Finding the perfect scent that fits your personality is not easy, cause perfume is an extension and reflection of your personality. Given that fragrance preferences are very subjective and personal, the search for a single magic potion that will work on everyone for every event is an impossible task.
The essential oils of a perfume react differently with each individual. Some perfumes are more suited to some personalities than others. There are several categories of scent that express different moods.
FLORAL – This is the largest and most popular category which is created mainly from flowers, like rose, carnation, orange blossom, orchid, peony, gardenia and jasmine. These are often blended together to produce a distinctive floral bouquet.
CITRUS – Fragrances in this group come from citrus fruits such as lime, lemon, orange and mandarin. These fragrances project a sharp, tangy aura, which are naturally refreshing and uplifting. Citrus blends are among the oldest known scents. They were first worn by men and are now popular with both sexes.
CHYPRE (CYPRUS) – This is a woody scent created by French perfumer Francois Coty, based on his impression of the island of Cyprus. These perfumes are dominated by pine aromas with hints of bergamot, oak moss, citrus and patchouli providing an earthy suite of aromas.
ORIENTAL – Oriental fragrances are a heady mix of spices, amber, balsams and resins suggesting warmth and exotic sensuality, and are beautiful for evening wear.
AROMATICS – Aromatic compositions include notes of lavender, geranium, moss and wood. This group primarily includes perfumes for men.
GREEN – Green fragrances are fresh and alive aromas, with a hint of sharpness from young grassy scents blended with pine, juniper, leaves and herbs to create memorable perfumes. They reflect sporty personalities and they are most suited to daytime wear.
The choice of fragrance is often affected by season. Summer calls for cooler and lighter fragrances, whereas winter asks for warmer aromas. Spring is the return of freshness and autumn is a period of subtlety. Daywear and a choice for everyday work calls for a different perfume to an evening out. An intimate dinner suggests a sweeter aroma than a family get-together. When you are buying perfume for someone, consider her or his age and when he or she might wear your choice.
The other consideration is the relative strengths of the essential oils, and the amount they are diluted. There are four different categories according to the strength of the oils:
- Eau de parfum is the strongest concentration and typically contains 15-22 percent essential oils.
- Eau de toilette has a typical concentration of 8 to 15 percent essential oils.
- Eau de cologne (or Cologne) has a concentration of 4 to 8 percent of essential oils.
- Eau fraiche is the most diluted of scents with just 1 to 3 percent concentration of essential oils.
Notes in a fragrance
Perfumes are works of architecture: they’re built in a three-tiered “scent pyramid” comprising top notes (fresh, strong scents that are immediately apparent when you spray the perfume onto your skin), heart notes (more sensual scents that become apparent after about 10 minutes), and base notes (heavy, more durable notes that make the perfume last).
It will take one hour till you truly smell what the perfume’s real fragrance is, after all the three notes have come out.
Rules to application
A golden rule of perfumery that many tend to overlook or ignore is that all fragrances should be subtle. Even if it is the best perfume you’ve ever sniffed, go easy on the amount you apply. If you pour too much, you’ll be likely to reek of perfume and even cause headaches. The rule is to dab perfume on the inside of the wrists, the neck and behind the ears.
Perfumes can be applied safely onto the skin, especially since the essential oils in the composition are already diluted and blended with the other ingredients. Don’t use more than 2-3 drops in a single area. Some people prefer to spray perfume onto clothes. While cottons absorb perfume well, most silks stain badly. Be cautious before spraying perfume on expensive clothing!
Tips!
– Don’t buy a fragrance because your friend wears it, fragrances smell completely different on other people.
– Over-applying, thinking that the scent will stay strong all day long, is not the way to go. To make sure that your fragrance lasts all day, use a body lotion in the same or complementing scent.
– Re-applying the perfume throughout the day is not recommendable. Your smelling sense becomes desensitized to fragrances and you will not be able to smell the perfume while others still can.
– Never put different perfumes on at the same time – the mixture of the scents will most likely make a bad or odd combination.
For every person there is a perfect scent, have fun finding it or enjoying yours!
