Why perfumes & aftershaves make ideal gifts

There's nothing quite so luxurious as holding the gift of a brand new bottle of fragrance in your hands. It's all in the weight of the bottle, the cool, smooth, curved glass and the promise held by the heady scent inside to deliver its magic on many a special occasion to come.

The truth is, we all have a personal relationship with fragrance, one that builds up over the years as a whole host of memories are created. An evocative scent can take us right back to a special time in life faster than any photograph. By giving fragrance as a gift, you will undoubtedly contribute to those memories for the lucky person at the receiving end. As revealed by a recent survey, two-thirds of those who have received perfume as a gift claim that the fragrance evokes images and memories of the person who chose it for them. This may partly explain why we love to buy perfume and after-shave as Christmas and birthday presents, because there's nothing more powerful and provocative than the ability to influence someone in such a way.

Perfume and after-shave make an emotive choice of gift, bound up with the relationship you have with the recipient. Buying for a boyfriend shows you have confidence in his presence and strength and buying for a girlfriend shows your recognition of her style and sensuality. Your choice of perfume should therefore be very deeply influenced by the personality of the person concerned, as the more closely connected the person feels to the fragrance, the more they will find it lifts their mood and makes them feel fantastic.

Matching a scent to a personality type is an art in itself, but luckily the manufacturers are happy to lend us a helping hand when we're bewildered with overwhelming choice at the perfume counter. So whether your man is a free and independent spirit who acts on instinct or a solid, dependable type with a romantic depth, there'll be a fragrance to suit his character. Your special lady may be the type that turns heads and oozes sex appeal, or she may be a more carefree spirit, fun-loving with an infectious personality. The fact that you can select a fragrance that best compliments her nature has to make perfume one of the most exciting gifts you can buy.

With ranges of perfume geared to every type of budget, you can also be confident that your purchase needn't break the bank. Designer perfumes make the ultimate style statement, but for everyday wear there are the classic fragrances that never go out of fashion. More recently we've seen the rise in popularity of celebrity perfumes, fun-loving and bang on trend. Every young woman admires someone in the public eye and by homing in on her role models and discovering their signature fragrances you can help to make her feel as glamorous as her idols. Of course, whichever fragrance you choose, your gift needn't be limited to the perfume itself. By including the matching body lotion, soap or shower gel in an attractive gift box you're guaranteed to be rewarded with smiles, as there's no better way to indulge the senses.