I'm not sure when, where, or why, but somewhere along the line, perfume gift sets began to accumulate a bum rap in terms of their giftability. Deeming them cliché, cheesy, or lazy, some people seem to think perfume sets, and fragrances in general, are an easy way out—thoughtless, they might say. However, we very much beg to differ.
First, wearing and choosing a fragrance is one of the most intimate and personalized ways to adorn and express yourself, and thus, gifting a fragrance, if some thought is put forward as to who your giftee is, is highly personal. So there's that. Second, we don't know about you, but perfume is one of those random categories of beauty we don't necessarily splurge on for ourselves. A mascara that we'll wear every day? Of course. A serum that claims to give us baby angel skin? Why not? But an expensive scent we may only wear on special occasions or when we're feeling a certain way? Eek, immediate balk. Thus, gifting a loved one a beautiful, high-quality perfume set is a great way to show your love and appreciation for them, and we have a hunch it will make them feel downright special.
To lend a helping hand as people who receive, test, sniff, and sort all the best fragrances for a living, we're featuring 25 of the best perfume gift sets we'd personally love to receive this season. From warm and spicy to fresh and clean to a little bit of everything, we've got your back. Keep scrolling!
I have to tell you Kilian is one of my favorite perfume brands, so this epic set featuring five best sellers for just $170? Such a steal. Plus, the bottles are so chic they'll double as décor.
This deluxe offering from beloved French house Hermès is a great perfume set for someone who loves flowers but also has a soft spot for warm and spicy scents and every kind of scent in between. Plus, how pretty will each of these bottles look atop your vanity?
Acqua di Parma makes some of the loveliest fragrances in the world. Your giftee couldn't smell sweeter thanks to these three floral takes inspired by the noble Italian gardens: Magnolia, Rosa, and Peonia.
Lancôme's Idôle launch year was one of my all-time favorites. The head-turning blend of jasmine and rose is strategically offset by citrus, musk, and vanilla, so it's not a straight read of floral and is slightly more mysterious. (People will ask you what you're wearing whenever you spritz!) This limited-edition perfume set is such a steal and includes two sizes of the coveted scent.
If your giftee adores fresh (super-iconic) fragrances, it doesn't get chicer than Dolce Gabbana's cult-loved Light Blue Eau de Toilette. To get a whiff through your screen, think cedar, green apple, and bluebell on top, grounded by middle and base layers bursting with bamboo, jasmine rose, citronwood, amber, and musk. At just $97 (while it's on sale!), you're getting major bang for your buck with a full-size bottle, a travel-size bottle, and a body lotion.
Raise your hand if you've ever seen a more glamorous rollerball perfume. No one? That's what I thought. The original Miss Dior has been around for decades, and we'd bet your giftee doesn't even know there are multiple iterations on the beautiful floral scent. Now, they can have the full trio, and the delicate miniature bottles look yummy enough for a French patisserie.
Tom Ford's Black Orchid fragrance is perhaps one of the most famous perfumes of all time, and it's definitely one of our favorites from the brand. The striking scent screams with sleek notes of black truffle, ylang-ylang, bergamot, bitter orange, and rum-soaked black plum—a juicy and dark concoction that's brilliant for anyone who abhors floral and sweet. Here, you get the fragrance's travel-size and full-size bottles.
Floral and robust, Gucci Bloom is the next best thing to an enchanted stroll at midnight. Plus, this particular set comes with a poppy red lipstick, making it a well-rounded option for the most die-hard beauty lover. To give you an idea of the scent, it drips with Rangoon creeper, jasmine bud, and tuberose.
To be honest, I didn't think I liked woodsy perfumes until I sniffed this intoxicating gift set I was sent by Clive Christian. Not only is it stunning in presentation (I mean, look at that bottle and packaging!), but it's also the most desirable of earthen-stamped fragrances. It teems with mandarin, saffron, and tobacco and is part of the brand's private collection of C perfumes, which are inspired by the ruggedly coastal yet open spaces of Scotland. You'll get a full-size and two travel-size vials within this seriously special gift.
Dominant with foresty notes of both cedarwood and sandalwood, this perfume set, complete with a candle as well as full-size and travel-size fragrances, also has warming notes of amber, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vetiver. Basically, it's a midnight stroll in a bottle.
Is it just us, or is this sweet and spicy scent of caramel- and vanilla-spiked musk one of the best for a giftee seeking a fragrance that's sugary and yummy while still being sophisticated? This classic fragrance from Prada ticks off all the boxes and smells featherlight due to the sugar-high spin of caramel, musks, vanilla, and benzoin.
