Make sense of your scents!

Perfume – the essence of attraction indeed! There’s nothing like a good perfume to turn heads. But not many know how to shop for their perfumes. So, here’s some help…

The world of frangrances

How many times have you stood before a perfume counter wondering which bottle looks the best or which brand sells the most? Hey! You must first know the fragrance you want, then go hunting for the brand that gives you the best of that,…, and then you can fall (if at all!) for the sexy-curvy bottles.

There are four basic categories of fragrances for women – Fresh, Floral, Oriental and Woody. Men fragrances do not have floral or oriental tones (or at least they are not called such), and the categories are Fresh, Aromatic and Woody.

So here’s a broad categorisation of different perfumes…

¥     FRESH

Citrus: From the zest of lemons, mandarins, bergamot, oranges and grapefruit come the citrus oils that lend these fragrances their distinctive, tangy aroma. Floral, spicy and woody notes transformed the light, refreshing eaux de cologne into real fragrances. A new generation of musk and tea accents adds an interesting dimension to the oldest fragrance family.

Green: Green fragrances capture the sharp scent of fresh-cut grass and violet leaves. Despite the outdoors imagery, the impact of the classic resinous galbanum accord is so potent that many green fragrances have a formal rather than sporty personality. In recent years, a palette of softer, lighter green notes has given this
fragrance family fresh appeal.

Marine/Oceanic: Redolent of the scent of soft sea breezes, the marine notes were created in 1990. The early water notes captured the ozonic aroma of wet air after a thunderstorm. Today, the water notes are more often used as an accent to enliven florals, orientals and woody fragrances.

¥     FLORAL

Floral: Florals remain the most popular fragrance family. Their repertoire is vast, ranging from concertos on the theme of a single floral note to mighty symphonies of heady mixed bouquets. Each year, unusual new notes are found, revitalising the traditional floral theme.

Soft Floral: The marriage of sparkling aldehydes and delicate flowers creates a family of soft, often powdery, abstract florals. Aldehydes are found naturally in rose and citrus oils, but in such minute amounts that they have to be re-created in the laboratory. Their natural scent is not pleasant: some have a sharp, metallic fragrance, others the burnt, waxy aroma of a just-snuffed candle. Add them to flowers, however, and their subtle magic makes the blossoms sing.

¥     ORIENTAL

Floral Oriental: Soft, spicy orange flower notes meld with piquant aldehydes and sweet spices to create the heart of a Floral Oriental fragrance. Born in the 1900s, Floral Orientals came back to life again in the 1970s. In the past decade, lively, fruity interpretations dominated the Floral Oriental category, but recent fragrances have developed a more subtle, muted personality.

Soft Oriental: Incense adds sensual overtones to fragrant flowers, spices and amber to create a softer style of Oriental. The base notes of a modern Soft Oriental are not as sweet or as heavy as a true Oriental and the result - a mélange of flowers and spices - is distinctly softer.

Oriental: Orientals are the exotic queens of perfumery. Sensual, often heavy, blends of oriental resins, opulent flowers, sweet vanilla and musks are introduced by refreshing citrus, green or fruity top notes.

¥     WOODY

Woody Oriental: The liaison of rich Oriental notes and the potent scents of patchouli and sandalwood produced some of the most original perfumes of the 1990s. This family emphasises the woody character of Floral Orientals. The key difference is that their flowers and spices play second string to the dominant sandalwood and/or patchouli notes. The Oriental influence is more noticeable, too, and balances the deep wood notes.

Mossy Woods: Perfumers call these forest notes of oakmoss, woods and citrus Chypre fragrances. The family takes its name from the first significant mossy-woody fragrance, Chypre de Coty, created by François Coty in 1917.

Dry Woods: A mossy-woody fragrance takes on a drier character with the addition of cedar, tobacco and burnt wood notes. The Dry Woods family is often called Leather, after the dry, smoky scent of Russian leather.

¥     AROMATIC

This is the universal fragrance family, with sexy cool-warm notes of citrus and lavender, sweet spices and oriental woods. It takes its name from a fragrance long since discontinued: Fougère Royale, introduced by Houbigant in 1882. Men grew up on Fougères. Most of the key men’s fragrances developed since the mid-1960s have come from this family; their zesty, masculine character makes men feel comfortable. Most women, too, find the blend of Fresh, Floral, Oriental and Woody notes appealing. It is a winning combination.

What you must know…

FRAGRANCE TYPE Parfum	CONCENTRATION 15% - 40%	LASTING STRENGTH 5 - 7 hours	COST FACTOR 1 (dearest)
Eau de Parfum	10% - 20%	Approximately 4 hours	2
Eau de Toilette	8% - 10%	Approximately 3 hours	3
Eau de Cologne	3% - 5%	Between 1 & 2 hours	4
Eau Fraiche	About 3%	Less than 1 hour	5

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A fragrance for your persona

Choose a fragrance that will enhance your aura, not overpower it!

Get fresh with these!

Vivacious, mischievous, exuberant and always living it up, you need a fragrance that is fresh and rejuvenating. You will smell of citrus, sea breeze and fresh dew with these!

Picks for men: Boss by Hugo Boss; Calvin Klein's cK One; Ralph Lauren Polo Sport and Dunhill Desire Blue.
Picks for women: Davidoff Cool Water; Donna Karan Be Delicious; Issey Miyake L'Eau d'Issey.

Oriental Spice

This one is for the those who ooze natural confidence and sophistication. They know what they want and have a way of getting it. Spice it up with these fragrances.

Picks for men: Alfred Dunhill Dunhill.
Picks for women: Giorgio Armani Sensi, Kenzo Flower, Dior Poison.

Woody fragrance for the sensual

Are you sensual yet classy, free-spirited yet grounded, nurturing yet confident? Then woody fragrances are for you.

Picks for men: Burberry Brit For Men, Dior Fahrenheit, Carolina Herrera 212 H2O Men.
Picks for women: Yves St Laurent's Opium, Calvin Klein Obsession.

Floral favourites for women

If you like a touch of romance in everything you see, smell and touch, a floral scent will complement your appeal, have you smelling natural and feeling fresh as a daisy.

Picks: Chacherel's Amor Amor, Burberry Weekend and Carolina Herrera Carolina Herrera.

An aromatic blend for men

If you value all that is classic, exude true machismo and are a self-made man, this one is for you. A potent mix of berries, citrus, lavender, spices and more will help you tap into your feisty side!

Picks: Gendarme Gendarme, Calvin Klein Eternity For Men.

Note: The average prices of these perfumes range between Rs 1,750 (50 ml) and Rs 2,750 (50 ml).

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Shopping it right!

¥     The same fragrance will smell different on two people as the body heat and inherent body odours are different. So make sure you test your perfume on yourself and not your friend.

¥     Perfectionists could try out one new perfume at a time. The rest could test a maximum of four at a time. Otherwise, you will muddle up the spicy flavour of Yves Saint Laurent’s Opium with the floral scents of Le Feu D’Issey, two diametrically opposing fragrance families. Besides, you will get a headache.

¥     A fragrance will smell different several minutes after you apply it, so give it some time. Don't rush into buying any perfume.

¥     The worst thing you can do is splurge on a perfume you are allergic to! To avoid that, apply a small amount on your wrist. Wait for about an hour. If there is a reaction, you know this isn't the one.

So find your favorite perfume. Wear it. Flaunt it, if you wish. Or just let it be a subtle reminder that you’re around. But use it. Use it to identify yourself. Use it to promote yourself. Or just use it to make yourself feel confident and free – it can do that, you know.