Perfume has the power to make us feel confident and chic with just one spritz, but equally, if the formula is a tad too strong, the effects can be rather less appealing - to us and everyone in our vicinity...
The best perfumes for women, whether you're a lover of woody blends or soft florals, can be as crucial to your regime as any skincare ingredient or makeup product. Fragrance has the uncanny ability to make us ooze expense and thus, makes a great addition to your partywear, especially for occasions such as the office Christmas party and festive family gatherings.
It can be tempting, therefore, to douse yourself in your signature scent to ensure it clings to your skin and clothes all day long but when it comes to certain pungent and heady notes, this is the worst thing you can do.
The *one* thing to avoid when wearing perfume this Christmas
Whether you're a lover of vanilla perfumes or delicate floral notes, there's one thing that all fragrance fans can agree on - long-lasting and powerful are not the same thing, there we said it. So, when it comes to selecting the perfect dinner party perfume for the holidays (and beyond), strong and overpowering scents are a big no-no, especially where food is concerned.
In our experience, there is nothing worse than sitting next to someone whose fragrance you can almost taste in your mouth. A heavy scent can make you feel nauseous, sleepy and even bring on headaches - which is not what you want during the festive period.
Notes to avoid for close-knit festive gatherings
While there is, of course, nothing wrong with leaving a good-smelling impression, the key is picking the right notes that linger but don't overpower the space.
- Notes to avoid: oud, tuberose, tobacco and patchouli
- Notes to wear instead: saffron, vanilla, musk, violet, woods and skin-scents
Oud perfumes can be very strong and heady, as can rose perfumes and those with woody base notes. That being said though, that doesn't mean you should avoid perfumes with these scents in their lineup altogether, just be aware that they can be very powerful.
Our Digital Beauty Editor at woman&home, Aleesha Badkar, has named patchouli as a note to avoid and instead recommends saffron, "as it's earthy but soft and often has a subtle sweetness to it - plus as it's quite a rare and expensive note it usually comes in perfumes that are blended quite well."
Mona Kattan, co-founder of Huda Beauty and Kayali Fragrances recommends musks for an intimate dinner or festive setting: "I always like to be the one you can smell from across the room! So this is hard for me but I would opt for scents with musk as it is a great base and is great with layering." Kattan also named vanilla as a good option, as it's sweet and universally liked and layers perfectly with florals. It can also help to soften spicer and woody scents.
Ciello Tuazon, Senior Director of Global Product Innovation at MALIN+GOETZ, also made a case for notes like violet, leather and sandalwood, as they can "bring familiarity and just the right amount of closeness."
Our quick picks for subtle perfumes
Here are our quick recommendations for some subtle fragrances to wear instead...
RRP: from £90 for 50ml | Notes: mimosa, white musks, rice steam accord and blonde woods
Now this perfume is rather special according to woman&home's Digital Beauty Writer, Naomi Jamieson: "The only word I can think of to describe this scent is delicious. It features sparkling notes of mimosa, which are then warmed by hints of blonde woods that create a creamy sort of musk on the skin. It's delicate but addictive and thanks to it being an EDT, it's not overwhelming. Plus, the way it clings to my clothes is just dreamy."
Who should wear it: those who love crisp winter mornings, cream chunky knits and milky lattes
RRP: from £57 for 50ml | Notes: iris, pink pepper, ambrox and ambrette seeds
Glossier You is said to smell a little different on everyone, making the notes hard to pin down from just one whiff. This gives the scent individuality as well as warmth, from its spicy hints of pink pepper and ambrox. This is the sort of fragrance that will have people wanting to know exactly what you're wearing and is available in a solid perfume and rollerball option.
Who should wear it: Those whose three favourite words are warm, cosy and chic.
RRP: from £45 for 30ml | Notes: Iso E Super
This minimalistic perfume is the definition of a skin scent. It's indefinable but effortlessly sexy as it clings to your skin, creating a comforting and elusive aroma. And while your signature aroma won't be the loudest in the room, everyone who embraces or comes into contact with you will linger, just for a moment to try and ascertain why and how you smell so darn good.
Who should wear it: Those who love to be the mysterious one in the room...
Skin scents are our team's go-to for leaving a good-smelling impression. They're subtle and often include hints of musk and warm woods to create feelings of comfort and intimacy. Known skin scents like Glossier You also feature soft and powdery notes of iris, which afford the aroma that expensive and sophisticated feel.
But don't get us wrong, a long-lasting perfume is essential in your beauty arsenal, though that doesn't mean it needs to be eye-watering and yes, we're about to share which notes, in particular, we would recommend avoiding this season - or as least, wear sparingly...
