Do you buy your perfumes yourself or ask to be gifted?

[AguaMinerale]

It’s such a frivolous purchase that it has never occurred to me to buy my own, and I am 46 and a good earner. Luckily, always ask what I would like for gifts, so I have been stocked up. But lately I have a craving for several perfumes of my youth, about £30 - £40 each and I am just thinking to buy myself. Like, why have I never done this before, but still dithering. How do you justify it, other than I want it and I have the money?

Of course I buy them myself! Not sure why it is any different to buying any other item that is just that it’s nice to have. £30-£40 if you can afford it isn’t a lot.

I buy it myself, as I know best what scents I like. It’s my money and I can afford it, why would I feel the need to justify it?

What if someone didn’t have another person to buy them perfume, should they never wear and enjoy it?

I've never asked for them to be bought, it's never occurred to me to ask someone else, although mine tend to be in the under £30 price bracket. No different to buying clothes or other cosmetics - I buy when I can afford to.

Bit of both - I ask for perfume for Christmas but also would buy it myself in Duty Free or if I see my fave on offer. It's just another toiletries purchase.

I buy them myself. Always have. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I'm not comfortable asking anyone to fork out £200+ for a gift for me. 🤦🏻‍♀️

This is so weird

Buy my own

I've never bought myself perfume. Only because my parents buy me a huge bottle every year for Christmas (and my dad chooses it - he has amazing taste in perfume!), and my husband occasionally surprises me with a bottle.

I wear perfume every day and spend a substantial amount (£150) on each bottle..I currently love Goldfield and Banks perfume. Dh occasionally sources a new one for me but I have bought perfume since I was 14 and bought my first bottle of Guerlain's Chamade.

My favourite perfume is Portrait of a Lady and that’s way more than I’d be comfortable getting someone to gift me. I do, however, get more affordable perfumes from family as gifts for birthdays and Christmas.

Why do you need a justification beyond “I want it”?

I buy my perfume myself as it’s no different to buying shampoo etc and it’s something I wear everyday. I spend about 200 pounds a bottle on the ones I like and usually have 3 or 4 different ones on the go. Honestly, it would never occur to me to involve anyone else in me having it.

When I was much younger - maybe up to my late thirties - perfume used to be something I’d specify if asked what I would like for a gift. But I also enthusiastically bought my own.

Nowadays there are far fewer people making me generous personal gifts - and since perfume is an interest of mine I enjoy exploring and experimenting without reference to anyone else. My most recent purchases have been from Celine, Perfumer H, and Frederic Malle.

Try it OP, you’ll find it liberating not to be dependent on other people for something so fundamental to one’s wellbeing.

I’m a complete Goldfield & Banks addict! 😍 Good choice @Mikart

I’ve always bought my own perfume. I prefer it that way. Often the perfume I wear has an emotional connection for me as well as me loving the actual scent. For example, the first Goldfield & Banks perfume I bought was near the end of the most incredible holiday I had in Australia (G&B are Australian) when I tried a tester in Sephora and loved the smell on me so much that I rushed back before my flight home the next day to buy a bottle and bought even more at the airport.

Years ago I was gifted YSL’s Opium by my grandmother (apparently she asked my cousin’s advice and cousin recommended Opium) and it was bloody awful! I felt terrible that a pensioner had spent a lot of money on something I hated.

I was recently given a ‘discover set’ for Saltworks (Christmas present from my Dad’s partner) and I wanted to roll my eyes a bit (like the ungrateful madam I am) but forced myself to try it and actually fell in love with one of their perfumes so ended up buying a big bottle and now every day is a hard choice between that and my G&B collection.

Go and treat yourself, you're worth it. Have a selection of different ones. Have a look at Fragrantica, lots of interesting info on there.

Since having kids I cannot stand strong smelling scents and my limit is Clarins eau dynamisante. Can’t take anything pokier.

But I am curious about those places you can go and find/design your own scent.

I love it when people buy my favourite perfume, as I don't buy it myself, just because there's always other things I need more! Usually if you get a big bottle as a gift, it last a while too.

I think it is inappropriate to buy a random perfume for somebody, as scent is a very personal thing. I have had this done to me, heavy horrible floral scents that I would never wear. The last one was expensive, and a large bottle; I sold it on eBay, as there was no gift receipt, so I couldn't return it. I used the money to buy my favourite perfume with.

I buy myself perfume but at Xmas if I’m wanting a more expensive one I’ll ask my oh to get it. I wouldn’t think twice about buying £30-40 bottles! Perfume shop has a good rewards scheme or boots give you points too

Thank you, ladies! You have inspired me and I have ordered Paloma Picasso. Next payday - will be getting the blue lid Boucheron. Hoping to step back in time into my careless youth. 💕🌷

I hope the Paloma Picasso isn't a blind buy, OP. I love it myself, but it's quite potent.

You earn your wages, OP, so as long as you're not going into debt, buy the perfume!

Always buy own. I have strong views on perfume and occasionally quirkly tastes and subsewuently a nightmare to buy for.

I either like fairly leftfield stuff - Maison Matine is my current favourite perfume house, very old fashioned single note florals or men's colognes (Blenheim Bouquet and Sunspel's Oak Wood).

@Cuppachuchu It has been 25 years since I had. Coco, Youth Dew and Aromatics are my favourite, so I am hoping this to be along the same line. If you have other recommendations, please share - I am the new self buying woman now 😂

Yes, same here which is why mine are all in the under £30 bracket. Some of the very strong ones give me a headache. But I still wear EDT of some description most days and have a large collection. They last ages as I only use one squirt a day.

Bit of both. No reason not to treat yourself. 🙂