Sunday 7 December 2014

Perfume Gift Guide For Christmas With Fragrance Direct - Featuring YSL Black Opium, Gucci Guilty, Jean Paul Gaultier Classique and Elizabeth Arden Provocative Woman



It’s that time of year again when you’re struggling to decide what to buy people for Christmas. Some people are really easy to buy for and others are pretty awkward (yes, you know who you are!) 

One gift that I always enjoy receiving is a gorgeous new bottle of perfume – as long as it’s a scent you know the person will like then you’re on to a winner! I’ve joined forces with the lovely people at Fragrance Direct to bring you a little guide to some of the most popular new and classic fragrances for women to help you with your Christmas shopping.  


YSL Black Opium

This new feminine fragrance was only released in September 2014 and already appears to be one of the most wanted perfumes this Christmas. Designed on the original Yves Saint Laurent Opium perfume, the bottle keeps its same shape but has been updated with a black glittery finish to show the glam and mysterious side of the brand. This is the first YSL perfume that I’ve tried and I am completely in love with it. It reminds me a little bit of the original Jimmy Choo fragrance for women which is one of my favourites. The deep top notes of black coffee add a shot of adrenaline and give this a strong and sexy scent (don’t worry it doesn’t smell like you’ve spritzed yourself with a Caffe Nero espresso!), whilst the heart notes of white florals and base note of vanilla complement each other to add a sweetness to the fragrance that keeps it smelling sensual and seductive. This lasts well throughout the day/evening and is perfect for any occasion, be it a night out with the girls or your other half, or in the daytime to work.

YSL Black Opium is available from Fragrance Direct for £37.99 for a 30ml bottle.

Gucci Guilty

Gucci Guilty for women was released in September 2010 and is described as a “sensual and distinct scent for a woman that likes to express how unique and sexy she is”. The beautiful gold bottle with distinctive Gucci logo oozes sophistication and glamour, giving you a hint of what it beholds. I’ve never been a huge fan of Gucci fragrances before, normally they are too heavy and earthy smelling but Gucci Guilty is now my ‘go to’ everyday fragrance. With top notes of mandarin and pink pepper, heart notes of peach, lilac and geranium and base notes of amber and patchouli, Gucci Guilty has just the right amount of sweetness to prevent this from being too heavy and overpowering. It smells beautiful and is a scent that can be worn of a day or evening. If I spritz this on in the morning before work I can still smell subtle hints of the fragrance when I get home at 6pm so this is definitely a fragrance that lasts. 

Gucci Guiltyis available from Fragrance Direct for £33.99 for a 30ml bottle.

Jean Paul Gaultier Classique

Originally known as simply 'Jean Paul Gaultier', the first fragrance from the designer was released back in 1993 and is still as popular over 20 years later. It was later renamed ‘Classique’ to differentiate it from new JPG fragrance releases. This is one of my mum’s favourite perfumes and I have definitely inherited her love for it. Firstly, the packaging is gorgeous. Celebrating the female form, the torso shaped bottle with lace detail gives you a clue as to what this fragrance is going to smell like. I also love the rose gold coloured tin can rather than the traditional box as it gives it a modern, edgy feeling and makes it stand out amongst the rest.

In my opinion Classique smells divine – a bold, powdery sweet floral scent that makes me think of a dressing room in a centuries old theatre. I can imagine the leading lady spritzing herself with this before she heads out on to the stage to her adoring crowd. With top notes of rose and rum, heart notes of orange blossom and ginger and base notes of vanilla and amber, this fragrance is a wonderful concoction of femininity and seduction. It’s very wearable day or night and epitomizes everything a classic woman’s fragrance should be (it literally is what it says on the tin...no pun intended!)

Jean Paul Gaultier Classique* is available from Fragrance Direct for £27.99 for a 20ml bottle.


Elizabeth Arden Provocative Woman

Launched in 2004 by the house of Elizabeth Arden, this fragrance was inspired by the beauty of Catherine Zeta Jones. On first look at the packaging the dark purple box could lead you to think that this is going to be a deep musky scent, but this couldn’t be more wrong - this is an intense fresh floral fragrance. The tall, clear bottle is a simple design and reminds me of a long flower stem, which fits well with the scent.

With top notes of chilled quince, water lotus and ginger lily, heart notes of orchid, papaya blossom and pink freesia and base notes of white sand accord, red amber and hinoki wood, this is an oriental floral infusion which incites the senses. Personally I prefer to wear heavier, sweeter scents, but if you like clean and fresh floral fragrances then this could suit you perfectly.

Elizabeth Arden Provocative Woman* is available from Fragrance Direct for £16.99 for a 100ml bottle.


So there you have it, my quick guide to women's fragrances which, hopefully, has given you some ideas if you're stuck for Christmas presents this year.

What's your favourite fragrance? Do you wear any of these?


2 comments:

  1. I used to love Jean paul Gautier, it was the fragrance throughout my late teens/early twenties! My favourite perfumes are flowerbomb and euphoria at the moment x

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ooh I love Flowerbomb, it's my favourite! x

    ReplyDelete

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