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A bottle of luxury perfume, a faithful fragrance or designer aftershave are among the most commonly gifted items at Christmas. And as someone who owns more than 50 bottles of perfume and worked behind Boots’ fragrance counter for four years, I’m very much my friends and family’s go-to person when it comes to recommending what to buy. There’s something about the buzz of Christmas at Boots that never quite leaves you, from wrapping bottles in gift boxes to inhaling more tester strips than I care to admit. So when I revisited my local store over the weekend to scout out my top picks of the year, I couldn’t help but smile as couples pondered over perfumes and shoppers spritzed away at dozens of scents. But when you’ve got an entire wall of different brands, each with a variety of offerings available, knowing where to start can be a real challenge. To help take the stress out of shopping scents this festive season, I’ve picked out my top three perfumes for her, aftershaves for him, and some gorgeous gift sets that look seriously impressive. READ MORE: At the moment, Boots has got some Black Friday deals on fragrance, with up to 20% off gift sets and 25% off selected bottles. Meanwhile, LookFantastic’s Fragrance sale features as much as 70% off some bottles, with S ephora promoting up to 40% off scents in their sale. But as an ex-Boots worker, these are my top fragrance picks for Christmas 2025: I’ve recently finished up a bottle of YSL Libre Intense , so this one is firmly on my Christmas wish list. Launched in 2020, it’s a bolder, more sensual version of the original Libre fragrance. It features top notes of tangerine, neroli and lavender, followed by jasmine sambac and orange blossom, with a creamy vanilla and white musk finish. It’s deep, cosy and sophisticated, lending itself beautifully to the colder months and date nights. More than 4,300 shoppers have reviewed the scent on Boots.com, with shoppers saying it always gets them compliments. One said: “Such a beautiful, long lasting, rich scent. I always get complimented on this perfume when I wear it. This has definitely become my new fave. Perfect for date night or the evening.” “This perfume is absolutely stunning, a phenomenal formula,” said another. “I get many complements on it, it’s long lasting and a very strong perfume with a beautiful scent. It’s by far my favourite fragrance, it’s perfect for both day and night wear. Definitely worth every penny, I couldn’t recommend it more.” However, some have found the Intense version of the fragrance to be a little too strong, commenting: “Too overpowering for me. It feels very warm and more gourmand with richer white florals. It emphasizes the creamy amber with a floral base. This is super long lasting like 12+ hours so it is very strong and you don’t smell everything right away. It is very layered.” There are few fragrances I’ve found to be as unique and recognisable as Lancôme’s La Vie Est Belle, which I loved from the moment I first smelled it in 2019 while on a trip to Paris. Every time I smell it, it immediately transports me to that moment, so it’s a great ‘memory maker’ fragrance for special occasions, like weddings or holidays. Fruity, floral, and sweet it’s a feel-good fragrance with notes of juicy pear and blackberry, floral notes of iris, orange blossom and jasmine, with a hint of patchouli in the base, making it ideal for anyone who loves something feminine and comforting. The scent has a 4.8 star rating based on more than 15,000 reviews , with many, like myself, being immediately compelled to buy it. One said: “Someone was wearing this perfume on Christmas Day and me and my sister just had to ask her what perfume it was - now we both have it. People ask me what perfume I am wearing and the smell lasts all day. I do not even wear it everyday as I do not want to finish it too quickly and the funny thing is - my jacket still smells of the spray I put on it 2 weeks ago.” Some have found the sent too intense, leaving three star reviews which read: “This perfume smells good but too sweet and strong for me,” and “This perfume was lovely but unfortunately way to strong for me.” Though a fourth said: “I smelled this on my friend and asked her what it was and she told me. I sprayed it on myself and fell in love with it. Ordered it right away. Sprayed it on and everyone says they can smell it on me before I even get close to them. Everyone says it smells absolutely amazing and that I smell great. I absolutely recommend and love this perfume,” A new entry that’s already making waves is Carlonia Herrera’s La Bomba , which launched earlier this year, and quickly became a new favourite for me. The long-lasting floral oriental