The fragrance categories ( classification according to French Society of perfumers ) :
There are many systems of classification in existence , but I find this one the most comprehensive of them. It divides perfumes in 7 categories and within it many sub-categories (according to character). Michael Edwards' one is also popular , but is a bit more difficult to "crack". Translation from the french by Fiveoaks bouquet.
Floral Citrus Fougère
Chypre
Woody Orientals (amber)Sweet amber Leather A little info on Chypre.... The Romans used to produce a perfume in Cyprus (the greek island , whose name is "Chypre" in french) that contained storax , labdanum and calamus. It smelled heavy and oriental in feeling. It continued to be manufactured throughout the Middle ages in Italy and then in France , with oakmoss as its base. Francois Coty brought out his famous Chypre in 1917 , that was based on the contrast of a citrusy top not and the pungent , earthy oakmoss base note , thus introducing the modern day chypres and starting a new category in fragrance. Tha main ingredients of a Chypre are oakmoss , patchouli , labdanum or clary sage , with the addition of floral middle notes such as rose-jasmin and a bright sweet top note of bergamot or lemon. The basic chord in a classic chypre however is always bergamot-oakmoss-labdanum. (whatever other notes the sites/guides mention , those must be in there for it to qualify as a classic chypre).Today ,however, many "modern" chypres that do not share this accord are classed as "mossy woods"(chypres) in the Michael Edwards' system , namely Narciso , SJP Lovely , CDG White , RL Pure Turquoise to name a few ,to the confusion of the average perfume lover. The new modern chypres therefore , according to this system, invariably share a citrus smelling top (the note coming either from fruit such as orange /grapefruit /lemon or a citrus-smelling floral like neroli/ orange blossom ) and a grassy vetiver/patchouli base that gives an erotic and heady ambience to the perfume. Chanel#19 , Cristalle , Diorella , Coriandre , Halston,La Perla , Knowing , Caleche , Ma Griffe , Diva , Aromatics Elixir , Charlie , Deci Dela , Yvresse , Femme , Mitsouko , Montana Parfum de peau , Paloma Picasso , Jolie Madame , Miss Dior , Cabochard , Bandit , Cuir de Russie , Tabac blond What is amber in perfumery? Amber is a difficult term to describe in perfumery , simply because it has so many meanings. First of all there is the amber used in jewels , which is fossilised resin from prehistoric trees. This has nothing to do with perfumery. Second there is the fir tree resin , in its regular , non-fossilised form that is used in perfumery and offers a rather sweet , warm and deep , sensuous smell that serves as a base to anchor the other ingredients that are placed on top of this less volatile ingredient. The synthetic ambreine is commonly used to convey an amber note that is resiny and warm. Ambergris is another ingredient , often confused in relation to amber , that comes from a secretion of the sperm whale. It's simply put the remains of the cuttlefish debris whales digest that is excreted and left floating on the ocean for years. The florating part is what gives it its characteristic slightly salty and warm , sensuous smell. The ingredient is rather sticky and gelatinous like , like a fat lump of grey colour that is quite rare to come by. Most commercial perfumes today use a synthetic replacement , because it is so expensive. Eau de Merveilles by Hermes is suppossedly one of the few that contain some raw ambergris , which is usually used in tincture form in perfumery due to its sheer potency. Creed is also insisting that they use real ambergris in their perfumes. Ambrette seeds are another ingredient that is often quoted as giving an amber/musk note in perfumes. Coming from the plant Hibiscus Abelmoschus , the seeds are distilled to give a waxy substance that is then treated with an alkaline medium to give finally the "absolute" (which is an incorrect term for this ,actually). The smell is slightly musky and soft , warm , peachy and snuggly like a soft amber note. It is used in many luxury perfumes. "Amber" is also the general term -according to the french system- to describe the perfumes that fall in the oriental group and have a warm , slightly powdery , erotic , animalic tonality in them.
FOUGERE : What is this ? Some classic men's fougeres : Arden men ,Lacoste , YSL homme , Azzaro ,Drakkar Noir , Boss , Egoiste Platinum , Paco Rabanne , Ungaro III , Le Male Gaultier , Pino Silvestre , Basala , Havana. Sillage : a beautiful word.... This is the term of the french to name the trail of a scent left behind when someone wering perfume passes. It is inspired by naval language , in which this is the wake of a passing ship . It is pronounced see-YA-z. What is the difference between Orange Blossom, Neroli and Petit-Grain? One of the most often asked questions! Basically these are all products of the same tree: Citrus aurantium or bitter orange or Seville orange. THE LINGO OF NOTES AND INGREDIENTS Not to be reprinted as is , please. The animalic ingredients Musk : Coming from a glandular secretion of the male Tibetan musk deer (Moschus moschiferus L), this was considered an aphrodisiac (as well as a spiritual fragrance in the Muslim world) in the past. It also fixes and balances a composition , refining it in the most plesasurable and sensuous way. The practice of extracting the musk from the deer however is very difficult , therefore the deer was killed in the process , rendering the practice nowadays extinct. (According to Christopher Brosius however , there are currently ways of extracting it without harming the deer being examined ,which could bring back the practice of using real musk). Synthetic substitutes came to the rescue. According to Jellineck it was Albert Baur, searching for new explosives in 1893, who noticed that the product of reaction of trinitrotoluene (TNT) and tert-butyl halides smelled pleasantly."Musk Baur" became the first synthetic musk, founding the appropriately named nitro-musks group. The second synthetic musk came out in 1894 : Musk Ketone, resembling natural musk fairly closely. From then on they were used both in perfumery and cleaning products due to their high hydrophobicity that made them stick to fabric, hence the association of many musks with "clean" smells. However due to recent concerns about the safety of nitro musks that were used widely in functional products (remnants of which are detectable even in breast milk and in the environment of fish ), these have now been removed from commercial perfumes. The nitro musks (Musk Xylol, Musk Ketone, Musk Tibetene, Musk Ambrette, Moskene) gave a warm effect with a slightly powdery note of animalic tone. Musk ketone was widely used in the production of Chanel#5 , as well as in men's Brut and many more ,as mentioned in the Greenpeace charts of harmful musks , but happily is not used any longer. Each category and kind of musk has a slightly different odour profile , roughly falling in either "animalic" ( raw sweat and skin smell , notably in SL Musks Kublai-Khan ) or "white/clean" musk . These latter ones smell of fresh ,clean skin and also a bit of blackberry, ambrette or ambergris and are used in numerous modern compositions ,such as in SL Clair de Musk or TBS White Musk. Fixolide, Habanolide, Galaxolide and Ambrettolide are particularly worthy of mention. Another matter that is tied to musks is "musk anosmia" , an inability of the subject to smell certain musks , which is not unheard of even in perfumery circles , so trying musk fragrances before buying is of paramount importance. A Google search is useful if concerned, since the space here is limited. Civet: This comes from a gland beneath the tail of the wild