7 Things to Consider When Buying Perfume for Someone Else

Have you ever thought of gifting perfumes to your loved ones? If you have, chances are that you may have reconsidered since it can be quite difficult to know someone else’s fragrance preferences without consulting them. Whether you are shopping for the holidays or planning birthday gifts for your friends, fragrance can be a tricky alternative because it is something so intimate.However, it is indeed possible to narrow down possible fragrance gift options and keep the surprise element intact if you take into account a few important considerations.

1) What does their personality say?

When choosing perfumes for someone else, you should completely ignore your personal opinions and focus just on your deductions about the person’s preferences. However, there is one question you can ask yourself – How do they want to come across in a social setting? Assuming that you have spent some time with them, it should not be too difficult to come up with an answer that will let you narrow down your options. Based on one’s values and lifestyle, they may want to appear sophisticated, alluring, minimalistic, or cheerful, among other things. Perfumes often serve an important role in crafting one’s outward persona.Picking out perfect fragrances for your family and friends will test how well you know them and how knowledgeable you are about perfumery. But, all the effort will be worth its weight in gold when you see the joy on their faces as they discover their new favorite perfumes.

2. Signature Scent & Fragrance Wardrobe

This is the cheat code for securing the perfect perfume gift. If you can find out what the person wears on a day-to-day basis (a.k.a their signature scent), then it will be impossible for you to go wrong. The easiest way to find out is to simply ask! When you’re meeting up with your friend, just ask: “You smell great today, what are you wearing?”This is an effective way to find out about their signature scent, without actually revealing that you’re planning to a gift! Based on the notes and aura of the fragrance they already love, you will be able to find similar scents that they are bound to love. You can stay within the same fragrance family and find note combinations they haven’t tried before, or you can venture out but ensure that your choice has some of the dominant notes of their signature scent.

3. Age matters

Of course, fragrance has no age restrictions. You can wear whatever you want at any age as long as you resonate with the accords. But, it is important to acknowledge that people’s tastes change with age. Since you are not shopping for yourself, it is better to play it safe and follow the trends. Middle-aged and older people tend to adore sophisticated and rich perfumes, whereas the young crowd often opts for sweet and alluring fragrances.

4. Choose perfume concentration based on the recipient’s lifestyle

Let’s say, you have managed to narrow down a few gift options, and now you just have to take the final step of buying one of them. Before doing so, pause and consider the perfume oil concentrations of your choices. If you want to give them a long-lasting perfume because of their hectic lifestyle, you should go for an Eau de Parfum for women or or Eau de Parfum for men. On the other hand, if the recipient is a teenager who has not experienced heavy fragrances, you should opt for fragrance mists or colognes so they are not overwhelmed.Not familiar with perfume concentrations? Read this guide: Eau de Parfum vs Eau de Toilette vs Cologne

4. Find out their favorite colors

Since our senses are connected, our preferences in one department can influence the other. Colors have the power to evoke certain moods and feelings, just like perfumes. For example, pink is often associated with sweet and feminine florals, whereas blue is linked to fresh and aquatic perfumes. The packaging can also affect one’s first impressions of a certain fragrance. While colors aren’t key, they can be one additional decision factor in finding a perfect gift to match the receiver’s aura.

5. Favourite food

One’s gastronomic preferences directly reflect the flavors one loves. The aroma of food items contributes to the enjoyment one feels upon consuming them. Based on this, you can deduce what kind of perfumes one may like. For example, someone who has a sweet tooth and loves visiting bakeries may prefer gourmand and vanilla scents. On the other hand, those who like exotic spices in their food will veer towards deeper, oriental perfumes with woody and amber notes. Once you know their favorite colors and foods, you can try to list fragrance notes that lie at their intersection and choose perfumes with that ingredient.

6. There’s nothing wrong with taking the safe route

The process of finding the perfect fragrance for someone, while tedious, can be extremely rewarding. However, you may not have the bandwidth at the moment to conduct extensive research and find that one precious bottle that you know they are going to love. In such cases, remember that there is no shame in taking the safe route. By doing so, you will be solidifying their chances of liking your gift and ensuring that they have a new perfume to wear. So, what are the safe options? Well, it is difficult to go wrong with fresh, lightweight perfumes. Aquatics and mild citruses are excellent for gifting to both men and women. Light gourmands and florals can be suitable as more feminine alternatives. On the other hand, you can choose to give them the gift of variety. Choose a gift set or a discovery set and let them go on a memorable journey of finding their new signature scent.If the person is already someone who loves fragrances and has an extensive wardrobe, you should definitely opt for discovery sets, so they can fully experience a new brand.

7. Research, research, research

When it comes to buying perfumes for ourselves, it is tempting to be experimental and impulsive. However, you should be more careful when it comes to gifting perfumes to someone you love. Research is your best friend. Find out more about the perfumes you are considering, read their reviews, and then make an informed decision. Besides the factors mentioned, there might be other angles to think about when buying a fragrance for someone else!