Is it presumptuous to buy perfume as a gift without knowing the recipient will like it? Scent is such a personal choice, we are told, ad infinitum. But those in close confines with a person drenched in fragrance will experience it as much as (if not more than) the wearer. Purchasing an eau de toilette is high-stakes stuff for all.
Every fragrance smells different to (and on) everyone; a single spritz at the perfume counter could convince gift-givers that they have found the most charming scent in existence, only to learn it induces abject nausea in their chosen recipient. I know this to be true: a whiff of Angel by Mugler is like a high-pitched siren through my head, but its curious chocolatey concoction remains one of the most popular. So, a perfume’s commercial success won’t always guarantee victory. Already we are in troubled waters. Eau de dommage.
But before abandoning the perfume counter completely, just imagine if we could bottle the sensation of unwrapping the most glorious fragrance at Christmas.
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in