Every woman wants to smell divine. But the quest for the right fragrance can be as elusive as that search for the perfect Prince Charming. Yes, there are plenty of fish in the sea. And, sure, it's easy to steer clear of the cheaper, less desirable, options. But even when you limit yourself to the high-end stuff, the choice of fragrance is overwhelming.
Memory & Smell:
While cologne and perfume are known for providing fragrance, perfume bottles have long been sought after for their display-worthy design.
Our sense of smell is deeply connected to our faculty of memory. Marcel Proust, the French author, described in great detail how a smell from childhood can trigger an intense and involuntary graphic memory of a certain event and emotional state.
It makes sense, then, that we are attracted to fragrances that are somehow connected to positive memories, however abstractly. The types of fragrance each of us is drawn to will fall into one of two camps: light and dark.
A Lighter Fragrance Touch
As the name suggests, light fragrances are floral, ozonic and fresh. They evoke a sense cleanliness and youth, smelling of line-dried laundry and fresh growth, of freshly chopped wood, spring rain and newborn babies.
Even in the sterile environment that most modern homes and offices epitomize, there exists a desire for a fragrance that spells "clean", but yet adds gentle warmth to our anonymous surroundings. Lighter scents accomplish this task with subtlety and style. Their wearers are vivacious and playful, yet they don't take themselves too seriously.
But though these discount designer fragrances are light, they are not necessarily un-complex: The bouquet can be a blend of many floral fragrances, with dashes of fruit, citrus, water or 'green' notes such as grass and herbs, which will evolve differently on each wearer.
A Little on the Darker Side
At the other end of the Globe, there are dark fragrances. Dark scents are not the natural choice of most girls: They're gritty, tenacious, dirty and full of depth. They smell like old books, of worn leather, wet earth and rotting wood.
The original purpose of all fragrance was, of course, to stop us from stinking in times when people could not bathe daily; hence the name "toilet water" or eau de toilette. The ingredients chosen were ones that signalled freshness, like lemon, lavender and roses; ingredients we associate with lighter scents. But people soon developed a use for fragrance beyond that of plain deodorizer, and there lies the origin of darker fragrances.
In 18th century France, perfumers began to add excrement, diluted extremely, to floral fragrances to create depth and complexity. Nowadays, the equivalent ingredient is musk, which will add an animal note to any fragrance.
Of course, the original perfumer employs these ingredients with skill. Adding musk to floral and fruit scents will create a sickly, sweet scent, that's at once nauseating and luxurious. Dark fragrances speak of a woman who is confident, mysterious and passionate.
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