They say that eyes are the window to the soul but it is scent that enriches how you experience the world around you.
This makes choosing the right scent, one that sets you apart from the crowd, important. Scent, emotion and memory are all intertwined – just think of when the smell of that special dish brought back memories of home or that particular cologne or perfume reminded you of an old flame.
Science backs this up. Chair of the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at Harvard University Venkatesh Murthy says, “All of what you consider flavour is smell. When you are eating all the beautiful, complicated flavourus … they are all smell.”
Different scent profiles are derived from different kinds of ingredients, be it woods, flowering plants or fruity and spicy scents. These can also be paired concurrently to create your own intoxicating aroma.
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Here's how different scent families can help you elevate your scent:
Floral and spice scents
These scents beautifully accompany an early morning or daytime venture to encapsulate the light air of day break.
Flowery aromas are a classic when it comes to fragrance. Stepping out of your comfort zone to sample more elaborate floral aromas can be the key to unlocking your signature scent.
Exotic flowers like violet, gardenia, jasmine, orange blossom and geranium are ideal fragrances that embody the sophisticated and upbeat nature of spring, Vogue explains. These can be found in popular scents like Marc Jacobs' Daisy and Elizabeth Arden’s Green Tea.
Speaking to TRUELOVE about the popular Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540 fragrance, luxury fragrance connoisseur Mpho Hlengane explains, “They love [Baccarat Rouge] because it’s a unisex perfume but we don’t call it unisex, we call it ‘to share’ so you can share it with your partner.
“And it’s an eau de parfum and because of the special ingredients that’s featured here which is the top note of it will be generally the saffron, which is the most expensive spice that we cook with, ladies, and the other one is jasmine. The other one will be Agar wood. Then the base note of the perfume will be the cedar.”
@truelovemagazine Luxury fragrance expert Mpho Hlengane from @Skins Cosmetics talks about why people can’t get enough of MFK Baccarat Rouge 540. #baccaratrouge540 #perfumetiktok ? original sound - TRUELOVE
Woody scents
When it comes to fragrance, oud scents have been a staple in the Middle Eastern and African perfumery for centuries, according to Harper’s Bazaar. It is derived from the agar tree to extract it’s famous rich and intoxicating scents.
Oud scents are more recently being paired with light aqua and fruity notes to give them a more balanced and nuanced profile, perfect for the warmer seasons.
Many oud-based fragrances are paired with other earthy extracts such as Kayali’s Oudgasm, which features oakmoss, cashmere wood and tobacco.
“We want people to feel their absolute best wearing our fragrances. People have said this in DMs, that are so touching, [they’ve said], ‘your fragrances gave us confidence, they’ve made us feel incredible’, and that is the goal honestly. I think it’s not just with our fragrances but also educating people about the power of fragrances, whether it’s any other brand,” says KAYALI founder Mona Kattan during the launch of the Oudgasm range in Sandton.
This would pair swimmingly for an upscale evening out at Gemelli, for example.
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Fruity scents
Fruity fragrances like citruses, rhubarb, apple, litchi, wild berries and pink grapefruit are very popular in the perfume space and have a sweet side reminiscent of childhood.
According to plant biotechnologist David Alzuira Rodriguez, classic perfumes have three notes or levels of scent.
“The first note corresponds to the scent that the perfume releases when it is first applied. The second note corresponds to the main scent of the perfume, which is the strongest and longer lasting. Finally, the third note is the “aftertaste” of the smell, which is usually less strong, but long lasting,” he explains.
Using the whole fruit extract gives the advantage of a more accurate aroma as they personify the airy, bright and sweet undertones of the quintessential spring day.
