Here at Shopaholic, we often tell you which scents we’re digging – heck, we even posted our top 10 ladies perfumes this fall – but to this point we’ve offered little in the way of general buying guidelines for the befuddled boyfriend.  Well, we’ve heard your cries for help, which is why today I’m giving you my tried and true tips for selecting the perfect perfume for your perfect lady.  Follow along.

1.       Raid her cabinets

You wouldn’t buy your lady clothes without peeking in her closet first, so don’t go buying a scent before checking to see what she might be using now.  Some men may view buying their wives or girlfriends the same old perfume as uninspired, but the truth is that unless she explicitly asked for something different, it’s the smartest move you can make.  Gifting a woman her favourite perfume tells her that you’ve been paying attention, and when she kisses you for telling her you’ve always loved the way she smells, you’ll know you made the right call.

2.       Shun the gift set

You know that £20 perfume, lotion, and shower gel gift set you were eyeing up at Boots last week?  Leave it on the shelf and keep walking.  While these sets may provide a great value, there’s certainly no guarantee that your significant other will enjoy being handcuffed to the same line of products for her entire daily routine.  Many women are particular about the beauty and skin care products they use (we all should be, really), and chances are your girlfriend is no different.  Case in point – Ted Baker perfumes are inexpensive and should by all means be considered in your search, but you don’t need to buy their entire wellness collection.

3.       Give it some thought

The most important thing you can do in shopping for women’s fragrances is to think about what kind of person your woman is.  Is she serious and conservative?  Or is she youthful and open-minded?  For the latter, consider a light and playful scent like the Daisy perfume from Marc Jacobs.  Being forced to think about your wife or girlfriend’s personality will give you a good assessment of how you’re faring as her man, and the smile on her face after you ace it will be due reward for a job well done.

How do you choose perfumes for your leading lady?  Leave a comment and let us know!

Did you know?

Shopping for the right perfume can be a headache, but identifying the best selling fragrance of all time requires slightly less effort. Chanel No. 5, on sale since 1921, has ridden its popularity as “the world’s most legendary fragrance” to nearly unimaginable sales numbers.

-Jeff O.

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