Here’s How to Gift the Sweet Smell of Joy

I have quite a few perfumes that I love, for different moods and different seasons, for myself. But it can be hard to gift a perfume, even though it makes a wonderful present. The challenge comes in picking one that is virtually certain to be liked. But here’s one I think is definitely worth considering: Viva La Juicy has been a top-selling fine fragrance for years. Here’s why.

Because the sweet, fruity floral scent is intoxicating. Jasmine, berry, and gardenia notes come at you first, followed by mandarin and honeysuckle. It settles into a creamy vanilla musk base. Many fragrances center on vanilla, and there’s a reason for that. Given its association with baking and ice cream and childhood memories, it’s universally liked. So all in all, Viva La Juicy is an easy fragrance to love. It’s like a smile in a bottle (Many compare it to Aquolina Pink Sugar in that sense, which happens to be a great alternative if your gift budget caps at $50.) It’s definitely a sweet fragrance, but stops short of being cloying because it’s rounded out by a dry-down of amber.

Another reason Viva La Juicy has been snapped up consistently since its introduction in 2008? The bottle. The iconic vessel adds posh to a dresser or vanity. I have trouble buying a scent if it’s in a bottle that’s not display-worthy. It’s part of the fragrance experience, in my opinion. And absolutely a factor when you’re giving a gift.

And unlike many other fragrances, however lovely, Viva La Juicy works as a signature scent because it works nicely year-round. It’s not a heavy, musky scent for winter, nor a light, citrusy, beach one that only feels right it summer. So whether this is a birthday gift or a Christmas present, it can (and surely will) be spritzed on the minute it’s unwrapped.