Scent-time

By now you might know that I am a fragrance junkie. And even though scent is a pretty personal thing, I think it makes a great gift. You just have to really know the person. For example, my friend KT likes light warm florals like Marc Jacobs. I would try to stick to that range. The genius website Basenotes can be very helpful; it's like menupages for fragrance. You type in a perfume and it tells you everything about it, gives you customer reviews, and recommends other scents.

Hedge your bet by buying the scent with the best bottle. A good bottle never fails to please. Even if your giftee hates the scent, the bottle will look nice on her shelf. I prefer bottles with something in them as opposed to empty artsy bottles. You know what I mean...

1) Prada- The chicest of chic bottles. I personally love the spicy amber based fragrance, but it's not for every one. It is very feminine, but not floral at all; let's call it the difference between womanly and girly. Love the scent or hate it, the bottle is a keeper.

2)Shalimar by Guerlain - If you're feeling splurgy, you can't go wrong with Shalimar, a true fragrance classic. Laced with bergamot, vanilla, iris and others, this is the ultimate maximalist scent. And the bottle is as decadent as a character in Waugh!

3) Penhaligon's Bluebell- This lovely floral scent is positively dainty, if you can imagine such a thing. It is sweet and fresh and blue. And who can beat that bottle! Or any bottle from Penhaligon's, that bastion of English fragrance?