It's said that the best gifts are those that people either can't, or won't buy for themselves- which is why perfume makes such a great gift idea. It's a luxury item that most people like to use but isn't necessarily the sort of thing you buy for yourself all that often because it's such a treat. However with peoples preference for different scents being so uniquely personal, buying for someone else can be a difficult one and can leave you not knowing where to start. Luckily there are some things you can do to give you the best chance of getting it right, here are my tips for buying perfume as a gift!

Find Out Their Likes/ Dislikes

It helps if you can find out what perfumes they already own and like, that way you're able to have a little search online and discover what kinds of categories these fall into- for example fruity/floral/fresh/gourmand etc. Choosing a perfume in the same category means there's more chance this will be the type of scent they will like. Alternatively you could choose a different perfume from their favourite brand, or even a re-release of a perfume they own or have liked in the past. Having a nosey at their current collection and most used perfumes will give you a world of hints as to what their scent preferences are.

Choose a Popular Perfume

If you don't have a clue what they already own or like, you could always choose a bestseller or popular perfume. There's a reason these scents hold that title- a lot of people like them. While there's always an element of risk choosing a fragrance for someone else, many perfumes could be considered as 'safe choices' and are the types of things that are very inoffensive and that most people will like the smell of. You could search for the year's bestsellers or go with a top selling perfume from a leading brand.

Get a Gift Receipt

A good tip if you're buying a perfume for someone else, is to wrap up the box along with a sample in the same fragrance and a gift receipt. That way when they open it up they can test out the scent first with the sample, and if they're not keen are able to return the unopened perfume and swap it for something else. Depending on where you shop for them you might be able to ask for a sample when you buy the perfume, if not you can find most perfume samples online, often for free but if not for just a couple of pounds. Well worth it if you're really not sure of their preferences, or want to make sure they'll like what you've picked (especially useful if you've spent a lot on the perfume).

I Recommend: Romance and Desire (Kiko Perfumes)

This is quite possibly the nicest perfume I've tried all year, and I can't think of a single reason why anyone would dislike it. Inside the rose gold presentation box is the prettiest glass bottle complete with rose gold charm and pale pink perfume, the whole thing looks absolutely stunning. Not only does it look the part for a gift but most importantly its smells gorgeous too; based on how it looks I expected a floral scent but it's actually a sweet, soft vanilla. The notes include caramel, vanilla, passion flower and sandalwood, it's the loveliest soft and feminine fragrance. It's long lasting without being overpowering, and is the sort of all-round nice scent that would suit women of all ages. If you're planning on buying a perfume gift this year but are not sure what to go for, I have no hesitation in recommending this it's just beautiful. For those new to Kiko they're are a higher end, cruelty-free Italian brand that sell high quality beauty products.

Will you be buying perfume for anyone this year?