Start with the person, not the bottle
Think about how they dress, where they spend their day and the scents they already like, from candles to coffee to their current perfume. Someone who loves crisp white shirts and early mornings will often enjoy a fresh scent; someone who loves velvet, festivals and evenings out may prefer something richer.
Match their style to a family
Use their style as a shortcut:
- Minimal and outdoorsy: fresh aquatic or aromatic.
- Classic and polished: fresh spicy with soft woods.
- Glamorous and celebratory: amber, rose and oud.
- Bold and night-loving: woody oud with pepper and spice.
Avoid the common mistakes
Do not choose only from how a perfume smells on a paper strip or on your own skin; it can change on theirs. Avoid extreme scents for a first gift, and when in doubt, a unisex fragrance gives them more freedom to make it their own.
Gifting from the VikAa first edition
All four VikAa Eau de Parfums are unisex and come in a 100 mL bottle. First Light suits fresh, minimal styles; Velvet Ember suits polished, classic tastes; Night Shades suits glamorous evenings; After Hours suits bold, night-loving personalities. Mixing two bottles also lets them choose a scent for day and one for night.