Gifts For Him: Selecting Fragrance Gift Sets He'll Love

The concept of perfume dates back several millennia. The first well-documented use of perfumes comes from the Ancient Egyptians, who used flowers and spices mixed with wine or oils to create fragrances.

Fragrances soon became popular in much of the world, and they were slowly altered as time went on. These days, fragrances are a major industry for both men and women.

There are plenty of new and classic colognes hitting the market each year, and many of them make for great gifts. If you're wondering what to get the men in your life for Valentine's Day, fragrance gift sets might be a good idea. We'll talk about how to find the right gift set in this article.

Shop for Yourself to Shop for Him
Buying fragrances for a man you know well shouldn't be too difficult, especially if they're your significant other. The point of cologne is, primarily, to impress the one you love, so if you're buying cologne, choose scents you'd like him to wear. From there, narrow it down to which scent you think he'd like best.

The same trick can be used for family and close friends. Don't know what to get your uncle? Take your aunt shopping with you. Want to get something for your brother? Ask your sister-in-law.

For someone you're not close to, go for something generic that you think smells nice. Lighter, more basic scents work on a wider variety of people.

Learn the Difference Between Fragrances
Fragrances are a lot more complex than most of us might think. In addition to all the scents on the market, there's also the strength of the scents to consider.

We measure fragrance strength similarly to how we measure alcohol level. Different fragrance labels indicate different concentrations of fragrance contained in the bottle.

Types of Fragrances
The least powerful, and least known, type of fragrance is Eau Fraiche, which contains less than 3% perfume oil and doesn't last long. After that is cologne, which contains 2-4% perfume oil.

Toilette has the next highest concentration, with between 5 and 15%. Perfume contains at least 15% fragrance, and 20% at most. Parfum contains 20 to 30% concentration, the highest of all fragrance types.

Pick Something that Represents Him
While it's important that the man's significant other likes the cologne, he needs to as well. Think about some of the things he likes, what he eats or where he spends his time, for example.

Look for a cologne gift set that is similar to his favourite things. Someone who likes hiking might appreciate a more earthy cologne. Those who are fond of the beach will probably appreciate water-related smells.

If you're still unsure, take it from him. There are ways to find what kind of fragrance gift sets he likes without directly asking him. We all have to use the bathroom at some point, and nobody has to know if we spent a few extra seconds looking at his body wash or the cologne he uses now.

Test it Out, if Possible
The hardest part of choosing a cologne is figuring out if it works on him. Not all colognes fit all men, though, and the smell can change as it comes into contact with skin.

This mostly has to do with our skin and how it functions. While perfumes maintain a constant composition and concentration, our skin doesn't. Hormones, skin oil, and even heat can interact with cologne and make it smell differently.

There's no way to counteract it, either. Nobody can control their age, hormone levels, or the temperature outside. Skin oils can be reduced, but any number of factors can cause them.

Testing out a scent before committing can make it easier to choose the right one. Unfortunately, it's also a bit of a challenge, especially if you're hoping to surprise the person you're giving it to. If this is the case, you're better off guesting.

Take Note of the Cost
One unfortunate downside of mens' fragrance gift sets, and the fragrance industry in general, is the cost. Colognes, especially more unique colognes, tend to be very expensive. The biggest favour you can do yourself is to research some men's fragrance gift sets before you buy one.

Depending on what you buy, the price tag can reach a few hundred pounds. With this in mind, you'll need to consider your budget. Don't think you need to buy the most luxurious thing to show people you care about them.

There's no shame in having a budget and nobody worth being with is going to care how much you spend on their present. This doesn't mean that you shouldn't splurge if you have the money.

At the end of the day, the important thing is what the recipient would want. If you think that one of the more affordable scents fits them best, go with that. If something more expensive works and you can afford it, choose that one.

How to Buy Fragrance Gift Sets for Men
Shopping for fragrance gift sets is often difficult, especially if you're shopping for men. Unfortunately, fragrances are still seen as a gendered product, and most men don't wear them.

However, you can still buy fragrances that the men in your life will love. It's just a matter of knowing what to look for. We've discussed a few ways to find the right men's fragrances in this article, but there's a lot more to know about perfumes and fragrances.

You can learn more about them on our site, and feel free to contact us if you have questions or concerns.