Buying fragrance for someone else is often a bit of a risk. While it would seem to be a safe bet it can be as intimate as purchasing lingerie. But it is also the chance to delight someone with something they might never pick up themselves but will totally fall in love with.
What follows is a list of scents ranging from department store finds to a few off the beaten track and one amazing new creation which costs $700 but just might be the most amazing fragrance set ever.
1) Donna Karan Gold
What: Donna Karan’s latest is a luscious scent of casablanca lily and amber, a big embracing warm floral.
Who: a woman with warmth and heart, mothers, teachers, mentors, anyone with both elegance and kindness in good supply
How Much: The 1.7 ounce Eau de Parfum is $75
Buying fragrance for someone else is often a bit of a risk. While it would seem to be a safe bet it can be as intimate as purchasing lingerie. But it is also the chance to delight someone with something they might never pick up themselves but will totally fall in love with.
What follows is a list of scents ranging from department store finds to a few off the beaten track and one amazing new creation which costs $700 but just might be the most amazing fragrance set ever.
1) Donna Karan Gold
What: Donna Karan’s latest is a luscious scent of casablanca lily and amber, a big embracing warm floral.
Who: a woman with warmth and heart, mothers, teachers, mentors, anyone with both elegance and kindness in good supply
How Much: The 1.7 ounce Eau de Parfum is $75
2) Marc Jacobs Perfume
What: The designer’s signature perfume comes in a sleek black lacquer topped bottle and has notes of gardenia and musk with hints of pepper and honeysuckle.
Who: Sofia Coppola, trendy young ladies, city girls with sleek demeanors and romantic hearts
How Much: The Eau de Parfum sells for $85
2) Marc Jacobs Perfume
What: The designer’s signature perfume comes in a sleek black lacquer topped bottle and has notes of gardenia and musk with hints of pepper and honeysuckle.
Who: Sofia Coppola, trendy young ladies, city girls with sleek demeanors and romantic hearts
How Much: The Eau de Parfum sells for $85
3) Elixir des Merveilles from Hermes
What: The new companion to the much-loved Eau des Merveilles and Parfum des Merveilles from Hermes has notes of orange, chocolate, tonka bean and sandalwood.
Who: epicures, European ladies with a lust for life, educated sophisticates
How Much: The Eau de Parfum spray sells for around $65
3) Elixir des Merveilles from Hermes
What: The new companion to the much-loved Eau des Merveilles and Parfum des Merveilles from Hermes has notes of orange, chocolate, tonka bean and sandalwood.
Who: epicures, European ladies with a lust for life, educated sophisticates
How Much: The Eau de Parfum spray sells for around $65
4) Vera Wang The Fragrance
What: Vera Wang’s fragrance is a gentle floral with notes of Bulgarian rose, calla lily, and mandarin flower, iris, and white stephanotis. Imagine a burying your nose in a bridal bouquet and you’ve got this scent.
Who: New brides, brides-to-be, the girl dreaming of Prince Charming
How Much: The limited edition 3.4 ounce Eau de Parfum sells for $90.
4) Vera Wang The Fragrance
What: Vera Wang’s fragrance is a gentle floral with notes of Bulgarian rose, calla lily, and mandarin flower, iris, and white stephanotis. Imagine a burying your nose in a bridal bouquet and you’ve got this scent.
Who: New brides, brides-to-be, the girl dreaming of Prince Charming
How Much: The limited edition 3.4 ounce Eau de Parfum sells for $90.
5) Aqualina Chocolovers
What: Chocolate-scented fragrances can be a dodgy affair but not this one. It has a mix of essential oils of orange and coriander as well as hazelnut and vanilla notes. The overall effect is spicy and sensual.
Who: Fans of dark chocolate, friends who appreciate the unusual, foodies
How Much: The 1.7 ounce Eau de Toliette is $35
5) Aqualina Chocolovers
What: Chocolate-scented fragrances can be a dodgy affair but not this one. It has a mix of essential oils of orange and coriander as well as hazelnut and vanilla notes. The overall effect is spicy and sensual.
Who: Fans of dark chocolate, friends who appreciate the unusual, foodies
How Much: The 1.7 ounce Eau de Toliette is $35
6) Nelly Rodi Scent Factory Collector Set
What: A collection of eight fantastic scents including Incense which has notes of rosemary and cinnamon, Rhum which as notes of patchouli and saffron, Cardamome, Cacao and Bois which has notes of caraway, clove and birch.
Who: scent junkies, the indecisive, those who like having lots of options.
How Much: The set of 8 sells for $145
6) Nelly Rodi Scent Factory Collector Set
What: A collection of eight fantastic scents including Incense which has notes of rosemary and cinnamon, Rhum which as notes of patchouli and saffron, Cardamome, Cacao and Bois which has notes of caraway, clove and birch.
Who: scent junkies, the indecisive, those who like having lots of options.
How Much: The set of 8 sells for $145
7) Annick Goutal Mandragore
What: A mysterious scent with a dark side. It combines notes of ginger, boxwood, bergamot and a hint of mandrake.
Who: the sexy, the moody, those who wear a lot of black
How Much: The 1.7 oz. Eau de Toliette sells for $69
7) Annick Goutal Mandragore
What: A mysterious scent with a dark side. It combines notes of ginger, boxwood, bergamot and a hint of mandrake.
Who: the sexy, the moody, those who wear a lot of black
How Much: The 1.7 oz. Eau de Toliette sells for $69
8) Molecule 01
What: Molecule 01 is composed simply of Iso E Super, an aroma-chemical with a ambered wood scent. Subtle and plush, it smells like nothing else you have ever experienced.
Who: the andogynous, those who say they don’t like perfume, scientists
How Much: The 3.5 oz Eau de Toilette is $135
8) Molecule 01
What: Molecule 01 is composed simply of Iso E Super, an aroma-chemical with a ambered wood scent. Subtle and plush, it smells like nothing else you have ever experienced.
Who: the andogynous, those who say they don’t like perfume, scientists
How Much: The 3.5 oz Eau de Toilette is $135
9) Tom Ford Black Orchid Limited Edition
What: Tom Ford’s latest fragrance offering is one of the hottest for this season. The scent is heavy on the sensual with notes of black truffle, ylang, black currant and patchouli. The limited edtion version has a black Lalique bottle which arrives empty and is accompanied by a 0.5 oz. glass vial filled with perfume and a gold funnel to pour the fragrance into the bottle.
Who: fashionistas pining for the Tom Ford era at Gucci, trend followers, fans of heavy scents
How Much: The Limited Edition sells for $600
9) Tom Ford Black Orchid Limited Edition
What: Tom Ford’s latest fragrance offering is one of the hottest for this season. The scent is heavy on the sensual with notes of black truffle, ylang, black currant and patchouli. The limited edtion version has a black Lalique bottle which arrives empty and is accompanied by a 0.5 oz. glass vial filled with perfume and a gold funnel to pour the fragrance into the bottle.
Who: fashionistas pining for the Tom Ford era at Gucci, trend followers, fans of heavy scents
How Much: The Limited Edition sells for $600
10) Thierry Mugler Perfume Coffret
What: This is the ultimate gift for the perfume-obssessed. Thierry Mugler has created a set of 15 scents inspired by the Patrick Süskind novel “Perfume” to coincide with the film version of the devilish story of a murderer obsessed with creating the perfect scent. The velvet case holds scents with titles such as Baby, Paris 1738, Atelier Grimal, Virgin No. 1, Boutique Baldini, Amor & Psyché, Orgie and Aura.
Who: sensualists, scent hounds, bibliophiles, those in search for the truly unique
How much: the set sells for $700