How to find the perfect fragrance this festive season

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LUSH
WORDS BY CAIT EMMA BURKE

PHOTOGRAPHY BY GRACE ELIZABETH

A foolproof fragrance guide, according to Lush.

Scent is deeply personal, so finding the right one for you isn’t always the most straightforward process. It can involve a lot of trial and error and an abundance of those paper testing strips (do they have an official name for them?).

As someone particularly fond of fragrance, I often gift it to those close to me on birthdays and Christmas. But choosing scents for other people can be a bit of a minefield, particularly when some people don’t react well to synthetic scents. Thankfully, Lush has all bases covered when it comes to fragrance.

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Unlike traditional fragrance houses that depend on celebrity endorsements, gaudy bottles and gender-based marketing, Lush places the focus on what’s inside the bottle. Its genderless range of perfumes contains ethical ingredients and high-quality essential oils and has minimal packaging.

But Lush’s perfume credentials don’t stop there – it’s also focused on sourcing its ingredients in a way that uplifts women, remote communities and the planet. It sources its Frankincense, which is typically a very male-dominated industry, from a community in Somaliland. Lush trained local women there to distil the frankincense themselves, in the hopes that the knowledge would spread among communities and empower even more women.

Not only is Lush making fragrances you can feel good about purchasing, but it also creates all its fragrances in-house (most brands outsource their fragrances) so it’s particularly clued up on the topic. With this in mind, we asked Lush how to find the perfect scents for the festive season, whether you’re buying for yourself or others.

Choose ingredients you (or they) know and love

Does your mum usually opt for a fragrant floral scent, or is your best friend always drawn to cedarwood perfumes? Keep factors like this in mind when selecting a scent for other people. Opting for a fragrance that contains ingredients they’ve gone for time and time again is an easy way to narrow down your options. If you’re purchasing for yourself, the same rule applies.

Ingredients-wise, Lush’s perfumes are mainly made with essential oils, and safe synthetics are used only when the alternatives are environmentally or ethically friendly. “Only the best oils make it into the mix, with a whole department dedicated to the task. Every Lush perfume has a profile online [so] look for your all-time favourite ingredients for something you’re sure to love,” Lush tells us.

Let mood, memory, emotion or occasion guide you

Everyone is familiar with the experience of being transported back in time by a particular scent. Whether it’s an ex-boyfriend’s cologne or the aroma of your mum’s baking, scent is incredibly evocative and deeply intertwined with memory.

Contemplate what you or your loved one might be wanting out of a new scent. Are they after a familiar and comforting smell like cinnamon that reminds them of their childhood? Or are they someone who only wears perfume on special occasions, like job interviews, weddings or parties? Consider how they, or you, would like a scent worn on these occasions to make you feel – confident, alluring or energised– and let that guide you.

Keep your (or their) needs front of mind

Lush has a range of perfume types – solid, sprays and liquid – so you’ll want to keep in mind what you or the person you’re buying for might need from their perfume. Are they a busy, on-the-go gal who travels frequently? Opt for a solid perfume they can chuck in their handbag and carry on luggage without a fuss. Solid perfumes, aside from being easy to transport, provide intense and long-lasting fragrance so are ideal for people who are running from one engagement to the next.

If someone’s after a scent they can also use on their bedding and as a home fragrance, one of Lush’s body sprays might be the way to go. And if you want to impress with a more luxurious, special occasion gift, a liquid perfume is your best bet. Lush’s opulent combinations of essential oils in their sleek, monochromatic packaging are made to take pride of place on a mantelpiece or dresser.

When in doubt, opt for a bestseller or gift set

If you’re still feeling unsure (or if you’re making your purchase online) opting for a bestselling scent is the way to go. Lush has a handy section on its website for its bestsellers so you can easily see what’s popular, whether it’s the spicy citrus and patchouli of Karma or the sweet, calming aroma of Vanillary. Gift sets are another great pick if you’re indecisive. Lush has two perfume gift sets, Lush Garden and Lush Classics, that each come with five mini scents so you or your loved one can be spoilt for choice.

Discover Lush’s range of fragrances here.