READing Your Style: Scent on a Journey (Part 3)

I hope this Christmas season you took my advice on buying fragrances as gifts, and that the flow chart descriptions of scents provided by InStyle Magazine helped you to look at the world of perfumes and colognes more clearly. Since the beginning of my expedition to become more familiar with scents and fragrances this season, I have done a zillion scent tests on basically any fragrance I could get my hands on: Parfumes, Colognes, Eau de Toilettes and Parfumes, as well as air fresheners, car fresheners, and body sprays. I found that the combination of materials used to create scents contain certain scent notes (i.e. Top, middle, base, and oriental notes) that must be balanced as to appeal to the smeller in a certain way.  As I mentioned in Part 2 of the READing Your Style: Scent on a Journey series, I am a visual person, so studying and reporting on fashion through the use of my nose has been quite different. I have been able to smell a lot of the fragrances out on the market in the past few months, and considering this is the time where fragrances products make their highest profits and promote the heaviest, I have been able to really study the subject of Part 3 of BBC’s Fragrance Series. It’s funny because while fragrance is an invisible product, when it comes to selling the product, as I always say, “It’s all about the visual!” The last part of the BBC series has to deal with the sociological aspect of scent fashions and how scent makers determine the tastes of regions to market scents. I have been taking the time to recognize what are the differences in how each fragrance in the market smells, and what I found for myself is that while it is important for the actual scent to resonate with the individual and their scent preferences, selling the scent has a lot to do with how the product is packaged. Considering how massive the fragrance industry is, and how accessible fragrances are, an invisible product needs a visual in order to stand out to its perspective owner, so I have been comparing the scent of a fragrance, to its packaging to tell if one can easily determine what the scent smells like, and how well each brand sends that message about the contents in the bottle.  

The marketing and research that goes into creating fragrances for a particular market is a fascinating process because scents tend to be region appropriate. As we learn from the above video, in Russia, heavy, rich smells tend to be the favorite; in China, light, airy scents are preferred; Brazilians enjoy fruity smells, and Arabic countries prefer the musky, oriental scents of the Victorian era. It’s interesting to think about what smells tend to turn on a region of people and generate that euphoric sense of attraction. In the focus group sessions performed by predictor of global scents, Ann Gottlieb, she offered some interesting reasons as to the shifts in popular appeal and the demand for certain trends in smells. Lately, I’ve been preaching about the power to enhance one’s style and appeal by simply finding a signature scent or fragrance. Even if you are not the best dressed, it’s fascinating how intriguing a person can become when that proximity threshold is broken by an electrifying scent that catches our attention and transports us from our normal train of thought. Finding a signature scent—one that you can be exclusively known for—which burns an image of who you are into someone’s mind is a powerful way to make an impression, which in my fashion, is the beauty of fragrance. Fashion is all about developing an allure, and smells, while we tend not to think about them often, have an unconsciously grabbing hold on our desire to interact with others. Perhaps, going into the new year, I implore you to pay more attention to what you want your signature scent to say about you.

*Men's Health Fragrance Finder*

*Real Simple Magazine's Fragrance Finder*

*Nordstrom's Fragrance 101*

To help you out I’ve found some online sources above for choosing fragrances that could help you find a scent perfect for who you are, or someone you want to get a fragrance for. Even though Christmas is gone for 2013, don’t forget,  Valentine’s Day 2014 is around the corner. The last type of scents I feature in this series are Fresh scents.

~*Happy New Year!*~  

WHICH OF THESE AROMAS ATTRACTS YOU THE MOST?

Grass OR, Citrus Fruits OR, Ocean Breezes

*Grass:

DO YOU LIKE A HINT OF SWEETNESS?

If you DO prefer a hint of sweetness:

Boss Jour Pour Femme

Honeysuckle and freesia never over-powder the juice, which has a zippy hit of fresh lime.

If you DO NOT prefer a hint of sweetness:

Penhaligon’s Vaara

Carrot seeds, coriander, rose, and saffron give an earthy edge to this light, woodsy mix.

*Citrus Fruits:

DO YOU PREFER A CLEAN, A CRISP, OR A FLOWERY FINISH?

CLEAN:

Eau de Lacoste Pour Femme

The subtle sweetness of mandarin and white pineapple blends beautifully with traces of orange flower and sandalwood.

CRISP:

Coach Poppy Citrine Blossom

Zesty bergamot, black currant, and mandarin take over, creating an eye-opening, invigorating perfume that you'll love misting on in the morning.

FLOWERY:

Tory Burch

The soft, petal like scent of peony and tuberose lingers on the skin after the initial burst of grapefruit and neroli fades into the background.

