You know what perfume they wear. We'll help you find what they'll love next.

You've seen the bottle on her dressing table. Or perhaps you've spotted his favourite aftershave lined up in the bathroom.

You might not know whether it's floral, woody, fresh or something called gourmand (fragrance-speak for sweet, dessert-like scents). But you know what the bottle looks like, and that's all you need.

The secret to buying the perfect perfume for Christmas isn't guessing what's popular. It's starting with what they already love and finding them something they'll be excited to discover.

Whether she wears Chanel Coco Mademoiselle, YSL Black Opium or Marc Jacobs Daisy, or he's loyal to Dior Sauvage, Bleu de Chanel or Armani Acqua di Giò, we've matched each one to a gift using the notes in their current wear. From designer perfumes to aftershaves, these are Christmas gifts that feel personal and indulgent, without the full-price tag.

The Christmas perfume cheat sheet: spot their fragrance, find their gift

Find the name of a perfume or aftershave you've seen them wear, then start with our suggestion.

For her

• Chanel Coco Mademoiselle: Lancôme La Vie Est Belle Iris Absolu 50ml
• Chanel Chance Eau Tendre: Marc Jacobs Daisy Ever So Fresh 125ml
• YSL Black Opium: Black Opium Glitter 50ml
• Carolina Herrera Good Girl: Good Girl Blush 30ml
• Viktor&Rolf Flowerbomb: Flowerbomb Extreme 50ml
• Dolce&Gabbana Light Blue: the 200ml bottle, or Daisy Ever So Fresh
• Lancôme La Vie Est Belle: Iris Absolu 50ml, or Vanille Nude 50ml
• Tom Ford Black Orchid: Tom Ford Ombre Leather 50ml, or YSL Opium for Women EDT 90ml

For him

• Dior Sauvage: YSL Y Eau de Parfum 100ml
• Bleu de Chanel: Montblanc Explorer 100ml
• Armani Acqua di Giò: Acqua di Giò pour Homme Eau de Parfum Intense 100ml
• Rabanne Invictus: Invictus Victory Elixir 50ml
• Creed Aventus: the 100ml size-up, or Parfums de Marly Haltane 125ml
• HUGO BOSS Bottled: BOSS Bottled Night 200ml

It's easy to buy them the fragrance they already love. But a truly thoughtful gift shows you've paid attention. By taking inspiration from their favourite scent, you can introduce them to something new — a fragrance with familiar notes, an unexpected twist or a whole new character to fall in love with. It's a little discovery that says, "I know what you love, and I think you'll love this too."

Christmas perfume gifts for her: if she wears this, she'll love discovering that

If she wears Chanel Coco Mademoiselle

Try: Lancôme La Vie Est Belle Iris Absolu Eau de Parfum 50ml RRP £106 | allbeauty £64.95 Save £41.05 / 39%

Coco Mademoiselle is a modern classic, a woody floral built on orange, jasmine and rose over patchouli and vetiver. If that's her signature, she probably likes perfume that feels polished and sophisticated.

Iris Absolu lists blackcurrant and fig at the top, jasmine and orange blossom in the heart and patchouli in the base. It shares jasmine and patchouli with Coco Mademoiselle, and goes fruitier and more indulgent. A beautiful new discovery for someone who loves elegant florals — familiar enough to suit their taste, but different enough to feel like a thoughtful surprise.

Why she'll love it: A designer floral with a warm, luxurious personality. Why you'll love it: A £106 RRP fragrance for £64.95.

If she wears Chanel Chance Eau Tendre

Try: Marc Jacobs Daisy Ever So Fresh Eau de Parfum 125ml RRP £119 | allbeauty £82.75 Save £36.25 / 30%

Chanel describes Chance Eau Tendre as floral-fruity, with grapefruit and quince over jasmine and rose and a white musk base. If that's what she reaches for every morning, Daisy Ever So Fresh is a lovely next discovery.

It lists mandarin and mango over orange blossom and rose, so it shares the rose and the bright, juicy opening, with a more tropical-fruit lift. A generous 125ml bottle.

Why she'll love it: A cheerful, easy fragrance for everyday wear. Why you'll love it: Over £36 off the RRP.

Prefer a smaller gift? Marc Jacobs Daisy Wild Eau de Parfum 30ml is £45.50 (RRP £65).

If she wears YSL Black Opium

Try: YSL Black Opium Glitter Eau de Parfum 50ml RRP £107 | allbeauty £68.00 Save £39 / 36%

If you've spotted that dark, glittering Black Opium bottle, you already have a brilliant Christmas gift clue. She likes warm, sweet, seductive fragrances, especially coffee and vanilla.

