Perfume is often seen by retailers as “the desperate husband gift” – a present for Christmas Eve panickers for whom all time has evaporated and more creative ideas have failed to materialise. A posh branded perfume is something one can dash into Boots and point at, and probably even take home ready-wrapped and tied in a satin bow.
But perfume should never be reduced to a consolation prize, a petrol station bouquet symbol of thoughtlessness, when in fact there are few lovelier treats than a new bottle of good scent. Dior J’adore Touche (£70), for example. It may seem like generic Christmas fare but admirably, it’s a great deal more ambitious. No traditional perfume, this is a fairly potently scented oil that’s daubed, not sprayed, on the skin, and seems to smell slightly differently on everyone (though it is consistently warm, soft and exotic). The idea is that you can customise it further by spraying your regular perfume over the oil, but it works wonderfully – and enduringly – without the extra layer. I’m not mustard-keen on J’adore myself, but I like this very much (probably because it doesn’t smell much like its big sister).
Marc Jacobs is a favourite designer, but I generally find his scents a bit cutesy and infantile (I feel too old to be spritzing sugary perfume from a plastic bumblebee). Decadence (£49), is his first grownup endeavour in years and it’s a very sophisticated affair: a dark, sexy, rich amber scent with a sharp grassiness and woodiness that stops it being all fur-coat-no-knickers. The bottle – shaped like a handbag in jade faux animal skin – is a showstopper, too.
Clinique’s Aromatics in Black (£55), is also well worth a sniff. It’s a fruity take on indisputable classic Aromatics Elixir, and so would make a perfect gift for any lover of the original who might appreciate something a little more full-bodied (think blackberries and lychees, plus a drop of festive myrrh). For those who will always want zingy and fresh, not rich and murky, Shay & Blue Blood Oranges (£30), is ideal. Sweet (but I promise, not sickly), creamy and comfortingly soapy, it imparts immediate good cheer and is a reliable hit. I appreciate emergencies occur at this late stage, and that availability is key, so you’ll find all of my deliberately mainstream choices on the high street. Merry Christmas.
