From cult buys to top tips, hottest trends to ones to watch - read on for everything you need to know about the world of fragrance.
A - ANGEL
Thierry Mugler Angel (from $95, from Adore Beauty) turns 15 this year and is as popular as ever. In fact, few other fragrances can boast such feverishly obsessed fans. Angel devotees rave about the addictive quality of the gourmand scent, with such ingredients as chocolate, vanilla, caramel and honey. Said to be inspired by French designer Mugler’s favourite childhood memories (his grandmother’s baking, trips to the local fair), Angel sparked the gourmand trend that is still cooking strong, with many perfume nowadays trying to appeal to our hearts via our stomachs (see ‘Y - Yum’ below).
B - BLOGS & BOOKS
Fragrance blogs have become the modern-day perfume advisors, featuring news, reviews and forums for the scent-obsessed and -curious. Some of the most clicked on: Now Smell This, Perfume-Smellin’ Things, Bois de Jasmin, and The Scented Salamander. The ultimate must-read when it comes to fragrance, however, is Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Süskind. It’s a novel, rather than a practical read, but you’ll never come across more inspired and evocative descriptions of smells. Although you’ll get very close with the writings of Chandler Burr, author and perfume critic for The New York Times. Check out his fascinating book, The Emperor of Scent, and his articles, which are as much works of art as their subject matters, at Chandler Burr.
C - CULT
Chanel No.5 (from $120, from department stores or call 02 9900 2944 for information) is the ultimate fragrance legend, as much for being Mademoiselle’s first and favourite fragrance and for its remarkable soft-floral scent, as for famously being all that Marilyn Monroe wore to bed. What better star endorsement could a perfume wish for? Okay, maybe Madonna - who is a fan of the white floral Fracas by Robert Piguet ($220, from Mecca Cosmetica). Another star buy - not to mention style-set favourite - is the light-hearted citrus scent, Annick Goutal Eau d’Hadrien (from $120, from Adore Beauty).
D - DR ALAN R. HIRSCH
Dr Alan R. Hirsch, neurological director of the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago, is one of the world’s most respected and most quoted fragrance experts. He has conducted over 180 studies on smell, taste and various other sensory subjects. Some of his often bizarre findings include: the combination of lavender and pumpkin pie has the greatest success in eliciting male sexual response (followed by licorice and doughnut); and, men rate women who wear a mixture of grapefruit and baby powder as six years younger than they actually are. For more information, click here.
E - EAU DE TOILETTE
Eaux de toilette are usually lightened-up version of their parfum sisters. But some of the latest eaux to hit counters are distinct fragrances in their own right. While the original Dior Miss Dior Chérie starred such sweet notes of bergamot, wild strawberries, caramelised popcorn, jasmine and tuberose, the new EDT (from $78, from department stores) is a pared-back mix of bergamot, freesia, popcorn and patchouli. And the EDT version of Giorgio Armani Armani Code Donna (from $95, from department stores) is a lighter take on the parfum; for example, lily of the valley has been added, while musk replaced woody notes to give it a more delicate linger.
F - FRAGRANCE-SPEAK
Aromachology: Refers to the study of psychological effects, such as calming or invigorating, of the odours of essential oils.
Base Note: The final phrase of a fragrance, the character that appears several hours after application. Musk, sandalwood and patchouli . . . are examples.
Chypre: A fragrance family. The basic chypre accord consists of a combination of fresh notes, such as citrus, and a mossy-wood complex.
Eau de Parfum: An alcoholic perfume solution containing a relatively high percentage of perfume compound (about 10-15%).
Eau de Toilette: An alcohol/water based perfume solution containing a moderate percentage perfume compound (about 10-15%).
Floriental: A fragrance family. It is a lighter variant of the typically heavy oriental type of perfume, in which floral notes are accentuated.
Fougère: A fragrance family . . . Fragrance accord result from a harmonious blend of fern-like notes blended with herbal notes such as lavender.
Heart Note: The harmony of notes forming the main fragrance theme. It usually takes from ten to twenty minutes for the middle note to fully develop on the skin.
Perfume (extract): Most highly concentrated form of fragrance, containing a high percentage of perfume compound (about 20-50%). The strongest and the longest lasting.
Top Note: The impression of a fragrance when first smelled or applied to the skin.
Woody: A fragrance family. It refers to the aroma of freshly cut, dry woods such as cedarwood, patchoulim vetiver or sandalwood.
Thanks to Drom Fragrance International for the glossary.
