How to buy fragrance

Perfume, parfum, aftershave, cologne or nice smellies – however you choose to describe fragrance there’s no denying it can often be a little daunting knowing which scent to buy for someone else. If you look at your own fragrance collection it may show a story of your life – hello wedding day perfume and that scent you haven’t used since you were 15 but still hold onto, or maybe you've got a line-up of celebrity scents. Whatever your collection looks like, it shows how personal a fragrance gift can be.

Fragrance can help to lift your mood or take you back to a special memory, so with that in mind let’s take a look at our five un-mistable tips to help you when it comes to gifting the perfect fragrance…

Think about their style & personality

Take a step back and look at what they enjoy doing. Perhaps they can’t get enough of celebrity trends, so have a look to see if one of their fave celebrities has a scent out. Maybe they’re great at holding themselves together, even in a crisis, and you just know they’d love a cool, calm and collected scent that mirrors their personality.

If you know the person well enough then you may already be clued up on what they’ll love and loathe, but if you’re buying a scent for someone who you aren’t besties with then don’t be afraid to give them a fragrance that captures how you see them. They could be a little shy at work, but outside of the office they may have a more playful side or they love mixing up their style and aren’t afraid to try something new, so you know a flamboyant fragrance wouldn’t faze them.

Style is also important when it comes to fragrance. Does your friend love to spoil themselves (and rightfully so!) and they’d love a perfume that’s more on the fancier side? If so, don’t think price tag, but think about the appearance of the bottle – as sometimes the bottle is just as important as what’s inside it! If they go cha-cha for Chanel, or are a big lover of Britney, then treating them to the newest fragrance launch could earn you extra brownie points.

Tick off those no-nos

Fragrance is quite an intimate gift, so chances are you can probably strike out those fragrances you just know they won’t enjoy from your gift list. You might be able to suss out their scent offenders by having a nosy at what they currently own or even getting up close and personal and asking what they’re currently wearing.

Why not strike up a conversation about all things fragrance by asking them to smell your latest scent, and get their opinion on it – they’ll probably be telling you their perfect perfume pick without even realising! Any chance you get, get them talking about fragrances!

Be a scent secret agent…

You won’t need a trench coat and a magnifying glass, but you will need to try and get hold of one of their current scents, body sprays or fragranced lotions if you can! Then bring it into your local Boots store and speak to one of our fragrance advisors, who’ll be able to find a similar scent they’re sure to love.

If you can’t get your hands on one of their beloved fragrances then take a picture or note it down instead.

Go for a gift set

If you’re looking for a special gift that has that wow factor, then fragrance gift sets are a lovely choice. Many of them come with fragrance minis, candles, body lotion or shower gel, and show you’ve gone that little bit further to treat them to a gift with something extra.

Fragrance gift sets are also a good choice if you’re struggling to know what they’ll like, as the perfectly packaged gift boxes and not-so-hidden extras help to raise your present buying status from not-so-sure to ‘wow, they’ve really thought about this’.