Finding the Perfect Scent...



{this is glamorous}


Navigating the fragrance counter can be quite intimidating... Especially this time of year! And, with almost 600 perfumes for Women, where do you start?

For those of you that don't know my background, the quick answer is: I work with renowned perfumers to create fragrances for celebrities and designers. I know, it sounds pretty cool (and it is)! I've worked for Elizabeth Arden for five years on the product development side of fragrance licensing. And, in that time, I've developed seven fragrances, mostly for Britney Spears, Kate Spade New York and Taylor Swift. All of which I HIGHLY recommend.

My sense of smell certainly has intensified... And, has truly made me a perfume critic!

Therefore, without further ado, I'll give my two cents for how to choose the perfect perfume.

First of all, there are two types of consumers: One is looking to wear a brand and the other is looking to wear a scent. You must determine which one you are before even going to the store.

If you're the former, you're ultimately going to be satisfied because you're not choosing your fragrance primarily based on smell. Some people just want to wear Chanel No. 5 because it's Chanel.

However, if you're looking to wear a scent, you're in for a lot more fun!

Perfume has many intricate details. And, it's best to start with learning the major fragrance families: Citrus, Florals, Orientals, Chypres and Woody. This might not mean a lot at the moment, but it will come with practice.

Citrus
The Citrus family has very linear notes: Lemon, Bergamot and Orange, for example. These fragrances don't change much with wear... What you smell when you spray, is what you smell hours later. They are very light, clean and refreshing.




{Eau De Marveilles by Hermes}


If this describes your style, I would suggest: Eau des Marveilles by Hermes, Chanel Eau Fraiche, Clinique Happy, Jo Malone Grapefruit and D&G Light Blue.

Florals
Most Womens fragrances on the market today are Florals. However, they don't all smell the same, and they can have sub-classifications based on the other ingredients in the composition.

If you like the soft, yet rich, smell of Jasmine, Tubersoe and Gardinia, you're a white floral kind of girl. I promise you'll like: Carnal Flower by Frederic Malle, Marc Jacobs Daisy, Twirl by Kate Spade, Michael Kors, Elie Saab, Chanel No. 5 and Bvlgari Jasmine Noir.



{Carnal Flower by Frederic Malle}


And, if you like spicier florals, like rose, I would suggest Chloe, Marc Jacobs Lola and Bulgari Rose.

Orientals
The Orientals are sweet, spicy, bold and intense... If that describes you, give the following a try: Opium, Flowerbomb by Viktor and Rolf, La Prairie, Angel, Fantasy Britney Spears and Wonderstruck by Taylor Swift.




{Flowerbomb by Viktor and Rolf}


Wonderstruck by Taylor Swift just launched, so test it out and think of me!




{Wonderstruck by Taylor Swift}


Chypres
The Chypres and Woody families are quite small in the women's category. There are some great Chypres though! Actually, my favorite fragrance is a Chypre, Chanel Coco Mademoiselle. A few other fantastic scents include: Stella McCartney, Narciso Rodriguez and Chanel Chance.




{Coco Mademoiselle by Chanel}


I'm not a big fan of woody fragrances for women, so I'm not going to recommend any.

I hope my perfume tutorial was informative... If you have any other questions or want additional recommendations, send me a note!