G - GREEN
For the uninitiated, a green fragrance - with notes such as fresh-cut grass, violet or tomato leaves, and the gum resin galbanum - suggests a herbal hippieness, a breeze of fresh air, or a frolic in the gardens. Women who have fallen in love at first green spritz, however, know that there are few aromas more sophisticated. Pierre Blamain Vent Vert ($99, perfume.com.au) is one of the all-time classics, as is Sisley Eau de Campagne (from $99, from selected David Jones, or call 1300 780 800 for information). Infusing the green movement with extra chic is the recently launched Marc Jacobs Splash in Grass ($99, from Myer and David Jones, or call 1800 812 663 for information).
It’s not a surprise that green scents are making a comeback - it seems a fitting fragrance backdrop for our growing interest in the environment and in our health and wellbeing. For those obsessed with upping their antioxidant intake, green tea fragrances are a perfect perfume match. Elizabeth Arden’s popular Green Tea perfume and skincare range will introduce Green Tea Tropical in late July (from $55, from Myer and David Jones), a rainforest-invoking blend of notes like green tea, marco polo tea, sea moss, lychee and dragon fruit. And, to perfume the air around you: the gorgeous new Bloom Scented Room Spray in Green Tea & Bergamot ($30, from Myer and David Jones, or check out Bloom for other stockists).
H - HAIR
After a while, our noses get used to a signature scent and we can’t smell ourselves the way we once did. Which is why it’s good to shake up your scent routine from time to time. For a twist on fragrance application, try spritzing hair with a little fragrance (just underneath, at the nape) before blow-drying. The aroma will intensify and rise with the heat, giving you a gorgeous sensory trip. Better yet, check if your perfume comes in a hair spray version. One of the best: Narciso Rodriguez for Her Hair Mist ($78, call 02 9695 5678 for information).
I - IFF
International Flavors and Fragrances is one of the world’s leading creators of smells and tastes. IFF’s noses (the industry term for a fragrance designer) have concocted scents for the likes of Prada, Viktor & Rolf, La Perla and Michael Kors. But it’s not all glamour. IFF also works in the fabric care and toiletries industries. Which is why your humble shampoo or laundry detergent may well have been scented by one of the world’s most finely-tuned noses.
J - J.LO
Jennifer Lopez wasn’t the first celebrity to successfully go into fragrance (Elizabeth Taylor launched the still-top-selling White Diamonds in 1991) but she can certainly be credited with igniting the current craze for famously named fragrances. Sarah Jessica Parker, Kylie Minogue and Hilary Duff are just some stars whose perfumes are ensuring they become mega-brands; the next to watch include Gwen Stefani and Kate Moss (see below).
K - KATE MOSS
If the stampedes in Top Shop for her clothing collection are anything to go by, Kate Moss’ first fragrance is likely to be the hottest fragrance launch of 2007. The yet-to-be-named perfume is due for release by the end of the year. Watch this space.
L - LARS BURMEISTER
He’s the new and insanely good-looking face of Giorgio Armani Acqua di Giò, which recently celebrated its ten-year anniversary. Not to mention the fact that it’s the number-one selling men’s fragrance. Not much else to say really. Except that we just wanted an excuse to run this photo.
M - MANGOSTEEN FRUIT
It’s one of the latest it-antioxidants. You’ve probably heard about mangosteen at your local health food store, where you can often get it in booster form and added to your fresh juice. The tropical fruit, which is creamy in texture and citrusy-peachy in taste, is also starting to pop up in perfumes, notably Hilary Duff With Love (from $79, from Myer).
N - NEED-IT-NOW
For a limited time, Marc Jacobs’ original top-selling scent - think freshly picked gardenias floating around in luxuriously creamy musk - comes in these two almost-more-fabulous-than-a-pair-of-Marc-Jacobs-shoes-and-matching-handbag bottles. They’re $110 each, exclusively at Myer.
O - ORANGE
Bergamot and grapefruit seem to have been the citrus stars of the scent world for forever. So it’s not surprising that the trusty orange should finally have its moment. Orange blossom has been a continuing fragrance theme of late, with names such as Jo Malone and Giorgio Armani sprinkling it around liberally, while Jean Paul Gaultier has been the first to use orange blossom in a men’s fragrance (Fleur du Mâle, from $99, available at Myer from May 21st). And then there’s ‘orange chypre’, a niche fragrance sub-category that is bound to get more mainstream recognition in August, when Cacharel is set to launch its next fragrance, Liberté. Especially seeing that Gisele Büdchen has signed up to be the face.
P - PER FUMUM
The Latin term - meaning ‘through smoke’ - from which the word perfume derives. As Australian-based, world-renowned expert Michael Edwards explains: “In the temples of Ancient Rome, crushed flowers, leaves, wood shavings, spices and aromatic resins were placed onto burning coals as offerings to the gods. Their scent was released ‘through smoke’, or ‘per fumum’.”
