One of the most popular gifts for the silly season is perfume or cologne. If you’ve got a signature scent or you’ve got long lost rellies half way round the globe sending you scents that are just god awful, it might be time to figure out what other scents suit you. This can be hard if you’ve never branched out from Chanel Mademoiselle; but I’ve come up with a fool proof way to ensure you only receive perfumes you REALLY like the smell of this Christmas.
EDP or EDT
What’s the difference anyway?
Eau de Toilette (EDT) contain anywhere between four and eight percent of perfume oil combined with alcohol.
Eau de Parfum contain a higher percentage of perfume oil — roughly 15 to 18 — mixed with alcohol. Eau de Parfum is the most expensive fragrance to buy.
Eau de Cologne is only three to five percent oil in a mixture of alcohol and water. It tends to be lighter and refreshing, typically with a citrus oil component. This is great for younger skin.
Finding the right perfume for you can be overwhelming, as it’s a very personal choice. A perfume your friend wears may not necessarily smell the same on your skin. This is due to the different notes in perfume. You are often drawn to a particular fragrance family, which could be one of the below.
Fragrance Family
Fresh – Fresh scents are for those of you who love fresh linen, the sea air, citrus and freshly cut grass. If you enjoy hiking, surfing and other outdoorsy activities, you’ll probably find yourself being drawn towards the Fresh Family.
Floral – This is the most popular fragrance family, which incorporates many different flowery notes. Some floral notes tend to lean a little on the sweet side so if that’s not your thing, try ones that are a bit more subtle and powdery. Florals can include notes of roses, jasmine, carnation, gardenia, orange blossom, rose, lily of the valley – the list goes on.
Oriental – For the more bold, the Oriental family is full of rich, exotic scents. Swilled with a mix of vanilla and amber, these fragrances make for great night time or special occasion perfume.
Woody – Any of the aromatic wood notes you can think of fall into this category. Many mens scents tend to fall into this category, and can contain notes of moss, sandalwood, cedar wood & oak.
TIP:
You might be drawn to one family more than another but it’s great to keep a few fragrances from different families to keep your scent fresh and new.
Fragrance Personality
Beach Babe/Boy – if you’re all about riding some waves, pounding some pavement or being out and about outdoors and playing sport – you are probably looking for something fresh and citrusy. You don’t want the scent to overpower your personality, rather you want it to complement you.
TRY:
Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue for Women EDT
MEN – Davidoff Coolwater Mens EDT
Miss/ Mister Elegance – If you spend your weeks planning extravagant dinner parties and your weekends sipping champagne from a long stem, perhaps fragrance is only an after thought. Spritz a bit of oriental behind your ears and you’re ready to go. It should be something that matches your classy aura.
TRY:
Christian Dior Miss Orginale EDT
MEN – Giorgio Armani Code Pour Homme EDT
Laid back Lad/Lass – If you’re more into hanging back, going with the flow and always make time to stop and smell the daisies; a floral scent is what you need to complement your personality.
TRY:
Jeanne En Provence Bouquet D’ Agrumes EDT for Women
Sarah Jessica Parker Lovely EDP
MEN – American Crew Nine Fragrance for Men
Make it Last:
To ensure your favourite scent stays on all through the day & night, spritz a little in your hair, on your wrists and rub some behind your ears.
So think about you’re favourite interests and smells, compile a list of these great perfumes and send out a Santa Please list to all those rellies.
Merry Christmas to you!
What’s your signature scent?
Let me know below…