Perfume is one of my favourite gifts to receive… I love that I can enjoy it all year around and am reminded of the person who gave it to me each time I use it. Unless you know exactly which kind of scents people love, it’s a difficult one to choose, so this carefully edited list includes fragrances that I personally adore and think most people will enjoy wearing. Generic and wishy washy they are not; just inarguably gorgeous. The exception may be the Jo Malone, which is a bit more full on, though every one I know who has tried this loves it too.
Jo Malone Dark Amber & Ginger Lily Cologne Intense - £100 here (only available in 100ml - ie it’s huge!)
The only Jo Malone I’ve ever owned, this is my second bottle, which my husband bought me for Christmas last year. As the name suggests, the scent is both dark and intense - rich, spicy and warm, yet smooth, well rounded and sophisticated. An oriental with amber, black orchid, black cardamom, ginger and water lily, this is my go-to on cold winter evenings.
Dolce & Gabbana Pour Femme Intense EDP - on offer at £36.95 for 50ml here (site says 25ml but is actually 50ml)
I’m a long term fan of D&G scents. The original D&G EDT in a red velvet box was my signature scent years ago and I’ve dabbled in Light Blue and The One. The new Pour Femme Intense is my favourite of the lot… I literally swoon (yes, at myself!) when I wear this. When describing it, it’s hard to get past the phrase sex in a bottle as it’s an incredibly sensual skin scent. Green mandarin and neroli balance heart notes of tuberose and orange blossom, with sweet marshmallow and sandalwood. There’s a little bit of spice, but it’s mostly velvety soft and warm, not particularly intense as the name implies, but weak-at-the-knees gorgeous. Oh and did I mention that it comes in a plum velvet box?!
Aura Loewe - £53.50 here (with free body lotion)
If, unlike me, you have a 4 figure handbag budget, you may like to check out Loewe bags… for the rest of us mere mortals, smelling expensive is as good as it gets! Aura Loewe is an elegant woody floral, which makes me feel rather lady-like when I wear it. Pink Pepper, Violet, Sandalwood and Leather are among its notes, which work together to create a smooth, creamy scent that’s gorgeous for daytime. A heavy glass bottle and leather label (does that count as a sliver of handbag?) add to its aura of luxury (see what I did there?).
Michael Kors Sexy Amber - £34.20-£49.50 (on offer) here
All three Michael Kors new scents are pretty darn hot (Sporty and Glam are Sexy’s sisters), but for me, it was love at first sniff when I encountered Sexy. Amber wrapped in sandalwood and musk (3 of my favourite notes right there), with orange, mandarin and white florals, this fragrance ticks a lot of boxes for me. This is grown up, sophisticated, come back for more (no not that ‘that’) Sexy and is unlike anything I’ve smelt before. Warm and sensual, yet fresh and energetic, this is a real feel good, wear it anywhere perfume.
I hope that little round up has been helpful for some of you and that someone (maybe you!) will wake up on Christmas morning smelling gorgeous!
ps the Christmas decorations in these pics were all hand-made by friends of mine who recently started their own craft business, Rustle & Stitch - details of loads more gorgeous things available here.