Q - QUICK UPLIFT
The essential oil-infused Clarins Eau Dynamisante (from $62, from Adore Beauty) is the ultimate feel-good fragrance - it freshens, energises and perks up the senses in one single spritz.
R - ROSES
Perfume trends come and go (eau d’ozone, anyone?) but one style of scent is the LBD of the perfume world, standing the chic-test of time: rose. The most celebrated rosy fragrance is Jean Patou Joy (from $73, from Perfumery); launched in 1930, a year after the Wall Street crash, Joy proclaimed itself to be “the costliest perfume in the world”, which only added to its luxuriously indulgent feel. Yves Saint Laurent Paris* (from $102, from department stores) infused the style-challenged 1980s with some much-needed prettiness. And, more recently, the English-Rose Stella McCartney perfume (from $80, from department stores) has given the girlie genre a cool edge.
S – SPLURGE
Donna Karan Gold (from department stores) was designed to capture the warm sensuality of this precious metal. Sure enough, the rich, heady mix (which includes lily, amber, jasmine, golden balsam and patchouli) smells, well, expensive. But if you really want to put your money where your nose is, you can splash out on the parfum, for $475. Luckily, for those of us without a 24-karat budget, there’s a handy roller ball version for $80, while the eau de parfum starts at $125.
T – THREE TOP TIPS
1. Fragrance intensifies with heat, so apply it to the pulse points (below the ear lobes, the hollow of the neck, behind the knees) – their circulation-stimulated warmth will help amplify your scent.
2. Keep your perfumes stored in a cool, dark place – heat and light can break fragrance down.
3. Dry skin doesn’t hold fragrance well, so keep your body well-moisturised. Better yet, invest in the body cream version of your signature scent – layering is an ideal way to make your perfume smell stronger and last longer
U - UNISEX
The citrusy, splash-all-over CK One (from $65, from department stores), which launched in 1994, has been the most successful unisex fragrance of all time. In a recent article in The New York Times, entitled ‘How to Bottle a Generation’, Eric Wilson wrote: “CK One, with its unconventional black and white advertisements filled with moping, androgynous models, was arguably the most perfectly tailored fragrance ever pitched to one market, breaking industry rules and records, selling 20 bottles per minute at its peak. A unisex brand that became the olfactory talisman of Generation X, CK One was so authentically grunge it was carried in record stores alongside albums by Nirvana.”
V – VENUSTUS TAHITI
It’s one of the beauty eds’ most-loved, most-worn fragrance. Why? As its name suggests, it instantly transports you to a sensory sunny place. Buy it for $77 at Venustus.
W – WINTER
Want a fragrance to take you through winter? The warm, woody Clinique Aromatics Elixir (from $50, from Clinique) could just be your best new fragrance friend.
X - X-RATED
Agent Provocateur is world-famous for its flirty, fetish-suggestive lingerie. So you’d expect its first-ever scent to be knock-your-frock-off sexy, right? Well you wouldn’t be disappointed. This musk-fuelled mix is one of the masters – or make that, mistresses – of the sexy-scent genre. Writer Chandler Burr described it brilliantly in The New York Times recently: “It doesn’t actually smell like unwashed panties. It’s better than that: it just reminds you of them. It smells like crushed raspberries and black plums on hot skin.”
The most recent provocative perfume from Agent Provocateur is *Maîtresse*, a super-seductive soft floral featuring white lotus petals, ylang ylang, jasmin sambac and rose absolute. (Buy both fragrances now in Mother’s Day coffrets; the original fragrance pack features a 30ml eau de parfum and a 100ml Body Glamour Sauce for $80, while the Maîtresse set contains a 30ml eau de parfum and a 100ml Seductive Body Milk Wash. Available from selected Myer and David Jones stores, or call (02) 9695 5678 for information.)
Y - YUM
Some of the most delicious gourmand perfumes to be served up? Jo Malone Blue Agava & Cacao Cologne (from $80, available at Jo Malone Woollahra, 02 9362 5555, David Jones Sydney and Melbourne, or by mail order, 02 9362 5555) is flavoured with such tantalizing ingredients as cocoa, cinnamon and vanilla. While Ralph Lauren Ralph Rocks (from $59, from department stores, available May 20th) features a ‘whipped milk accord’ along with passionfruit and kiwi fruit to evoke a creamy tropical cocktail.
Z – ZZZZZ …
Need some help getting your beauty sleep? Be Genki Tranquility Perfume Balm ($26 from Be Genki), with its dreamy blend of lavender, chamomile and sandalwood essential oils, is a must-have for all sleeping beauties.