civet cat (Viverra Civettina) native in Abyssinia. The civet is a carnivorous mammal , not a feline ,with a greyish-yellow coat and a pattern of black markings. In the raw the ingredient smells like a sewer with its ammoniac , fecal smell. The extraction does not harm the animal , however there has to be some serious irritation for it to secrete the precious albeit revolting smell , so it is no easy task. . Civet has a strongly animalic and fecal olfactory aspect , however in minute amounts it adds an incredible warmth and sweaty/musky note in a perfume that is considered very erotic and pairs extremely well with floral notes. An interesting fact about it is that it has been documented to produce arousal even in dogs. Civet cats are farmed in Ethiopia for this purpose , but nowadays synthetics are also used to mimic the effect. Tabu is a perfume famous for its civet accord . Chanel has announced that they use synthetic civet in their perfumes ( in Coco notably) since 1998 due to animal rights' concerns. Ambergris: This comes from a secretion of the sperm whale (Physeter Macrocephallus) It's simply put the remains of the cuttlefish debris whales digest that is excreted and left floating on the ocean for years. The florating part is what gives it its characteristic slightly salty and warm , sensuous smell. The ingredient is rather sticky and gelatinous like , like a fat lump of grey colour that is quite rare to come by. It is the only animalic ingredient whose "harvest" does not involve the animal in any way. Most commercial perfumes today use a synthetic replacement , because it is so expensive. Eau de Merveilles by Hermes is suppossedly one of the few remaining perfumes that contain some real raw ambergris , which is usually used in tincture form in perfumery due to its sheer potency. Creed is also insisting that they use real ambergris in their perfumes. Habanita was a perfume that was anchored by ambergris , but its current source is probably a synthetic. Castoreum : This ingredient comes from the Castor Fiber , the well-known beaver. Those animals may be living in the wild or being raised in farms in Alaska , Canada and Siberia for the puprose of extracting "castoreum" : a follicular substance which comes from the secretion of the prepuce glands of male or female beavers and is then dried to be used in perfume.The gland of the animal is treated with volatile solvents to obtain resinoids and absolutes. The odour profile is smoky , animalistic and a little leathery. It is used notably in copious amounts in Paloma Picasso , as well as in Opium and many chypres and orientals. (Montana Parfum de Peau , Jolie Madame , Cabochard , Magie noire ) Other notes Aldehydic Fragrances that incorporate the family of chemicals known as aldehydes , an aroma-chemical family of carbon atoms. Chanel #5 was the first commercial aldehydic perfume (created by the royal Russian perfumer Ernest Beaux in 1921). Other classic aldehydic perfumes include Je Reviens ,Arpege , Madame Rochas , L'interdit (vintage) , Caleche ,Bois des iles ,Knowing , Ma Griffe . These chemicals are vastly used for their vibrant , fizzy , bubbly smell that helps floral notes to fly off the skin.. Aldehydic perfumes have the characteristic "piquant" note produced by materials like Aldehyde C12 MNA. Each has a distinct aroma : for example C8 has a lemon undertone , while C9 has a rosy tone. The famous peach-skin note of Mitsouko also comes from an aldehyde , C14.. Aquatic Mostly the synthetics Florhydral, Floralozone, Maritima, Scentenal, and Calone (this one is extremely popular , from Cool Water woman to Sunflowers to Eden ) provide the watery notes in a perfume. There are also natural ingredients such as bamboo (Bambousa Arundinacea) and algae (such as rockweed ie.Fucus Vesiculosus) that might yield a watery note , however the smell is mostly recreated in the laboratory. Fruity Some fruity notes are actually derived from fruit , notably the hesperides (lemon , citrus , bergamot , mandarin , orange ) even dating back to ancient times when available , because they yield an essential oil through pressure of the rind. Other fruits are more difficult to yield scent and lab techniques with aldehyde use or substitutions take place. There are many -quite expensive to produce- synthetic notes that are used as a fruit note in perfumery , most characteristically the damascones , naturally occuring in rose oil and smelling of green apple , fig or plum. First use of beta-damascone was by Firmenich in 1975 to provide a floral/honeyed tobacco note. Alpha-damascone is more fruity/floral and plummy. Pretty soon in 1982 the damascenones followed. They are widely used , but because they are photosensitive they are restricted to a minute percentage in the formula. Their potency is most detactable in the classic fruity oriental Poison (1985). It was 1988 that Dynascone , an impurity in damascone , entered the perfume scene in Cool Water men's , inaugurating the new vogue. Woody The woods used are mostly cedarwood and sandalwood. Also used are : guaiacum/guaiacwood (Bulnesai Sarmienti) , a smoky wood used in Feu d'Issey and Theorema , cypress (and especially Hinoki -a japanese variety) and mahogany (Swietenia mahogani) with its aromatic/balsamic character. Cedar famously reminds people of the "pencil shavings " accord or of newsprint and comes from two varieties of the coniferous family: Atlas mountains in Morocco (Cedrus Atlantica) and Virginia (Juniperus Virginiana). The former variety has an intense woody smell and some incense underscorring or even leathery tone, while the latter is a bit sweeter and less potent. Cedars are also grown in Lebanon quite extensively and there is also cedar of China. The synthetic used to mimic cedar is ISO-E Super , extremely popular in perfumery. Cedar is beautifully highlighted in Feminite du Bois by Shiseido and is the basis for the 4 variations of that perfume in the Palais Royal line of Lutens fragrances (bois et musc , bois oriental , bois et fruits , bois de violette) Sandalwood comes from the Sandalum Album , a parasitical evergreen and extraction of essence involved the laborious uncovering of the "flesh" by termites eating the sapwood. Distillation of the core and roots ensued. It is one of the oldest aromatic essenses used and the best quality comes from Mysore in India. Typical sandalwood fragrances are Bois des iles and Tam Dao , highlighting the beauty of this wood beautifully. Also 10 Corso Como is full of this. Rosewood (Aniba Rosaeodora) is the provider of natural linalool , which is present also in coriander , lavender and lavandin and because of its fruity/floral/sweet smell is not classified under woods. Powdery Many ingredients contribute to the powdery effect. The classic example is the combination of lemon and vanilla , so evident in classic baby powder. Also some flowers like heliotrope or iris/orris or even rose can contribute to the powderiness of a perfume.Hay notes also provide a hazy ,powdery soft tone. If we are talking about dry powder , like the one that is used for the face , mosses also contribute to the effect , as well as some woods (sandal is a bit powdery). Ionones are an important synthetics group that renders powdery and rather sweet notes to perfumes , resembling the effect of violets or woody florals. Discovered in 1893 , they are connected to damascones. Their use as a substitute of Parma violet is evident in Bois de Violette by Lutens. The greener violet leaf note - which shouldn't be mistaken for the blossom ,it's different in smell - is usually rendered by use of Undecovertol. A cousin of those chemicals, methyl-ionones are stronger and resemble orris root smell mostly. They are used in Chanel #19 , as well as in classic L'air du temps. They bridge florals and woods