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Glenn Kelly reviews the most romantic scents to invest in this Valentine's Day.
Whether you are loved up in a relationship or single at this time of year, Valentine's Day would not be complete without your favourite fragrance.
Alongside flowers and chocolates, fragrances are the go-to gift to celebrate the February love-fest, and as ever, there is a department-store sized selection out there to suit all personalities and moods.
So, in this article we will look at the top three fragrances for men and women, including some new releases that will have you up close and personal with the love of your life, or just to put you in a good mood.
Miss Dior Parfum by Dior, €68.60
It wouldn’t be Valentine’s Day without a Dior female fragrance front and centre, and there are no better choices than the Parfum version of Miss Dior.
Released in 2024 by new in-house perfumer Francis Kurkdjian, the Parfum version of the classic scent introduces a fruity blend of apricot and peach to the opening and strawberry to the heart, creating a fresh long-lasting scent that can be used all year round.
Perfect for a date night or a romantic stroll along the beach, this scent will deliver over eight-hours of performance. Impressive longevity for such a fresh-leaning fragrance.
It doesn’t come cheap, with the largest 125ml bottle costing over €200, but a small 35ml does sneak under the €100 mark. In short, it is one worth saving up for.
Born in Roma Extradose Donna by Valentino, €64.80
Having just hit the shops at the end of January, Extradose is the new offering from Valentino. This fragrance is bright but offers a sweeter, more youthful option for all those in the market for a Valentine’s Day treat.
According to the packaging, the perfume offers an opening of blackcurrant that leads into a heart of rum, but to be honest, I couldn't really detect this. In the base, there is a more noticeable dose of vanilla which adds sweetness.
Due to the sweetness, longevity is rather good at around the six-hour mark and it is an easy wear in most conditions bar a hot summer’s day, so I think you are safe in our climate for another while.
While Extradose hits a lot of buttons for the Valentine’s consumer, it is not the most unique scent and is more of a nuanced flanker from the others in the Born in Roma line. However, it sells by the bucket load for a reason - it smells very pleasing.
Karma by Lush, €40
If you are on a budget, or you just love the way Lush go about making their products, then Karma just might be the one for you this Valentine’s.
Orange gives the scent a delightful fleeting brightness at the top before pine enters the field of play, with patchouli finishing the ensemble.
I find that Lush offers scents that are quite different to those you would find elsewhere in the fragrance market, and this can make them a worthy addition to your collection. Karma is no different and creates an alluring cloud that will be a sure-fire winner with your other half.
The longevity isn’t great on these, with maybe four or five hours of noticeable scent trail, however, at €40 (and technically unisex) you can’t go wrong with this, and maybe you have some money left over for a bath bomb or two.
Guilty Love Edition by Gucci, €128.80
What better name for this season than Love Edition? If prizes were given for names, Gucci would be winning with this one.
The bottle is a smashing choice of sage green which is a delight to hold in the hand, and the scent from spraying the atomiser does not disappoint. Juniper opens the senses with a freshness, before orange blossom enters the fray, while a synthetic Ambrofix is used in the base to give a long-lasting product.
I really like this fragrance and with a collection of over 50 bottles, it does a good job of standing out. I think this one is suitable for all ages and seasons and few people would be disappointed if they got this as a Valentine’s present.
It lasts quite well too at six to seven hours and I think it is worth a stab.
Homme Parfum 2025 by Dior, €155
Much like Guilty Love, Homme Parfum 2025 is hot off the press, but luckily, I got my nose on it. It has created quite a lot of debate in the fragrance community as it replaces the revered parfum version.
This new edition does away with much of the famous iris note to become a more crowd-pleasing scent rather than its niche predecessor.
Amber and patchouli are used to "warm up" the scent and this fragrance is certainly best suited for this time of the year. I feel it is a strong release and one that will only grow more popular as time goes by.
Performance is great too at over eight hours and there will be few who will find this one unpleasant. Anyway, you can’t go wrong with a Dior.
Bleu de Chanel Parfum by Chanel, €115
Perhaps the first name that comes to mind when thinking of a fragrance to buy for a male loved one at Valentine’s.
Bleu de Chanel is the epitome of seduction and masculinity and the parfum version is the pinnacle of this fragrant masterpiece.
Top notes are lemon zest, bergamot, mint and artemisia; middle notes are lavender and pineapple; with base notes of sandalwood, cedar, amberwood, Iso E Super and tonka bean.
The end result is a thing of beauty. If I had one criticism it would be that I cannot seem to get more than five hours of performance on my skin, but fear not, when the smell is this good you can always reapply.
