Scent... Possibly the most powerful of our five senses; it is able to trigger repressed memories, alert us to possible dangers, and even aid in the development of new relationships . The perfume industry has taken all these things and truly capitalised, with an estimated 100 new fragrances being created yearly (Euromonitor International). With so many fragrances, from Miss Dior to the celebrity brands, to the innovator trying to break into the industry, there is so much choice that it can at times be crippling. Nonetheless, we at Fragrance Rich care so much, that we've decided to give you some things to consider so that you can make the absolutely best choice possible.
Fragrances, in light of the ingredients used to create them, are naturally separated into different families. There are four main ones to consider and they will suit different people based on their personalities, and the kind of things that they spend their time doing: Fresh, Floral (the most popular), Oriental and Woods.
Fragrances that are classified as fresh are said to smell uplifting, clean and crisp, reminiscent of a warm yet breezy day in the Spring. Fragrances with Fresh notes are more likely to be worn by individuals who are 'outdoorsy', but they are most definitely not slept on by the modern man.
For a person who oozes elegance, and radiates 'black-tie' dinner party, we have the Oriental family. The fragrances in this family tend to stand out yet linger long after you've gone to leave a lasting impression.
Then there is Floral. These can be either powdery or sweet, and the easiest way to manoeuvre around is by looking for a fragrance that uses the scent of your favourite flower. Alternatively, there are many combinations that can be made, either in the floral family alone or between families. When combined with citrus notes, lighter fresher florals are created called Citrus Florals. Alternatively, they can be combined with oriental fragrances to create Oriental floarals. These, although sometimes seen as feminine, can also be quite mature and regal.
Finally there are the Woody fragrances, considered to be earthy. Think of the great outdoors, and the power that it carries, this is what you should remember when going for this family. This is the type of scent that you would wear to that promotion meeting that your manager has been putting off for 6 months.
Aside from the fragrance families, the next major thing you should remember to do before buying a fragrance is to go with your gut feeling. Forget about everything else; the cool shape of the bottle, your favourite celeb brandishing it in front of them, the name of the designer, just forget it for a second. If you love the smell of a fragrance, and it sits well with you, maybe you shouldn't over-analyse, just do it. Scent invokes parts of you that you have no control over, and if your brain and your gut are in agreement, then the chances are that that fragrance is just right for you.