beautifully. Leather : where does this note come from? The leather note in perfumes usually comes from the synthetic isobutyl quinoline , used in Cabochard , Bandit and Tabac Blond. Also in many men's scents. Alternatively raw hide was treated with birch tar in the past and then boiled to the point when a woody , pungent smell was achieved. Betula alba , the name of birch tree has its root in the Latin verb 'batuere', meaning 'to strike'. Birch branches were traditionally used to inflict corporal punishment. We get birch tar oil oil through slow distillation of the wood ,followed with Alkaline processing (dephenolisation) and it is esepcially used in tannery in Russia. Hence its presence in Chanel's Cuir de Russie and Knize Ten. Styrax (Liquidambar Styraciflua) is another ingredient used sometimes to produce a leather note.The styrax from Asia Minor is an excretion of the sapwood that comes from pounding the bark of the "liquidambar orientalis" tree. The American (Honduras , Guatemala , Mexico) styrax is obtained through exudation of the "liquidambar styraciflua" tree. Both smells are similar : they smell a bit like plastic glue and also are reminiscent of cinnamon. It is commonly used in chypres (Ma griffe) and orientals.(Comme des Garcons original ,Jaipur) Zodiac perfume recommendations The info comes from the Perfume Zodiac by John Oaks : I only included the perfume names recommended by him for every sign ,but in the book there is a description of each one , some more recommendations as surprises ( when straying from character)and some more distinctions on a table that recommends which to wear on which time (day/night) , which age (young/mature) , which skin colour (fair/dark) and which season(summer/winter). Since most people into perfume don t abide by these strick rules I didn t think it was necessary to include that. But the zodiac recs are fun , not to be taken TOO seriously! Get the book if interested in further exploring the subject , it s fun reading. Aries : Le feu d Issey ,Calandre ,Ma griffe , Escape , Ferre original , Rive Gauche Taurus : Femme , Fendi , Casmir , Chanel #5 , Chanel #19 , Roma Gemini : So pretty , Bulgari pour femme , Joy ,Yvresse ,Jean Paul Gaultier classique , Cancer: Romeo Gigli , Amarige , Boucheron femme , Diorissimo , Cabochard ,White Linen Leo : Virgo : Mitsouko , Arpege , Amazone , Parfum d Hermes , Sublime , Nahema Libra : Dolce & Gabanna original (red cap), Cabotine , Paris , Organza , 24 Faubourg, Deci Dela Scorpio : Shalimar , Poison , Obsession , Must de cartier ,Allure , Narcisse Noir Sagittarius : Jicky , Quelques Fleurs , Madame Rochas , Crabtree&Evelyn Evelyn , Pleasures , Coriandre Capricorn : First , Bal a Aquarius : Eau d Eden ,Anais Anais , L eau d Issey , Diorella , Jaipur Pisces : Samsara , 1000 Patou , Vent Vert , L heure bleue , Paloma Picasso , Dune. You can also find astrological reccomendations here :
LUTENS SCENTS CHRONOLOGY 1980 Nombre Noir 1991 Fιminitι du Bois 1992 Palais Royal variations on FDB : Bois de Violette, Bois Oriental , Bois et fruits Bois et musc 1993 Ambre Sultan Rose de Nuit 1994 Iris Silver Mist Un bois Sιpia 1995 La Myrrhe Fleurs d'oranger 1996 Cuir mauresque Encens et Lavande 1997 Un Lys Santal de Mysore 1998 Muscs Koublaο Khδn Rahδt Loukoum 1999 Tubereuse Criminelle A la nuit Sa Majestι la rose Arabie 2000 Douce Amθre 2001 Chergui Datura Noir 2002 Vιtiver Oriental Un bois vanille Santal Blanc 2003 Fumerie Turque Clair de Musc 2004 Daim Blond Chκne Fleurs de Citronnier 2005 Cθdre Miel de Bois Bornιo 1834 2006 Gris Clair (march 2006) Rose Chypre (early fall 2006) All the Lutens scents are an artistic collaboration of perfumer Christopher Sheldrake and Serge Lutens , except for Iris Silver Mist by Maurice Roucel. Thanks to Bela for the inspiration and help and please visit her fabulous notepad here http://www.makeupalley.com/user/notepad/Bela/ SKIN CHEMISTRY/HAIR COLOUR : DO THEY AFFECT HOW A PERFUME SMELLS? This is a very controversial topic. Anyone who has read perfume boards knows that people always comment how something smells better on their friends but not good on them and how their chemistry "changes" a perfume . It may be a polite way to say that they don't like something on them. It may hold some water. It may not. Skin can be scented by drugs, tobacco , food. Also stress can chenge the smell, because scents have been designed for dry and not sweaty skins. Perfume companies also recommend some perfumes to blondes and different ones to brunettes. Why would that matter , one asks. According to French Vogue , February 2006 , in 1920's , the Guerlain and Patou companies used to create scents for blonde, auburn or brunette women. Such segregation was not unheard of, like it is today. Apart from the cliches , there is some substance in the theory that different skins have different Ph levels (aka alcalicity vs. acidity) that may slightly change the way perfume performs on the skin. That has to do with skin colouring as well. Those with olive complexions tend towards acidity , while the fairer ones usually tend to alkaline. And since haircolouring ( and we are talking natural haircolour here , not a fashion change or a dye job to cover the gray) usually has a skin-colouring to match , there seems to be some degree of thruth there. There is some debatable info on what suits what haircolour and this is it: Blondes : fresh , stimulating , not strongly erogenous (citruses , light florals) So , in the pursuit of objectivity and in an adventurous frame of mind I embarked on an interesting -albeit unscientific- experiment on one of the perfume boards : Perfume of life , in September 2005. The starting point came from the Guerlain perfume house. Two of their most legendary perfumes are geared toward completely different types : L'heure bleue is recommended for blondes , Mitsouko for brunettes. In the interests of accuracy I asked for natural haircolour , skin tone ( pink aka cool vs. yellow aka warm undertones - a system well researched by makeup companies to avoid subjective characterisations like "light" or "fair") and the perfume choice they found corresponded best on them. Please bear in mind the board represents only a small percentage of the population , therefore this is unscientific. Here are the results : Mitsouko stats :Brunettes 19 (79.1%) , Blondes 5 (20.83%) Warm skin 13 (65%) , Cool skin 7 (35%)* LHB stats: Brunettes 16 (76.19%),Blondes 5 ( 23.80%) Warm skin 6 (33.33%) ,Cool skin 12 ( 66.66%)* *Results don't equal skintone total number to haircolouring one , because some people couldn't place/describe their skin colouring at all. Comments : 1)Many people don t like either one. They are difficult creations from another era. They chose the "lesser evil" in some cases... 2)Most people on the board – and on the planet! - are naturally medium to darker haired. (seems proportionatelly logical) Red falls somewhere between and I chose to follow according to intensity of shade and most importantly skin undertones ( cool tones vs warm : cool and fair classifying one as closer to blonde and warm and medium/light as closer to brunette - this is consistent with hair dye classification as well) 3)Mitsouko has a slight headstart to L’Heure Bleue. 4)Out of the Mitsouko votes , 19 are brunettes and 5 blondes. The ratio of warm to cool is 13 to 7. That means that more people with warmer colouring and – supposedly- more acidic Ph prefer Mitsouko on them. 4)Out of the L Heure Bleue votes , 16 are brunettes ( here comes in the overall staggering difference of darker vs lighter hair on the particular board , though ...) and 5 are blondes. The ratio of warm to cool is – and this is interesting!- 6 to 12. Seems that LHB performs better on cooler colouring ( and I class skintypes I and II under this , Nordic and Celtic ).
