Perfume Etiquette: What Fragrances Are Appropriate Where And When To Wear

A scent is always a kind of message that we send to the world, communicating certain information about ourselves and our intentions. In order for the message to be heard and correctly understood, it must be not only pleasant to us, but also appropriate in the proposed circumstances. And although the concept of perfumery etiquette is rather arbitrary, there are patterns and unspoken rules that make communication with other people more pleasant and sometimes more effective.

The choice of the composition depends to some extent on the time of day. If we talk about morning-afternoon-evening, then I would combine this story with my favorite "circle of Michael Edwards", a famous perfume critic. The "circle" described by him opens with citrus notes, then water and herbal ones, followed by floral (floral) ones, turning into spices, which in turn flow into moss and woody notes.

When all this is mixed, you get the so-called "wine glass". This ingenious scheme can be a hint for the right decision. A fresh morning is citrus, grass, water. A day filled with business and meetings is the time of flowers, first light field flowers (bells, daisies, as close as possible to the sound of greenery), and then brighter and more "sonorous" (such as lily of the valley, rose, peony, gardenia). Towards evening, a variety of spices come into their own: from pink pepper to cinnamon. And finally, at the latest hour, you can safely prepare woody, resinous, oud compositions. In this regard, my favorite brand for the day is Jo Malone London. It is as perfect as a daily fragrance library, thought out “for me” and for every day. I came and bought a rose there, then a grapefruit, then a mimosa … and that's it, you don't have to think about anything else!After all, when you look at a complex masterpiece, a whole chain is built up in your head: what meetings are there today, whether you need to run to school to the children, whether the fragrance will last until the evening … isn't it hard, isn't it complicated. And here is such a beautiful clean line, which is suitable for "breakfast, lunch, and dinner." Just a crystal woman's story.

To the office

Surprisingly, but often people of the same profession have common perfumery preferences. Thus, young employees who are just starting their careers, as a rule, go to work, literally fragrant with freshness. Which is quite logical: this is how they demonstrate their energy, willingness to do something, courage and determination. Citrus, aquatic and green notes perfectly convey this message. Behind such compositions are a morning run or a gym, a healthy breakfast and incredible dynamics of youth. Senior managers who have reached certain heights prefer the "rich" aromas of sandalwood, rosewood, vetiver. These rare and therefore expensive in every sense ingredients sound discreet, but confident, emphasizing professional or social status.

Creative people prefer deeper and more complex perfumes, the trail of which reminds them of the smell of the wings, vintage suits, bouquets in the dressing room. We are talking about powdery compositions with notes of violets, iris, tobacco, spices … Doctors, teachers, educators traditionally give preference to floral perfumes, as if allowing themselves to be a woman, despite the huge daily responsibility and the constant need to make serious decisions. White flowers, rose, peony, gardenia - these sweet notes to any lady's heart give you the opportunity to be weak and seductive even when you are saving human lives.

Can a scent help you climb the career ladder? I would say that to some extent, yes. If your boss likes your perfume, then perhaps he will often call you into the office and, willingly or unwillingly, sympathize with you. But in the case when some notes categorically irritate the boss, cause a headache, increase irritability, he will most likely avoid personal meetings, trying to distance you (and in fact, get rid of the cause of his discomfort).

Bad taste: It is definitely not worth "carrying" into the office too bright, piercing aromas with notes such as, for example, tuberose, which is generally very ambiguous in our climate (especially in the heat). Also, I do not recommend lily of the valley, lilac and sometimes even a peony, which can sound too "frank", in "office" compositions. It is intrusive, distracting and creates a feeling of stuffiness and cacophony of smells.

To the theatre

Many women keep a special bottle of perfume "for the evening" at work. This is correct, but the perfume should not be too strong. Do not forget that all day long you went to meetings, sat at the computer, worried, wasted energy and strained … In a word, emotions by the evening are not at all at the level to draw out a catchy ambiguous aroma. Besides, compositions "on the way out" require perfect cleanliness of both body and clothes. And in the office it is not always possible to freshen up before the event and change the outfit.

