Fragrance

Three good choices · checked

Before you buy. Perfume smells different on skin than on paper strips, so try it on your wrist first. Prices span common bottle sizes.

Safe pickNot sure? Start here.

Dior

A first good perfume, for yourself or as a gift

Heads-up: Pricey; some scents fade within six hours

J'adore Eau de Parfum

$115–185

Or, if you need something else

Zara

$20–40

Trying perfume without spending much

Rose Gourmand EDP. Heads-up: Many scents fade faster than designer perfumes

Why these three

Picked using Which?'s blind tests of men's and women's perfume and Parfumo's community ratings from thousands of wearers. Each brand has several well-rated scents, at three price levels.