Fragrance Gift Guide | Christmas Edit

Fragrances can be a little tricky to choose especially when you’re looking for that perfect gift for someone. I personally love to gift (and receive) fragrances and have chosen a fail-safe list of fragrances that would make a lovely gift for yourself or a loved one this Christmas.

Parfums de Marly Delina – Delina from Parfums de Marly has a young, modern, and fresh fruity-floral composition and makes a great choice for date nights or special occasions. This is a plush rosy, ultra-feminine fragrance. It has rhubarb, bergamot, and lychee notes in the opening giving it a fruity, sour kick. The heart is floral with a Turkish rose along with peony and vanilla that extends to the musky, cashmeran base. It is a fabulous signature fragrance and would make a very luxurious gift for a modern, sophisticated and self-confident woman.

Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium Eau de Parfum – YSL Black Opium is addictive, daring, and sensual – just the perfect fragrance for those who have an insatiable appetite and desire to push boundaries. Top notes of juicy pear accord and tantalizing mandarin essence mingle with creamy vanilla, hypnotic notes of crisp, delicate white flowers, and perfectly-ripe orange blossom.  The invigorating aroma of Black Coffee Accord adds a daring, addictive vibe to the fragrance. Smooth, opulent Cedarwood Essence, enthralling White Musk, and Patchouli give this fragrance a long-lasting effect. This is the scent of a true YSL woman who likes to stand out of the crowd in an unapologetic way! The show-stopping glittery bottle complements the edgy, glamorous woman. YSL Black Opium would make a lovely present for that glamorous woman you know!

Armani Privé Rose d’Arabie – Okay so my husband gifted me Rose d’Arabie for my birthday last year and therefore it is very special to me. But keeping the sentimental values aside, this fragrance truly smells incredible. Rose d’Arabie is a majestic ode to the essence of rose. Spicy with flashes of saffron at the outset, it chooses patchouli and dark woods in order to develop at the heart. At the base, it gives itself up to the sensual harmonies of golden amber. This is a very rich, deep red rose fragrance with a combination of oud, patchouli, and amber. It smells very luxurious and elegant. This fragrance transports me to the Arabian Desert enjoying a lovely dinner outdoors. Rose d’Arabie would be a safe gift for anyone who has a love for middle-eastern scents.

Laboratorio Olfattivo VANAGLORIA – Vanagloria – a part of Master’s Collection from Laboratorio Olfattivo is an incense resinous vanilla fragrance for men and women. This is a very unique smokey incense vanilla fragrance that brings joy to the senses. Imagine eating a piece of vanilla cake with some incense sticks burning in the background. The smoke from the incense sticks and the delicious vanilla together creates a magical cocooning effect. Vanagloria highlights vanilla bean in the most beautiful way. It is so intoxicating that you’d want to wear it for yourself more than anyone else. For me, Vanagloria gives comfort to my senses and wraps me in a blanket of vanilla. Vanagloria comes in Eau de Parfum 15% concentration. Whether as a treat for yourself or a gift for a loved one – Vanagloria is sure to win hearts!

Goldfield & Banks Sunset Hour – Sunset Hour is a very beautiful and mass-appealing fruity gourmand scent from the Australian luxury niche fragrance house – Goldfield & Banks. This fragrance is a sumptuous cocktail of fruits, spices, and florals. It brings joy to the senses and transports me to my happy place aka sipping a fruity peachy cocktail on a beach. It is a very luscious, juicy scent that attracts compliments. It can be worn during the day or night and is great for brunch, lunch with friends, a coffee date, or even a candle-lit dinner! It is a very sexy, sensual scent for both men and women.

BDK Gris Charnel – This is an alluring, seductive scent from BDK that is popular for a reason. The addictive warm, spicy scent of green cardamom is the star of the composition and it is hard to find fragrances that recreate that exact aroma of cardamom. The opening of this fragrance reminds me of Elaichi Chai (Cardamom Milk Tea – a popular drink from India). The dry-down is surprisingly very clean and fig-like. It is like a combination of pencil shavings, iris, and sandalwood – soo smooth and comforting. It is woody, a bit musky, and ever so slightly sweet but I tell you, it is the coziest fragrance without being heavy. Gris Charnel is a sought-after fragrance and would be happily received as a gift this Christmas!

Sana Jardin Venus of Verbena – Sustainability goes way beyond packaging and includes the complete production process from sourcing ingredients to the final product. From sourcing clean ingredients to conscious packaging and creating a positive impact on society, everything matters when it comes to sustainability. The beauty world’s first socially conscious luxury fragrance house, Sana Jardin is blazing a revolutionary trail – and leaving an utterly sublime scent in its wake. Empowering female harvesters through fair commerce, while exuding nature’s most exotic aromas, this is a powerful perfume brand in every sense. Venus of Verbena Eau De Parfum is the first fresh green citrus blend fragrance from the House of Sana Jardin. Sparkling notes of Italian lemon oil combine with a touch of vetiver and soft musk to cocoon your aura in a leafy-green citrus haven. An olfactory feast that’s not to be missed.

