With millions of perfumes to choose from it can be a daunting, almost impossible, task to find ‘the one’.
Endless spritzing and smelling at perfumes counters to little or no avail can be a frustrating familiarity for most. Floral, citrus, sandalwood and musk – all the common notes we hear bouncing around, but what do they all mean and what should we pick?
‘You should always be looking for the notes that resonates you, and only you’, says fragrance supremo, and founder of the Fragrance Society, Lorna McKay.
So before you set off for another disastrous trip to your local department store, see which perfume personality you fit into first and find the notes which complement you.
Perfume Personality: Girlie Girl
You’re soft, sweet and sensitive and love all things girly. Your lighthearted, youthful nature and boundless energy make a fruity floral perfume perfect for you.
Lorna says: ‘I suggest fragrances with fruity floral notes e.g,peach, apricot, and not forgetting that sweetness with caramel, chocolate and candy floss.’
We recommend: Prada Candy L’Eau, £37.50 for 30ml, Lancôme La Vie Est Belle, £49 for 50ml
Perfume Personality: Daydreaming Darling
Always outdoors and dreaming about your next holiday, you are never happier than when lying on a hot beach with a piña colada in one hand and a Kindle in the other. With kissed skin and sand-filled hair, you are the ultimate beach babe.
Lorna says: ‘You need the ozonic watery notes to give you a sea breeze in a bottle.'
We recommend: Bobbi Brown Beach, £48 for 50ml, or Carolina Herrera 212, £36, for daytime and Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess, £56 for 240ml, for the evening.
Perfume Personality: Couture QueenThis lady is confident and wants to be noticed. You wouldn’t be seen dead without your red lippy on and believe leaving the house without looking perfectly preened is a mortal sin. With your designer clothes and killer heels, you look glamorous whatever the occasion.Lorna says: ‘Think a bigger more grown up version of girly - perhaps sweeter notes like caramel and honey but with iris or white flowers to give you power and depth.’
We recommend: Elie Saab Le Parfum L’Eau Couture, £31 for 30ml.
Perfume Personality: Femme Fatale
Sexy and self-assured, you know what you want and usually get it too. This is a full-bodied woman who likes to show her sultry sexiness in the fragrance she exudes.
Lorna says: ‘This always makes me think of oriental fragrances. Try sexy notes of patchouli in a modern way - not cloying. Probably some big flowery notes in there followed by incense and amber and vanilla. Ultimate classics are YSL Opium EDT, £42.50 for 30ml, or Chanel £68.00 for 50ml’.
We recommend: Jean Paul Gaultier Classique Eau de Parfum Intense, £60 for 50ml, or Dolce & Gabbana Velvet Rose, £155 for 50ml.
Perfume Personality: City SlickerYou spend more time in the boardroom than the bedroom. Always wearing an little black dress or a sharp suit, there is no room for accessorizing with jewellery so fragrance is a subtle touch to soften your professional facade.Lorna says: ‘Perhaps a subtle single floral like lily of the valley or beautiful rose coupled with a dry wood e.g. cedar wood.’
We recommend: Dior Addict Eau de Toilette, £55 for 50m.
