Fragrance Journal

Layering means wearing fragrances together to create a different impression. It can be playful, but it is optional: a well-chosen perfume does not need a second scent to make it complete.

A wedding fragrance needs to suit more than a photograph. You may be outdoors for part of the day, close to guests during the ceremony and seated beside people during a meal. Comfort matters throughout.

Woody perfume is a broad idea. One fragrance can suggest dry pencil shavings, another smooth creaminess, and another smoke or forest-floor depth. The word woody alone does not tell you how intense or sweet it will be.

If you think you dislike rose perfume, you may only dislike one interpretation. Rose can be presented as crisp and airy, softly powdery, fruity, spicy or wrapped in dark woods.

Gourmand fragrances evoke edible pleasures: think dessert, coffee or confectionery rather than a literal list of food ingredients. The style can be playful and sugary, but it can also be dry, smoky or softly comforting.

The best date-night perfume is one you feel at ease wearing. No scent can guarantee attraction, and a fragrance described as seductive is still a matter of personal taste.

Summer fragrance is about comfort as much as freshness. An outdoor lunch, a humid coastal evening and an air-conditioned office are different settings, even when they happen during the same holiday.

Fresh and sweet are useful shopping words, but they are not opposing teams. A perfume can begin with bright fruit and settle into soft vanilla, or combine crisp herbs with a warm base.

Office fragrance should work at conversation distance. An impressive scent does not need to announce your arrival across an open-plan floor, especially when colleagues cannot choose to move away.