Also read our article How To Choose A Perfume? this is a new fresh look from 2017.
Being a new member of Fragantica, I have so far reviewed about 35 well-known and modern Eaux de Parfum and Eaux de Toilette on various Internet review sites and discussion forums before I joined Fragrantica. I am a budding chemist who is passionate about perfumery and I have collected many perfume samples, the number of which keeps growing constantly. I have about 25 rare vintage perfume bottles, of which most contain the original juice, and about 50 modern perfumes that I have been using and collecting in the past 4 to 5 years.
Introduction
Choosing a perfume that suits you is not easy. First of all we need to know a bit about ourselves. We have to be honest and not just follow trends and fashions. And just because everyone is wearing a certain fragrance, it does not mean that this certain fragrance is right for you, too.
Below I have written a quick introduction into perfume notes and the different olfactory families that perfumes are allocated to. This guide will help you understand your olfactory preferences and choosing your next perfume whilst in a perfume store. You will be able to recognize the type of perfume you are sniffing so you will save yourself from some of the pains that sampling perfumes can come with, for example when you choose a perfume that "smells gorgeous" on initial spray but, by the time you get home, no longer suits you.
Photo by Alastair Dunning
I have noticed that throughout secondary school and even at university my schoolmates were all buying the latest trends not knowing which ingredients those fragrances actually contained or what they really smelled like. They said it just smelled "gorgeous" or "sweet." I kept wondering whether they would ever wear a perfume that actually expressed their personalities just like the clothes or hairstyles they sported. Of course, tastes can change and I have made various mistakes during the past 15 years myself. But I have been making an effort to understand scents and my skin chemistry better.
Different plant oils break down at different rates; light molecules evaporate quickly, heavy ones at a slower rate. The composition of a perfume is called "accord", and describes the three set of "notes" that appear gradually on top of each other, thus creating an olfactive harmony.
Top notes (head)
The compounds that make up the top notes are usually sharp and volatile. When you spray the perfume on, you get the impression of these notes first. This note will last for about 10-20 minutes before they evaporate.
Middle notes (heart)
These scents appear just before the top notes fade and are usually rounded and soft. Rose, jasmine and lily scents are typical middle notes. The "heart", in combination with the base notes, gives the perfume its main character. The middle notes usually appear a few minutes after application and will last about 3-6 hours on the skin.
Base notes (drydown)
These scents are heavy and large molecules that evaporate slowly. They emerge late in fragrant compositions and have a rich and deep character. They are also used to give lasting power to the perfume. You will probably detect the first base notes between half an hour to an hour after initial spray, and they can last up to 24 hours on the skin.
How to choose your perfume?
Photo by Spigoo
Each individual will have a different preference when choosing a perfume. Why?
Firstly, perfumes are a mixture of essential oils and aromas. The smell of a particular perfume will vary slightly from person to person, as each person's individual skin chemistry and body temperature will react slightly differently to a given scent.
Secondly, our olfactory memories have continually formed since the days we were born. Memories are formed in a biochemical process as an "emotional imprint" in our nerve cells. We can unconsciously identify a staggering 10,000 different smells. So, what we like in a perfume may be the smells our brain registered as a positive olfactory memory associated with people/events in our lives and the comfort/contentment we were experiencing at the time with them.
You will notice that even if you do not stick to a particular brand, you will most likely choose a perfume from the same olfactive group(s). Personal preferences do change as we get older, which is mostly due to the fact that our skin texture and its chemistry changes. You have probably noticed that even wearing the same perfume day after day, it may develop differently. This behavior is due to the periodically fluctuating hormones that your skin secretes during its monthly cycle.
As we get older our olfactory preferences change with age, too. We will tend to be drawn to different types of smells and even abandon a formerly loved group altogether. In my twenties I was mad about fruity-florals like Dali Dalimania and simply could not stand oriental perfumes. About four years ago all that changed. What I wear now are perfumes that, in most cases, can be described as romantic florals (the classic Anais Anais by Cacharel) or sweet, ambery orientals such as my favorite, Guerlain L'Instant. Of course, I may still be seduced by a fruity perfume but only if it is an exceptionally nice and complex blend, most likely by a French house, e.g. Delices de Cartier.
Which group does my perfume belong to?
Fragrances are classified into eight main olfactory families or groups. I added another one, aromatic scents, which is a group consisting of fragrances composed of aromatic plant noets. They are widely used in aromatherapy and herbal medicine and lately their popularity in high-end perfumery has increased as well. Perfumes rarely belong to a single olfactory group nowadays. You will often see that two or three names of these groups are combined when classifying a particular fragrance, e.g. oriental-woody, floral-fruity, flora-aquatic, etc.
Aldehydic perfumes contain chemicals belonging to the aldehyde group. Character: pure and fresh. Example: Chanel N°5 (Chanel)
Aromatic perfumes are made of various herbs, e.g. rosemary, basil or thyme. Character: outdoorsy and fresh. Example: Aqua Allegoria Herba Fresca (Guerlain)
Aquatic perfumes will have a base of synthetic ingredients that evoke the sea, mountain air or fresh linen. Character: clean and modern. Example: L'Eau d'Issey" (Issey Miyake)
Citrus/fruity perfumes include bergamot, grapefruit, lemon, mandarin, sweet orange and fruits such as peach, red berries, watermelon, etc. Character: fresh and light. Example: Dior Addict 2 (Dior)
Floral perfumes contain flower extracts, such as rose, lily or jasmine. Character: sweet and delicate. Example: Pure Poison (Dior)
Green perfumes, formerly known as chypres, are made of bergamot, labdanum, patchouli and oakmoss. Character: woody and floral. Example: Coco Mademoiselle (Chanel)
Gourmand perfumes contain notes like vanilla and tonka bean, chocolate or caramel. Character: sweet and edible. Example: Delices (Cartier)
Oriental perfumes have a base of amber, musks, vanilla and other exotic plants. Character: warm and sensual. Example: Dior Addict (Dior)
Woody perfumes are made of woods such as cedar, patchouli, sandalwood and vetiver. Character: earthy and masculine. Example: Mediterranean (Elizabeth Arden)
How to try a perfume?
Photo by opacity
Probably the worst place to sample a fragrance is the actual fragrance store where all the different scents mix and float around in the air. It is best to take a fragrance sample home with you to try it out for a day. If you want to test the perfume in the shop, make sure you squirt once on your wrist and once inside of your elbow.
Never rub the perfume on your skin as it will destroy the small molecules of the more delicate notes. Make sure you're not already wearing a perfume on your wrist as this can alter the composition you're about to test. When you leave the shop, cover your arm up with a sleeve if possible so the volatile ingredients do not escape. Let it settle for a few minutes until the alcohol evaporates and the top notes appear without the alcohol fume.
Conclusion:
Go wild...! :-)
(c)powered by lillybee
Fragrantica member
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