Read Time: 3 minutes:

It’s not one of those things that you think about a lot or at all, but have you ever wondered when bathing became a thing? …On second thought though, however, and whenever it happened; I’m pretty sure we’re all just grateful it did. Otherwise, we’d have been social distancing ages ago, trying to not get killed or knocked out cold on a sidewalk somewhere by offensive body odor.

While I’m 99.9% sure body odor can’t kill, being smelly would certainly change the way we interact with each other. We’d probably dodge hugs, swerve from handshakes or even avoid leaning in to kiss, imagine that. Luckily necessity is the mother of invention and thanks to body odor the art of fragrancing (the body) came to life. Now we can smell as sweet as any rose or as yummy as any candy of our choosing with just a little magic in a bottle, it’s crazy right! The fragrance code can be hard to crack but hey no worries we got you! I’ve bought colognes that I ended up giving away because I didn’t like how they smelt on me, but over time I learned which smells work best for me and which simply didn’t.

The first thing you want to know about fragrances is that they generally fall into 4 main categories and usually after knowing how well these work with your body chemistry it’s smooth sailing.

So here goes:

1 Floral/Sweet:

These scents are often referred to as the “good girls” of the fragrance bunch. They are sweet, subtle, having a lingering scent but not overbearing, and are perfect for daytime shenanigans. Just think of flowers like rose, lavender, carnation, and Japanese cherry blossoms and you’ll be able to spot these easily; some even have floral designed packaging.

So, if you’re a floral kind of girl, looking for something light and fresh that screams elegance you’ll love:

• Armandi Basi’s, rose lumière,
• Anaïs Anaïs l’original (by Cacharel),
• Vera Wang
• Classique Intense and Scandal A Paris (by Jean-Paul Gaultier).
• Powder toned ouds like Very Sexy (by Victoria’s Secret)

…are also perfect if you’re into floral:

2 Citrus/Fruity:

Take a breath, breathe in the tangy crisp ouds of oranges, pineapples, apples, bananas, mangoes, and berries; imagine smelling like a basket of fruit ready to be devoured. These smells talk to the senses and get their dream-like, alluring appeal from Mother Nature herself. While most of these scents are daytimers, unlike florals that tend to be that soft seductive whisper, citrusy/fruity smells are more like a sensual wave that’s bound to get a conversation started.

Personal faves are:

• Chanel’s Chance (Eau Tendre);
• Perry Ellis 360 (Eau de Toilette),
• Scandal By Night (by Jean Paul Gaultier),
• Untold Absolu (by Elizabeth Arden), or
• Lancôme’s La Vie Est Belle

…are perfect picks if these types of scents are your “jam”.

3 Oriental/Spicy:

The first one that comes to mind is vanilla, then coffee then cinnamon, and OMG for the love of chocolate, sweet, sweet chocolate. There’s nothing like walking into your favorite café and having these smells tickle your nostrils. Having a little more depth and musk, these smells are perfect for adding a sexy, spunky vibe for an evening getaway or a girl’s night out.

Take a spritz of:

• Carolina Herrera’s stiletto shaped, Good Girl,
• Yves Saint Laurent’s Black Opium,
• Olympea Eau de Parfum (by Paco Rabanne) or
• Mademoiselle (eau de parfum intense) by Coco Chanel

…to spark that oriental/spicy groove

4 Woody/Chypre:

Completing that femme fatale look isn’t always easy but including the smell factor is always a game-changer.  The Woody/Chypre scent is the cherry on top of that intense femme fatale look. It is definitely on the earthy side and if you’re going for that knock ‘em’ dead, head-turner-smell that often enters a room before you do, this may just be what you’re looking for.

Also perfect for an evening out, I’d recommend:

• Curve Wave (by Liz Claiborne),
• Burberry’s Body Intense and Jo Malone’s Oud & Bergamot (cologne intense),
• CK One, Eau de Toilette (by Calvin Klein) or
• Chanel No. 19, Eau De Parfum as well as Chanel No.5.

Now that we’ve got that locked, experiment! Mix your lotions and mists (like those from Bath and Body Works, Signature collection, or Body Philosophy) with other fragrances that have similar or complimenting undertones to give them that extra boost. And hey, don’t be intimidated by the ‘Eau de’ this and the ‘Eau de’ that. These are just terms the fragrance industry uses to indicate the percentage of oil, alcohol, or water content of the product.

Check out these stores in Jamaica to get your favorite fragrance.

Maison Chic Ja at Tropical Mall 12-14 Constant Spring Rd
Tel : 754-3880
Ardenne Emirates Plaza, 7-9 Ardenne Rd, Shop12
Tel: 627-1216

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Maison Chic (@maisonchic_ja) on Feb 7, 2020 at 7:14am PST

If online shopping is your preference, go ahead and check out your favs at Amazon or Sephora for an awesome array. Find something that smells Y-O-U…Discover your signature scent.

Happy Shopping.

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR MAGAZINES