By this point in December, it’s likely that you would have attended, or at least been invited to ten thousand Christmas parties, gatherings, get-togethers, drinks and dos. You will have or will plan to devour three-course dinners, buffets by the bucketload and more mince pies than it is polite to mention. You may have even had the odd drink or two, but we don’t need to dwell on that. Each one of these parties requires a special attire – a distinct look to reflect your inner party animal but also match the occasion perfectly. But why stop at just the outfit? I mean, it would be somewhat criminal to look fantastic but smell, well, not so fantastic. So, if you’re looking for something scented to put the buzz in your party step this holiday season, check a few of these out.
Black Tie Party Eleganza
Sometimes you get invited somewhere, and you gotta be fancy. There’s just no way around it. You can google just how flexible you can be with a black tie dress code as many times as you like, but when it comes down to it, you’ve got to pull out that gown or throw on that tux. Just give in to it and look fabulous, oh and don’t forget a suave and sophisticated black tie scent too!
For Men: Cartier Declaration Parfum Spray
There has not been a sexier, suaver, more James-Bond-shaken-not-stirred fragrance launch this year than Declaration Parfum by Cartier. It manages to be elegant, with a finely tailored appearance, but also a bit roguish, almost as if the sharpest tuxedo has been accessorised with a roguish sprinkling of designer stubble. Warm spices – cardamom and cumin – bring a human intensity to the smooth, comforting glow of cedar wood in a composition that spruces up the most handsome of suits.
For Women: BVLGARI Rose Goldea Eau de Parfum Spray
Silk, chiffon, lace…. rose. A statement gown needs a statement fragrance, and none are more glamorous than those that showcase rose – the queen of flowers. BVLGARI’s Rose Goldea is the perfect old Hollywood rose – a beautiful blend of shimmering citrus and freshly cut blush pink roses served on a bed of cottony musk. Smelling it makes me think of one-off pieces by GIVENCHY, Chanel and Marchesa – all accented by glowing pink jewels. Now tell me that’s not the aesthetic you want at your Christmas shindig this year?!
Night Out on the Town in Neon
Of course, not every Christmas do is a civilised affair. Sometimes the best ones are those that descend into depravity, just a little bit. Just as you wouldn’t want your tux or gown on a night out painting the town red, or green, blue, pink, or purple, you wouldn’t wear a straight-laced fragrance, would you? No, you need something neon-bright – something catchy like a pop song, and something that’s going to knock everyone’s socks off, if they’re wearing any, that is.
For Men: Miller Harris Tender Eau de Parfum Spray
Tender is a black rose captured under ultra-violet light. It glows with Jackson Pollock splashes of blazing colours – speckles of crisp greenery, stripes of glittering aldehydes and white spots of musk. It’s a fascinating, eye-catching composition that pulses with vibrant, neon energy and in 2018, when it is perfectly acceptable for a man to wear a sequin shirt on a night out (something I can truly get behind if I’m honest), Tender is the daring olfactory counterpart. For the brave, the bold, and the badass.
For Women: MUGLER Aura Eau de Parfum Refillable Spray
AURA does everything that Tender does, in a way, except it stages the whole thing in outer space. It is a huge, bombastic affair where juicy, mouthwatering rhubarb is enveloped by a carnal dose of orange blossom, creating the impression of a cyber-jungle filled with exotic plants the size of skyscrapers. Materials such as wolfwood and tiger liana, a smoky blend of woods and almonds, provide an alien, unfamiliar contrast, making AURA something that had never before been smelled. It will grab attention, and once it has it, you’re a fool if you think it’s going to let go…
Want to know more about AURA? Read the full review here.
A Casual Affair
I don’t know about you, but after all of that partying, I need a lie-down. And if that’s not an option, I will accept a quiet lunch out at the local pub – the hair of the dog and all that. Or perhaps you’re just a fan of the more casual ‘I don’t have to dress up I can just wear a hideous Christmas jumper’ affair; and whilst such an event is perfectly acceptable, please do not for one second think I’m going to let you out of the door before spritzing on a party scent, albeit a more relaxed one.
For Men: Comme de Garcons Blackpepper Eau de Parfum Spray
Blackpepper smells exactly as one would expect it to: like black pepper. It has a nose-tickling freshness, capturing perfectly the clash of hot, spicy, cool and metallic; that is the scent of black pepper. What I love about this fragrance is how it manages to feel special and casual at the same time. It’s a comforting fragrance – one that’s easy and pleasant to wear, but it has an unusual, sparse quality that makes it stand out. So even if your Christmas jumper is indecently tacky, at least your fragrance won’t be.
Hear my full thoughts on Blackpepper in this review.
For Women: Cartier Carat Eau de Parfum Spray
Two Cartier fragrances on one list? I sure am feeling fancy! Cartier makes elegant, luxurious scents that are made from high-quality materials and with an often abstract, daring approach. Carat is no exception, but it feels much more approachable than many of their more mature, amazonian offerings. Carat is all about the purity of light shone through the core of a diamond – it’s a prismatic bouquet of flowers that split into the seven colours of the rainbow. Dewy, crips, sweet and sparkling, Carat wears like a soft glow – a classy, pretty perfume that doesn’t demand attention but doesn’t shy away from it either.
