The Perfume That Will Make Any Man Fall In Love

Perfume expert Samantha Taylor knows pretty much everything there is to know about fragrance. Yes, even which type will make your paramour fall head over heels.

And she’s willing to tell us too. But first, Samantha, director of The Powder Room, answers a few of our most pressing perfume questions because yes, we have them.

How do we choose the right fragrance?

Start by thinking what kind of fragrance you are looking for and where you might wear it. Share this with the sales assistant and ask them to select a few different fragrances, and then try two on the skin. Don’t rub or dab the perfume.

Let it unfold on the skin like a flower and be sure to have a good sniff every five minutes so you can smell the evolution of the fragrance as the different notes evaporate. This is called the dry down. Never, ever purchase a fragrance until it has been on your skin for at least 30 minutes. The base notes linger on the skin the longest, so you need to make sure that you love this part of the perfume as much as the top and middle notes.

Always try the fragrance on the skin. On the blotter (those white pieces of stiff paper the assistants spritz) it will be very linear, however once on your skin it will interact with your body’s natural chemistry and it will smell unique to you.

 

What’s the different between an EDT and an EDP and why should we care?

Perfume is made from what we call juice or jus in French and alcohol. The juice is the perfume concentrate and is made from natural and synthetic raw materials. Alcohol is added to this to produce what we know as perfume. Eau de toilette has around 5-10 per cent juice and eau de parfum has 10-15 per cent and parfum has more than 15 per cent. The higher the concentration of juice the stronger the perfume and the longer it will last on the skin. You might wear an eau de toilette for the day and then an eau de parfum for the evening.

Why are some fragrances so much more expensive than others?

Niche fragrances tend to be more on the pricey side as they are created for a smaller, more discerning market. The ingredients used might be higher quality or rarer and the makers of the scent may manufacture in smaller runs. That doesn’t mean that commercial brands are not good quality – it just means that they are created for a broader appeal. I classify perfume brands into four different groups, niche, prestige, masstige and celebrity.

 

Celebrity scents are very popular but some folk suggest they’re not quality perfumes. True?

The actual process of creating a celebrity perfume is not that different to the other types of perfume. Contrary to popular belief, Kim Kardashian doesn’t actually make the fragrance her name is on. Instead, a highly trained perfumer creates the perfume.

However they would work with the celebrity to present a fragrance they like and feel fits their personal brand. They might have a lower budget for raw materials and need to move quickly to get their product on the market to capitalise on their popularity.

How many perfumes should a woman own?

How many shoes or hand bags should a woman own? You can never have too many. I have far more than 200 bottles and I still don’t have enough! I always tell my clients that they should think of perfume as a final accessory. Choose one to complement your outfit, the weather or how you are feeling. The very minimum is three. That’s one for day time, one for night time and one seduction perfume that brings out the inner seductress.

 

On that … what’s the right type of scent for a date?

Something intriguing, but not too heavy. Your fragrance should leave a tantalising sillage (trail of scent) that makes your date want to follow you anywhere …

What’s the best kind of fragrance for work?

I call work fragrances polite perfumes. You want something that is subtle and doesn’t asphyxiate your co-workers. Fresh citrus, light florals or green scents work best in warm weather, and chypre or wood fragrances are ideal for colder weather. Keep your heavy florals and orientals for evening wear.

How do we find a signature scent for ourselves?

A signature scent should be the core of your fragrance wardrobe, something that you return to because it makes you feel good and is one that people comment on. It should sit well on your skin and last for at least a couple of hours. Think about what smells make you happy and share this with the sales assistant. Lots of people think that the perfect perfume is one you can’t smell on yourself.

This is so untrue! All that means is your nose has become accustomed to your perfume and has set it aside so it can do its job, which is to smell for danger in the environment around you and the food you are about to eat. If this is you, please don’t marinate yourself in your perfume, you might not be able to smell it, but we can!

 

Where should we store scent?

Away from heat and sunlight. Please, never in the bathroom, though there is no need to go as far as putting them in the fridge. The fridge is for wine.

Does it have a use-by date?

The general consensus is a couple of years, though if you store perfume correctly, you can make them last much longer. As long as you still like the way it smells, it is fine. Change in colour indicates that it may not be at its best, so if it smells a bit off, it’s time to throw your bottle away. This is a perfectly good reason to wear perfume all the time, don’t just save it for special occasions!

 

Why is perfume so important?

I think perfume is a wonderful way to express yourself. It can enhance a facet of your personality, or even hide one. It can change the way you feel, and others around you. It can complement an outfit, cool you when you feel hot, and warm you when you feel cold, like a good whisky. It is an unspoken communication that tells a story, yours. Make it a good one.

And last of all, 2017 scents are going to be …

More independent brands are emerging, and the big brands are snapping them up as they are aware that the consumer is starting to look for something different in their perfumes. Once upon a time everyone wanted to smell like the latest release that all of their friends were wearing, now we are becoming more discerning and seeking brands with authenticity. I also feel that traditional styles of perfume such as soliflore and chypres are returning, we live in a turbulent world in 2017, we are seeking a little comfort in the familiar. Personalisation will also become more popular