First 'proper' perfume - DD16. Ideas please?

[Lightshines]

Dd will be 16 in a few weeks and has asked for proper perfume.
Call me old-fashioned or daft but I feel as if it's a small rite of passage into womanhood! I can remember my first proper perfume, so can my Mum*!
Can I have your suggestions as to some suitable scents to sniff? I found the selection in the department store so overwhelming I walked out again.
As she is young, I think something quite light, floral - maybe a hint of burgeoning sexuality? DD is a brunette, curvy, competent, confident, party animal.
She is sentimental so will probably keep the bottle, so the look of the bottle is important.
I was hoping for a 'classic' - Chanel, Dior, Lauder etc but a youthful perfume, not something granny would wear. I am not sure about celebrity perfumes as they seem faddy, but willing to test if they smell divine!
Please send me suggestions so I can test selectively!

(* 'J'ai Ose' and 'Mitsouko' respectively!)

We went perfume testing yesterday - one that my DD15 liked was Lancôme La Vie Est Belle. The new Alien is nice too, as is Marc Jacobs Daisy and Dot. Vera Wang Princess? Modern Muse?

I think you definitely need to take her shopping with you, no good spending loads if she doesn't actually like the smell.

It's a very personal choice so she really needs to be there to choose.
My 16 year old loves Be Delicious, she has got through at least 4 bottles of the stuff. It's light and fruity without being too sweet.

Have fun choosing

Another vote for Vera Wang Princess. The bottle is very pretty with a little gold crown at the top. It is DD1's perfume and I would describe her in similar terms to your DD.

I agree that you should take her perfume shopping - fragrances smell different on different people.

Actually Be Delicious is the scent that sprang to mind for me, very young and pretty and fits the fruity-floral theme that seems ubiquitous amongst the young 'uns.

I'd make it a fun trip with her going testing. Bit of mum daughter time as well.

My DD15 always wears Be Delicious (prefers the green one) hope this helps :)

Thank you, I will look out for these. We can go together but some suggestions is helpful. Nose seems to go numb after a few!

I like Happy by Clinique for younguns

Re the scent build up I think the trick of the trade is sniffing coffee beans. Maybe take some in a little container and sniff between perfumes!

Chanel 19 or O de Lancome.

I'd take her with you. In the department store ask one of the assistants to recommend some or ask to try a few different types eg a floral, citrus, musk etc to find out which type she likes. Once she has a type she likes she can try a few different ones on a test strip, then her favourite on her wrist as perfumes smell differently on each person (and some smell lovely on a test strip but awful when you're wearing it).

If you're wanting a decent perfume for her then she needs to try it on before you buy it as she may not like it after wearing it for an hour.

My first perfume was Miss Dior- the original not the new version- classic bottle ,light and fresh.

Marc Jacobs Daisy is girly light enough for every day and nice bottle.

But really you need to go to a department store and try a few.

Another vote here for DKNY Be Delicious. My DD loves the pink one. Blossom.

I like just pink from next, dont know if its a bit 'everyday' for a first perfume though

I bought my Dd Chloe for her 16th

Kenzo Flower, a lovely, light, Summer-y scent with a lovely bottle.

Do try a range - it might be that she turns out to not want a fruity floral, but something a bit different. Some 'granny' perfumes smell youthful on the right people! I am in my twenties but my favourite perfume is Guerlain Shalimar - very heavy, incense and spices and vanilla. It's from the 20s so I think of it as what daring Bright Young Things would have worn, not grannies. When I was a teenager I liked patchouli and spicy scents too - my favourite was Karma from Lush. Not all teenagers like fruity florals!

I agree take her shopping.

Vera Wang love struck is lovely and has a nice bottle. Don't know the princess one others have mentioned.

I think Gucci ones are nice and the scent really lasts through the day. Envy Me is really nice and EDP II is really fresh.

Chanel Chance? One of the Marc Jacobs ones?

I love Vera Wang Princess and it has a very pretty bottle to keep. They often bring out new versions too if she wanted to get a collection of bottles going.

I have all of the BeDelicious ones, the green is my favourite.

Also like dkny be delicious fragrances. If you go Kenzo flower definitely get her to smell it first as it is a love it or hate it. It makes me feel sick and I know a friend is the same!

Victor and ralf flower bomb also maybe a good one?

Another vote for DKNY delicious. I like the green one.
Dd2 loves Daisy.

V&R Spicebomb is also lovely - I know it's officially a man's fragrance but it's a very gentle one, it's a very pretty spicy vanilla.

Elie Saab Eau de Parfum and Chanel Mademoiselle are both pretty orange blossom fragrances, but not sickly

You sound like a lovely Mum and I hope you and DD have a great time together chosing the right perfume for her.