Features

Perfect Scents

1 Apr 2006 by business traveller

Over 100,000 bottles of fragrance are sold each week at World Duty Free shops in the UK — including, apparently, a bottle of Chanel No 5 every nine minutes. With numbers like that you'd be forgiven for thinking we're a nation of perfume buffs. But the truth is, most of us struggle with deciding which ones we like (sniff more than four and your nose gets confused), let alone feeling confident about the difference between an eau de toilette and eau de parfum.

So, back to basics. The main difference between the two is that perfume contains a higher level of "fragrance oil" blend, which makes the fragrance last a long time. In fact, 50 per cent of the scent will last up to 24 hours (meaning you can use less of it — which is just as well because perfume is the most expensive blend).

Eau de parfum and eau de toilette contain lower levels of fragrance oil blend, which is why eau de toilette needs to be reapplied during the day to keep the scent or "notes" alive. Fragrances are described by notes. The top notes create the first impression of a fragrance, but these only last for up to 15 minutes. The middle notes and the heart of the fragrance follow and the base notes come through after an hour or two. The way a perfume unfolds is part of the pleasure of it. It's also why you shouldn't buy a fragrance on the strength of your initial spritz of it.

Once you know these basics it will be easier to choose that perfect scent. But there are a few other considerations to take on board. Hence, Business Traveller's handy guide with top tips, facts and some of the new smells on the block.

  • Never just smell a scent from the bottle. This only gives you an impression of the top notes and the alcohol they are diluted in, rather than how it will develop on your skin. Test a few on scent blotters (most perfume counters have these plain strips of paper on which to spray and sniff scent) and once you've narrowed down your choice, try it on your skin.
  • Don't rub your wrists together after applying fragrance to one (it's a curiously automatic gesture for many of us) as some experts say the friction can distort the scent.
  • Odours affect our moods. Some, such as vanilla, have universal appeal, making us feel comforted and comfortable. Experts speculate this is because feel-good homely smells from baby powder to baking can all contain vanilla. Indeed, breast milk is thought to have vanilla-like chemicals in it. Hence, notes of vanilla are used in many fragrances.
  • You can also have a personal connection with a scent. If you have happy memories of it, you'll feel good when you smell it again. But if you associate it with bad times (maybe your ex wore a particular perfume?), even on a subconscious level, you'll always feel uncomfortable around that scent.
  • Heat increases the impact of odour, so our sense of smell seems keener in sunnier climes, according to the Fragrance Foundation (fragrance.org), a non-profit-making educational organisation. Try wearing lighter, fresher scents as a little will go a long way in hot weather.
  • Fragrances can be divided into families, which is helpful to know when shopping for a new perfume. The theory is, if you like a certain type of scent, you'll probably like its relatives (though you might go off them if you've sat next to them all night on the red-eye back from New York).

Traditionally for female fragrances, these groups are the florals, the chypres and the orientals — and there are subcategories, such as flori-orientals. Floral groups include everything from light-fresh scents (such as the classic Anais Anais by Cacharel) to headier compositions with exotic blooms such as ylang ylang and tuberose, to spiced up florals (Givenchy's Very Irresistible, for instance).

Chypres have citrusy top notes, blended with mossy notes and a floral heart. Often patchouli and woods are included too. Classic examples are Rochas Femme and Hermes Caleche.

Orientals are rich in base notes, be they spicy, musky or gourmand (think vanilla and caramel). Yves Saint Laurent's Opium is a classic oriental, while Chanel's new Allure Sensuelle also has a strong oriental facet.
Male fragrances take from all of the above categories, but make greater use of citrus, herbal, leather, woody and aromatic ingredients.

  • Your diet can affect the way a fragrance smells and how long it lasts on your skin. If your diet is spicy and high in fat, scent will smell more intense on your skin. Your skin type can make a difference too. If your skin is dry for example, fragrance will evaporate more quickly. There is a school of thought that believes that as blondes tend to have drier skin, they should avoid very subtle scents. A long-lasting multi-floral fragrance (a classic example is Jean Patou's Joy; a new choice is Annick Goutal's Songe) would be the ideal choice for a blonde. Brunettes tend to have oilier skin, meaning that scents linger for longer. Oriental scents work well for this type.
  • Have trouble sleeping when you travel? Try spraying your bedroom with a light fragrance containing lavender or jasmine before retiring — or invest in a scented candle. Studies have shown that lavender promotes deep sleep (and works marginally better for women), while jasmine aids peaceful sleep and alertness the following day.
Loading comments...

Search Flight

See a whole year of Reward Seat Availability on one page at SeatSpy.com

Business Traveller March 2024 edition
Business Traveller March 2024 edition
Be up-to-date
Magazine Subscription
To see our latest subscription offers for Business Traveller editions worldwide, click on the Subscribe & Save link below
Polls