Which perfume to give when you don't know their taste?

Giving a perfume to someone whose taste you don't know is the classic December puzzle. In our boutique in the Passage Pommeraye, we're asked about it every day. Good news: with three or four clues, we get it right almost every time. Here's our method.

1. The right questions to ask

• What do they already wear? Even an approximate name helps enormously: a usual perfume says a lot about their favourite olfactory family.
• What's their style? Classic and elegant, natural and sporty, bold and creative… Perfume often follows the wardrobe.
• Fresh or warm? Some love light citrus scents, others enveloping trails of wood and amber.
• A perfume for when? An everyday perfume should be lighter than an evening one.

2. Our safe bets, profile by profile

For lovers of freshness

Citrus pleases almost everyone and can be worn all year round. Acqua di Parma's Colonia is the epitome of Italian elegance, Goutal's Eau d'Hadrien a great luminous classic, and Jo Malone London's Wood Sage & Sea Salt evokes a walk along the coast.

For flower lovers

Choose a soft floral rather than a heady white flower: Jo Malone London's Peony & Blush Suede, tender and very easy to wear, Frédéric Malle's En Passant, a delicate lilac, or Iris Poudre, soft as a cashmere sweater.

For those who love woods

Diptyque's Tam Dao, a creamy sandalwood, and Frédéric Malle's Vétiver Extraordinaire, dry and chic, are very safe choices. For a warmer trail, Musc Ravageur is our winter favourite.

3. Still unsure? Go around the perfume

A perfume is chosen on the skin, and it's an intimate gift. If you have the slightest doubt, go for:

• A scented candle, more universal. Diptyque's Baies pleases almost everyone, and Trudon's Abd El Kader, with its mint tea scent, is fresh and comforting.
• The Passage 31 gift card, from €50 to €200, valid online and in store. They choose for themselves, and come and smell the perfumes with our advice.

4. The best advice: come and see us

Describe the person, their habits and their style: in a few minutes, we'll point you to two or three perfumes to smell. Find us in the Passage Pommeraye and at 9 rue du Couëdic in Nantes, or call us on +33 2 40 20 58 59. For more ideas, discover our Christmas gift selection.