Teo Cabanel Cafe Cabanel – Cafe Cabanel is like sitting in a French Cafe having a Cinnamon Latte with a buttery croissant. That melange of different smells that you get in a bakery/coffee shop is what I get from this fragrance. It is a beautiful gourmand with a great balance. It is milky, creamy, slightly nutty from tonka beans, sweet from vanilla and caramel, and delicious from coffee notes..there are some floral notes in the background too. It is irresistible and slightly addictive without going into the cloying category. I love that Teo Cabanel now offers two variants of their fragrances – one that comes in the original, royal packaging and the other is the latest clean version that comes in clear recyclable packaging and contains traced and natural ingredients – perfect for conscious shoppers! This warm, comforting scent would be loved by gift recipients.

Floral Street Wild Vanilla Orchid – One of my favorite vegan, cruelty-free and sustainable fragrance houses from London is Floral Street. This contemporary vanilla scent from Floral Street is centered around creamy vanilla beans. Delicate Indian jasmine sambac blossoms bloom around sparkling citrus and cassis, enticing the senses. The warmth of bamboo and sandalwood offsets the initial lingering sweetness, creating a lasting scent trail. This exotic vegan fragrance envelops the senses like a warm blanket. I also want to mention that the glass perfume bottle comes in planet-friendly biodegradable pulp boxes made with 20% upcycled coffee cups and can be used as seed trays for plants. Floral Street uses only sustainably-sourced clean ingredients in its fragrances. This fragrance would be loved by your vegan, conscious-shopper friend.

Aesop Eidesis – Eidesis from Aēsop is nothing but beautiful just like a walk in the woods on an autumnal evening. Imagine yourself wearing a sweater and crunching through dried leaves on a crisp cold evening. There are herbal, woody notes along with hypnotic spices making it a very magnetic blend. This mesmerizing blend has notes of black pepper, frankincense, and sandalwood giving it a very rich, deep, and warm dry down on the skin. It is a comforting yet provocative and seductive fragrance.

Fragrance du Bois CAVORT – Fragrance du Bois perfumes come in luxurious handcrafted satin-lined velvet boxes to ignite excitement and joy in the discovery of their fragrances. From luxe packaging to Swarovski studded lids, Fragrance Du Bois evokes an uplifting and elevated experience from the moment you open the box. CAVORT – one of the newest releases from Fragrance du Bois is alluring, seductive, and addictive for me. It is like sex in a bottle. This fragrance evokes the feeling of excitement of the first encounter. Florals and incense shine in CAVORT. It stimulates the senses and attracts a lot of compliments. It has that magnetic pull of attraction. Cavort is a great sexy, sensual fragrance for him or her. This would make an incredible gift for your partner.

Maison Francis Kurkdjian Oud Satin Mood – This exquisite statement piece from Maison Francis Kurkdjian is a rich, modern, and classy scent. It’s a blast of seductive Turkish rose and oud in the background and a touch of vanilla. This oriental, woody, floral fragrance works for both men and women and will be an attention magnet. It is great for a suit & tie situation, expensive dinners, Business meetings, or dress-to-impress situations. A great gift for Oud and Rose lovers!

Matiere Premiere Radical Rose – Matiere Premiere fragrances are built around one natural ingredient in the highest dosage possible. The idea takes shape around an exceptional natural ingredient, which has many olfactive facets. Radical Rose celebrates Rose Centifolia Absolute from Aurélien’s own Rose Centifolia Organic Farm (Ecocert®) with a bit of saffron and pepper. It has berries oil, a hint of Patchouli, and labdanum. The spicy notes of saffron and pepper berries are there to bring out the brightness of the rose and patchouli to emphasize the woodiness. It is a very classy, a bit deep (not dark), rich, mysterious, sophisticated, and grown-up (not an old lady) scent. The rose is slightly sweet and has a honey-like aroma. It is woody, floral, bright, slightly fruity, and spicy. It is a head-turner but not offensive. It smells very modern, impactful, and expensive. It captivates everyone around you and is a compliment-getter – A beautiful gift for a rose lover!

And Fragrances – Sånd – Sånd is an enveloping amber-spicy woody fragrance that smells just so beautiful and subtly magnetic. It is an artisan niche scent and a very unique take on sandalwood. ånd fragrances have partnered with Dutjahn, the sandalwood producer and winner of the UN Equator prize. Sånd is imbued with the essential oils gathered using the niche specialty of ‘deadwood’ (standing dead wood found and distilled) so no trees are destroyed to make it. You might have smelt many sandalwood fragrances before but I guarantee that you might not have smelt anything like this! The top note in this fragrance is Banana which I could not imagine in any fragrance really! It smells like banana toasted with cardamom powder and then dunked in creamy, milky sandalwood. It is just so delightful and unique!

Kayali Vanilla Royale Sugared Patchouli 64 – The latest fragrance, Vanilla Royale Sugared Patchouli 64 opens with notes of warm vanilla orchid before uniting with sweet crème brulé at the heart. The golden, honeyed infusion closes with earthy and woody facets to help this aroma dry to a creamy musk. It is the intense take on the classic Vanilla | 28, blended in an intoxicating mix of Sugared Patchouli and Amber Woods; this fragrance forges a powerful, deep, and addictive scent that is seductively irresistible in every way, now captured in a spectacularly luxurious gold bottle. Priced reasonably, this fragrance would be a lovely gift to receive for a vanilla lover or someone with a sweet tooth!

Until next time, Ashh xo

*AD – This article features both press samples and gifted products. Opinions are my own and unbiased.