Alas, I have spritzed the final drops of my beloved YSL Cinema perfume. How gorgeous is the bottle? I’m torn between throwing it in the recycling bin and keeping it for a while yet on my dresser.

I know loads of people change their fragrance with the season or moment (Summer 09! Trip to Antwerp!), but to be frank it’s not viable for me and I find it a teeny bit excessive. I generally go through yearlong love affairs with perfumes before moving on to something new and fresh.

HISTORY

I started with Versace Baby Rose when I was a wee thing, igniting a love for pretty glass bottles and packaging. I moved onto Noa for a few years, mostly because my mother wore it.

Then came an obsession with JPG’s Fragile, with its glittery miniature snow dome. It was the perfume of choice as a few boys ripped my soft little teenage heart out. YSL’s Cinema has been my mainstay of the last 2 years; and the most recent addition to my beauty drawers has been Gwen Stefani’s L. Of course there has been others but these are my most memorable fragrances.

Right now, I’m at a crossroads as to which perfume to purchase. I believe it’s a crucial part of one’s style identity, to be honest I feel like a complete sloth if I go out without it – I have the nagging feeling of being not completely dressed.

The power of scent is always far more formidable than you realise. If you need more proof, get thy self to a bookstore; I was probably one of the last people to ‘discover’ it, but the novel Perfume is amazing. In fact it was released the year I was born, so indeed, my perusal was belated. The story of the dastardly genius Grenouille, it makes you think deeply about our most under appreciated sense. I was sniffing things for weeks afterward, it was great!

In respect of this, I have decided to investigate further with a mix of experimentation and reading before I commit to a new fragrance. Thus, I have spent few lovely hours at my local beauty emporiums (both alone and with my girl friends!), getting giddy on fragrances and sniffing coffee beans.

NOT QUITE MOI

The discovery of Comme des Garçon’s ‘socially incorrect fragrances’ made me stop in my tracks. The Synthetic Series 6 is based on man-made pl aces and the materials of daily life. They are harsh, unapologetic and challenging. While I adore the concept, synthetic scents for a modern life, these are not actually pleasant in any way. I wish I could pretend I’m an avant-garde girlie who wears dresses made of old tire swans… but I’m not. The best of these was Soda, a citric, brain-needling scent. As for Tar, Garage et al… well, I had my beaker firmly pressed to the coffee bean cup after those.

SCENT OF SUCCESS

Maelin + Goetz’s Rum Tonic is also synthesised but it has a totally yummy smell! It’s warm, friendly (to all genders!) and can be used with their other tonics to create a dynamic signature scent. To quote their luscious descriptor of the scent it has “top notes of bergamot and plum, middle notes of rum and leather, dry down of amber, patchouli, and milk.”

Play by Comme des Garçons is a much friendlier alternative to the synthetic series! A charming friendly bottle houses a nice unisex perfume that could be described as aquatic. I think the idea of sharing a scent with someone is sexy, so buy one for yourself or to share with your loved one.

Kai was another pleasing scent, inspired by Hawaii. The intent was to capture the island’s fragrance; which they do in a fresh, hint of rain on the air manner.

EXTRA EXTRA

I dabbed the Molecule 1 from escentric on my wrist but I haven’t been able to form an opinion on it yet. It had a pleasant enough aroma but apparently it is meant to transform on contact with your skin, releasing a scent unique to the wearer. Have any you ever tried a pheromone based perfume?

Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab are purveyors of dark, romantic Gothic toned scents. While I haven’t tried any of them yet, I am squirming at the thought of trying some of their delectable sounding ‘Imps’ or taster-sized bottles.

WHAT NOW?

Ah, decisions, decisions. Right now the only decision I’m making is to wander to my local department store; to eat tea sandwiches with old ladies in the cafe, then go another round with the spritzing, sample waggling salespeople. In mean time, this article on 100 Fragrances Every Perfumista Should Try by Now Smell This makes for fine, in depth reading.

“A women who doesn’t wear perfume has no future.” – Coco Chanel

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