

Joanna McLaughlin

Eleven Rules for Perfume Shopping...continued

Rule Six is that you don't have to smell everything.

Most perfumes have been practically studied by lots of people who have way better noses than you do. Smelling a lot of perfumes not only creates a huge olfactory blur, you're not even smelling perfumes as they really are. Perfumes will interact with a person's individual skin chemicals plus the top notes fade. Why not avoid most of the torture and find out the general type of fragrance you are shopping for.

If you know the brand perfume, skip this step. But if you don't, think of whether the person would want a floral scent (or something very modern right now, the fruity floral, which are for the trendy, the young, and those burdened by their own tragic hipness), a fresh scent (which is kind of like soap, very mild, and popular with people who are or imagine they are under 18), an Oriental or spicy scent (these are heavier and for mature women; I would even say they are old lady scents except I wear them. Let's just say they are much more complicated, denser perfumes that are very sophisticated. Here's a way to look at it. I am certain that Lindsey Lohan and Paris Hilton wear fruity florals and fresh scents exclusively. Meryl Streep probably wears Orientals.)

There are also green fragrances (woodsy, fresh, plant-like) and chypres, which nobody can pronounce, and is generally marketed here as woodsy or green.

Florals are the easiest and hardest to buy. Most of the world's great scents are florals. That is a historical fact and is likely to continue. However, many people find florals a bit ordinary. That is to say, if you're buying for a perfume snob, shy away from florals because she probably knows the terrain better than you do. In fact, don't buy perfume for a perfume snob, just give her money.

Rule Seven is that the number one best-selling perfume in France is Angel.

It's an unusual scent made by French perfumer Thierry Mugler and it's very popular in the U.S. This is one of the great "secrets" of the perfume industry, known by perfumistas and men and women of fragrance, but not widely known to newcomers to the fragrance department. If you're buying perfume for somebody only marginally more knowledgeable than you are (or less knowledgeable), go for Angel and tell that person that this perfume is the best-seller in the country that is most famous for savvy perfume consumption.

Rule Eight is that fragrance products differ.

Perfume is the strongest stuff and not that commonly sold. You are likely to be offered eau-de-parfum or eau-de-toilet (which also goes by the unfortunate name of toilet water), of which eau-de-parfum is the stronger and the more suitable for gifting. Sprays, colognes, and eau-de-toilet are lighter fare, best for people who don't mind touching up their fragrance often and also suitable for younger people. People who know perfume want eau-de-parfum or perfume.

Rule Nine is don't be impressed when your sales person speaks French.

It's the language of perfume. Eau-de-parfum is pronounced oh-duh-par-fahm where the m sound on the last syllable is only suggested. Perfume is actually correctly called both parfum and perfume in America, so your salesperson may say par-fahm. Many scents have French names. Givenchy (which by the way makes an extraordinary floral scent that just about everybody likes called Very Iressistable) is pronounced jhee-vun-shee. Say it, it's fun.

Rule Ten is that everybody can survive a bad perfume. Let's say you pick the world's worst scent on earth or the one fragrance your recipient loathes. It's unlikely to kill her. She won't have to check into rehab, see a therapist, or be hauled off in an ambulance. She may grow to like it, she may give it away, or she may take you off her holiday gift list altogether. Where's the down side?

Rule Number Eleven is the big finale.

There are some great scents. Besides Very Irresistable, consider these classics: Chanel No. 5 (perfume lovers and novices all adore this scent), Tresor by Lancome, and Beautiful by Estee Lauder. If you want something hipper and newer, try Stella by Stella McCartney, Incanto Charms by Ferragamo, Angel by Thierry Mugler, or anything by Philosophy (the fresh scent people). Oh, and another "little known" delightGroove by Carol's Daughter. You may have to go to their website to get this stuff, but it's not that expensive and it's very wonderful (fruity floral stuff).

One more rarity you can't lose with: Chinatown by Bond No. 9. Get the fancy bottle.

Eleven Rules for Perfume Shopping..continued

06 Mar 09