So what happens? Do they push out more perfumes envisioning darker people , so they gain more money? Do they create what they want regardless? Do they believe that skin tones and Ph (tied to hair colour and skin colour) do NOT play a role in perfume choice, since taste is not the same as suitability? (At least for most of the population?) I leave deductions to you...... A wonderful excerpt from the "Greek Tragedy" blog on perfume connotations ,borrowed with gratitude: all credit goes to her , of course (please visit for good writing on other subjects too) Spicy, heady scents are very brunette; they make you want to go the night without panties. Clean citrus notes are like French manicures, white terry robes, and clean moisturized feet in white pom-pom socks. Some scents, Gucci Rush or anything by Versace, are obvious one-night-stand tramps. They aren t special; they re bottled blondes. Like a redhead, a good scent is complex and makes you work for it. I ve been wearing the Creed (FDTRB)so long, I can no longer smell it. I can’t do the Chanel Chance or Madamoiselle, and forget the J. Lo. Anything of-the-moment kills the mystery. And forget the Demeter scents like Angel Food Cake, Laundry, and Graham Crackers; she wears an orangy red lipstick and overplucks her brows. I can no longer tolerate grapefruit or verbena scents. Even a sophisticated pachoulli number evokes white girls with manufactured dreads, warn-thin dead shirts, and jingly anklets. I need something grown up, and when I find it, if someone asks, Mmm, what s that smell? I’ll say : Me ,and just smile.
BRIEF PERFUME CHRONOLOGY: INFO ON LAYERING
This is a dangerous but exciting territory. It means that one combines usually two different perfumes or alternatively a perfume and a body product in two different scents to produce a third one , greater than the sum of its parts. It is also sometimes an option explored in a desire to highlight one particular aspect of one perfume , since smells work synergistically.
Most amateurs sooner or later , bored with their scents , try to experiment and see what happens. This is best done in the privacy of one's home and usually works best with simple scents.
Even experts and perfumers themselves recommend some layering however , which bears the question "don't they think their creations are perfect enough to stand alone without assistance?". But it seems -curiously enough- they endorse the habit.
The idea generally lies in combining similar accords , things that may anchor one another and complimentary notes ( citrus and vanilla , or rose and amber or floral and musk for instance).The Body Shop "Invent your scent" kit is very fun and also didactic in a way , letting one learn what elements combined bring what effect. One could also try this with diluted essential oils to learn how smells combine.
Here are some recommendations by Francis Kurdjian (he recommends a starter perfume of popularity/classic status and then offers suggestions on what to layer it with according to occassion):
SHALIMAR NARCISCO RODRIGUEZ The extract comes from French Marie-Claire, Dec 2005. Other perfumers also recommend layering. Here are some of the recommendations of Serge Lutens of Palais Royal (he even goes as far as suggesting you combine three scents of his famous powerhouses ! or just combine two mantioned in the same line...): Ambre Sultan, Daim Blond, Arabie In "The Emperor of Smell" there is this info on "primaries" of smell : Banana +Lemon = Jasmine Mint + Rum = Black currant Also there is this professional shortcut used by Jean Claudes Ellena (more difficult to replicate): isobutyl phenilacetate + vanillin = chocolate Personally I have had good luck with combining : Opium with any orange or orange blossom scent (try it with IpdF Zagara too) Muscs Kublai Khan or NR Musk for Her with almost anything : they give respectively a more animalic or "clean" , mellow tinge to everything they touch. Trully wonderful layers , the best money can buy! SL Un bois vanille with Fumerie Turque SL Rose de Nuit with Patchouli oil Cashmere Mist is wonderful layered with vanilla or any jasmine soliflore TBS Citrella + Amorito = Pink Sugar !! TBS Citrella + Chymara (gives a fresh grapefruit and musk smell) COMBINATION SUUGESTIONS BY JEAN CLAUDE ELLENA:
No5 de Chanel Shalimar de Guerlain Arpege de Lanvin Joy de Patou Trésor de Lancôme
[to enhance the] Leather: Cuir de Russie (Maître-Parfumeur et Gantier) or
Centaure (Cardin) Ysatis de Givenchy Angel de Thierry Mugler
[to enhance the] Fruit: Fuzzy Peach (The Body Shop) L'Air du Temps de Nina Ricci Femme de Rochas
[to enhance the] Clove and Cardamom: 4 parts Femme, 1 part Comme des Garçons (sic)
Anais Anais de Cacharel Diorissimo de Christian Dior Opium Yves Saint-Laurent
[to enhance the] Fruit: Orange Sanguine (Jean-François Laporte), Orange
Cannelle (Fragonard)
* the older top favs according to his old french edition 1994 Guide : Caron Royal Bain de Champagne Guerlain Apres L'ondee Shiseido Nombre Noir Boucheron femme Cabochard (vintage) Guerlain Chamade (vintage) Bal a Versailles Patricia de Nicolai New York YSL Rive Gauche men's Rochas Tocade Miss Dior (vintage) Dioressence (vintage) Paradox Jacomo A few newer mentions : Tommy Girl Beyond Paradise (both women's and men's) Baldessarini L'artisan Dzing! Piguet Bandit Cacharel Eden Dior Homme Dior Eau Noir L'instant for men Vent Vert ( reformulation) * the newest top 10 according to his 2005 blog (humoursly put as what he'd take to a space travel): TM Angel EL Beyond Paradise Bulgari Black SL Bois de Violette Chanel Cuir de Russie Guerlain Habit Rouge Guerlain Mitsouko Guerlain Shalimar Patou Joy Caron Farnesiana Out of the Carons he favours : Farnesiana (as stated above) , Poivre , En Avion ,Tabac Blond , Yatagan , Narcisse Noir , Coup de fouet , Parfum Sacre , Montaigne (latter to a lesser degree). Sa majeste la rose Clair de Musc Ambre Sultan
Single floral
Single floral lavender
Floral bouquet
Aldehydic floral
Green floral
Woody floral
Woody fruity floral
Fruity floral
Citrus
Spicy citrus
Aromatic Citrus
Floral chypre citrus
Woody citrus
Floral woody citrus
Floral amber Fougère
Sweet amber Fougère
Spicy Fougère
Aromatic Fougère
Fruity Fougère
Fruity chypre
Floral aldehydic chypre
Lathery chypre
Aromatic Chypre
Green chypre
Floral chypre
Woody
Conifer citrus woody
Spicy woody
Amber woody
Aromatic woody
Spicy leathery woody
Floral spicy amber
Citrus amber
Floral woody amber
Floral semi-amber(floriental)
Floral fruity amber
Leather
Floral leather
Tobacco Leather
In this category of perfumes there are many subcategories , such as floral chypre , fruity chypre , pure chypre (dry,powdery), woody chypre , leather chypre and animal chypre. For more info on Chypres, click for a whole series of articles here and for a series on Leather scents, click here.
