Spring is in the air – it’s time to get a new fragrance
The first days of spring are here, and though it’s not too warm yet, the air is already filled with the fragrance of new expectations, fresh impressions, and bright emotions. Spring is known as a season of changes and that concerns not only the trees blossoming but a renewal of one’s inner world as well. So it’s not surprising to see people moving into new homes, finding new clothes and even … new fragrances during this time of year. Especially seeing that March 8, the women’s holiday, is on the horizon, now is the perfect time to impress your loved one by presenting her with a new perfume.
Searching for the perfect but not widely known place to shop for perfume in Kyiv turned out to be a difficult task, since the largest perfume chain in the city, Brocard, is known to everybody. However I tried to look for some alternatives both in the city streets and online.
All the Internet shops I checked out appeared very controversial. Either they offered a wide selection of perfume brands for higher prices or a small choice of fragrances for lower prices. Besides, not all promoted fragrances cited in the web catalogues are actually available, and you might have to wait awhile for delivery.
I was stunned much more by another fact – a good combination of price and assortment at a certain site could be easily ruined by the absence of the popular perfume that is now in high demand. For example, at first I was pleasantly impressed by the choice at flower.net.ua; they offer practically all brands including those rarely found in Ukraine, like the Aqua Allegoria series by Guerlain – actually I didn’t even know that the series contained so many different fragrances, since Kyiv stores usually only sell up to six of their fragrances. Yet the absence of the widely promoted Alien by Thierry Mugler destroyed the first positive impression. Taking into account that the prices at flower.net.ua are actually lower than those at other Internet stores my disappointment about the absence of certain perfumes increased further.
www.1000aromatov.com has Alien by Mugler on the waiting list but its price would probably be higher, since a perfume like Un Jardin Sur le Nil by Hermes cost Hr 24 more than at the aforementioned flower.net.ua, though the price difference was minimal in comparison to differences at other Internet shops.
One of the advantages of www.best-parfum.com.ua is that in addition to a wide assortment of brands, you can choose among various sizes of flasks for practically every perfume offered in the shop. But as it was with several sites, half of the merchandise was unavailable. Moreover, high-class perfumes like the unisex series by Serge Lutens were absent from all Internet stores.
The chief disadvantage of Internet shopping is that you cannot smell the perfumes. If you already know exactly what you want to buy, you can try Internet sites, but if you’d prefer to choose and buy the perfume right on the spot, the best option for you is to visit a store.
When I found out that Arbat Prestige had opened a new chain of perfume stores, I hoped that it would present an alternative to Brocard, at least in terms of prices. However when I visited it, I found that Arbat Prestige’s assortment is closer to the one at DTs or Cosmo chains. Those three chains focus mainly on body care items and makeup rather than on perfume. There is a choice of brands but it’s very limited and includes mainly middle class brands. Still you can find some popular brands at those shops, like Black XS by Paco Rabanne, which I found for a lower price at Arbat Prestige (Hr 387 in comparison to Hr 425 at DTs) and is the same as in Brocard stores or even lower. Alien by Thierry Mugler costs Hr 417 at Arbat Prestige, while at Brocard it’s Hr 540. Yet it concerns only some brands, since the assortment at Arbat Prestige, DTs, and Cosmo is tremendously limited.
There used to be a L’Escale perfume store on Khreschatyk, but it closed for good and the only option I had left was to pay a visit to Brocard.
What I like about sauntering around the wide halls of Brocard stores is that the assistants are moderately attentive there. You can smell any perfume you want as much as you want and you won’t be bothered twice if you look like a person that needs to be left at peace.
The place actually has the best atmosphere for choosing a fragrance. Another advantage is that Brocard, which offers the widest assortment in the city, is constantly supplied with items from the newest fragrance collections. At Brocard I found The Beat by Burberry, a perfume I couldn’t find anywhere else, as well as fragrances by Serge Lutens, which is a great choice both for men and women. Unfortunately the prices at Brocard are really high but we don’t have another alternative that would combine a large selection, a pleasant atmosphere, and convenient locations around the city.
Brocard (30 Chervonoarmiyska, 461-9808; Globus, 585-11094 Baseyna, Mandarin Plaza, 230-9513).
