Beauty

Don’t Be Fooled! Fragrances Are Still Great Holiday Gifts

The holidays are nigh, and high on the list of “gifts that stink” is perfume. Perfume has, in recent years, developed an inaccurate reputation as a bad gift to give. Sure, shopping for a fragrance is a personal experience (and one that’s quite tricky!). But hear us out: A perfume, even if you’re allergic to it, is still considerate. What other present says “I smelled this and thought of you?”

While the margin of error might seem too great to throw down $60 or more for a purchase that has the potential of being re-gifted, the fragrances below will help better your odds. Here’s 7 perfumes that smell like winners.

Tiffany & Co. “Holiday Limited Edition”

Courtesy of Coty

Tiffany & Co. “Holiday Limited Edition,” $120 at Bloomingdale’s

It smells like New York – but don’t write that off as a bad thing. This limited-edition fragrance captures the “luxury, glamour, and romance” of the city with notes of vert de mandarine, noble iris, patchouli, and musk.

Burberry “Her”

Courtesy of Coty

Burberry “Her,” from $94 at Macy’s

Fruity and musky, this has all the makings of a Great Fragrance. Plus, it can be personalized with engraved initials on a gold charm around the bottle’s neck. See what we mean by perfume = thoughtful?

Calvin Klein “Women”

Courtesy of Coty

Calvin Klein “Women,” from $84 at Macy’s

Launched by Raf Simons earlier this year, “Women” is Calvin Klein’s first flagship fragrance in years. But with hints of orange flower petals and Alaskan cedar wood, it’s bound to become a classic.

Gucci “Bloom”

Courtesy of Coty

Gucci “Bloom” Nettare di Fiori, from $107 at Sephora

Sick of cold weather yet? Gucci’s “Bloom” fragrance can fix that.

Alexander McQueen “MCQUEEN” Collection

Courtesy of Coty

Alexander McQueen “MCQUEEN” Collection perfumes, $245 each at Saks

With eight different perfumes to choose from, the Alexander McQueen collection of fragrances is bound to be more hit than miss. The “Celtic Rose,” which is somehow both “gentle” and “spicy,” is one of our favorites.

Chloé Absolu de Parfum

Courtesy of Coty

Chloé Absolu, $145 at Macy’s

Chloé’s limited-edition parfum is BACK. With notes of patchouli, vanilla, and rose, it’s worth buying before it disappears again.

CK “ONE PLATINUM”

Courtesy of Coty

CK “ONE PLATINUM”, $78 at Macy’s

Another limited-edition reprise, Calvin Klein’s classic CK ONE unisex fragrance has been revived with contrasting notes of cardamom, lavender, and Granny Smith apple. It’s hard to resist.