Black Opium Glitter lists lemon, mandarin and pear at the top, orange blossom in the heart and a base of coffee, musk, patchouli and vanilla. The coffee and vanilla thread runs through, with a fresher twist. Think of it as her favourite fragrance family in a new outfit.

Why she'll love it: Familiar enough to feel right, different enough to make unwrapping it exciting. Why you'll love it: A £107 YSL fragrance for £68.

Another option: YSL Black Opium Le Parfum 30ml, £61.25 (RRP £87), in a higher concentration.

If she wears Carolina Herrera Good Girl

Try: Carolina Herrera Good Girl Blush Eau de Parfum 30ml RRP £76 | allbeauty £66.50

If she already loves Good Girl, Blush is a pretty addition to her collection. It lists almond, bergamot and mandarin over peony, rose and ylang-ylang, with a tonka bean and vanilla base: a softer, more floral direction.

Why she'll love it: A new addition to a family she already enjoys. Why you'll love it: A designer perfume that looks as special as the gift it is.

If she wears Viktor&Rolf Flowerbomb

Try: Viktor&Rolf Flowerbomb Extreme Eau de Parfum Intense 50ml RRP £125 | allbeauty £74.50 Save £50.50 / 40%

If Flowerbomb is her favourite, she isn't afraid of a fragrance that makes an impression. This Intense version lists bergamot, raspberry and tea at the top, jasmine, orange blossom and rose in the heart and a base of patchouli and vanilla. A good choice for evenings and special occasions.

Why she'll love it: An Intense take on a family she already knows. Why you'll love it: A £125 designer fragrance for £74.50. That's £50.50 saved.

If she wears Dolce&Gabbana Light Blue

Try: Marc Jacobs Daisy Ever So Fresh Eau de Parfum 125ml, RRP £119, allbeauty £82.75

If she's loyal to Light Blue, she probably prefers fresh, uplifting fragrances to heavy evening perfumes. Rather than buying the same bottle again, introduce something with a similarly bright personality: Daisy Ever So Fresh combines mandarin, mango and florals.

Or give her more of what she loves. Dolce&Gabbana Light Blue Eau de Toilette 200ml is £95.75 (RRP £182). If she wears it every day, a generous new bottle might be exactly what she wants. 

If she wears Lancôme La Vie Est Belle

Try: Lancôme La Vie Est Belle Iris Absolu Eau de Parfum 50ml, RRP £106, allbeauty £64.95

Same house, same name, different direction: Iris Absolu lists blackcurrant and fig with jasmine, orange blossom and patchouli.

For something sweeter, La Vie Est Belle Vanille Nude 50ml is £77.25 (RRP £97, save £19.75), listing bergamot, orange and pepper over jasmine, with a base of musk, sandalwood and vanilla.

If she wears Tom Ford Black Orchid

Try: Tom Ford Ombre Leather Eau de Parfum 50ml RRP £108 | allbeauty £86.40 Save £21.60 / 20%

Black Orchid lists orchid and lotus with a deep base of amber, incense, chocolate, patchouli and vanilla. Ombre Leather, from the same house, lists cardamom, jasmine and leather over amber and patchouli: a drier, leather-led direction that shares the amber and patchouli.

Prefer a classic amber? YSL Opium for Women Eau de Toilette 90ml is £100.50 (RRP £125) and lists a base of amber, patchouli and vanilla. A different scent, but the same warm territory.

Christmas aftershave gifts for him: find his next favourite

Finding him a fragrance he’ll love is easier than you think. You don't need to be an expert in fragrance notes or know the difference between woody, fresh and aromatic scents. The secret? Take a look at the aftershave he already wears. It’s the perfect starting point for discovering something new he’ll love — and a gift that shows you really know him.

If he wears Dior Sauvage

Try: YSL Y Eau de Parfum 100ml RRP £115 | allbeauty £89.50 Save £25.50 / 22%

If Sauvage is on his shelf, YSL Y is a modern men's fragrance worth exploring next. It lists bergamot and ginger at the top, lavender and geranium in the heart, and a base of amber, cedar, vetiver and tonka bean. It's a different scent, not a Sauvage match, and it works for the office, weekends and evenings out.

Why he'll love it: A sophisticated, easy-to-wear fragrance. Why you'll love it: A designer YSL aftershave for under £90.

If he wears Bleu de Chanel

Try: Montblanc Explorer Eau de Parfum 100ml RRP £89 | allbeauty £52.95 Save £36.05 / 41%

Chanel describes the Bleu de Chanel family as aromatic-woody. Explorer is listed as woody, with bergamot and clary sage at the top, patchouli in the heart and a base of cedar, leather and vetiver. It isn't an equivalent, but it's a confident, versatile woody fragrance with the same wear-anywhere appeal, and one of our bestsellers.

