Young Rose, from £130
Byredo
Byredo’s monochromatic bottles are the last word in Insta cool. Inspired by the ‘restlessness of the new generation’, its new fragrance, Young Rose, is the perfect expression of a new era in floral scents. Forget sweet sickly blooms; traditional Damascena rose has been blended with energetic Sichuan pepper, ambrette seeds and a heady hit of musk and ambroxan. Love’s young dream. Buy it here.
Une Rose, from £54
Frederic Malle
Crafted by haute perfumer Edouard Flacchier for Frederic Malle, Une Rose takes the concept of a pure floral scent and adds a gothic twist. That’s thanks to an earthy truffle note and base of vetiver and patchouli for an intoxicating blend that exudes dark feminine allure. Buy it here.
Fragrance Miniatures Set, £225 for 7 x 9ml
Christian Louboutin
Not sure which scent to plump for? A discovery set is always a great option. With this set of luxury miniatures from Christian Louboutin in their sculptural, Egypt-inspired bottles, the lucky recipient can explore all seven scents – including Louicrown, with its cocktail of cedar wood, patchouli and tonka bean; and Loubicroc with its spicy blend of myrrh, cypriol and sandalwood. The perfect indulgent gift for fashion lovers. Buy it here.
Whispers in the Library, £99
Maison Margiela
If you’re looking to treat your old university sweetheart, Whispers in the Library could just be the thing to bring back memories of clandestine clinches. Maison Margiela’s Replica range of scents has been created specifically to ‘reproduce familiar scents and moments’ – in this case Oxford, 1997 – using the olfactory triggers of paper and waxed wood. Great for bookish lovers and romantic reminiscing. Buy it here.
Gorse, £80 for 100ml
Laboratory Perfumes
This fragrance demonstrates perfectly the transportive power of scent. One squirt and, even in the depths of February, you’ll be in the English countryside in the height of summer, thanks to the gentle breeze of a citrusy scent with a lingering cardamom note for added heat. Like sun-warmed skin on a lazy July day, this is the perfect note to signal the promises of summers to come. Buy it here.
Revolution de la Fleur, from £95
Sana Jardin
A great option for a sustainability conscious partner. Sana Jardin empowers female flower harvesters through fair commerce, using their petal power to concoct a heady, tropical mix of sun-warmed ylang ylang, jasmine, frangipani and rose – all laced with creamy vanilla and sandalwood depth. Instant far-flung wanderlust in a bottle. Buy it here.
Killian’s Love Don’t be Shy, from £142
Kilian Hennessy
Kilian of *that* Hennessy heritage has spent his life surrounded by the intoxicating mix of botanicals and alcohol. It comes as scant surprise, then, that his foray into the perfume world should riff on those same woody, amber, syrupy notes. Killian’s Love, Don’t Be Shy is a fragrance inspired by that seminal moment – the first kiss – with tender orange blossom, juicy honeysuckle, romantic rose and sharp neroli for a sensual, warm fragrance. All his bottles can be refilled too, for a long-term love affair with fragrance. Buy it here.
Another 13, from £60
Le Labo
Originally created as a limited-edition collaboration with Jefferson Hack, Another 13 has become a permanent fixture in the Le Labo stable thanks to its sell-out status. The key note of ambroxan (a heady musk) is blended with twelve other ingredients, including moss, jasmine and ambrette seeds in a subtle yet seductive scent that is designed to blend with the wearer’s natural pheromones to create an almost undetectable your-own-scent-but-better allure. Buy it here.
Mind Energy, £85 for 50ml
The Nue Co
Presented as a ‘fragrance supplement’, the Danish brand’s Mind Energy scent has been blended to hone focus and limber up your mental energy – using patented neuroscience technology, no less. It might not sound that romantic, but consumer trials have shown wearers felt more productivity after 30 days, with a lift in ‘mind fog’ symptoms. Perhaps a thoughtful gift for a post-COVID pick me up? Notes include juniper, clary sage and pink peppercorn for a mind-clearing, energising hit. Buy it here.
By Lydia Mansi
Updated February 2023
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