As Maree mentioned in ThisThatBeauty Gift Guide: Fragrance for Him, giving the gift of fragrance is a bit of a cliché. While the act of gifting perfume might be common place, it takes a certain amount of dedication and dare I say, skill, to find the right fragrance to suit someone’s taste and personality. I’m not an expert but having sniffed, worn and reviewed my fair share of fragrances, I’ll attempt to help you find the right Fragrance For Her.
Love, Chloé
Notes of orange blossom, musk iris, pepper, lilac and more make this a sensual and seductive fragrance perfect for date night. Do you have a friend who always has a good dating story? Love, Chloé might be the perfect gift. $115
PRADA Infusion d’Iris
A youthful fragrance with notes of Iris Pallida, Muguet, Neroli, Violet, Cedar Wood, and Heliotrope. PRADA Infusion d’Iris may be great for anyone who likes that just showered fresh feeling, who might spend 45 minutes on makeup — only to achieve a ‘natural, makeup free’ look. $66
CHANEL Coco Noir
This Chanel scent is not as dark as either the name or the bottle suggests. It is a warm oriental scent with notes of citrus, vanilla, rose, jasmine sandalwood, and white musk. It’s actually quite easy to wear. CHANEL Coco Noir may be perfect for the woman who acts all ‘hard’ but who you know is a softy on the inside. $98
HONEY by Marc Jacobs
Notes of pear, mandarin, peach nectar and apricots paired with honeysuckle, orange blossom, vanilla and smooth woods, make this an energetic, fresh and fruity scent. This youthful fragrance is perfect for the young or young at heart. $72
Lady Gaga Fame
Don’t mistake this black liquid for something toxic and over the top. Notes of belladonna, orchid, saffron, incense, honey, and apricot make this a somewhat mellow, unisex fragrance. Though the juice appears black in the bottle, it actually turns invisible when it hits the skin. Lady Gaga Fame is for that girl/woman who is a bit of a contradiction and fully embraces it. $69
Citadelle
Citadelle, part of the Raw Spirit collection from Nomad Two Worlds, is a woody yet refreshing fragrance that blends Haitian vetiver, marigold, pear, bergamot, lemon, cinnamon, nutmeg, amberwood, musk and cedarwood. Part of the proceeds from Citadelle will be used to support sustainable Haitian agricultural projects. This is the perfect fragrance for your philanthropic friends. $35
NEST Fragrances Dahlia and Vines
This light fragrance combines peony, garden rose, and daffodils with essence of garden vines, white amber and warm vanilla. It’s quite delicate and wears ever so faintly. I think NEST Fragrances Dahlia and Vines would be ideal for someone who wants something subtle and unique — give this to the friend you might describe as ‘wallflower’. $25
Marni
The combination of bergamot, ginger, and pink pepper gives Marni a very light opening. However, the rest of the fragrance is headier, containing cardamom, rose, cinnamon bark, patchouli, cedarwood and incense. I think Marni is best suited for someone who is mature or mature beyond their years, someone on whose sage advice you might rely. $105
Gucci Guilty
You can never go wrong with a Gucci fragrance and Gucci Guilty is no different. It contains notes of mandarin, pink pepper, peach, lilac, geranium, amber and patchouli. Someone on your list into the bling? The gold intertwined Gs over glass adds a bit of luxury to the packaging and will definitely go over well with them. $75
La Vie Est Belle
This bright fragrance uses notes of pear, black currant, praline, tonka bean, vanilla, and patchouli to create an olfactory experience that is beautiful from start to finish. La Vie Est Belle translates to “Life is beautiful,” and would make a great gift for that friend who finds joy in every situation and seems to have good grasp on what it means to be happy. $58
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