Giving perfume as a gift: how to get a man's taste right

Perfume is seen as a risky gift. Too personal, too easy to get wrong, too expensive for a misstep. That is true – as long as you are guessing. Watch three things instead and you are very likely to get it right. And for everything else there is one clear fallback rule.

Why perfume is still one of the best gifts

A fragrance is one of the few gifts that gets used every day and yet never feels ordinary. It stands in the bathroom, it is applied in the morning, it accompanies the person you give it to in moments that matter to him. A well-chosen bottle therefore says more than a jumper or a voucher: I paid attention, I know you a little.

That is exactly where the risk lies, too. A fragrance that doesn’t suit him stays unused on the shelf – and you both know it. The good news: with a little preparation, this risk can be reduced considerably. You will also find a compact overview for both directions on our page Perfume as a gift – for him and for her.

Three observations that reveal his taste

1. What’s in his bathroom?

The quickest route. Photograph the bottles he actually uses – not the ones gathering dust at the back. Once you have the names, you can look up the fragrance family: fresh, aromatic, woody, spicy, sweet-woody or leathery. A gift from the same family or a neighbouring one rarely goes wrong.

Pay attention to the fill level, too. One almost empty bottle says more about his taste than five full ones.

2. What does he talk about over dinner?

Preferences in scent and in taste are more closely linked than you might think. Someone who likes black coffee, dark chocolate and smoked fish often ends up with smoky and woody fragrances. Someone who likes cinnamon, vanilla and pastries, with sweet-woody ones. Someone who prefers lemon, herbs and mint, with fresh ones.

3. How does he dress?

Not an exact science, but a useful hint. Someone who wears muted colours, wool and leather usually reaches for warmer, drier fragrances. Someone who prefers light, sporty clothes tends towards fresh ones.

Bonus: ask the people around him

Friends, siblings or colleagues often know more than you would think. A casual question such as “Does he always wear the same fragrance?” already reveals a lot. If the answer is “yes, for years”, he has a signature scent – and then different rules apply, see below.

The fallback rule when you know nothing at all

Go for something woody and spicy with a light sweetness. This direction is the broadest common denominator: distinctive enough not to be an everyday run-of-the-mill scent, but without the edges on which tastes divide.

Which family has which effect is explained in detail in our guide Which fragrance suits me?.

The right perfume for the occasion

It is not only the person but also the moment that shapes the choice. A fragrance for a birthday in May can sound different from one that lies under the Christmas tree.

You will find an overview of fragrances by character in our men’s fragrances.

And by relationship?

Who is giving the gift also changes the choice. For your partner it can be more personal and more suited to the evening – a fragrance you yourself like to smell on him, as long as it suits him. For a father or an older recipient, classic aromatic-woody directions are usually safer than experiments. For a friend or brother, what counts above all is everyday wearability: a fragrance that works just as well at the office as at the weekend.

If he already has a signature scent

Some men have worn the same fragrance for years and want nothing else. Then a new fragrance is not a gift but an attack on a habit. Two approaches work better here:

• A second bottle of the same fragrance. Unspectacular, but very welcome when the old one is almost empty.
• A fragrance for a different situation. Anyone who always wears something fresh during the day often has no evening fragrance – and vice versa. A second fragrance complements rather than replaces.

How a signature scent comes about and why some men are so loyal is explained in the article Finding your own signature scent.

Which size and which concentration?

50 millilitres is the best gift size. A 100 millilitre bottle looks generous, but is a commitment for years – and a fragrance that isn’t worn regularly loses quality over time.

When it comes to concentration: the higher, the more refined and the longer the fragrance lasts. An eau de toilette usually contains around 5–15% fragrance oil, an eau de parfum around 15–20%, an extrait de parfum generally 20–40%. For a gift, an eau de parfum is the minimum and an extrait the more generous choice: it is more forgiving of mistakes in application, and one or two sprays are enough for the whole day. The differences are explained in detail in our comparison Eau de parfum or eau de toilette.

Step by step to the right gift

1. Three to four weeks before: Observe his bathroom, food and clothes. Make a note of which fragrances he wears and how full the bottles are.
2. Two to three weeks before: Decide on the fragrance family. If in doubt, the fallback rule applies: woody-spicy with a light sweetness.
3. Two weeks before: Order. That leaves time for shipping and, if necessary, for an exchange within the withdrawal period.
4. When wrapping: Don’t open the seal, however curious you are. Better to print out the fragrance description and include it.
5. When handing it over: Say a sentence or two about why you chose this fragrance. That turns a product into a gift.

Exchanges – sort them out beforehand

Online purchases come with a 14-day right of withdrawal. For sealed perfumes, however, it lapses as soon as the seal has been removed – for reasons of hygiene. That has two practical consequences:

• Order in good time. If the fragrance isn’t right, you need the withdrawal period.
• Ask the recipient to read first, then open. The fragrance pyramid on the product page gives a first indication of whether the direction is right – before the film comes off.

Include a gift receipt if the retailer offers one. That takes the awkwardness out of the subject.

How to present a fragrance properly

A bottle with a heavy cap and good glass doesn’t need elaborate packaging. A calm paper, a card with two lines – nothing more. Write on the card what the fragrance reminds you of or in which situation you imagine it on him. “For the autumn evenings” is more personal than any bow.

And if he wants to try it straight away: two sprays, on the side of the neck or on the chest, don’t rub. Time does the rest. After half an hour, a fragrance shows what it really is.

What to avoid when giving perfume

• Buying the fragrance you want to smell on him. That is a gift to yourself.
• A set with shower gel and deodorant as the main gift. It looks like a stopgap, even though it often costs more than the bottle alone.
• A fragrance to switch to, if he loves his signature scent. Better a second bottle of the same one.
• Buying from unknown marketplaces. Counterfeits are an issue, especially in the gifting season. What to look out for is explained in How to spot fake perfume.
• Opening the seal for a “quick sniff”. That gives away the option of withdrawal.

A word about our own fragrances

Braise falls into the safe category: spicy-woody with subtle sweetness. Grapefruit, cardamom, pink pepper and bergamot in the opening, cinnamon, saffron, iris and clary sage at the heart, leather, vanilla, tonka bean, tobacco, sandalwood and amber in the base. Extrait de parfum with 30% fragrance oil, 50 ml, bottled in Germany, in an angular glass bottle with a black cap – in other words exactly the size recommended above, at the highest concentration level. On the skin it lasts 12–18 hours.

If he likes it brighter and fruitier, GOAT is the better choice: radiant and sweet-woody, with bergamot, blood orange, fig, honey and sandalwood, for day and evening. GOAT is the brighter choice for men who like it fresh and warm.

You can order at any time, with free shipping within Germany. And if you are giving to two: Ambra is the creamy, sweet counterpart for her – why the two work together is explained in Perfume for couples, and ideas for her in Giving perfume to women. With the 3 for 2 – mix & match offer across the collection, all fragrances can be combined freely; the third bottle is free.

Conclusion

Perfume is only a risky gift if you guess. Look in his bathroom, listen over dinner, pay attention to his clothes – and if none of that helps, choose woody-spicy with a light sweetness in 50 ml. Order in good time, leave the seal untouched and write two honest lines on the card. Then a fragrance is not a gamble but one of the most personal gifts you can give.

View Braise Extrait de Parfum, 50 ml →