Why he'll love it: A smart fragrance for almost any occasion. Why you'll love it: An £89 designer fragrance for £52.95. That's £36.05 saved.

If he wears Armani Acqua di Giò

Try: Armani Acqua di Giò pour Homme Eau de Parfum Intense 100ml RRP £115 | allbeauty £99.95 Save £15.05 / 13%

For a man who has worn Acqua di Giò for years, the Intense is a natural next step within the same house. It lists bergamot and clary sage with a base of amber and patchouli, so it should feel deeper than a purely fresh aquatic.

Why he'll love it: A new interpretation of a favourite name. Why you'll love it: A generous 100ml Armani fragrance that feels like a proper Christmas treat.

If he wears Rabanne Invictus

Try: Rabanne Invictus Victory Elixir Parfum Intense 50ml RRP £83 | allbeauty £69.95 Save £13.05 / 16%

If he's an Invictus fan, he probably likes bold fragrances with plenty of personality. Victory Elixir lists cardamom and pepper over incense and patchouli, with a base of tonka bean and vanilla. Warm, spicy and suited to evenings.

Why he'll love it: A bold addition to a family he already knows. Why you'll love it: A statement fragrance for under £70.

If he wears Creed Aventus

Try: the 100ml size-up, or Parfums de Marly Haltane Eau de Parfum 125ml

For an Aventus wearer, the best-value gift is more of the same. The 50ml is £209, about £4.18 a millilitre. The 100ml is £299.95 (RRP £310), about £3.00 a millilitre, which is 28% less per ml. The saving against RRP is small, so the value is in the size.

For something new at the same level, Haltane is £253.25 against a £345 RRP (save £91.75 / 27%). It lists bergamot, clary sage and lavender, with cedar, leather, musk, patchouli and vetiver. It shares bergamot, cedar, musk and patchouli with Aventus' listed notes, with a more lavender-and-leather character.

A partner for every day: Montblanc Explorer (above) at £52.95 makes a very different kind of present: an everyday woody scent to wear alongside a luxury favourite, not instead of it.

If he wears HUGO BOSS Bottled

Try: HUGO BOSS BOSS Bottled Night Eau de Toilette 200ml RRP £128 | allbeauty £66.00 Save £62 / 48%

An evening sibling for a man who already wears Bottled by day. Night is listed as woods, with cardamom in the heart and a musk base, and the 200ml is generous for the money.

Want a different house? Givenchy Gentleman Eau de Parfum 100ml is £67 against a £103 RRP (save £36 / 35%) and is listed in the woody family.

Want to really impress? Luxury fragrance gifts worth the splurge

For the fragrance lover with a well-stocked shelf, consider a luxury house.

• Tom Ford Ombre Leather Eau de Parfum 50ml, £86.40 (RRP £108): cardamom, jasmine, leather and amber. Listed as suitable for anyone.
• Parfums de Marly Haltane Eau de Parfum 125ml, £253.25 (RRP £345): lavender, cedar, leather and vetiver.
• Creed Aventus Eau de Parfum 100ml, £299.95 (RRP £310): a special gift for someone who already loves Aventus.

Don't recognise any of their perfumes? Try these safer Christmas gifts

Not everyone has a signature scent, and sometimes there's no chance to investigate the bathroom shelf. If you're buying without clues, choose something versatile or let them discover their own favourite.

• For her: Dolce&Gabbana Light Blue Eau de Toilette 50ml is a citrus-led fragrance at £39.25 (RRP £91), or try Marc Jacobs Daisy Ever So Fresh for a soft floral-citrus direction.
• For him: Montblanc Explorer is a woody all-rounder, and Givenchy Gentleman Eau de Parfum is a woody alternative.
• For someone who loves choice: Ralph Lauren Ralph's Club Holiday Discovery Set 3 x 10ml is £52 (RRP £60). A discovery set is a thoughtful choice when you're not confident about one full-size bottle.

