I simply love the packaging and think it looks super chic. The scent is gorgeous and I will definitely be purchasing this when this has burnt.
PHEW, here is me now trying to convince myself I *need* the Tom Ford Rose Prick as a present to myself this Christmas after a hell-ish year. Chat to me about your favourite fragrances! I love to find new, niche scents and talk all things fragrance. Again, I think it can sometimes be a hard thing to purchase someone, particularly if you don’t know them well and you definitely wouldn’t want to spend a huge amount if you aren’t *sure* they will love it as much as you! If that’s the case, a candle is always a good option.
