If you’re looking for something special for the man in your life we’ve rounded up some great options
Valentine’s Day is fast approaching and with it comes the chance to treat your special someone to something to show how you care. It can be hard to know exactly what to get, while chocolates and flowers are common presents sometimes you want to give a little more.
A great option for gifting is a new scent, which can always remind you and your partner of a special date night between the two of you. There are so many on the market that it can be hard to know where to start.
We got our resident fragrance buff to take a look at what’s available and come up with recommendations across a range of different price points. Here’s what we’d suggest for the special man in your life.
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If you’re looking for something that packs a punch but is more budget friendly then Lush’s body sprays are hard to beat. While Sticky Dates is a personal favourite (and viral hit) the scent has been said to be ‘just like a sticky toffee pudding’ so it might not be the best choice for the man in your life.
Dirty is a way less sweet, being a ‘downright filthy blend of sultry sandalwood, spicy tarragon, and invigorating spearmint’. You can snap it up on ASOS for £28 and over on Lush’s own website it’s pulled in glowing reviews.
One shopper said: “I smelled this in a person I met at a party, and I wanted to smell the same. Got the body spray and yes. It’s fresh, clean and very welcome scent (start with a mint fragrance and then when it settles, it still fresh with a kind of herbal scent) after wearing the body splash for a month, I decided to get a second bottle and the 100ml perfume… LOVE LOVE LOVE.”
A second wrote: “If you are looking for a scent that is neither feminine nor masculine leaning that you could share with your partner of any gender, look no further. This scent is the perfect pick me up during a hot summer day, after the gym, or even after your shower. It has the perfect blend of spearmint to uplift your spirit but has a musky undertone that gives off a mysterious vibe. Dirty body spray has been an absolute staple in my collection and it is perfect for days that I want to throw something on without thinking about it as it is such a neutral, clean, ambiguous scent.”
If you’re willing to fork out more then something from Maison Margiela’s Replica range is a great choice. The range aim to imitate a ‘memory in a fragrance’.
While there’s an impressive collection that has proven very popular, it’s Jazz Club that stands out the most. Jazz Club is based on a night in Brooklyn in 2013 and starts at £62 a bottle.
It opens up with sharp notes of pink pepper and neroli oil, before taking a warm turn to a heart of rum and sage oil. It keeps the intoxicating feel of a jazz club with a base of creamy vanilla bean and smoky tobacco leaf absolute.
Over on LookFantastic one happy shopper said: “Prob my fave scent out of the entire collection, it is unisex but it definitely leans towards a more masculine scent, I’ve gifted this for numerous people in the family and everyone loves it.”
A second wrote: “This honestly is amazing! Bought it so me and my husband could share it and we both love it! Lasts for hours, I can put it on in the morning and he will smell it when he comes home from work!”
The reviews are all quite positive although it is an eau de toilette which has less staying power than a classic eau de parfum.
For those who are happy to splash out a lot more then Layton by Parfums de Marly is a great option – but at £180 for a 75ml bottle it is pricey.
It opens up fairly fruity with apple and mandarin orange as well as some lavender and bergamot, the heart is more floral with geranium, violet and jasmine before settling to a spicy woody base of vanilla, cardamom, sandalwood, pepper and guaiac wood.
Although it has been called overhyped, fragrance buffs have dubbed it a masterpiece. Over on Fragrantica one said: “A brilliantly composed masterpiece from PDM. Although there have been comments recently labeling it as “overhyped,” it doesn’t deserve such criticism at all. It features a beautifully balanced use of vanilla, combined with apple and mint.”
