“A woman who doesn’t wear perfume has no future”. Only Coco Chanel would say that … and she did. I’m inclined to agree with her. Surely wearing perfume is as important as wearing underwear … you’re not properly dressed without it … Marilyn Monroe was famous for wearing nothing but Chanel No5 in bed

What is perfume?

A mix of fragrant essential oils, or aroma compounds, fixatives and solvents. It’s been around for thousands of years and has even been found on archaeological digs … not just in Tutankahmun’s tomb but in Cyprus as far back as the Bronze Age.

A Little About the History of Perfume

If you’d like to know more about and some of the oldest scents, still being made today, read the article from The Timeless Gentleman. It even includes a recipe for the time-honoured favourite “4711”!

There’s so much you can read about perfume; it’s history and how it’s been used over the course of time. For example, Hungary Water was one of the first alcohol-based perfumes in Europe, primarily made with rosemary. Some sources say it dates to 1370 and legend has it that it was formulated at the command of Queen Elizabeth of Hungary,

The Modern Perfumery

The Modern perfumery began in the 19th Century with the commercial synthesis of aroma compounds such as vanillin or coumarin.

Different perfume types reflect the concentration of aromatic compounds in a solvent, which is typically ethanol (such as brandy, cognac, pisco, rakia) or a mix of water and ethanol.

The intensity and longevity of a perfume is based on the concentration, intensity and longevity of the aromatic compounds or perfume oils

Perfume is highly personal. I won’t buy it for anybody unless I know what they use. It comes in different concentrations all of which have different names …

From strongest to lightest they are:

Extrait de Parfum, Parfum or Extrait
has the highest concentration of fragrance compounds; lasts the longest and has the strongest projection.
Eau de Parfum
second-highest concentration. Performs well in the longevity and projection category.
Eau de Toilette
it’s a step below in the fragrance oil concentration category, Performs quite well for most people, especially with moisturised skin.
Eau de Cologne
one of the weaker concentrations it’s great for people with smell sensitivity and can be applied liberally. If you don’t want to overwhelm people close to you, this is the obvious choice
Eau Fraiche
the lowest concentration of fragrance oils. Think aftershaves … less is more!

Finding your perfume

NEVER sample perfume on a piece of card! It’s essential that you try it on your skin (inside the wrist is probably the best spot), because your skin may be acid or alkaline … which will affect the scent.

NEVER put perfume on your neck or décolleté … it contains alcohol and can dry and stain the skin. Yes, even expensive perfumes …

If you do not have any perfume bottles in your home, treat yourself to something like these two gorgeous, refillable perfume bottles. Or you can buy L’Air Du Temps (Nina Ricci) which already has a Lalique stopper …

Some of my personal favourites are:

Chanel No 5 … it really is for grown-ups!
YSL’s Rive Gauche … a perfect daytime perfume … light!
Valentino’s Rock ‘n Rose … another favourite!
Givenchy’s Absolutely Irresistible … in a roll-on!

Because they work for me they will not necessarily work for you. Different skin acidity.

Remember, like makeup and everything else in your arsenal of femininity, perfume goes off and you don’t want to smell like a tub of rancid butter. If you read the makeup gone bad article you’ll get an idea of what needs to be done.

MY ONE Really BIG TIP for you …

Spray your clothes, not your skin. You will always smell fabulous and your wardrobe will be an olfactory delight …