Four out of ten men are planning to buy a gift for their wife or partner this Christmas – just so they can use it themselves. This is from a survey earlier this month from The Perfume Shop.

So dads, oh yes I'm looking at you! Well I'm looking at four of you, the other six can continue as they are. Along with that Playstation you might think is a romantic present for your partner, it might be a really good idea to get them something else as well. Seriously. Trust me on this!

You might be tempted to buy perfume for the woman in your life, and this goes for the mums too as we've all got a mix of sisters, friends and mothers/mother in laws in our lives. But what to buy? And is it a nice scent? We got some of the top brands and celebrity perfume buys out there to test out and gave them to mum's Terry and Sabrina. What did they think?

Gucci Guilty

I have a feeling that Terry might have quite liked Gucci Guilty (£34.50). She says "this has to be my all time favourite perfume in the world EVER."  Terry found it to be a light yet rich fragrance that leaves a lingering scent on the skin for hours and hours and hours. "I spray a squirt onto my jersey and it stays with me all day. My daughter (aged 5) utterly loves this perfume and when I don’t wear it she complains."

This works wonderfully for both day and night – a good thing as Terry is not a fan of heavy, heavy perfumes at night. "This is rich on the base and light on the top with a fantastic almost creamy scent in the middle. I am so hooked on Gucci Guilty I haven’t worn another perfume for a month and when I couldn’t find it the other day (it was hiding in my purse) I was distraught."

Peter Andre - Mysterious Girl

The first perfume Sabrina tested for us was Peter Andre's Mysterious Girl (£19.50 for 50ml, £27.50 for 100ml). Both Sabrina and her  15-year-old daughter tried the perfume.

"Something that smells as hideous as Mysterious Girl should be against the law!" Hmmm so I'm guessing she didn't like it then.

"It is sickly and sweet and reminded me of strawberry flavoured Amoxycilin that the doctor used to prescribe kids who had ear infections back in the day."

Not being exactly the target market Sabrina sent it off to school with her daughter to try on her friends " None of them liked it! The comments were: too strong, too fruity, the bottle was cheap, too sickly."

Beyonce - Heat

Sabrina had slightly higher hopes for Beyonce Heat (£22.50 for 30ml, £28.50 for 50ml).

Inital impressions were much better this time. "The bottle wasn't too fussy, but was interesting and, going just by looks alone, looked a million times more expensive than Mysterious Girl." So far so good. "However, it was also very fruity and sweet smelling - almost a bit of an expensive version of Mysterious Girl. OK, so maybe it wasn't THAT bad but it's not a perfume that makes me say, 'oooh! that's nice!!'".

"That said, a friend of mine tried some on and half an hour later it had mellowed considerably and smelled rather nice on her."  Sabrina's suggests that if you like this perfume, it is one to spray on a half hour or so before you go out.

Paco Rabanne - Lady Million

Sabrina was looking forward to smelling Paco Rabanne's Lady Million (prices range from £32.50 for 30ml to £59.50 for 80ml). "Having smelled the male version - 1 Million - back in February and rather liking it (even though it came in the most hideous and tacky faux gold bar bottle) I was intrigued to see how the female version matched up."

And the scent? Sabrina's verdict was good. "A non-fruity smelling perfume! This one smells grown-up, not old-fashioned grown-up but refined and sophisticated (something the bottle isn't, despite its extravagant feel!) and even made my mum say, "OOOH! That's nice! What's that?" and she's notoriously fussy when it comes to perfumes (she wears Vera Wang Princess to give you a bit of a clue)."

The official smell of Paco Rabbane Lady Million is supposed to be floral. "I'm no expert but I know a floral/flowery perfume when I smell one and this isn't how I'd describe Lady Million at all. It's not light and flowery, but it's not heavy and sickly either."

Finally a perfume that got a thumbs up from our hard to please tester. "I love it though, it's become a firm favourite and I DO feel rather glamourous when I'm wearing it."

And Finally

Here's some last findings from the study to think about, if you're a dad looking to buy a present for your partner. According to the survey 15 per cent of men have ended up having a row with their disappointed spouse, with one in ten even getting dumped because of it!

Maybe it'll be perfume instead of Playstation after all. What was the most thoughtless present YOU ever got? Share here!

Is the Dad in your life still sticking to only one aftershave? Does he wear none at all? Would you like him to smell so yummy that you can’t get your nose out of his arm? Well, this is your chance to nab some discounted manly fragrances from the Perfume Shop as delectable Father’s Day presents.

• Click here to smell your way to The Perfume Shop

Dad’s are notoriously difficult to buy things for. They are! They either want things that are so far out of the budget as to be impossible dreams (Lamborghini’s/sports cars/Mediterranean holidays) or they unhelpfully tell us that they don’t need anything at all. So they get socks. And ties. And mugs.

