Perfume

The holidays are a time for giving, and if you're hitting the fragrance counter, Allure has the steps to sniffing out the right scent for anyone on your list.

Does anyone like patchouli? What exactly is the difference between Damask rose, English rose, and black rose? And does it even matter? Choosing a fragrance to give someone as a gift can be tough. Just ask anyone who has received a gorgeous, expensive bottle and immediately stuck it on the back of their vanity to collect dust. But the same thing that makes scent so subjective — namely, how personal it is — makes giving one worth the risk. Hey, there aren't many presents that are thoughtful, indulgent, and can be used every day. I'm not the only one who thinks so: A recent survey from the consumer market research firm NPD Group shows that fragrance ranks at number six on holiday shopping lists. If that sounds familiar, follow these expert pointers:

You've been there: your best friend wears a certain perfume that smells amazing on her, but the second it hits your skin your stomach churns. What's the deal? "Body chemistry has everything to do with how fragrances smell," Anne Nelson Sanford, cocreator of Lurk fragrances, says. "It depends on the pH of your skin." And since you and your friend aren't the same person, perfumes are going to smell differently on you two. But it's not just body chemistry that affects the way perfume smells. Find out what else changes the way your perfume smells when you keep reading.

Any fine perfumer knows that categorizing scents can be a complicated process. There are florals and chypres, orientals and gourmands, fougère and fresh, and even more subcategories. If you have trouble understanding the lingo, here's how you can expand your aromatic vocabulary.

The first step is to determine the notes. Top notes disappear quickly, middle notes are the heart of the fragrance, and about 30 minutes in, the base notes take over. All of these ingredients combine to reach a heady aroma. And some scents fit more than one fragrance mold. Find out which category is your favorite and which notes to look for when you read more

Earlier this week we pondered what Carine Roitfeld's rumored fragrance might smell like, but now the big question is what the scent will be called. In January, Roitfeld reportedly trademarked the brand name Forgive Me and applied for protection for a wide range of beauty products. But in 2010, the fashion editor was granted a trademark for her own name that covers beauty products, clothing, shoes, jewelry, and accessories.

But which moniker will her fragrance ultimately take? It's been over two years since she trademarked her own name, and we have yet to see a Carine Roitfeld-branded ready-to-wear line or shoe collection, so perhaps she won't use that trademark. On the other hand, a "notice of possible opposition" was filed earlier this month against the Forgive Me trademark, so that name may not be the final version of Roitfeld's brand, either.

Roitfeld in the campaign image for her collaboration with MAC.

Serge Lutens's fragrances have always been about more than the scent. The photographer-turned-perfumer is more focused on telling the story of his fragrances than the pairing of notes. "We're always trying to be out of the scope of trends," Hassan Saad, vice president of Serge Lutens, says. "Serge Lutens is a poet. It's more about feelings or a memory."

Memory is apparent with the launch of the niche brand's latest fragrance, Une Voixe Noire ($300), an homage to Billie Holiday. With notes of the tobacco, rum, and that ever-present gardenia Billie wore in her hair, the scent is as complex and soulful as the jazz singer herself. "She was so hurt in her life," Saad laments. "You can hear the voice of desperation."

The October launch of the perfume coincides with two more debuts. For the first time ever, the brand is sharing its exclusive cloche bottles in a store outside of their boutique in the Palais Royal in Paris, giving the privilege to their long-standing partner Barneys New York. The cloche bottles are now on display in the Madison Avenue store, but they're going online that month as well. Serge Lutens is launching a website in which customers will not only be able to shop, they'll also be able read the stories behind the fragrances. In addition, perfume aficionados will be able to view a visual history of every exclusive bottle that Serge Lutens has released. "For Serge Lutens, the perfumes aren't merchandise. It's an art," Saad said. "He likes to 'write' the perfume." If only all poetry smelled as sweet.

Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen have already taken the fashion world by storm with their designs, and now the duo is tackling the beauty arena with a new fragrance deal. Mary-Kate and Ashley will debut an Elizabeth and James-branded scent this March at Sephora. "We look forward to bringing the modern perspective and fashion philosophy of Elizabeth and James designers Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen to life with this prestige fragrance," Michael McGeever of Sephora Originals, told WWD. This isn't the Olsen's first foray into beauty, however. Previously they orchestrated beauty launches for Walmart including fragrances and body sprays. But while those were aimed at a more youthful audience, this Elizabeth and James collaboration is sure to be all grown up. This announcement comes after their stellar Spring 2013 showing at New York Fashion Week, and it will be interesting to see how they translate their casual-chic design aesthetic into aromatic notes.

Picking a perfume is almost like picking a partner: you want it to be the perfect blend of sweet, sultry, and long-lasting, without the overpowering effects. Kiehl's Aromatic Mist in Vanilla and Cedarwood ($75) is a match made in heaven. The scent is light and creamy with hints of musk from the cedarwood, making it an ideal mix of the masculine and feminine.

Kiehl's has somehow concocted a perfume that's detectable to the nose, but that isn't obtrusive at all. A couple of spritzes before you walk out the door are really all you need, and it's complex enough to build into a fragrance that works for a night out, too. And the bottle looks like one of those old-fashioned medicine vials — perfect for display on your vanity counter.