You have 17 days and counting. Yes, Cupid has reared his ugly commercialised head in a store near you, and the beast's arrow is pointing straight at your wallet. Although men might want to use 'consumerism gone mad' as an excuse for keeping their wallets in their pockets, be warned: the wrath of a giftless woman on Valentine's Day will hurt more than a blown budget.
So, with that in mind, it's a good time to start looking for something special for that someone special. And the perfume counter is a safe place to start.
Perfume has been around for thousands of years (the word perfume comes from the Latin per fume 'through smoke', and the French later gave the name parfum to the smell of burning incense). The inventive Egyptians were the first to incorporate it into their culture, mainly for religious rituals. But love did play a role. Queen Cleopatra was reported to have used it to seduce her lovers, even going to the extreme of soaking barge sails in fragrance when she received Marc Antony.
But the days of oil blending and sail-soaking are gone, and finding the perfect scent for your partner in these rushed times is as easy as a stroll through a department store.
Love actually You couldn't get more to the point than with Eternity's Love eau de parfum ($355/50ml - pictured below). The scent is a fresh, light fusion of natural florals, including magnolia, lily of the valley, jasmine and sandalwood. From Calvin Klein counters.
Another Dior opens Rebellious, romantic, passionate ... and pink. That's how Dior describes its latest fragrance, Chris 1947 ($325/50ml). Why 1947? It's when Christian Dior founded his house and showed his first collection. Chris 1947 is perfect for floral fans, and combines the scent of cranberries freesia and violet. From Dior counters.
