Beauty Tips & Inspiration
Buying guide: What do 2023’s best fragrances say about you?
Find your scent soulmate – for Christmas, birthdays, Mondays and every occasion in between
Ever wondered what your go-to scent says about you? Looking to buy perfume for someone else? Simply fancy a new mood-boosting juice, but don’t know where to start?
Shopping for fragrance online can feel like a fiddly affair – until now.
From 2023’s best new perfumes to finding your one standout scent (to last a lifetime), we’ve done all the scrolling, wafting and sniffing for you… 1,383 perfumes later, it’s time to meet your perfect blend.
You are… A DREAMER
Free-spirited, (mostly) calm, always kind – you are as content in your own company as you are with your close-knit crew. Don’t let the humdrum of everyday life stand in the way of your masterplan. Your perfect perfume partner is packed with soft, romantic top notes (think pink pepper, patchouli and jasmine) alongside a subtly seductive base.
Your fragrance family: florals
You are… A QUEEN
Loud, proud and a helluva lot of fun – the party hasn’t started until you get there, amirite? Not afraid to take risks, friends and family adore your strong sense of self. Opt for notes of ylang-ylang, hot vanilla and orange blossom.
Your fragrance family: fruity/floral
You are… BOSSING IT
Leading the way at home and at play, you’re a real role model – whether you’ve realised it yet or not. Remember even bosses have soft spots, so go easy on yourself. Your signature scent is packed with fresh, sparkling citrus top notes and swirls of lemon oil for clarity, mixed with a warm, spicy, peppery base.
Your fragrance family: citrus/woody
You are… RESERVED
Secretly seductive, conscientious, clear-minded and quietly confident (minus a need to shout about it), your cool, calm and collected demeanour means you’re an excellent friend. Make sure you show yourself some love too, with sensual, woody top notes, fig, tonka beans and nuzzly amber musks.
Your fragrance family: woody
Perfume 101
1. Fragrance doesn’t last as long on dry skin, so layer yours over a body cream to boost its staying power, spraying on to pulse points.
2. Hot out? Lightly mist perfume on to your hairbrush and/or clothing – either the inside of your pockets (more subtle) or your entire outfit – as fibres will grip on to scent better.
3. Experts have long waxed lyrical about scent’s mood-manipulating powers – opt for top notes of citrus to promote clear thinking and reduce stress; lavender or neroli to soothe busy minds; musky or ambery notes for date nights; and pear, blackcurrant or fresh leaf accords for a lift.
4. Scents are seasonal – heady opulent ones are great for winter while, unsurprisingly, floral scents are better suited to spring.
5. Treat perfume as part of your outfit. Wearing colour? Think florals. Off to a wedding? Try a joyful, citrusy scent.
6. Want your perfume to last longer? Store it in your fridge so it doesn’t oxidise.
7. Spritz your No 1 perfume over warm bath water for a decadent bathtime boost.
