I’ve said it before and I’ll no doubt say it again: tastes in perfume are incredibly subjective. But I don’t just mean in terms of which fragrances each of us likes to wear; any given perfume could smell markedly different on my skin compared to yours—and this makes finding the best perfumes for gifting purposes quite tricky.
This got me thinking. I know that there are a select number of the best perfumes that I think smell great when I catch them on other people but that just don’t work on me. There are also, of course, fragrances that we like smelling on people we’re attracted to but wouldn’t necessarily spritz on our own wrists or the back of our neck. The same goes for nostalgic perfumes that remind you of a specific loved one—and, as such, have a special place in your heart—but that don’t match your vibe.
So, with gifting season upon us, I figured that while there are plenty of fabulous perfume Christmas gifting options out there, deciding which options are totally failsafe can really only be left to those with extensive anecdotal expert experience. To make things easier, I tapped into the fragrance intel of my fellow beauty editors to gauge which perfumes they love catching a whiff of on other people. If you’d like to buy someone in your life a new perfume, this list is a pretty good starting point.
1. Tom For Oud Minérale
Key notes: Pink pepper, salt, fir balsam, seaweed, sea notes, agarwood, amber, styrax, musk
"I go weak at the knees every time I smell this fragrance. Marine, punchy and a tiny bit woody, it is the single most deliciously fresh fragrance in existence. It's marketed towards men, and my husband has worn it for years. After smelling it on him, most of our friends now wear it, too. However, it's versatile and ungendered enough that I steal it off his shelf and douse myself in it often. It's no secret that Tom Ford fragrances are some of the best around, but Oud Minérale trumps them all. If I were an animated character, one whiff of the stuff would makes my eyes bulge out of head, angel wings sprout from my back and cause my feet to be lifted off the floor as I flutter my way up into fragrance heaven. It's powerfully fresh, sense-clearingly salty and undeniably expensive-smelling. Trust me, you can't go wrong with Oud Minérale." — Shannon Lawlor, Executive Beauty Editor at Marie Claire UK
2. Chanel Coco Mademoiselle
Key notes: Orange, jasmine, rose, vetiver, patchouli
“So, the perfume that I think smells incredible on other people, but have never been able to get on board with myself, is Chanel Coco Mademoiselle. Truly, it brings a tear to my eye that it just doesn't seem to work for me whenever I spritz it on myself—and, trust me, I've tried countless times. It has plenty of notes that I gravitate towards in perfumes, like rose, patchouli, vanilla, and musk, but like a lot of Chanel perfumes it's still undeniably a power player of a fragrance. To me, this smells like a real grown-up woman who has her shit together. And, whenever I smell someone on the street wearing it they always fit the bill—swooshing hair, fancy trench coat, leather boots and not one smudge of their toddler's Weetabix in sight. Perhaps, even though I'm 35 with two kids, I still just consider myself a little too wayward and disorderly to step into the head-turning nature of this scent. It's sparkling, strong and elegant—everything I hope to be when I grow up.” — Mica Ricketts, freelance beauty editor and copywriter
3. Byredo Bal D'Afrique
Key notes: Bucchu, marigold, bergamot, lemon, neroli, cyclamen, jasmine petals, violet, amber, cedarwood, musk, vetiver
“Out of all the people I’ve ever stopped to ask what perfume they’re wearing, 95% of the people have answered with Byredo’s Bal d’Afrique. Clearly I’m smitten with the scent. It’s such a stunning fragrance—light but intense, zesty yet woody, fresh yet completely rich. It somehow manages to feel both effortless and luxurious; I can’t quite manage to put together the perfect words to describe it, but to me it’s like the most incredible holiday bottled up. And it’s always the coolest people wearing it.
