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When it comes to perfume, do you have a ‘signature scent’? It can be tempting to remain faithful to the same fragrance, devotedly repurchasing it every time the bottle runs dry.
But leading British perfumer Ruth Mastenbroek (ruthmastenbroek.com) says that attitude means you’re missing out – and could even lead other people to view you as dull and fuddy-duddy.
‘Sticking with the same fragrance may mean that you’re in a rut,’ she says. ‘People will always associate you with it.
‘You can get a bit lazy. You think, “I’ve got my fragrance, I’m sorted, I don’t need to find another one” and that attitude itself is ageing.’
The scents that work on us when we are younger change as we get older, the experts say
The key, she says, is to rotate your fragrances to match seasons, moods and occasions, just as you do with clothes.
It’s an idea that’s gaining huge traction on TikTok, where #PerfumeTok is awash with guides to the fragrances that should be sported for the colder months.
So, how do you find the fragrance that’s just right, for right now, amid the clamour of online marketing or the heady cocktail of a department store perfume counter?
We spoke to three leading fragrance experts who revealed their foolproof rules for breaking out of a fragrance rut . . .
Break out of your ‘era’
Michelle Feeney launched her sustainable perfume brand Floral Street (floralstreet.com) in 2017. She says: ‘Often, people get trapped in a certain decade of fragrance. My mum, for example, was completely locked into Opium in the 1980s. When I was at university in the late 1970s I loved Anais Anais.’
Some other scents that have come to epitomise a certain era are Thierry Mugler’s Angel, a top-seller in the 1990s, and Marc Jacobs’ Daisy, which was released in 2007.
Michelle Feeney says: ‘Often, people get trapped in a certain decade of fragrance. My mum, for example, was completely locked into Opium in the 1980s’
‘But sticking with one scent is like wearing your eyeliner or hair in a particular way for ever. You’ll have evolved, and your perfume should do the same.’
Michelle adds that the scents that work on us change as we age, too: ‘Your body chemistry and hormones will have changed, so a fragrance won’t smell the same as it once did. During pregnancy, hormonal changes can mean we smell more acutely and therefore don’t like certain ingredients but love others. The same often goes for menopause.’
Warmer skin as a result of hot flushes may cause the top notes of a perfume to evaporate more quickly, leaving just the heavier ones behind, making a fragrance smell different.
Experimenting with something new is the best way to work out what suits you, now.
Pay attention to base notes… these will last
Every perfume is composed of ‘top’, ‘middle’ and ‘base’ notes. These are not created equal, so you need to understand which is which.
Ruth Mastenbroek explains: ‘The length of time that top, middle and base notes last relates to how volatile they are. This goes back to organic chemistry. The more volatile a molecule, the quicker it evaporates, meaning the faster and stronger our odour receptors detect the smell. Ingredients like citrus oils and herbal oils are common top notes and tend to last only 15 minutes or so.
‘Then come the middle notes, these could be some floral notes, but also the woodier scents like amber and herbal notes such as lavender. Those will last for a couple of hours; they provide the key to the fragrance.
Ruth Mastenbroek explains: ‘The length of time that top, middle and base notes last relates to how volatile they are’
‘But it’s the base notes that really last and that’s what you will mainly smell like. So you need to keep the scent on your skin for several hours, that’s the only way you’ll understand whether you’re going to enjoy wearing it.’
Ruth recommends woody or amber base notes, which lend sophistication and depth to fragrances.
Before you splash out on an expensive bottle Ruth advises purchasing a discovery set, which is a fraction of the price, to allow yourself time to wear a scent.
Don’t be a snob
Perfume writer Alice du Parcq says: ‘I know a woman who is a high-flying lawyer and one of her favourite fragrances is Britney Spears’ Fantasy [a cupcake-scented perfume released in 2005].
She’ll go into a meeting and someone will tell her she smells amazing and she’ll reply, “Thank you, it’s Britney Spears’ Fantasy” with a completely straight face. People need to get over themselves. A scent doesn’t need to cost £300 in Selfridges to be cool and fun. The most important thing is how you wear it.’
Perfume writer Alice du Parcq says: ‘I know a woman who is a high-flying lawyer and one of her favourite fragrances is Britney Spears’ Fantasy’
Alice explains that just as High Street stores now create good copies of designer clothes, there are some impressive, budget imitations of designer perfumes in big-brand stores.
Jerome Epinette is the perfumer behind Victoria Beckham’s in-demand eau du parfums and has also created fragrances for & Other Stories. From their current collection Alice recommends Solar Essay (£29, stories.com).
‘These High Street perfumes won’t be using the exact same ingredients, but you’ll still get a beautiful fragrance that’s well made and doesn’t cost a fortune.’
Think about what the perfume makes you feel, not the ingredients
The florid descriptions on perfume packaging can be confusing, but Ruth Mastenbroek says they are one of the best ways to get an overall sense of a fragrance’s impact – and how you’ll feel wearing it.
‘Ask yourself what wearing the fragrance says about your personality. Look at the description of where it is taking you, not just that it has jasmine in it, for example, but that it’s uplifting.’
Ruth says smaller, independent brands make this task easier. Mass-market perfumes for women tend just to be selling something sexy, for example combining vanillin, which is the main component of natural vanilla, with ethyl maltol, which has a candyfloss smell, rather than a feeling.
She adds: ‘My newest perfume, London Dusk [£150, ruthmastenbroek.com] conjures walking along the River Thames between dusk and dawn, the feeling of adventure and the vibrancy of the city.
‘Not everyone’s going to want that. But if you’re living somewhere out in the sticks, you might think that’s my way to capture that feeling.’
Don’t assume you know what something smells like
If you asked most women if they’d like a coconut perfume they’d probably say no. Perhaps it reminds them of cheap moisturisers or sun cream. However, Michelle Feeney says that, thanks to more experimental fragrance combinations and new techniques for creating scents, it’s time to forget our prejudices.
‘Scents that you think you know can be updated,’ she says. ‘We use natural coconut in Arizona bloom, which is our best-selling fragrance, which we get via carbon dioxide extraction, which means you’re getting a really rich, creamy scent.
‘It’s paired with jasmine creating a dry floral amber. In the same way, modern rose scents are updated so they don’t have that powdery quality people associate them with.’
Look at the men’s aisle too
Alice adds that there’s no reason to restrict yourself to women’s fragrance. ‘There’s not food for men and food for women – if a brand splits perfume into a men’s and women’s section, don’t be afraid to go and smell the men’s perfume,’ she says.
‘They might be absolutely delicious, and could become one of your new favourite scents. I know a lot of women who wear men’s fragrances, I often wear Boy by Chanel and Sea Salt & Neroli by Marks & Spencer.’
Unisex perfume is also increasing in popularity, with brands such as Aesop, Byredo and Jo Malone all offering scents that work for both men and women.
For those who may be nervous about smelling very masculine, Alice says traditionally ‘manly’ notes are sandalwood, cedarwood and patchouli. But sceptics should sniff before they dismiss!