If you go to the theater from home, where you have accumulated positive energy all day, gathered slowly, with pleasure, then you can afford almost everything - in terms of perfumery, of course. After all, you were preparing for this event, choosing a more solemn outfit, putting on jewelry. This is definitely a special occasion that requires a special perfume. If you are open to any notes, then I advise you to pay attention to spices: vanilla, musk, amber. And also listen to fougere, mossy, resinous aromas that perfectly match with chic brooches. After all, you must admit, a vintage brooch and a grapefruit are nonsense … If you have done styling and covered your nails with Chanel purple varnish, then you would like to add some heady aroma to this: whiskey, red wine. Let this be. In the theater, you want to dress up, including dressing up with perfume.

Bad taste: There is a set of notes that some people find suffocating. These are primarily chocolate, cookies, condensed milk and caramel. Even if you want to wrap yourself up in silks and furs (a priori suffocating notes), then please, but you should not do this in places where people experience strong emotion. There, such aromas do not fit well, especially if the theatergoers sitting with you in the same row also used gourmet aromas. I still do not recommend men to the theater to choose fresh citrus aromas, the so-called "aromas of the soul." Anything for shaving after sports should stay at home, a good suit and a special evening - a reason to demonstrate good perfumery taste.

To a trendy bar and a romantic dinner at home

Usually in popular places where there are a lot of people, you want to be fashionable, so to speak, in trend. Therefore, we exclude all floral aromas at once. The only form of femininity that will be here at the right time and place is sexual femininity. It should vibrate in such a way with notes of sweet sandalwood or wet patchouli so that a man really wants to smell … your neckline.

But a romantic evening together, on the contrary, requires muted sensuality without unnecessary hysteria. At home, the aromas of "purity" and freshness (light white flowers, green leaves, water notes, ozone) will come in handy in a slightly more tangible dosage. Moderate sweetness is also acceptable: milk, soft vanilla - such a "promise of tenderness."

Bad taste: Notes of rose and gardenia are unlikely to be appreciated at a party in a trendy bar. Men, perhaps, will pay tribute to you, but after sitting next to you for a couple of minutes, they will go looking for something warmer and more resinous.

In the airplane

The golden rule says: no matter how strong our dependence on scents is, we should not injure people around us. But this does not mean that you will have to travel exclusively "a la nature". For this problem, there is an excellent solution in the form of perfume oils, which are now so actively produced by cosmetic brands.

You don't even need to carry a bottle with you. Apply a few drops to your wrists and earlobes and sit quietly in your aroma cocoon. Oil does not grab much space around it, it rather denotes territory and creates your own comfort zone. I would like to repeat: everything is extremely intelligent, no soul for others.

Bad taste: The most terrible (at least from an ethical point of view) moment in flights is when, before boarding, women take out scents from their bags and literally start pouring them over. Does anyone really think that this is refreshing and gives a certain charm? After the flight, absolutely everyone, even pilots, has a nervous system, which means that nerve endings are excited, which react more strongly to any stimuli, including perfumery ones. So prohibit, just categorically prohibit such behavior.

In the temple

In my opinion, perfume is inappropriate in the temple. It has its own aroma - its own aura. After all, the aroma also creates an atmosphere around itself, which should not be disturbed. Frankincense, myrrh is what is always associated with holy places. However, leaving the church, sometimes you want to hold back the inner feeling. So it is no coincidence that the notes of myra and incense are often found in good perfumery. For example, from a completely new - the composition Kingdom of Dreams, Laurent Mazzone with Yemeni incense, amber, black pepper. It's like one way. But there is another - the reading of religious symbols with the help of certain notes. So, a rose is a symbol of suffering, a lily is a symbol of innocence, and so on. And if you are pleased to be inside these associations, then why not … I myself initiated and took part in the creation of the Monastic Garden line, based on ingredients-symbols and associations,associated with Orthodoxy. This is "Raspberry Chime", where peach, raspberry, sweet flowers and "white vestments" with cold accords of grass and birch sound.

Bad taste: To put on any perfume before visiting a temple, as well as in social life, to use a fragrance that completely copies the smells of the church is at least tactless. You need to clearly understand: the church has its own aromas, and the world has its own, and these concepts should not interfere.