How To Buy Perfume For Other People
Perfume is a much cherished choice of gift in the region, but with so many maisons it can be hard to know where to start…
The custom of giving perfume as a gift has deep roots in Middle Eastern culture and is often offered as a symbol of intimacy and endearment. It’s not, however, all that simple to pick the ideal scent for someone else. With so many variables influencing someone’s scent preference – from personality and lifestyle to skin chemistry – choosing a high-end fragrance requires careful consideration. Niche and prestige perfumers are also highly popular in the region, and many scent obsessives choose to overlap multiple scents, which can make it tricky to buy the right fragrance for those you love.
Here’s how to pick the ideal luxury scent for someone else, from seductive florals to rich ouds.
Pay Attention to Their Scent Preferences
The ideal place to start, is by figuring out what is already in their fragrance wardrobe. Try to determine the notes in their current favourite perfume, if they wear it frequently. Generally speaking, perfumes belong to the following categories:
Floral: Featuring tuberose, rose, or jasmine, this style is feminine and romantic.
Woody: Warm and elegant, frequently accompanied by cedar, oud, or sandalwood.
Amber/oriental: Rich and exotic, containing spices, musk, or vanilla.
Fresh/citrus: Clean and uplifting, with notes of neroli, bergamot, or aquatics.
The rich and varied fragrance profiles of Middle Eastern perfumeries, however, are often divided into four scent realms:
Oud: The deep, woodsy aroma of oud, also known as agarwood, is a staple of Middle Eastern fragrances.
Musk and amber: These scents add depth, and are warm and seductive.
Floral accords: These bring a hint of softness and freshness by combining orange blossom, jasmine, and rose.
Spicy and oriental: With frankincense, cardamom, and saffron.
Start by being sneaky – do some research into the notes contained by the perfumes your loved one already wears often, and seek out newer scents that riff on a similar theme.
Choose the Right Perfume Concentration
The concentration of luxury perfumes varies greatly, which impacts how long the scent lingers on the skin. An eau de toilette (EDT) tends to be a milder concentration that lasts for four to six hours, while an eau de parfum (EDP) is stronger, with a 10-hour half-life. The ultimate potency is an extrait de parfum, with a 12-hour+ wear time. If your loved one is a perfume connoisseur, they’re likely to want a fragrance that will linger all day long.
Look for Fragrances with Oud
In the Middle East, oud, sometimes referred to as ‘liquid gold,’ is one of the most valuable components used in perfume. It comes from the agarwood tree and has a strong, woodsy, and faintly smoky scent. Oud perfumes can, however, vary wildly in their scent profile – if you’re looking for an oud-based scent it’s important to sample many variations. Either select an oud that echoes an existing perfume they love, or take a chance on an oud that has fresh energy – many people enjoy having a scent wardrobe that contains a wide range of perfumes to suit different moods and occasions.
Purchase a Custom Fragrance
The ultimate luxury is a custom fragrance. Many brands in the UAE provide personalised fragrance experiences, where you can tailor the fragrance profile to particular ingredients, with an expert guiding you on which notes should be paired. Oo La Lab, Ghawali, and Henry Jacques are some of the cult perfumers that create custom scents, but it is also possible to create your own custom fragrance by combining multiple perfumes at home. An ultra generous gift? A mini capsule wardrobe of perfumes that can be layered and loved together – it’s hard to go wrong.
Lead image courtesy of Kayali