Building a fragrance collection is not complicated. However, it can be challenging to navigate the myriad of scents on the market right. Editor Trudi Brewer shares how to build a fragrance collection while breaking down perfume jargon and the latest launches.
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Fragrance Categories
Choosing the intensity of a fragrance is the place to start. There are two categories, eau de toilette (EDT) and eau de parfum (EDP). The distinction between EDTs and EDPs is the ingredients' concentration and the scent's longevity. EDPs are more concentrated therefore are longer-wearing, but they're more expensive. While EDTs are less concentrated and have a shorter fragrance trail life, the upside is that they are lighter on the wallet.
Chloé Nomade Nuit D'Egypte EDP 50ml, $208.
Chloé fans, prepare to be wowed. This new amber-infused pretty floral was inspired by the ancient art of Kyphi, the first-known perfume incense created by Egyptian priests about 4000 years ago. Reinventing the scent of Kyphi, blended with orange blossom, takes the comforting vanilla to new heights. Also, 90 per cent of the ingredients are naturally sourced.
Understanding Fragrance Notes
Perfume formulators break a fragrance down into notes, influencing how you experience and react to it. There are three notes: top, middle (or heart), and base (or dry down notes). The top notes are the first aroma you smell when you spray the fragrance. Middle notes give the fragrance character and intensity, while the base notes ground and balance the fragrance, providing depth and a lasting trail.
ABERCROMBIE & FITCH FIERCE COLOGNE FOR MEN, FROM $70.
Today, cologne is genderless—the latest from fashion brand ABERCROMBIE & FITCH proves that. It’s a welcome burst of aromatic freshness, befitting for either a men’s or women’s wrist. This scent has a rejuvenating, uplifting quality thanks to a note called Marine Breeze, blended with sandalwood and musk.
Choose with your intuition.
Fragrance is an emotional choice, one that is best made in person. Experiencing the smell, the bottle, how it feels in your hand, and how the fragrance lasts on your skin is essential. Shopping for scent can be confusing, especially when spraying multiple scents. Try only three at the most at one time. Allow the fragrance to develop on the skin so you can smell all those notes, and choose the one that evokes a sense of delight, excitement, or nostalgia.
Shiseido Ginza EDP Murasaki, 90ml, $229.
Named after the colour purple, this new scent is a nod to nobility, power, and refinement—the meaning behind this shade. A woody floral blends crisp apple, pomegranate, violet, wisteria, freesia, and jasmine, enhanced by lingering, musky woods.
Layering fragrance
When it comes to layering scents (wearing more than one at a time), consider choosing EDTs. They are lighter and fresher and are often stacked with naturally derived materials, which makes them crisp, bright, and ideal for layering.
DIPTYQUE Ilio EDT, 100ml, $315.
It launches at Mecca Cosmetica every June when we are in the depths of winter. A limited edition - it smells like sunshine, thanks to prickly pear, bergamot, jasmine and iris notes. Its playful label is courtesy of French artist Alexandre Benjamin Navet, who has brought to life the colours of the gorgeous Mediterranean.
Finding a signature scent
The more you live with and wear fragrance, the more you appreciate its potential for boosting your mood or evoking memories while contributing to your overall well-being. Fragrance knowledge can help you understand the chemical composition of scent, but trusting your instinct and intuition is the best way to choose a perfume to suit your skin.
CALVIN KLEIN ETERNITY AROMATIC ESSENCE FOR WOMEN, $101.
Calvin Klein scents need no introduction. They are forever fresh and easy to wear every day. Their latest blends ambrette with lime, peony and silky coconut water. Blackcurrant and lavender offer a burst of aquatic vibrance, while sandalwood helps this fragrance last for hours. There is also Calvin Klein Eternity Aromatic Essence for Men, 50ml, $101.
Making fragrance last
There are no hard and fast rules about where or how to apply fragrance, but certain areas of our body have higher blood circulation and help your fragrance have a stronger effect. Pulse points, like behind the knees, wrists, and ears, are the warmest points on the body, which helps the scent smell stronger and last longer. While there are dedicated fragrant hair mists, you can spritz perfume into your hair or clothing (except silk) so your scent follows you when you move. Finally, moisturised skin holds fragrance better than dry skin, so moisturise first and then spritz on perfume.
RABANNE Fame Rabanne Eau De Parfum Intense, $226.
The latest fragrance from Rabanne is a nod to fashion and the Parisian spirit. The bottle looks sassy, and the scent is daring. A musky, woody, floral, it’s an ideal warming winter fragrance and was created with some of the most precious ingredients, including jasmine and creamy sandalwood. The brand says when you wear this scent, you will ‘light up every room and reveal the Fame star within you’—our style director agrees.
Keeping it fresh
Fragrance is like fine wine. Storing your cologne correctly ensures it lasts longer and stays true to its original scent. The humidity from the shower or direct sunlight can oxidise delicate ingredients like citrus and florals. The ideal spot for your perfume is a dry, cool, dark place, such as a wardrobe or cupboard.
BURBERRY HERO PARFUM FOR MEN, 50ml $193.
If you’re a Burberry fan or like a bold, heady scent, this new potent fragrance hits you with warm cedarwood oils the minute you spray it on. Then, the fresh pine-like citrusy burst of Amyris and cypriol oil give this scent an earthy, smoky appeal. Also, the refillable angular glass will fit perfectly in your hand.
With the latest and our favourites.