So avoid the drama and just nab him any one of these scents and make him go, “Ooooh.” Paco Rabanne 1 Million may look horrendous but it’s down to £34 and smells dreamy. Diesel Only The Brave  (£27.99) offers up an equally pretentious design but it is absolutely delicious (check out our review here).

Other options include Le Male from Jean Paul Gaultier, Hugo Boss, Armani Code and Chanel Allure Homme Sport are all brilliant too. You can also choose from Christian Dior Fahrenheit, Dolce & Gabbana The One, Ed Hardy Hearts and Daggers (a good one just for the cool name) and Gucci by Gucci Pour Homme Sport.

Oh man, I am so in love with this perfume I could just take the bottle with me everywhere I go. Wait a minute, I do already...Not only does Marc Jacobs really know how to throw a perfume together (yes, I like Lola too) but the free Daisy Tote bag is a complete winner.

• Click here to nab your bottle and your bag at The Perfume Shop

Marc Jacobs’ Daisy In The Air is a sweet floral scent with violet heart notes and the whiff of wild strawberry, gardenia and jasmine lingering in the air. It is a  fresh and vivid scent that sits beautifully and suits most skin types.

I am beyond impressed with the subtlety of this fragrance, especially when compared to the blatant sexuality of Lola. Daisy In The Air is almost the sweet little girl inside all of us, certainly when I wore it I felt bouncy and happy. It is, most definitely, a happy smell. It doesn't, however, last that long so you will need to refresh from time to time.

I am even more impressed with the low down price point of £39.99 at the Perfume Shop and the fabulously free tote bag that you get whenever you buy the perfume. The offer is valid from 04 March until 14 March and on any purchase over 50ml. The bag is a genuine Marc Jacobs original. It is, delish, divine and delightful.

Go on Dad, get the mum in your life this stunner of a scent and hand it to her in this designer bag. She will thank you, I promise.

Oh yes, this was one fabulous way to spend an afternoon or two, sniffing the wrists and necks of yummy hubbys as they tested out a range of men’s fragrances from The Perfume Shop.  Unlike the ladies, however, the men were sharp and to the point in their reviews but they certainly knew their minds...

Remember, these are assessed according to looks, smell, children’s reactions, sustainability and price point.

Paco Rabanne 1 Million

Well, this particular bottle got a very mixed reaction from the men. It was as controversial as the Marc Jacobs Lola bottle we reviewed yesterday. “Oh my,” said Adam, staring at it in horror mixed with fascination, “That is one bling bottle.”

“The presentation bottle and the name are a bit ostentatious,” said Matt, looking at it with huge amusement.

However, all the men agreed that while the bottle was a tad vile and would need to be hidden in the sock drawer, the scent was fantastic.

“This fragrance really delivers,” said John, “This is an amazing smell that really doesn’t attack your senses, rather it makes you feel nice and warm.”

“I think this is a not too macho scent with a pleasant figgy bouquet,” said Matt, “Also, the smell ahs a lot of stamina.”

The men all felt that the scent stayed on really well, and for long periods of time. One even went so far as to sweat the morning away doing DIY and then sniffing to see if the smell remained.

“Yep, this is a stayer,” said Adam.

The 100ml spray is on sale at The Perfume Shop right now, down to £39.99, making it a solid price point for a smell that is sustainable and pleasant.

Overall this scored well with the men and the kids but the bottle design did not really appeal to anyone.

Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male

This stalwart of the male fragrance world has been popular for quite some time and I have to admit that it is one of the defining scents of my relationship with my husband. He wore it when we met and it always transports me to that deliciously romantic time.

However, it was not me who had to be won over by Jean Paul, but our panel of dudes.

“I’m not a fan of the bottle,” said Matt, “It is a little ‘Hello Sailor’ for me.”

John and Adam disagreed though, “I don’t really mind the design,” said John, “It’s certainly nowhere near as insane as the 1 Million.”

The men all felt that the smell was very distinctive and it did smell quite differently on each of them. Adam and John both felt that this was something they’d use regularly as it was nicely individual and had a lovely base note. Matt was not that convinced, “The fragrance is fruity and floral and not for those who like a more musky fragrance.”

It really is very much a case of personal taste here but the kids all loved it. Every child felt that it suited their daddy and one went so far as to add, “Daddy you smell nice this time.”

I won’t say which dad looked injured at this point...

Jean Paul Le Male lasts for ages and comes in at a solid price of £51.50 for 125ml at The Perfume Shop. It gets extra marks for the fact that the different sizes all come with a fab free gift if you nab one of them today.

Dolce & Gabbana The One

This bottle already had all the men sitting up straight and looking interested. A neat design that sits chicly on the sink/dressing table/manly changing space, this bottle was a complete and utter hit.

