“When searching for a scent for someone else, I would always encourage shoppers to think about three things. 1. What is their everyday aesthetic? Are they sophisticated, bold, modern, boho, glam? 2. What kind of smells are they drawn to in everyday life? Do they love flowers, citrus, sweets, vanilla, musk, wood? Then think about the purpose of the fragrance, is it for them to wear every day, for evenings out, for special occasions, for work? Take these three pieces of information to a fragrance expert on your local high street, and they will be able to give recommendations based on this individual profile.”

 

 

“This is so important in matching a scent to someone well. Take cues from the kind of smells they already surround themselves with. Candles and diffusers are a great way to spot the kind of notes they like quickly, so have a good look next time you visit. Flowers are another great way to pinpoint a scent match, as florals are the most popular notes in fragrance. Do they love roses, Iris’, Geraniums? Marry this with a scent that includes their favourite as a key note.”

 

Fragrance tends to smell different on different people's skin. Firstly, why is this? And secondly, how do you get the true smell of a perfume?

 

“Spraying onto paper testers will smell different to how it settles on your skin, as we each have a very different PH balance, which effects the overall scent. You will find that your favourite scent smells different on your, than it does on your friend. My top tips for getting the truest impression of a scent is to is to spray on all pulse points, and anywhere that emits heat, as this intensifies the scent – your wrists, your neck, ankles, behind your ear, your collarbone and the back of your knees are great starting points. Fragrance latches to fibres, so always make sure you spray onto your hair for long-lasting fragrance. Leave the scent then for a couple of hours, to allow the notes to settle.”

 

 

Take your time and decide over a period of time, spray no more than 2 fragrances per shopping trip, as the scents will merge into one. The top insider tip is to ensure you have a coffee with you when you shop for fragrances. Have a smell of the liquid every time you spray a new scent, as it will reset your nose.”

 

 

“Never discount the classics, they have become fragrance icons for a reason. Some of our bestselelrs are fragrances that have stood the test of time – Calvin Klein ‘CK One’, Thierry Mugler ‘Angel’, Gucci ‘Rush’, YSL ‘Black Opium’ and Dior ‘Poison’. Light subtle top notes are often most popular as these are what you will smell first, and they are what you form your opinion on. Consumers most often opt for light fruits such as grapefruit, and more vibrant citrus notes such as Lemon, Lime and Orange, and Bergamot. Herbs are also widely used and well received, such as clary sage and basil. When the top notes mellow, the heart note comes through, and this becomes the most dominant scent in your fragrance. At The Fragrance Shop, we find the bestselling heart notes are typically floral or full-bodied ingredients such as black pepper, rose, ylang ylang, cardamom, cinnamon, jasmine and neroli. Your base notes are the longest lasting, and they remain once the top notes have completely dissipated. This means that they are almost always rich, deep and full bodied – vanilla, patchouli, amber, musk and cedarwood are most often used as they last hours after first application.

 

 

The scent is the most important aspect of the purchase, however the bottle itself can be a lovely way to honour the aesthetic of the person you’re purchasing for. Are they super glam? Their dresser will look great with a statement bottle such as Carolina Herrera ‘Good Girl’. Your most elegant friend may love the simplicity of something like Lancôme ‘Idole’, and your free-spirit might be more partial to a design like ‘Red Wood’ by DSQUARED2. What is their personality, and what will best represent them?”

Thank you Adam Anderson for giving us some great tips and pointers to remember when shopping for a new scent! Now...get shopping!