*Ocean Breezes:

ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WEARING A MAN’S FRAGRANCE?

If you are comfortable wearing a man’s fragrance:

Prada Luna Rossa 34th America’s Cup

Close your eyes and imagine splashing over the salty seas on a hot summer day. That's what we're talking about.

If you DON’T prefer to wear a man’s fragrance:

Donna Karan Cashmere
Mist Gold Essence

Bergamont and ivy leaves combine with notes designed to evoke wet gardenia petals in a blend that's clean and sparkling.

READing Your Style: Scent on a Journey (Part 2)

In my fashion, perfumery is a beautiful craft, and after watching the 2nd installment of BBC's Perfume series, 'Bottling a Memory', one is able to understand the esoteric art of creating fragrances. What I find so interesting about perfumers is that their craft involves having a deep understanding of something that is essentially invisible. Can you imagine having so acute a sense of smell that you can memorize, distinguish, and understand how to mix raw materials that have the power to evoke euphoric memories? Think about it, when we smell something good, you have a break for a moment, and unconsciously our minds record what that scent made us feel like. Perfumers understand that relationship, and that emotional connection between scent and memory. 

For me, I can look at a dress, or bag, or shoe that has no label, and distinguish by its details and construction who and where the dress was made. Like International Vogue Editor-at-Large, Hamish Bowles, I can look at a dress and say what region a dress was made, or whether it was made in the 18th century London, or America during the Edwardian Period. Perfumers make similar distinctions between the way things smell. The few chosen students who are selected by the school of the global leader in the fragrance industry, Givaudan, have to memorize over 500 raw materials and learn how to mix them by dissecting the chemical elements and core contents of a blend of scent notes. Using their noses, they have to figure what elements will translate into something that  can be worn, and smell alluring on the human body. Essentially, with fragrances, people want to experience "transport"; transport to what in our minds is most beautiful with out any visual stimulation. Transport to a beautiful memory. Knowing what aroma chemicals exist to create a scent of lasting impression requires a poetic sensibility towards chemistry, and the imaginative nostalgia of the human experience. They are what is needed to inspire the memories of the future. Continuing from the 1st Part of READing Your Style: Scent on a Journey taken from the November 2013 issue of InStyle, the next type of fragrances they teach us about are spicy scents.

WHICH OF THESE AROMAS ATTRACT YOU THE MOST?

Earthy Woods OR Vanilla OR Deep Incense

*Earthy Woods: 

DO YOU PREFER A PEPPERY, A POWDERY, OR A WARM FINISH?

PEPPERY:

Bottega Veneta 'Eau Légère

Musk, oak moss, and pink pepper craete a robust base, though a whiff of light gardenia emerges too.

POWDERY:

Krigler Oud
Sumptuous 75213

Woody notes mix with amber, cinnamon, and vanilla, producing a sensual fragrance that could easily be worn by a man or a woman.

WARM:

Christian Dior Gris Montaigne

The aroma of moss and patchouli brings warmth to the skin; jasmine and rose add a feminine touch.

*Vanilla: 

HOW SWEET DO YOU LIKE YOUR PERFUME?

SWEET:

Intense by Dolce &Gabbana

A delicious confection of fig and vanilla that remains sophisticated thanks to orange flower and tuberose. 

SLIGHTLY SWEET:

Guerlain Shalimar Ode à la Vanille

Delectable caramel, cocoa, and vanilla are balanced by floral jasmine and earthy iris.

NOT SO SWEET:

Diptyque Eau Duelle

Grounded by intense amber and spices, the vanilla doesn't smell a bit cloying.

*Deep Incense: 

DO YOU LIKE THE SCENT OF FLOWERS?

-If you DO like the scent of flowers:

Terry de Gunzburg Ombre Mercure

Iris, jasmine, and rose, play as big a role here as patchouli and vanilla.

-If you DON'T prefer the scent of flowers:

Tom Ford Sahara Noir

The combo of frankincense and wood accords makes for an unforgettably exotic experience.