Explore fragrance discovery sets

Perfume gift sets: beautiful Christmas presents, ready to wrap

A presented gift set feels considered and ready for the tree. Three worth a look:

• Montblanc Explorer Platinum Eau de Parfum 100ml Gift Set: £73.80 (RRP £82)
• HUGO BOSS BOSS Bottled Eau de Toilette 50ml Gift Set: £53.00 (RRP £59)
• Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau de Toilette 100ml Gift Set: £84.15 (RRP £99)

Three tips for buying perfume as a Christmas gift

1. Look at what they already wear

The easiest way to find a fragrance they'll enjoy is to start with their current favourite. Fragrances fall into broad families:

• Fresh and citrus: bright, clean and uplifting. Light Blue is a citrus-led example.
• Floral: feminine, elegant or romantic. Chanel describes Chance Eau Tendre as floral-fruity.
• Woody: earthy and warm. Chanel describes Bleu de Chanel as aromatic-woody, and Montblanc Explorer is listed as woody.
• Gourmand: sweet, comforting and indulgent, with notes like vanilla, coffee or caramel. Black Opium lists both coffee and vanilla.
• Amber and spicy: rich, warm and often suited to evenings. Rabanne Invictus Victory Elixir is one.

You don't need to be a fragrance expert. Recognising the name on the bottle is enough to get started.

2. Understand eau de toilette vs eau de parfum

You'll often see the same fragrance as Eau de Toilette (EDT), Eau de Parfum (EDP) or Parfum. Eau de toilette is generally lighter, while eau de parfum usually contains a higher concentration of fragrance oils. Different versions can also feature different notes, so don't assume they'll smell identical.

Read our guide to eau de toilette vs eau de parfum

3. Check whether a bigger bottle offers better value

If they wear the same fragrance every day, a larger bottle could be the smartest gift. Take Dolce&Gabbana Light Blue Eau de Toilette:

• 50ml: £39.25, about 78p per millilitre.
• 200ml: £95.75, about 48p per millilitre.

That's around 39% less per millilitre. Same bottle, much better price.

Give them a second scent, not a replacement

A gift doesn't have to replace what they wear. Someone who lives in Light Blue by day might love Black Opium by night, and a man in Explorer on weekdays might want the Invictus Elixir for Saturday. That's the fragrance-wardrobe idea we cover in is the signature scent dead?, and if two of your picks sound like they'd work together, our layering guide shows how.

Behind every pick here is allbeauty's buying team, whose job is to find the fragrances worth stocking, from the house names people already wear to newer arrivals, and to bring them to you at a competitive price rather than the full asking rate. It's the same approach across everything we stock, so once the fragrance is sorted, there's plenty more to wrap.

Find their next favourite fragrance this Christmas

The best Christmas gifts show you've paid attention. You don't need to know the difference between jasmine and bergamot, and you don't need to spend a fortune. You just need to know what they already love.

Designer fragrances. Christmas gifts. Without the full-price tag.

Shop women's perfume → Shop men's aftershave → Shop Christmas fragrance gift sets → Explore all designer fragrances →

FAQs

What perfume should I buy someone who wears Chanel Coco Mademoiselle? Start with sophisticated florals. Lancôme La Vie Est Belle Iris Absolu shares jasmine and patchouli with Coco Mademoiselle's listed notes and goes fruitier. It's a new scent, not an identical one.

What should I buy someone who wears Chanel Chance Eau Tendre? Chanel describes Chance Eau Tendre as floral-fruity. Marc Jacobs Daisy Ever So Fresh also pairs bright fruit with rose and orange blossom, though it is more tropical and vibrant.

What should I buy someone who loves YSL Black Opium? Black Opium Glitter and Black Opium Le Parfum are both worth considering. They stay in the same family, with coffee and vanilla in the listed base notes, and each takes it in a slightly different direction.

What should I buy someone who wears Flowerbomb? Viktor&Rolf Flowerbomb Extreme is the natural option. It's an Intense version of the family, listing jasmine, orange blossom and rose over patchouli and vanilla.

What aftershave should I buy someone who wears Dior Sauvage? YSL Y Eau de Parfum is a modern men's fragrance worth considering, with bergamot, ginger, lavender and cedar among its listed notes. It's a different scent, not an equivalent.

What should I buy someone who wears Bleu de Chanel? Chanel describes Bleu de Chanel as aromatic-woody. Montblanc Explorer is a woody fragrance with bergamot, patchouli, cedar and vetiver, offering a similarly versatile feel without being the same scent.

What should I buy someone who wears Creed Aventus? Often the best-value gift is a bigger bottle: the 100ml costs about 28% less per millilitre than the 50ml. For something different at the same level, Parfums de Marly Haltane shares several listed notes with Aventus.

Is perfume a good Christmas gift? Yes, especially when it's based on a fragrance the recipient already enjoys. Discovery sets and gift sets are also good options.

Should I buy eau de toilette or eau de parfum as a gift? Eau de parfum is generally more concentrated and eau de toilette often lighter. If they already wear a particular fragrance, check whether the other versions list similar notes before choosing.

Are perfume gift sets better than buying a single bottle? A gift set can feel more substantial and arrives ready to wrap, while a larger single bottle may offer better value. Compare the contents and prices to decide.