“Finally,” said Matt, “This bottle has clean lines and is truly the one.”

Nice pune, Matt.

“I really like this bottle,” said John, “It’s simple and chic and doesn’t make any big statements. I rather approve of this before I’ve even smelled it.”

The design won them over but what about the smell?

“The fragrance is distinctly spicy and I really like it,” said Matt.

“I like this one the best,” said Adam, “It is solid and quiet with a hint of spice that doesn’t get up your nose.”

The kids weren’t impressed one way or the other, the smell was that neat and comfortable. They barely noticed when manly wrists were stuck under their noses for testing. This, I think, gives it good marks as it clearly isn’t going to offend children’s sensibilities and may be light enough for babies. Not newborns though!

Sitting at £46.50 for 100ml at The Perfume Shop it’s actually one of the least costly and has one of the longest lasting smells. So far, this one is a winner.

Diesel Only The Brave

Erm. This particular design was met with hysterical laughter. I won’t go into the specifics but the design got the lowest marks of them all. However, it got some of the best comments for smell from the...women! The men were so put off by the enormous fist of doom that they were inclined to dislike the smell. However, every single wife and partner raved about how divine their men smelled after this one was put on.

In fact, not one man had a bad review from his other half when wearing this. This fragrance seems to have included pheromones.

Kids liked it, mums adored it but it wasn’t as sustainable as the others on test so far. Still, Only The Brave has scored the highest in the smell test of them all. If you want to be the one who appreciates how your man smells, instead of the other way around, get this for him. Get it now.

£47.99 at The Perfume Shop.

Hugo Boss Boss

The clear winner is definitely Boss by Hugo Boss. The men thought that the packaging and design were simple and clean and were happy to have them out of the sock drawer and on display and the ladies loved the smell. In fact, even the men went about sniffing their wrists for quite some time after they’d applied it. It is a clean and bright scent with a musky base note that left everybody wanting more.

“I am sold on this one,” said Adam, “I am going to change my usual scent for this one without even a backward glance.”

“Great packaging, brilliant smell and wonderfully long lasting,” said John.

Indeed it did last a while and it also sells for only £42.50 for 100ml at The Perfume Shop. Of all the scents we reviewed, Boss is the one that is most likely to suit all personality types and appeal to all men. It would be the ideal Valentine’s gift for anyone who is unsure of their partner’s taste but wanted to get them something truly special.

Final Thoughts

Boss and Only The Brave offered up the most generic scents for men, making them good gifts for men who have very broad taste in fragrance. However, the bottle design of Only The Brave may terrify the fainthearted. Jean Paul Gaultier, The One and 1 Million all had very specific smells and would be good choices for very confident and outgoing men.

Preparing the reviews for Valentine’s month has been a journey of utter bliss but I have to say that reviewing the perfumes from the Perfume Shop has blown our Parent Panel away. They are still sniffing their wrists in happy delight, making it very difficult for me to get their comments...

To start with we had three dads and five mums review the scents that The Perfume Shop felt were perfect gifts for Valentine’s Day. These hardy souls were given a very strict brief. They had to assess these perfumes against price point, smell, design, reaction from children and sustainability. In this review we look at the four perfumes for women and how they scored in front of a panel of five mums. Tomorrow we hear from the boys...

Lola by Marc Jacobs

The first on the list was Lola by Marc Jacobs. This purple heart-shaped bottle is capped by an enormous red, blue, purple and green rubber flower. It was this design that captured everybody’s attention. One mum refused point blank to even try the smell, “No thanks, Lola looks trashy and will smell trashy and I really do not want that bottle on my dressing table.” So she was out then...

With an even split down the middle on looks, however, Lola did bring something of a surprise to the nose. The first spray is heady and intense, possibly a little too much for the little ones in the room. “My daughter sneezed when she sniffed me and told me not to wear it,” said Jane, “However as the day wore on the smell settled beautifully into my skin and I can’t get enough of it. Still, I need to spray it on before I see my daughter because she really doesn’t like the top note.”

Lola is definitely one of those perfumes that you either love or you hate.

“I ADORE the Lola bottle,” says Heidi, “It's completely insane; madly extravagant - I imagine it on the dressing table of an eccentric rich French Madame! I like the smell but it's very much a statement perfume.”

Our random mum testing group, innocent victims of a squirt of perfume, felt that the bottle was a stunner but that the scent was just a bit too heady for the school run.

“I would feel a bit silly spraying this on before the school run or when putting scruffy PJ's on for a morning of housework,” says Heidi, “But if you wanted to feel wonderful before a big night out then a squirt of this would definitely do that. It's a scent for a confident woman who isn't afraid to make an entrance.”

