Perfume is so deeply personal, to the point that where gifts are concerned, the margin for error is practically a chasm.
Years of working on a perfume counter has taught me that if you’re cutting it close to the wire, don’t bother. Panic-stricken faces looking to blind-buy for their partners on Christmas Eve? It’s a no from me.
Choosing a scent for a loved one requires thought, care and attention to detail, and our edit of luxurious perfumes makes for an excellent starting point on your olfactory mission.
How we chose:
Luxuriousness: The perfumes we’ve chosen span many different fragrance families, and the prices are reflective of the craftsmanship that goes into creating a luxury scent.
Performance and personal testimony: All the scents have been tested by Hello! Fashion’s resident beauty obsessive Orin Carlin to give you an insight into what they actually smell like.
READ: The history of Chanel perfume
Hello! Fashion shares the most luxurious perfumes to gift in 2023:
Portrait of a Lady Eau de Parfum
Frédéric Malle
Hero notes…
Turkish rose, sandalwood and patchouli.
There’s a reason why Frédéric Malle’s ‘Portrait of a Lady’ has amassed a cult following. Mature, compliment-inducing and bold, it layers mystical, velvety rose over a woody base, with a fruity depth.
Misia Eau de Parfum
Chanel
Hero notes…
Violet, iris pallida, and tonka bean.
Part of Chanel’s Les Exclusifs line, ‘Misia’ is a total joy for iris obsessives. Inspired by the heady anticipation of opera dressing rooms, the scent is powdery, fizzy and a signifier of imminent excitement. It’s giving palatial parma violet.
Ormonde Woman Eau de Parfum
Ormonde Jayne
Hero notes…
Black hemlock, jasmine and grass oil.
Above all else, Ormonde Jayne’s ‘Ormonde Woman’ is such a thoughtful, interesting creation, that I can’t help but mentally applaud Linda Pilkington with each spritz. Uplifting and radiant, this scent combines the rare black hemlock with musky jasmine – I think of it as an olfactive protective shield.
Allegra Magnifying Myrrh Eau De Parfum
Bvlgari
Hero notes…
Leather, vanilla and amber.
An unexpected favourite, the amber in Bvlgari’s ‘Magnifying Myrrh’ has a lovely resin-like quality to it. Aromatic and soft, it floods the skin with warmth and this scent never fails to elicit a compliment.
Celestial Patchouli Eau de Parfum
Sana Jardin
Hero notes…
Patchouli, rose, cinnamon bark.
An outlier in the fragrance world, vegan independent perfume house Sana Jardin is the proud creator of some extraordinary luxury scents. A discovery set would no doubt go down a treat with any beauty fanatic, but this is the fragrance I constantly come back to, featuring hypnotic patchouli layered over come-to-bed rose.
L’Ombre dans l’Eau Eau de Toilette
Diptyque
Hero notes…
Rose, blackcurrant and petitgrain.
Diptyque’s ‘L’Ombre dans l’Eau’ has strong summer associations, but I have no qualms about wearing it all year round. The tartness of the blackcurrant alongside the plush, dense rose feels romantic and in Toilette form it has a certain easy-breezy levity.
Rose 31 Eau de Parfum
Le Labo
The intention behind ‘Rose 31’ was to transform the traditionally feminine Grasse rose into something more “virile”, but for me, its prettiness is its superpower. Creamy, spa-like and with a lathery appeal, I love the inclusion of non-disruptive spices that run through the base.
Poets of Berlin Eau de Parfum
Vilhelm Parfumerie
Hero notes…
Vetiver, lemon, blueberry and vanilla.
Comforting and creamy, Vilhelm Parfumerie’s ‘Poets of Berlin’ is directly inspired by David Bowie’s Berlin Trilogy. Call me musically challenged, but I’ve never listened to them, and I lapped up the scent all the same. The lemon is completely devoid of sharpness and the vanilla feels flat and purry rather than sickly sweet. Obsessed.
Hero notes…
Juniper, ginger and sandalwood.
With ‘Tudor’, Liberty’s new fragrance label LBTY pays tribute to the building’s rich heritage. Steeped in history, this woody floral scent aptly reminds me of my beloved Hampton Court’s Great Hall, evoking architectural extravagance.
Pleine Lune Eau de Parfum
Bastille
Hero notes…
Green tea, tuberose and tonka bean.
Herby and fresh, Bastille’s ‘Pleine Lune’ combines green tea with jasmine, the standout tuberose and a hint of pink pepper to form a pleasantly sexy daytime fragrance.
HELLO!’s selection is editorial and independently chosen – we only feature items our editors love and approve of. HELLO! may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. To find out more visit our FAQ page.