Some famous chypres : (from lightest to heaviest)
For more detaled info on amber and ambergris, please read my full article clicking here.
Ferns don't have a smell of their own that can be distilled , so this was a fantasy category based mostly on lavender smell. Mostly men's scents fall into this category that also uses herbs such as rosemary , mint , sage and plant essences such as cucumber. Or woodland smells and coumarin , the scent of geranium or the smell of wet , spring earth can be incorporated into them. Traditionally these were considered butch fragrances , the classic men's territory.
Nowadays however some women's perfumes could possibly be classed in this category , as airy and herbaceous scents : Cerruti 1881 , 212 , English lavender Yardley , Jicky (which qualifies as unisex easily), Paco (unisex), Lei Armani , CK One ( unisex ).
Bitter orange is trully the pig of perfumery as it gives us so many aromatics for perfumes: the essential oil of the blossom, the heady and viscous and very expensive orange blossom absolute from the flowers which is rendered through a solvent extraction, cool neroli from a different method of manipulation of the flowers (distillation) that gives an aroma that is tangier, slightly more bitter and thus a little more astringent and fresher, bitter orange oil from the rind of the fruit with its sweet-bitter scent, and the more masculine in tone, greener petit-grain from the distillation of the twigs and leaves.
The fruit of Citrus sinensis is called sweet orange to distinguish it from Citrus aurantium, the bitter orange.
Some languages have different words for the bitter and the sweet orange, and one of them is indeed Modern Greek which differentiates bettween bitter (nerantzi) and sweet (portokali, which derives from Portuguese). The reason for these differences is that the sweet orange was brought from China to Europe during the 14th century for the first time by the Portuguese. For the same reason, some languages refer to it by "Applesin" meaning "Apple from China".
It is common to come across mentions of "arancia" or "arancio" ~deriving from latin~ on perfume bottles in italian as well as "zagara", "naranja" in spanish while in hebrew the name is "Zohar", also reflected in the portugeuse language.
For more info on orange blossom fragrances, please click here.
Synthetic musks are named for convenience and as a trademark. Habanolide, Thibetolide, Velvione are the Givaudan trademarks , short for longer chemical formulas ,for example. Galaxolide is IFF's name for hexahydro-4,6,6,7,8,8-hexamethyl cyclopenta-#-2-benzopyran. Surely it's easier to remember the short name! However sometimes the same formula may yield different names across different companies. It's a perplexing matter.
The polycyclic musks (Phantolide, Celestolide, Traesolide, Tonalide, Galaxolide- which smells powdery and is used mainly in White Linen as well as Tresor), as well the macrocyclic musks (Habanolide and Globalide- which smell radiantly fresh , cottony clean and metallic and sometimes called "white musks" in contrast to darker , balmier ones - as well as Thibetolide and Velvione -infamously used in Helmut Lang's Velviona almost solely) have risen as the new musks to be used in perfumery since 1979. Modern musks such as Helvetolide( which smells a bit fruity), Nirvanolide, and Muscenone are also enjoying popularity , giving their warm, inviting character to a composition.
Leather is a haunting note very suited to flowers and spices, used in sophisticated perfumes of either sex.
Jean Claude Ellena asks to spritz scents on little pieces of silk , in order to get the original scent. However , most perfumers as well as Roja Dove (former professeur de parfums at Guerlain) and Luca Turin are adamant that perfume doesn't change so much and the difference is impereceptible in most cases.
Now we know that Ph and lipids are different from 1 to 2 units depending on people. Ph catches acid or basic stuff, while fats remove some parts of the product. However , the perfume market hasn't caught on to that in an effort to cater for as many customers as possible.
Black haired : sultry , erogenous , intoxicating/narcotic :narcisus,jasmine , tuberose (heavy orientals, heavy florals)
Brunettes: soothing , not strongly erogenous (Lavender, fougeres , chypres)
Redheads : exalting , erogenous and stimulating (sweet, fresh , fruity florals)
12th Century: Lavender Water-Distilled by German Benedictine nun, Hildegard of Bingen.
1370: Hungary Water-The first alcoholic perfume (originally created for Elizabeth of Hungary).
18th Century: Eau de Cologne- a variant on Hungary water developed by the Farina brothers in Cologne, Germany.
Mid-18th Century: Lily of the Valley and Rose Geranium- perfumes by Floris of London, founded in 1730.
1752: #6 Cologne-Was made from a formula brought to America from England in 1752 by the founder of Caswell and Massey, Dr. William Hunter. The most popular scent in early America, it was sent as a gift to Lafayette by Washington while he was President.
1794: 4711 Cologne-Based on a formula made by a French ιmigrι friar, this scent was named after the house number assigned to the Mulhens Family perfumery's shop during the 1794 French occupation of Cologne. Napoleon used to bathe in a diluted version of this scent.
Mid 1800’s: Eau de Cologne Imperiale-Scent developed in the Mid-19th Century for the Empress Eugenie by Guerlain.
Lilac Vegetal-After-shave made for the Hungarian cavalry attached to the court of Napoleon III by Edouard Pinaud, the court perfumer.
1856: Florida Water-Citrus-based American variant on Eau de Cologne. .
1868: Hoyt's Cologne-Another American version of Eau de Cologne made this year.
1889: Jicky-First highly-concentrated perfume with synthetics like linalool ,coumarin and vanillin, made by Guerlain in 1889.
1890: Floris No. 127-Made exclusively for Russia's Grand Duke Orloff, it was re-introduced in the 1940's when it became a favorite of Eva Peron.
1890: Pink Geranium-Floris scent is introduced.
Red Rose-Edwardian scent by Floris used most famously by Rosa Lewis, owner of the Cavendish Hotel.
L'Heure Bleue-Guerlain perfume of 1912.
1922: Pavlova( reminiscent of Shalimar.) Short life , but resurged in 1980's.
1920: Chanel No. 5-The first archetype perfume , a modern creation
1925: Shalimar-"Oriental" style scent by Guerlain that really set the vogue for orientals.
1926: Joy-"The most expensive perfume in the world" was created for Patou and OKed by Elsa Maxwell. 
