She's the perfume entrepreneur who built a successful brand, sold it to Estee Lauder, and then started again from scratch.
So it's safe to say that Jo Malone knows what she's talking about when it comes to picking the perfect perfume for your significant other come Christmas.
From crowd-pleasing candles to family-friendly fragrances, read on for Jo's exclusive festive guide to smelling good and seeing smiles all round come December 25th.
Expert: Jo Malone has created two successful perfume businesses and loves to find fragrance in her stocking
DON'T RULE OUT SHOWER GEL
Being handed a chunky plastic bottle of shower gel to unwrap is a classic Christmas hazard but according to Jo, presenting someone with bath products isn't always a faux pas.
'Bath ancillaries such as a beautifully scented shower gel or bath oil is a good way to give perfume because you don't have to get [the recipient's] taste spot on,' she explains.
'A fresh and lovely cologne also works for this and you can pour it into the bath too.'
DO YOUR HOMEWORK
'With fragrance, you've got to be pretty sure that you're giving them something that suits them,' reveals Jo.
'Getting it right means you need to do a bit of research. Look for three things they love and find connecting note.
'For instance, do they like citrus? Or you can look at the perfumes they already have. A bottle of Chanel No. 19 means they're likely to love other fragrances that include vevetier and so on.'
Top choices: JO LOVES Pomelo (left) works for everyone while Penhaligon's Bluebell smells like hyacinth
GET HELP FROM THE EXPERTS
While the expert staff on beauty counters can help to point to in the right direction, even the best-planned shopping expedition can go wrong if you don't do your homework first.
'Look at what the person you're buying for likes beforehand, then go to the counter and tell them about what's already in your mother or wife's collection,' explains Jo.
'They should be able to help you find something similar. Another way is to get a tiny little sample and put it around them to see what they think.
'If they love it, they're going to be thrilled when they open a big bottle on Christmas morning .'
CHEAT
If you're really stumped but don't want to resort to shower gels, gift boxes filled with several sample size fragrances can help you get around the problem.
'At JO LOVES, we do a fragrance shop box (£38, joloves.com) which contains small bottles of everything in the range and gives roughly four to five squirts of each one,' reveals Jo.
'It gives them a whole wardrobe of different choices.'
Cosy: Jo says that a carefully chosen festive candle can bring just as much joy as an expensive perfume
Perfect for him: Blood Oranges, £55 from cool new fragrance brand, Shay & Blue
FIND A PERFUME THAT SUITS EVERYONE
While not everyone is fond of pungent oud or sickly-sweet peach, some scents really do work for everyone, citrus in particular.
'Definitely do citrus,' says Jo. 'JO LOVES has one called Pomelo (£95, joloves.com) which is a totally safe fragrance - everyone loves it.
'It's very rare to create something that crosses sexes and generations but it suits everyone from a teenage girl to a 70-year-old grandmother.
'I like those old-fashioned colognes too - even if you don't want to wear them alone because they work really well under perfume.
'Fresh, clean, colognes are winners for me,' she continues.
'I love masculine clean, fresh citrus and I'm definitely not a berry girl - I really don't like vanilla and sticky fragrances.'
But if your recipient really can't stand citrus, there is an alternative at hand.
'For those who don't like citrus, good florals such as clean tuberose or orange blossom work well.
'Hyacinth is another lovely one. Try Penhaligons Bluebell (£85, penhaligons.com) - that's a lovely festive smell.'
GET TO GRIPS WITH A CANDLE
Another easy way to navigate around a perfume purchase, scented candles are a little luxury that are guaranteed to please even the pickiest of recipients.
'I love scented candles,' enthuses Jo. 'Diptyque do amazing ones. Last year I got Figuier Verte (£55, johnlewis.com) and it was my favourite Christmas present. It's at the centre of my coffee table again this year!
'Anything that smells like Christmas is good,' she adds. 'Again Diptyque do great ones - think bitter orange and festive incense.'
STILL BAFFLED? DOM DE VETTA, THE BRAINS BEHIND HOT NEW PERFUME BRAND SHAY & BLUE, HAS SOME FESTIVE SUGGESTIONS...
FOR YOUR MOTHER
'Guerlain's Shalimar (from £37.50, theperfumeshop.com) is so stately and sophisticated - it's the grande dame of classic perfumes. Your mother will cut an elegant dash in this one.'
FOR YOUR WIFE OR GIRLFRIEND
'Diptyque's Philosykos (from £50, johnlewis.com) is a subtle, beautiful version of a fruity scent, bursting with figs and femininity.'
FOR YOUR BOYFRIEND OR BROTHER
'Byredo's Mr Marvellous (££130, liberty.co.uk) is a high quality version of masculine fragrance, with an attractive blend of aromatic herbs.'
FOR YOUR HUSBAND
'Rekindle the marital passion over the festive season with Shay & Blue's Blood Oranges (£55, shayandblue.com). It's a highly passionate citrus - underneath the sparkling freshness of the blood oranges there's sensual leather, musk and intense charred woods. Woof!'
FOR YOUR BEST FRIEND
'Atropa Belladonna by Shay & Blue (£55, shayandblue.com) is mesmerising. Perfect for your girlfriends and nights out on the town together, intoxicating with cassis berries, heady jasmine, sandalwood, patchouli and vanilla. Sultry, seductive.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2521919/Jo-Malones-expert-guide-choosing-perfect-perfume-gift-Christmas.html#ixzz2nIjVips3
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