Shop Like a Perfume Pro

How to zero in on the perfect scent for every person on your gift list, from the fragrance-phobe to the fanatic.

CHIC VINTAGE DETAIL

IMPRESS THE TRENDSTER

Searching for the next big thing? Check out niche line Tokyo Milk's under-the-radar blends, which feature unconventional combinations like clove and lavender. Edgy Victorian prints amp up the cool factor of every bottle.

TOKYO MILK

Parfumarie in 01 and 07, $28/1 oz. each; beautyhabit.com.

COUNTER INTELLIGENCE

Hit the fragrance floor first thing in the morning "when your sense of smell is freshest," says perfume critic Chandler Burr. "This will make it easier to concentrate."

Think outside the bottle

Call it the curse of the signature scent: Friends and family catch a whiff of a new favorite and a year of gift-giving later, that person has more bottles than she knows what to do with. Don't add to the stockpile. Look to creams, mists and candles for fresh fragrance alternatives.

ANGEL BY THIERRY MUGLER BODY CREAM

With its unique delivery system, the honey, chocolate and patchouli notes in this velvety whip last all day.

$80/6.9 oz.; at Nordstrom.

VIKTOR & ROLF FLOWERBOMB HAIR MIST

Alcohol-free and perfect for giving party tresses a hint of scent.

$40/1 oz.; at Nordstrom.

ACQUA DI PARMA IRIS NOBILE CANDLE

Emits a floral essence that's sweet-smelling but not at all cloying.

$57; at Neiman Marcus.

GENIUS IDEA!

NOT SURE OF HER TASTE? GIVE THE GIFT OF CHOICE

Buying fragrance can seem like a game of roulette with only one safe bet--the gift receipt. The Sephora Scent Sampler offers a new strategy. The kit includes 10 mini vials of the beauty emporium's best-selling sweet, spicy and citrusy blends, a refillable atomizer, and a voucher for a full-size bottle of the lucky winner.

SEPHORA

Scent Sampler, $50; at Sephora.

COUNTER INTELLIGENCE

Don't judge a scent at first sniff. It takes about 10 minutes for the fragrance's "heart," which lasts the longest, to develop fully, says Malle.

Study her style

The girlie ruffles or plunging necklines in your best friend's closet can reveal quite a bit about her sense of scent. Look for fragrances by fashion designers whose clothes she admires--even if the labels aren't always within her reach. "If her favorite styles are soft and feminine, her scent is likely to reflect that," says perfumer Frédéric Malle.

JEAN PAUL GAULTIER MADAME

Bracing acid orange, grenadine and musk for an unapologetically sexy blend.

$87/3.3 oz.; at Macy's.

VERA WANG LOOK

Refined romanticism played out in powdery jasmine layered with lychee.

$90/3.4 oz.; at Bloomingdale's.

JEANNE LANVIN

The fresh femininity of Lanvin designer Alber Elbaz's dresses captured in a delicate peony and freesia juice.

$90/3.4 oz.; at Saks Fifth Avenue.

FOR THE PERSON WHO HAS EVERYTHING

Allow her to create something unique--a bespoke fragrance. An appointment with Sarah Horowitz Perfumes ($350 to $1,000; 888-799-2060) includes an interview about favorite foods, fabrics and vacation destinations followed by a sampling of different combinations. The result, a take-home made-to-measure blend, promises to be a perfect fit.

If looks are everything (and money is no object)

These limited-edition offerings, fit for a gallery or a vanity, will make serious collectors swoon. Modern or traditional, design takes center stage here--so choose your bottles based on style, not top note.

ISSEY MIYAKE L'EAU D'ISSEY SHIRO KURAMATA

Its minimalist design pays homage to the aesthetic of the late Japanese sculptor Kuramata.

$350/.67 oz.; at Saks Fifth Avenue.

BY KILIAN SOPHIE MATISSE EDITION

Fifty bottles were hand-painted by the artist, each with slight variations.

$1,500/1.7 oz.; at Bergdorf Goodman.

LOVE, RALPH LAUREN AMETHYST LUXURY EDITION

Hand-cut amethyst and 24kt gold worthy of a treasure chest.

$2,200/.5 oz.; at Neiman Marcus.

NINA RICCI L'AIR DU TEMPS 60TH-ANNIVERSARY EDITION

Exquisite swirls of jet-black Lalique crystal.

$840/3.7 oz.; neimanmarcus.com.

FOR THE PERSON IN A FRAGRANCE RUT

To her it smells like a trusted standby; to you it smells like time for a change. A scent that's reminiscent of her old-school favorite could ease her into a new era. "You want to find the cousin of the old fragrance," says Malle. The key is to stay within the same family. A fan of the classic Shalimar, for example, might do well with Frédéric Malle Editions de Parfums Musc Ravageur ($135; barneys.com), because "both are Oriental scents that envelop you in that warm-fur-coat kind of feeling," explains the perfumer. Ask the department store fragrance consultants for recommendations.

DON'T FORGET THE MEN IN YOUR LIFE ...

Men are mysteries even the Mentalist can't solve, but buying them cologne doesn't have to be. We decode the message in the bottle.

BURBERRY THE BEAT FOR MEN

Vetiver and violet make for a tailored but hip combination.

$65/1.7 oz.; at Bloomingdale's.

UNSCRIPTED BY PATRICK DEMPSEY FOR AVON

Rugged leather and musk for the ultimate alpha guy.

$32/2.5 oz.; avon.com.

GUCCI BY GUCCI POUR HOMME

For the gentleman, a sophisticated cocktail of bergamot and tobacco.

$70/3 oz.; at Nordstrom.

COUNTER INTELLIGENCE

When sampling scents, never spritz your skin. (It's easy to forget what you sprayed where.) Instead, use smelling strips and keep a pen handy to label them.