Day : Cologne de Mugler
Eau d Hadrien
Eau de Cologne Bien-Etre verte
Night : Musc Ravageur
B*Men de Mugler
L AIR DU TEMPS
Day : Eau parfumee au the vert Bulgari
Night : Eternity
L HEURE BLEUE
Day : Un jardin en méditerranee Hermes
Night : Voile d Ambre Yves Rocher
Nu YSL
NO.5
Day : Colonia Acqua di Parma
Night : Musc Ravageur
Féminite du bois Shiseido
JOY
Day : Blush Marc Jacobs
Rose barbare Guerlain
Night : Original Musk Kiehl s
NO.19
Day : Mure et Musc L artisan
Hiris Hermes
Déclaration pour homme Cartier
Eau de Cartier
Night : Lolita Lempicka
L Eau Ivre No.03 de Iunx
OPIUM
Day : Un Jardin sur le Nil Hermes
Night : Poivre Samarcande Hermessence Hermes
Feminite du bois Shiseido
PARIS
Day : Rose Ikabena Hermessence Hermes
Sa Majeste la Rose
Night : Cuir Amethyste Armani Prive
GIORGIO BERVERLY HILLS
Day : Rem de Reminiscence
Night : L Instant de Guerlain
DIORISSIMO
Day : Cologne de Thierry Mugler
Night : Mandarena de Sicilia Aqua di
Le Parfum de Castelbajac
FEMINITE DU BOIS
Day : Eau d Orange Verte Hermès
Night : Angel Mugler
Rush Gucci
EAU D ISSEY
Day : Anais Anais
Night : Rem de Reminiscence
Day : Fleur d Oranger L Artisan Parfumeur
Night : Aromatics Elixir
AMBRE SULTAN
Day : Eau d Hadrien A.Goutal
Night : Gaultier2
MURE et MUSC
Day : Diorella
Pleasures
Night : Rahat Loukoum
LOLITA LEMPICKA
Day: Violette de Maison Berdoues
Night: Angel
TRESOR
Day : Promesse de Cacharel
Lovely de SJP
Night : Vanille Passion Comptoir Sud Pacifique
Ambre Sultan, Un Bois Vanille, Douce Amθre
Ambre Sultan, Fleurs d'Oranger, Datura Noir
Ambre Sultan, Daim Blond, Clair de Musc
Fleurs de Citronnier, A la Nuit, Sa Majeste
Fleurs de Citronnier, Clair de Musc, Santal Blanc
Fleurs de Citronnier, Fleurs d'Oranger, Datura Noir
These have appeared in french Elle magasine and have been brought to my attention my POL member Lusitana (many thanks!)
[to enhance the] Iris: Aprčs l'Ondée (Guerlain)
[to enhance the] Masculine notes, aldehydes and lavender: Tabac Original
[to enhance the] Lavender: Pour un Homme (Caron)
[to enhance the] Spices: Pour Homme (Cacharel) or Comme des Garçons
[to enhance the] Patchouli: Etro, Santa Maria Novella
[to enhance the]Ylang-ylang: Beauty (Sarah Schwartz)
[to enhance the] Lily of the Valley: Diorissimo
[to enhance the] Rose: Ombre Rose (Jean-Charles Brosseau) or Rose Muskissime(Maître-Parfumeur et Gantier)
[to enhance the] Green jasmine: Diorella
[to enhance the] Violet: Violette (Berdoues or Floris)
[to enhance the] Rose: Evelyn (Crabtree & Evelyn), Tea Rose (Perfumer's
Workshop), Rose du Jardin Retrouvé
Smells wonderful with Féminité du Bois (Shiseido)
As a contrast: L'Eau d'Issey
[to enhance the] Pepper: Poivre (Caron)
Daytime: Acqua di Gio
Nighttime: Gio (Armani)
[to enhance the] Fresh marine notes: Cool Water for Woman (Davidoff), or
Pleasures (Estée Lauder) Blackcurrant: First (Van Cleef & Arpels)
[to enhance the] Orange blossom (Moroccan effect): Fleurs d'Oranger (Serge
Lutens)
[to enhance the] Masculine notes: Old Spice (Shulton) "
Dr. LUCA TURIN's TOP FAVOURITES
Caron Tabac Blond
Chanel bois des Iles
Chanel Cuir de Russie
Guerlain Apres L'Ondee
Guerlain Jicky
Guerlain Mitsouko
TM Angel
PdN
Shiseido Feminite du Bois
SERGE LUTENS' FAVOURITES
Incidentally Ambre Sultan is the Lutens bestseller in the line.
Interesting facts on perfume and attraction
There is extensive research on what role perfume and smell plays in the attraction games of humans. According to research carried by Alan Hirsch MD of the Smell and taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago , there is some evidence that cinnamon combined with lavender is the smell that increases penile flow in men. The combination of pumkin pie and lavender is also considered a turn-on.
the next possible combinations were dougnuts and black licorice or doughnuts and pumkin pie. The experiement was conducted with American caucasian males , so in other cultures there may be substantial differences. However a preference for foody smells is evident. Useless to search high and low for a perfume with those specific notes though (as witnessed on various fora), there are none.
Women responded less enthousiastically to the scent-excitement experiment (or method of checking was more debatable) , but their preferred combination was cucumber and candy.
Also, from Elle.com comes this :
"One of Hirsch s released studies found that women who smell of grapefruit are perceived to be eight years younger than they really are. (So much for collagen injections! Stock up now on Jo Malone Grapefruit Cologne.) He says :The initial hit is most important for making an impression. And because a fragrance's impact fades the longer one is exposed to it, you'll need to keep reapplying to sustain the illusion , he adds.
An earlier Hirsch study presented in 2003 at the annual meeting of the Association for Chemoreception Sciences showed that a woman wearing a spicy floral perfume (such as the patchouli, amber, and jasmine laced Paul Smith London for Women) appears 12 pounds lighter-at least to men. It will come as no surprise that women are not so easily fooled. Accustomed to scrutinizing themselves in front of the mirror and on a scale, they re generally able to guess someone s weight correctly regardless of the scent she s wearing."
Also of interest is this article on smell , attraction and pheromones :
http://health.msn.com/general/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100110149
The most beautiful perfume names and their origin
The following contains personal writting and is NOT to be reprinted without prior permission please.
Shalimar
The name of one of Guerlain's legendary perfumes comes from the gardens of Shalimar , which means "abode of love" ,where the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan had strolls with his beloved wife Mumtaz Muhal. She later died in chilbirth and the heart- broken emperor built for her the most celebrated mausauleum in the world : the Taj Mahal. This perfume evokes the sensual grandeur of India and France mingled : citrus bergamot opening and bronzy balsams give way to rich vanilla that is never too sweet.
Mitsouko
Meaning "child of light" in japanese , it is also the name of a heroine in Claude Farrere's novel La Bataille. The tale involves the inter-cultural liaison between a young British naval officer on board the Japanese fleet and the japanese admiral's wife during the Russia-Japan war. The affair is doomed , but the legendary Mitsouko still makes the heart strings ache....This rich fruity chypre is an enduring albeit difficult classic that demands a confident personality to be worn successfully. One of my personal favourites , it's centered around the marriage of peach skin with oakmoss and cinnamon. A very individual creation by Jacques Guerlain in 1919. It is bottled in the same bottle as L'heure bleue , due to the deficiences of the war.
L'heure bleue
Inspired by the "blue hour" , the hour of dusk when the light has vanished but the sky hasn't yet found its stars , it is Guerlain's homage to a romantic Paris twilight. Created in 1912 by Jacques Guerlain in the famous bottle with the triangular stopper , it smells how women before the war smelled : the smell of La Belle Epoque.
