The festive season is fast approaching, and in terms of gift giving, the best offerings are always the ones with thought and care behind them. Hand-picking a fragrance for your dearest is not only luxurious but highly personal if well considered. Of all of our senses, smell triggers memory the most, pulling at our heart strings with a single inhale. As well as this, to choose a scent for someone else requires deeper thinking, to contemplate their personality and tastes; a true reflection of knowing and admiration.
To ensure you get it right, we’ve come up with a guide to aid you with your selection and fill your loved one with emotion:
Do your research
With as much subtlety as possible, find out which fragrances your recipient wears regularly, whether that be day-to-day or occasional, and do a quick internet search, jotting down the olfactive families, key notes and strength (eaux de parfum, eaux de cologne etc). There will most likely be a recurring pattern within these factors. You can use this information to research similar scents, or better yet, visit a department store or a specific perfume brand and speak to the fragrance experts who can guide you to suitable scents. The assistants in our Pimlico Road showroom are always happy to provide their knowledge.
Think beyond the scent and make a connection
As previously mentioned, scent is closely connected to memory, so it is common to feel an inclination towards a scent based on association. For example you might be drawn to fragrances that remind you of your mother or father, or perhaps a significant place. When choosing for the wearer, it could be provocative and thoughtful to make a link to something personal to them.
Pick a brand you know they love
If there’s a fragrance brand you know they’re fond of, it is likely that they’ll like numerous scents within their range. Brands tend to have a recognisable identity with recurring and complimenting features across products. It would be worth going in-store and asking which scents are top sellers, or select the top selling category online, as these products have a proven success rate with consumers. At Czech & Speake, our original No.88 Cologne Spray 100ml remains the favourite amongst clients.
Consider personality
An effective approach is to focus on the individuals personality traits when choosing a scent, as conveniently, fragrance tends to be described in the same way as a persons spirit. For example, buoyant, youthful, intense, bohemian, sophisticated, loud and delicate. You will be amazed by the accuracy of pairing a scents character to your recipients personality.
Visit our Pimlico Road showroom to test the fragrances in our collection and speak to our experts. Alternatively discover our online service, ‘CS Support’ when you visit our site to chat to experts about the products in our range.
Located in North America or would like to pay in Euros? Please visit our US site here and our EU site here.
