Christmas Fragrance Shopping: To Give Or Not To Give

Whether you’re looking for some Christmas fragrance shopping to up the festive ante, or just want to know what’s new on counters, this extended post is for you. There’s a little bit of everything here, from the ubiquitous fruity floral to the not-seen-nearly-enough floral chypre.

Chloe Nomade EDP (Quentin Bisch)

What a gorgeously green citrus opening to this flora chypre! We don’t have enough of these on the market. Chloe Nomade keeps on giving after that special intro of Mirabelle, lemon and bergamot. The heart features notes of freesia, jasmine, peach and rose. Oakmoss dominates the base, with notes of patchouli and amber in support. Officially, one of my favourite fragrances of 2018 and a top recommendation for your Christmas fragrance shopping list. Congrats, Monsieur Bisch! 30ml for R910, 50ml for R1 345 and R1 655 for 150ml.

Oscar de la Renta Bella Blanca EDP (Harry Fremont)

Fragrances specifically designed for weddings are a growing trend. While you won’t see me walking down the aisle any time soon, I can appreciate this one for being well thought out. Pretty and elegant, it features standout notes of pear, jasmine sambac and sandalwood. The ornate bottle alone will ensure it does a brisk trade at a counter near you. R1 005 for 50ml and R1 410 for 100ml.

Diesel Bad Intense EDT

Judging from the bumf for this fragrance, Diesel Bad Boy Intense is a stronger version of the bad boy you can’t get enough of. And with listed accords like tobacco and caviar, this EDT sounds promisingly wayward. Not that this is a, er, bad fragrance, but sometimes he’s too much of a wholesome boy-next-door. R1 350.00 for 125 ml.

Boucheron Quatre en Rose EDP Florale (Quentin Bisch)

From the first whiff of this fragrance, rose is very prominent, plus there’s a hint of artimesia. It’s a sweet kind of rose, but appealingly so. As a fruity floral it features a variety of notes, including black currant, mandarin orange, jasmine and peach blossom. Although it’s sweet for sure, it’s fairly sophisticated stuff. R1 310 for 100ml.

Salvatore Ferragamo Uomo Signature EDP (Alberto Morillas)

If Salvatore Ferragamo Uomo EDT is all about tiramisu, the third addition to the range is all about leather, coffee and tonka beans. There are also patchouli, cinnamon and cardamom notes at work here. As you can imagine the effect is one of warm, smooth and seductive sophistication that’s probably best suited to cooler weather and evenings. Well worth sniffing out for your Christmas fragrance shopping. R1 140 for 50ml and R1 580 for 100ml.

Bulgari Goldea The Roman Night Absolute EDP (Alberto Morillas)

With notes of black plum, orange blossom, jasmine sambac, Madagascan vanilla, black musk and crystal moss, this EDP almost ventures into exotic territory. Like its predecessor, it smells expensive, seductive and luxurious. But this one is richer and denser. Too potent for modern, sensitive offices, it’s a great choice for elegant nights out. (Random fact: I recently read that Alberto Morillas has created over 480 fragrances in his lifetime.)

Carven Vetiver EDT

Vetiver is one of my favourite notes, so I was keen to try this one. Imagine my surprise when I picked up a very real note of lemongrass in its opening, which confused me a bit. But once I decided to go with it, I started to enjoy this fresh EDT. Notes of bergamot and grapefruit complete the citrus opening theme. Lavender is prominent in the heart of the fragrance. The smell of vetiver comes through in a big way fairly soon. It’s deliciously earthy and dry stuff! An intriguing fragrance that would make for an adventurous choice in your Christmas fragrance shopping. R1 295 for 100ml.

Mugler Alien Man EDT (Jean-Christophe Herault)

I had huge expectations of this one, as I love the female Alien fragrances for being so unapologetically bold and surprising. I like this woody-leather-aromatic EDT, but I can’t say I love it, because it almost seems to be holding back. And Alien fragrances are never reserved. Methinks (and hopes) that the EDP version, when it makes its appearance, will unleash the full potential of this fragrance. R1 090 for 50ml and R1 390 for 100ml.

Lanvin Eclat de Nuit EDP (Fabrice Pellegrin)

The fruity-floral trend shows no signs of letting up. This fragrance’s cute pink bottle makes me think this EDP is aimed at a younger market. It features notes of lemon, black currant, red apple, jasmine and orange blossom. The base covers another big trend, gourmand, with notes of praline and vanilla. Too sweet for me, but its target market will love it. R1 295 for 100ml.

Coach Platinum EDP (Bruno Jovanovic)

Launched in 2016, Coach For Men became a popular choice due to its versatility and everyday appeal. Coach Platinum EDP, no doubt, will be equally popular, as it’s just as easy-going. A fresh oriental, it opens with notes of juniper, black pepper and pineapple. Sage adds an aromatic aspect and the notes of cashmeran, leather and sandalwood bring an undeniably smooth luxury to the proceedings. Nice one! R1 055 for 60ml and R1 435 for 100ml.

Bulgari Man Wood Essence EDP (Alberto Morillas)

The 10^th addition to the Bulagai Man range opens with notes of cedar and cypress setting the scene. There are also smatterings of coriander leaf and citruses  in the background. Vetiver is at the heart of the fragrance and it accentuates the woody opening, which eventually gives way to benzoin. Even if it’s not the most original fragrance around, it’s solidly masculine and elegant. R1 220 for 60ml and R1 640 for 100ml.