Lola scored very highly on the sustainability of the smell, with one spray lasting throughout the day, and the price point, £59.50 from The Perfume Shop. Thanks to its solid base note you won’t need to replenish regularly so it will last a while. However, if you’re planning on getting this for your loved one, make sure that they don’t mind big rubber flowers and can carry a heavy scent...

Vera Wang's Princess

Vera Wang’s Princess was a huge hit with the mums and their kids. “The six year old daughter of a friend fell completely in love with the heart-shaped bottle,” said Heidi, “Her mum said that she’d have no chance of keeping it on her dressing table as her daughter would snaffle it.”

Even the scent is a winner with the kids. Mums sprayed it on and then held their little ones (not wise for newborns please note) or toddlers to see if they were offended by the smell.

“Princess is fruity!” said Sarah, “Not lemon zest antibacterial wipes fruity, but a really warm and comforting sort of fruity with a stunning vanilla base note that made me feel very nostalgic and happy.”

Certainly Heidi agrees, “This is my favourite scent of the lot. I love the idea of wearing Vera Wang anything and find myself picking up this bottle every morning. It’s light and fresh and although it’s a bit more floral that I would normally wear, I could totally be converted to this.”

Princess has a pink guava heart note with a top note of waterlily and chiffon vanilla as a base note. It lasts for ages and mellows beautifully so it scores well in sustainability too.

Overall Vera Wang Princess is a delightfully sweet bottle with a fruity and fresh fragrance that’s both sexy and fun. It also gets high marks on price point because it will last for ages and when you purchase any one of the Princess bottles from The Perfume Shop you get a free gift. The 100ml bottle sells for £56.50.

Ralph Lauren Romance

The Ralph Lauren Romance design is a quietly understated one compared to the enormous purple hearts and rubber flowers of the other two. However, this one is immediately good on price point as The Perfume Shop have a lovely little sale on. If you buy a 50ml bottle or larger you get a free Ralph Lauren handbag (score!) and the 100ml bottle is down to £54.99.

“This is my kind of perfume packaging. A good old fashioned clear glass rectangular bottle with a simple silver lid. Perfect,” said Sarah.

“I like this the best because the bottle is very understated and chic,” adds Heidi.

Overall the mums rated Ralph Lauren as the most practical for mums. Kids liked the smell and it was light enough to carry throughout the day. It wouldn’t work as an evening scent as successfully, perhaps, but the heart notes of day lilies, white violet and lotus flower linger beautifully on the skin.

The only point where Romance didn’t get high marks was in its sustainability. Unlike its predecessors most mums felt it wore off too quickly and that they needed to top up more often.

“The Ralph Lauren Romance is lovely,” adds Heidi, “A soft, girlie scent that you could easily wear every day. It’s a bit too subtle for me though, I always feel that perfume wears off on me quickly so I like to be able to smell it if I am going to splash out on it.”

“I adore this scent,” said Jane, “I can wear this anywhere without a qualm although I did find myself having to add a surreptitious squirt every now and again during a busy day.”

Chanel Coco Mademoiselle

Finally the mums leapt upon the Chanel Coco Mademoiselle. Both Ralph Lauren and Chanel have created elegantly simple bottles that will sit quietly on any dressing table, no matter how small or large the room. Coco Mademoiselle also received very high marks on the looks chart with almost every mum finding the simple design hugely appealing.

“Packaged in an elegant clear square glass bottle with the simple Chanel lettering etched out of a frosted panel said extravagant but not so you’d notice,” said Sarah.

Heidi and Sarah continued to disagree with taste in design at this point because Heidi found the bottle design bland.

“Chanel doesn’t exactly need to work hard to sell this, it’s such a classic, but if I were given perfume as a present I’d appreciate a bigger statement like Lola than the understated elegance of this,” she said.

I have to agree, I found the scent a little too powdery for my taste but both Heidi and I were outvoted on this one.

“I love this,” said Jane, “It is already a signature scent for me so I know I’m biased but it’s so elegant and timeless that I feel like it was made for me.”

“Pretty, independent, confident and intriguing – that’s how I describe Coco Mademoiselle,” said Sarah, “This perfume ticks all the boxes for me. It’s strong but not too heavy and floral without being too sweet.”

The scent definitely appealed to the tots in the room, all of them wanting to sniff the sample cards and try a little out on themselves. Overall the Chanel was one of the most popular of the bunch with every single mother (except me!) converted to getting a bottle and retails at The Perfume Shop for £55.50.

Final Thoughts

Coco Mademoiselle or Romance will suit most women whereas Princess and Lola may well be best suited to those who have stronger and more assertive personalities. Whatever your partner’s proclivities, any one of these perfumes will make a stunning gift. So, in the spirit of parent pampering this month, get a bottle of the squirty stuff to make your partner smile.