READing Your Style: Scent on a Journey (Part 1)

The Holiday Season is approaching and, in my fashion, if you are anyone smart, you would be thinking of Christmas gifts now instead of waiting til the last few days before the big day (like I always do). Lately an aspect of style which has caught my fancy more than ever before is the use of fragrances. The model that I used for last month's Editor's Letter for October, Sophia, is a dear friend of mine, and her acute sense of smell, and obsession for fragrances is an ongoing topic with her. If you recall this year's Valentine's Day post, you will remember I spoke a little about how scents played a significant role in courting women, and sending certain messages to others. In my fashion, smell is an interesting sense when you really think about it. It's such a subliminal sense, but what most of us don't happen to realize is that perfume is liquid luxury. Smells affect our emotions by evoking memories, and when someone gets a whiff of your perfume, it leaves an extra impression in their mind. Perfumes help to remind us of romance, sex, happiness, and beauty, and in my fashion, the wearer, no matter what they look like, will always leave some hint of intrigue. Its all about the image one has of you after you have left the room, in my fashion. Think about the picture that famed perfumer, Jean-Paul Guerlain, paints for us in Part 1 of the below BBC Documentary, Perfumes: From Scent to Sale: 

"The most beautiful girl in the world: she takes off her dress, she takes off her make-up, and what's left? The charm of her voice and her perfume. A woman can be ugly at daytime and wonderful at nighttime."

I will be covering the three part documentary series in next 2 parts of this series, but in the above video you can learn some interesting facts about perfuming and the intricate business of bottling liquid luxury. Jean-Paul Guerlain, while having made a racist comment in an interview in October of 2010, and having been found guilty of in French Courts for committing a threat to “public order”, his families legacy for being one of the world's oldest perfume houses since 1828, The House of Guerlain is a great point of reference for learning about the beautiful craft of perfuming. While going to Bed, Bath, and Body Works is always a good option for buying gifts for friends, co-workers, and family members we may not know too much about, to receive a specially made fragrance from a high fashion designer puts the icing on the cake for our more intimate relationships with our moms, girlfriends, boyfriends, dads, and close friends. I found a wonderful guide in InStyle Magazine's November 2013 issue called, "Scent on a Journey", which offers some great comparisons of the perfumes out on the market. In my fashion, if you are unaware of how to think about buying a perfume and what a more discerning reason of why you are going to buy a perfume, either for yourself or someone else, the article asks some great questions in flow chart format to use when you are going to a store spritzing those little pieces of paper trying to find just the right scent. Continue visiting #IMFblog throughout November to find out how to distinguish between the floral, spicy, and fresh scents out in the market. 

FLORAL FRAGRANCES: 

If your happy place is smack-dab in the middle of a blossoming garden, look below to pick your next bouquet.

WHICH OF THESE AROMAS ATTRACTS YOU THE MOST:

             

White Flowers OR Roses OR Fruits and Flowers

*White Flowers: 

WHEN YOU WALK INTO A ROOM, DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO NOTICE YOUR FRAGRANCE?

-If you DO want people to know your fragrance:

DO YOU PREFER A SLIGHTLY SPICY OR A SWEET SCENT?

SPICY:

Boucheron Place Vendôme

As sparkling (with pink peppercorn, jasmine, and orange blossom) as the City of Light itself

SWEET:

Estée Lauder Modern Muse

Jasmine and tuberose smell elegant with a delicious dose of vanilla.

-If you DON'T want people to know your fragrance:                                                                                    

DO YOU PREFER A POWDERY OR A SWEET MIX?    

POWDERY:

Issey Miyake L'eau D'issey Absolue

It's light yet addictive with subtle freesia, lotus flower, and a hint of heady tuberose.

SWEET:

Lolita Lempicka Elle L'aime

Bergamot, lime, and neroli put a yummy spin on the soft pairing of jasmine and ylang ylang.

*Roses: 

DO YOU ENJOY BOLD ROSY BLENDS?

-If you DO enjoy rosy blends:

Victor & Rolf Flowerbomb Explosion

Peppercorn and saffron enrich the aroma of Turkish and Moroccan roses.

-If you DON'T enjoy rosy blends:                        
                             

DO YOU PREFER AN EARTHY, A FRESH, OR A POWDERY FINISH?

EARTHY:

Marni Rose

The rich, rosy fragrance deepens on the skin thanks to spicy cardamom and patchouli. 

FRESH:

Kenzo Flower in the Air

It's subtle, like a breeze blowing over blooming rose bushes. 

POWDERY:

Clé de Peau Beauté Rose Synactif

Creamy notes of musk and white woods make this delicate yet warm.

*Fruits and Flowers: 

DO YOU LIKE A HINT OF SPICE IN YOUR PERFUME?

-If you DO like a hint of spice in your perfume:

 Fendi L'Acquarossa

Juicy tangerine and plum brighten the heart of magnolia and rose, through the woody patchouli-spiked base comes through too.

-If you DON'T like a hint of spice in your perfume:      
                                                                 

Jimmy Choo Exotic

Blackcurrant, passion flower, and raspberry are charmingly sweet but not dessert-like.