Chamade
La chamade is the drumroll that in the Napoleonic wars signalled retreat . It also appears in a story by Francoise Sagan in which "son coeur bat la chamade" , meaning in that context that her heart was beating wildly. The rich aldehydic fragrance echoes the romantic sentiment of the name.
Mouchouir de Monsieur
Literally translating as "gentleman's hankerchief" it was a scent devised by Guerlain for the later-to-be King XVIII , an interesting personality. The name has to do with the habit of the era to saturate a hankerchief with some perfume and put it under the lapel and not directly on skin.
Apres l'Ondee
This is an older Guerlain whose name means "after the shower" : reminding of blossoms rained upon and shivering under the newly emerged sun. The picture of a dew drenched garden where a mysterious romantic female is contemplating romance. Very poetic and cooly elegant perfume with violets ,heliotrope and hawthorn underscorred with musk and ambrette seeds.
La Chasse aux Papillons
It literally translates "chasing butterflies" and the romantic image it evokes fits the delicate , exquisite , spring-fresh fragrance of L'artisan Parfumeur admirably. This is so young , so joyful , so lovely.....One of the most popular ones in the line and it's not hard to see why.
Passage d'enfer
This translates as "passage through hell"( or even "rites of passage" in a more free translation that appears sometimes). Although this makes many people believe the fragrance to be heavy or overtly sexy , in fact it is a light incense water laced with aloe wood and lilies that is completely wearable and trully lovely.
The name however actually comes from the L'artisan parfumeur Paris address : rue Passage d'enfer. Fabulous name , nonetheless.
Mechant Loup
This is the naughty name L'artisan chose for their lovely men's perfume with woods and hazelnut. It alludes to the Big Bad Wolf of the tale of Red Riding Hood and you all remember that it was a naughty tale. Anyway , a lovely masculine perfume for a discerning man .
Eau de Merveilleuses
Not to be confused with Eau de Merveilles (=water of miracles) by Hθrmes , this one is an older ,discontinued creation by L'artisan Parfumer. The name comes from the group of aristocrats who mocked death by the guillotine at the end of 18th century in France , during the french revolution , and who tied ribbons of red on their necks. They also had an afinity for scenting themselves with the older favourites of animalic ingredients , like musk in a time when flower waters were beginning to be the new vogue.
Extrait de Songes
Songe means dream and the fragrance captures the cotton coolness and cleanliness of a wellmade bed after the laundry day. A L'artisan fragrance that suffered a cruel fate because of a lawsuit from Annick Goutal who was about to launch a perfume named "Songes".(a white floral based on jasmine ). Therefore the lovely Eau de Songe was withdrawn with rumours of its return under a different name. Hopefully....
Les Larmes Sacrees de Thebes
It is indeed very rare these days that a perfume is constructed with no commercial restraint and the perfumer is free to do as he/she pleases. Some lines have capitalised on that concept (F.Malle), but before them Bacarrat , the venerable crystal house issued a limited edition perfume in 1999 that bore this exquisite name. Inspired by the "tear drops" of benzoin resin that forms the backbone of this perfume the perfumer composed a symphony of resinous accords and spice that recalls the ancient perfumes worn by kings. Therefore the name meaning " the sacred tears of Thebes" recalls the times of the Pharaohs and their aromatic opulence.
L'air du temps
Composed in 1948 by Francis Fabron and envisioned by Nina Ricci's son Robert who had a passion for scent it means "the air of the times" and it marked the new optimism of Europe after the ravages of the Second World War and the lightness and optimism that had returned. The doves on the Lalique bottle were meant as a accompanying symbol of love and peace.
L'ombre dans l'eau
This scent by the french house Diptyque is named "shadow on the water" and it is as evocative as its name suggests. Basically a "green riverside garden" smell (as the company describes it), it has a slight underpinning of blackcurrant leaves and musk to compliment the rose in the heart.
Cabochard
Cabochard means "headstrong" in french and this is indeed the headstrong iconoclast chypre that was envisioned by madame Gres after a journey in India. Sour ornage peel with smokey leather , it is indeed a little fragrant revolution.
Coup de Fouet
There must be no more daring name in the whole universe of perfumery than this creation by Caron. Literally meaning "crack of the whip" it is the EDP version of their famous extrait Poivre which is built on pepper. The bottle is studded with peppercorns to suggest this. Very suggestive , terribly audacious , not to be missed!
Tubereuse Criminelle
Coming from the venerable -among cognoscenti- perfume house of Palais Royal whose arch-creator is Serge Lutens , this is their most imaginative name. Criminal Tuberose is indeed the almost S/M creation of complete antithesis : a demonic camphor note at the beginning gives way to soft , plush , rich tuberose . Like Marlene Dietrich's name description by Jean Cocteau : " begins with a caress , ends with a whipstroke" , but in reverse order.......A classic in the making.
Ysatis
The name of this Givenchy perfume with the admirable fusion of floral , oriental and chypre character in one is actually non-existant. It was conceived by jean Courtier , president of perfumes Givenchy at the time with the sole purpose of it being sonorous.
Mission accomplished : it is indeed one of the most sonorous ones in the perfume world and it conveys the mystery it was meant to evoke.
Messe de Minuit
This Etro scent is one of the olfactory peculiarities of the perfume universe :smelling at once chyrchy and vampiric. Meaning "Midnight mass" in english , it is touted as an incense scent. It is as if the REMNANTS of incense smoke have settled down and been dampened in a old paleochristianic temple. No holy smell , no passage of angels , no spiritual elevation. On the contrary , this is an abandoned abode , a lonely place deserted by man and God that has been festering demons and evil spirits , unhealthy and perverse. I can definitely see the face of the Antichrist in the background. And then , what a surprise! It becomes quite spicy and deeper with myrrh(or is it amber?)and sweetens considerably. Those old demons know how to play tricks on you. They put on a slight smile to beckon you in and eat your soul. And it also becomes earthy and dirty and makes you wonder about a certain frustrated humanity they once had that has become a distant memory to them. And it lasts , as if damnation will be forever. As it should be. I can see Anne Rice s vampires wearing that very effortlessly.
Notes for the Laura Tonnato scents
(Info coutresy of Laura Tonnato company)
Alibi
An ancient formula created in
Ambrosia
A warm nectar of amber and May rose for a timeless Venus!!!
Amir
A journey through the spicy notes of myrrh and incense combined with the smooth tones of amber.
Anena
The picturesque atmosphere of the Sicilian landscape comes to life in the sweet notes of mandarin, accentuated by the sparkling green tea. The joyful running of children playing and chasing each other among citrus groves in blossom.
Dama
The floral note of iris vanish in the powdered aroma of opoponax. Femininity from the Renaissance!!
Fiori d'arancio
The sensuality of Anjelica and the chivalry of Tancredi come to life in the Mediterranean notes of orange blossom. with the sensuality of white musk.
Iss
Vetiver and sandalwood provide the classic element, orange blossom and musk enhances the fragranes.
Oltre
A fresh ocean marine fragrance!
Oropuro
The oriental elegance of Egyptian amber and sensuality of musk. A fragrance for the Pharaohs!!