scent has earned me endless compliments already, and is expected to be a popular choice for recipients of all ages this festive season It opens up with top notes of exotic dragon fruit, which makes way for a sophisticated blend of cherry peony and red frangipani, bringing a sweet, almond flavour to the fragrance, rounding off with a warm base of solar vanilla. If I had to describe it in three words, I’d say it’s opulent, playful and bold. The scent benefits from the reliability and trustworthiness of the Carolina Herrera brand , a mid-range price point, and gorgeous butterfly shaped bottle. The fact it’s a brand-new release means the recipient is unlikely to already own it, and it also means that few people they know will be wearing it, making it feel extra special. For those who love a fruity fragrance, a worthy alternative could be Angel Nova by Theirry Mugler . Fruity, floral and woody it opens with raspberry combined with notes of lychee and rose. Prada Paradigme first launched in summer 2025, and for similar reasons outlined above with the Carolina Herrera scent (newness, strong brand name, incredible scent), this could be the number one fragrance for men of 2025. It’s actually the one I have bought for my fiance for Christmas. Effortless but strong and masculine , it’s a distinct scent with notes of bergamot, bourbon geranium and ambery woods. This has all the hallmarks of a classic and iconic fragrance, and will no doubt find itself as memorable as the likes of Creed or Dior’s Sauvage. One shopper at Boots wrote: “I bought this for my husband without even trying it out. I use Prada Paradox Intense and I just trusted in the brand. He received it , tried it and loved it.” “Bought as a gift for my Fiancé. He absolutely loves it and said it will be his new favourite winter scent,” another said. However, some have found it too strong, commenting: “Whew, this may be for others but this is entirely too strong of a scent for me,. personally. The scent definitely lasts all day so that's a positive for those that like perfumes on the stronger side.” For something a little sweeter, Jean Paul Gaultier’s Le Male Elixir is a fresh take on the OG Le Male fragrance. The honey-tobacco blend gives this version an indulgent twist, while vanilla softens the edges - it also boasts notes of mint and lavender. When I sprayed it in store, I found it to have almost a biscuity quality, making for a really comforting scent, though one that is still undeniably masculine. One buyer wrote: “I got this Le Male Elixir Parfum by Jean Paul Gaultier for my husband for his birthday and he loves it. I’m glad I got this for him. He smells so good. It is very aromatic and has lavender fragrance and all of this is very sensual. The bottle looks amazing and very masculine. He gets lots of compliments when he wears it.” For gourmand aftershaves with edible notes, other popular options include Tom Ford Vanilla Sex , known for its rich vanilla, or Viktor & Rolf Spicebomb Extreme for a spicy, warm scent. My final aftershave pick is BOSS The Scent, which currently is down to £71.25 for a 100ml bottle. It's described as an oriental-spicy fragrance, with notes of ginger and leather, layered with bergamot and lavender. As an alternative, The One for Men Dolce & Gabbana is now £38 at Debenhams, down from £72. It features a ‘charismatic blend’ of basil notes, lavender, and sandalwood accords. What I love about gift sets is that it always feels like you’re getting more for your money. A 30ml bottle of Deep Night is usually £24 at Superdrug , but for an extra £3.20, shoppers receive a votive candle that will make the room smell like the velvety scent, too. This is the perfect stocking filler for those who already love the fragrance Launched in 2019 and crafted by renowned perfumer Alberto Morillas, Marc Jacobs’ Daisy Love is a fruity and floral scent said to 'capture the joy of living in the moment'. It begins with white raspberries and bergamot, followed by a heart of daisy tree petals and jasmine milk, before finishing with a warm base of sugar musk and white iris woods. A 50ml bottle is usually £75 alone, but this set, priced at £63.75 , also contains a Marc Jacobs Daisy Love Eau de Toilette Travel Spray 10ml, perfect for keeping in a handbag for on-the-go. Last but by no means least, Cosmic by Kylie Jenner is an unexpected hit. While some might shy away from affordable, celebrity fragrance, Cosmic actually became one of my go-to scents this year, and earns me a surprising amount of compliments. Star jasmine and blood orange are paired with amber and cedarwood. The bonus mini Kylash mascara is a fun touch, great value and perfect for teens or trend-lovers. And, at under £40, it’s quite a bargain, in my opinion.