"The scent itself is a masterpiece. It has notes of earthy buchu, spicy African marigold, bergamot, lemon, neroli, jasmine petals, violet, black amber, Moroccan cedarwood, musk, and vetiver. There is a lot going on, but it doesn’t feel crowded or overwhelming, it’s beautifully complex and balanced. Clearly, I need a bottle for myself.” — Zeynab Mohamed, freelance
4. Le Labo Santal 33
Key notes: Cardamon, iris, violet, sandalwood, cedarwood, musk, leather
“Mine would probably be Le Labo Santal 33—I know this is SUCH a popular choice but I really do love it on others. However, it hits a little close to home for me as my ex used to wear it, so I couldn't now reach for it myself, but I can absolutely still appreciate how gorgeous it smells on friends and loved ones. It's super stylish and chic, and timeless.” — Rebecca Fearn, freelance beauty editor and features writer
5. Maison Crivelli Neroli Nasimba
Key notes: Mandarin, pink peppercorn, cardamon, neroli, petitgrain, orange blossom, leather, vetiver
"Citrus scents aren't usually something I gravitate to in my own perfume collection (I usually reach for woody or musky scents, especially at this time of the year). But, there is something to be said about the refreshing zing of citrus on someone else. A twist of lemon or a trail of bergamot is instantly appealing, energising and smells so clean and fresh. I've recently discovered Maison Crivelli and have fallen for Neroli Nasimba. I also love Molton Brown Sunlit Clementine and Vetiver and Parfums de Marly Perseus!" — Eleanor Vousden, Beauty Editor at Who What Wear
6. Dior Poison
Key notes: Coriander, tuberose, opoponax
“Growing up, I have a strong memory of my mum regularly spritzing Dior’s Poison before we’d head to dinner or out for the evening, and it was a scent that I always turned my nose up at. Rich and moody, it’s incredibly powerful with notes of amber, musk and spices, which can catch you off guard (especially if you’re a child more used to spritzing Impulse body sprays and Charlie Red). Now, as an adult however, I love this power perfume on both myself and others, not just because I’m a fan of dark musky scents, but also because it takes me back to that memory. My comfort winter scent!” — Jazzria Harris, freelance fashion & beauty editor and stylist
7. Victoria Beckham Beauty San Ysidro Drive
Key notes: Pink saffron, passionfruit, coffee, frankincense, centifolia rose absolute, pink peony, agarwood, amber, vanilla
“With heady saffron, lush rose and warm amber, Victoria Beckham's San Ysidro Drive is a little too potent for my liking (I'm more into powdery, soapy scents) but it certainly commands a room—and it smells incredible on my partner. The mix of creamy vanilla, earthy agarwood and spicy saffron is like an all-encompassing hug. He gets compliments everywhere he goes. I also recently went to lunch with a colleague and the first thing I noticed was her perfume, which smelt like smoky incense and syrupy roses. Of course, it was San Ysidro Drive; it smells different on everyone. The staying power is second to none, too. My partner spritzed some on his winter coat months ago and when he grabbed it from the wardrobe recently, it still smelt wonderful.” — Jacqueline Kilikita, beauty director at Refinery29
8. Mizensir Golden Oud
Key notes: Frankincense, rose, papyrus, Amyris wood, cetalox
"Mizensir is one of my all-time favourite perfume brands—it's luxurious and complex. I find myself constantly reaching for the perfumes I have in my stash. Golden Oud is the newest one I’ve tried from the brand and I absolutely love it. It’s smoky, rich and woody with rose that delicately balances throughout. However, it’s not a scent I feel like I can ‘pull off’, and I actually much prefer it on my partner. It smells like an actual masterpiece on him with just the right amount of smoky notes. As long as you’re not overzealous with your spritzes, this is oud-y, woody perfection." — Tori Crowther, freelance health & beauty journalist
9. Glossier You
Key notes: Pink pepper, iris, ambrette seeds, ambrox
"The perfume that I love someone else wearing is Glossier You on my sister. To me, it's cosy, comforting and sweet; the 'skin scent' aspect really allows that warmth to come through, but I also love the slight spice from the pink pepper that stops it being too sickly or sweet. It used to be her everyday go-to perfume, I wouldn't call it a staple of hers—it's not one of those that everybody knows as 'oh that person wears that perfume'—but I know she wears it. She wears it most working from home days, especially during the lockdown years when we got into a work from home groove, she would wear that every day.
"It makes me think of her; being at home together, working across the hallway from each other, waving at each other from our desks, grabbing lunch together, watching a nostalgic TV show at lunchtime, then maybe heading to the gym and grabbing a hot chocolate or a coffee after work. It just makes me think of doing those 'work from home day' rituals with her. That is literally my happy place. It's just so cosy and comforting, not just the scent, but the memory and the feeling of that daily routine with my little sister who is my best friend." — Aleesha Badkar, digital Beauty Editor, woman&home
10. YSL MYSLF
Key notes: Black pepper, orange blossom, vanilla bourbon, wood accord
"There is a real trend at the moment for vanilla in fragrances, but not always the super-sweet kind you probably recognise from a mile off as tell-tale vanilla. Instead, a more mellow form has become increasingly popular lately, including in 'masculine' marketed scents. MYSLF Le Parfum—YSL's newer, more intense take on this classic fragrance—is a great example. I wouldn't go as far as to say it's a particularly boozy perfume, but it's definitely got a bit of that richness and warmth thanks to the vanilla bourbon vibe, alongside zingy pepper and a woody base. It's ideal if someone you know doesn't like super fresh, aquatic or pine-heavy notes of some typically masculine fragrances." — Lucy Abbersteen, freelance beauty editor & copywriter
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