Perfume… is an unseen, unforgettable, ultimate fashion accessory. It heralds your arrival and prolongs your departure.– Coco Chanel
Who else can describe the essence of what fragrance is better than Coco Chanel herself? Up until I worked in the industry, I knew so little about the centuries old allure of these mysterious essences.
Today, fragrance is the pièce de résistance to completing your look. It can be your invisible signature and if chosen correctly, can make you appear much more polished.
Perfume or Parfum. This is the ultimate luxury. It is the highest concentration and offers strength, hold and persistence. It is made of up to 40% perfume oil and although the most pricey of the choices here, it makes up for it in pureness of scent and staying power. Longevity on skin: 5-6 hours.
Eau De Parfum. This is an intermediate concentration. It still has a high perfume concentration, but is available in a convenient spray. EDP is made of up to 30% perfume concentration and while is more expensive than Eau De Toilette, is far less than perfume. Longevity on skin: 3-4 hours.
Eau De Toilette. This is the lightest concentration. It is made up of 10-18% perfume oil and is the most affordable of the three choices. Longevity on skin: 2 hours.
Fragrances are traditionally classified into four main olfactory categories: 
Citrus: These have fresh, sparkling, and energizing notes. They are a great choice for casual daytime wear. Choices include Bvlgari White Tea, Cartier Eau De Cartier and Guerlain Pamplelune.
Florals: Like wearing a bouquet of flowers. These come in light or more sensual notes and are commonly structured around roses, jasmine, iris, tuberose and ylang-ylang. Some choices are Yves Saint Laurent Paris, Estee Lauder Beautiful, Ralph Lauren Romance and my personal signature scent, Marc Jacobs.
Chypre: Based on Bergamot and crisp top notes combined with a flowery heart note such as rose and jasmine, Chypre scents evoke a warm and woody scent. A few choices here are Dior Miss Dior, Knowing by Estee Lauder, Mitsouko by Guerlain and Aromatics Elixir by Clinique.
Oriental: Dominated by a blend of sandalwood and vanilla with soft, warm notes such as bitter almond mingled with woody, spicy or floral accent, some choices are Givenchy Hot Couture, Dior Midnight Poison, Obsession by Calvin Klein and Guerlain L’ Here Bleu.
Tips for wearing fragrance and making it last longer:
- For longest results, layer your fragrance all over your body with matching fragrance products such as a shower gel, soap, or bath oil, then a matching lotion or body cream. (If you have dry skin, use a lotion or body cream. If you have oily skin, apply talc.) Follow with matching perfume at the pulse points, or an all-over spritz of eau de parfum.
- Spray fragrance straight up into the air and let it settle on you like a fragrant cloak.
- Lift up your hair and spray directly into it. The scent will remain in your hair much longer than it will on your skin.
- Use perfume or eau de parfum for staying power.
- If you have dry skin, you will need to wear more perfume, and re-apply your fragrance more often than someone with oilier skin.
- Wear stronger fragrances in cold weather. Cold reduces a scent’s intensity.
- Spray the inside of your elbow and behind your knee, for a longer lasting fragrance. The fragrance stays a little moist & scent works best just a little bit humid.
- It’s always good to rotate your fragrance choices because you will get desensitized to the aroma and you can inadvertently start applying too much and you won’t even know it.
Now that the holidays are upon us, it’s the perfect time to ask for your favorite scent or maybe even purchase one for yourself as there are many promotions that go along with them this time of year.
Fragrance can be an affordable luxury; by choosing the right bouquet you too can make a statement both of refinement and grace.
The choice is always yours, make it a good one!
~ Lani
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