Osa
The energy of the Hesperides bursts into the inebriating intensity of tuberose creating an enveloping bouquet for those who dare. Opposites attract. What a passion!!
Plaisir
The passion of patchouli mingles with the exotic notes of pink grapefruit and vanilla in an aura of sensuality. The memory of love alcove!!!
Tuda
No notes available.
My best floral scents recommendations : 
The following are my PERSONAL views on some of the best representations of floral notes in perfume. Not to be reprinted without persmission please.
The best lily out there is Un Lys by Serge Lutens : the last breath of an angel dying in heaven. Exquisite lily with a little creamy vanilla. Words fail me.
Also lovely lily scent is Des Lys by Annick Goutal , one of the soliflores in the line.
Lily of the valley
The truest jasmine (and I do love jasmine) is A la nuit , by Serge Lutens .Surely obtained by enfleurage , it has the exact smell of cut jasmin that fills the room with its scent. It is therefore somewhat heady , beware. Also very good is Creed Jasmal (more fleeting) or for a warmer jasmine Creed Jasmine Emperatrice ( with sandalwood and vanilla). Also don't miss Jamsin de Nuit by the Different Company ( fueled by JC Ellena genius) : a peppery intriguing jasmine , unusual.
An easily acquired nice jasmine with a little citrus and vanilla is Sensi by Armani.
Jasmin by Chantecaille is a fresh jasmine with no cloyness. Very nice and pretty.
Don't miss La chasse aux Papillons Edt by Lartisan : as close to perfect floral as possible.(also mentioned in floral bouquet)
Many people also like Chanel Gardenia ( which is mostly jasmine really ) but I find it fleeting and not exceptional.
If you want a womanly , ladylike jasmine try Van Cleef's First : the first creation of Jean Claude Ellena.I like First for its clear , crystal note of hedione and stems , garlanded with other florals with depth and extreme lasting power in the EDP ( the best form in my opinion).
For Neroli ,Flora Nerolia by Guerlain is unbeatable for its marriage of neroli with jasmine with a slight underpinning of incense that makes it mysterious yet light. Very nice creation , it had to be discontinued of course.
Neroli Sauvage by Creed is another true neroli for freshness in the summer months. Take also into consideration that neroli (bitter orange tree blossom ) is the classic floral note of eau de Cologne.
For violet , you can't go wrong with Bois de Violette by Lutens, woody and smooth and wonderful ( but it's a Paris exclusive) or for a true simple violet Borsari Violetta di Parma (clear soliflore) or better still Apres l'ondee by Guerlain : a cool floral of rained upon petals with prominent violets.
Verte Violette by L'artisan is greener and lighter than most violet scents.Very nice and a favourite.
Caron Violette Precieuse is also incredibly nice and not musty at all ( a feat , if we're talking Guerlain) but it's difficult to find.
L'interdit by Givenchy also has prominent violets and other florals. (even the new version , it's not so bad)
On the sweet side of violets try Berdoues Violettes de Toulouse : very true , not too sweet , afforable. Flower by Kenzo also has a sweet violet note with vanilla powdern for a super soft effect.
For the time-honoured combination of violet with rose try L'artisan Drole de Rose ( light and sweet) , FM Lipstick Rose ( heavier and very sweet) or YSL Paris (rose is more dominant than violet and in EDT this is powdery and soft ).
Bulgari pour femme has a distinct violet note among the other flowers and is very very classy.
The truest rose , if you like this , is Creed Fleurs de The Rose Bulgare. I don't like rose , yet this one is crystalline and ethereal and the closest to true bugarian rose attar I have ever smelled.
Montale Crystal Flowers is also very light , crystalline and quite true.
Many people recommend Stella with its amber and roses accord, for warm rose fans. I personally prefer the Stella Rose Absolue edition which centers on a darker aspect of rose.
SL Sa majeste la rose is a fruitier , more soapy rose , very potent , so watch out. SL Rose de Nuit is more orientalised/chypre with its complex base. YSL Paris presents a case of a very werable rose that should be at least tried : more powdery in EDT , richer and fruitier in EDP. My personal pick is the former.
Also very worth trying is the Rose de Rosine series , out of which Rose d'Homme is pure perfection in my opinion.
Lilac
Pleasures in the original has a nice lilac note and more potent in Pleasures Intense , although the latter fragrance is in my opinion inferior to the former.
Honeysuckle Annick Goutal Cheuvrefeuille is a true honeysuckle soliflore. Or even try A.Goutal Grand Amour which is a complex mutlifloral with jasmine , lily , honeysuckle , hyacinth , myrrh , musk and some vanilla. The honeysuckle note is especially pronounced.
Gardenia
With this in mind Yves Rocher Pur desir de Gardenia is the truest one I have smelled . Kai also comes very close to a true budding gardenia ( greener ). AG Gardenia Passion falls into the trap of smelling more Tuberose than gardenia. Chanel infamous Gardenia is really mislabeled : it doesn't smell like gardenia at all , instead it is a light bouquet of white florals in which jasmine is the predominant note. In my humble opinion though this is overrated. Fleeting and not so distinctive.
I don't think Monyette really smells of gardenia , more like tiare and suntan oil. Personally that combination is nauseating to me , but it seems to have a big following nevertheless.
Tuberose
Fracas is very heady tuberose and white floral mix with a slight strident vetiver base that is its saving grace. Blonde by Versace is also very potent and is a little wanna-be Fracas , but worth investigating. Carolina Herrera combines tuberose with jasmine for a powerful super combo that manages to be quite lovely in a heady way.
Orange blossom
I Profumi di Firenze Zagara ( means orange blossom in italian) is also a deliriously happy scent that uplifts the darkest moods with its sunniness.
Boucheron Femme original though a floriental has the most wonderful orange blossom opening.
Floral Bouquet is a complex category because it is very ambiguous since most florals are actually combined as a bouquet in the first place. Patou's Sublime might be my choice if I had to pick one. A Jean Kerleo creation it is elegantly balanced and never too sweet. Or the light , ethereal La chasse aux papillons for a white floral bouquet. But Quelques fleurs gets mentioned a lot for perfect floral bouquet. Personally I haven't been as impressed with the new version of it (80s eformulation), but your mileage may vary.
Credits :
Info loosely based on various books /publications /sites: Mandy Aftel Essence and Alchemy , S.Jellineck -R.Calkin Perfumery Practice and principles , Susan Irvine's Perfume Guide , Karl Swift AD Advances in Flavours and Fragrances , John Oakes Book of Perfumes and Perfume Zodiac, Perfume Legends , Luca Turin Le Guide and Perfume Notes blog, The thinking woman's guide to Beauty, Osmoz.com ,Bois de jasmin ,articles in various magasines and blogs. Reading has always been my pleasure and joy. No copyright infrengement intended : I quote sources wherever possible.
Photos don't belong to us , unless we shot them. So these are borrowed only for entertainement and NOT for ANY commercial purpose.Thanks to Parfum de Pub for some of the images.
Please do NOT reprint my personal views without asking. Thanks!