A little fruity and a little floral blends together to form a lovely, clean, and fresh scent that's classic yet a far cry from dated or stuffy. We'll forever be obsessed with Chanel's fan-favorite Chance Eau Tendre, a unique mixing bowl of grapefruit, quince, jasmine, and white musk. For just $105, you'll get one spray and two refills.
Frédéric Malle is one of the most coveted (and expensive!) fragrance houses in all the land, which is why this five-piece set for just $175 is truly amazing. Consider it an absolute necessity for anyone who loves glamorous scents from some of the best perfumers in the world. Trust us—they'll immediately crave them all in full sizes!
Skylar's nontoxic perfumes are so lovely and durable we honestly forget they're completely natural. For a loved one who loves to smell clean and fresh (and we mean that quite literally here!), we suggest opting for this sparkling, layer-friendly collection featuring Salt Air, Isle Escape, Capri Summer, Pink Canyon, and Vanilla Sky.
FYI: Hollywood royalty (think Grace Kelly, Cary Grant, and Audrey Hepburn to name just a few) have worn Krigler's iconic scents dating back decades. If you love anything that veers fresh (be it floral, fruity, woody, or spicy), the brand makes some of the most delicious concoctions. My personal favorite is English Promenade 19, a classic worn by Audrey Hepburn that is included in this impressive discovery set.
FYI: Black Opium is Zoë Kravitz's favorite YSL fragrance, but if you need any more convincing as to why you should gift this perfume set, it also comes with two other fan-fave eau de parfums: Libre and Mon Paris. So chic.
What would a fragrance roundup be without Victor Rolf's cult-classic Flowerbomb, the pinnacle of cozy, sweet, and a little bit spicy? In other words, it's a quintessential holiday scent but elevated thanks to a beautifully complex melding of jasmine, orange blossom, patchouli, osmanthus, freesia, rose, vanilla, amber, and praline. And to take the generosity even further, this set also features the OG's sisters: Flowerbomb Dew Eau de Parfum and Flowerbomb Nectar Eau de Parfum.
From TikTok-famous Mango Skin to my personal obsession Morning Chess, this pretty little perfume wardrobe from Vilhelm Parfumerie is a foolproof option for the person in your life who likes an eclectic array of scents to choose from.
Ultra-sophisticated, this is one of our favorite scents within the realm of sweet and spicy. According to the brand, it's made with three qualities of jasmine and is mixed with vanilla bourbon, which apparently is the most expensive extract in the world. Finally, a hint of modern wood is added to break up the floral sweetness.
This perfume gift set is such a steal at $40 that we're almost tempted to buy five. Nest makes some of the loveliest fragrances (we feel they are highly underrated by the way), and this epic collection features its very best. We'd say at least one is sure to please, but we'd place bets your giftee will fall for (and wear!) every single one. Our standout? It's a standoff between Wild Poppy and Wisteria Blue.
Inspired by the scents we hold dearest in our memory, Replica is by Maison Martin Margiela. What started as a seasonal line back in 1994 now harbors some of the most loved scents in the industry, and this gift set of five (Bubble Bath, Beach Walk, Jazz Club, Lazy Sunday Morning, and By the Fireplace) is the perfect gift for any beauty or fragrance lover.
Diptyque is one of our favorite perfume brands, hands down, and if you made us choose our one favorite scent, we probably wouldn't be able to. Thus, we recommend opting for the discovery set, an ultra-luxe concoction of the brand's best sellers sure to suit every perfume palette. (Though technically, Do Son, Eau des Sens, Philosykos, L'Ombre dans L'Eau, and Eau Rose are served as eau de toilettes in this gift.)
Think of Henry Rose as the chicest and cleanest (in formulation) kid on the fine-fragrance block. The brainchild of Hollywood icon Michelle Pfeiffer, the brand represents the first fine fragrances to be both EWG Verified and Cradle to Cradle Certified Gold. I've been working through the entire collection and have been enormously impressed and appreciative of each and every scent. (And I'm the pickiest of perfume wearers.) Just in time for gifting season, meet the brand new mini-coffret set starring Char, Flora Carnivora, Jake's House, Queens Monsters, Sheep's Clothing, Torn, and Windows Down.
Byredo is one of the most buzzed-about fragrance brands and with good reason. Each and every scent is incredibly unique, obsession worthy, and intricate. We're huge proponents of this nomadic-themed discovery set in particular, which features such olfactory icons as Bal d'Afrique, Blanche, and Gypsy Water.
Up next, The Best Beauty Gifts You Can Buy for Someone, According to a Beauty Director
