The Basics

I'm blessed/cursed with a "get to the point", "what's the bottom line" sort of termperment, and I thought there might be people out there (like me) who would appreciate an executive briefing on fragrance/cologne to help them build a high-quality/high-utility fragrance/cologne collection (defined here as two or three scents) without expending too much time, money, or mental energy.

Humans have been using fragrant oils, resins, herbs, flowers and other pleasing-smelling ingredients (including some animal secretions...more on vegan/cruelty-free options later) to create perfumes and incense for thousands of years. The word Cologne first referred to a formula featuring a variety of citrus oils developed by an Italian perfumer who had recently settled in Cologne, Germany. "Cologne" is now typically used to refer to perfumes primarily marketed toward men (regardless of their citrus oil content).

Fragrance has a real and observable effect on our brain state. If you want to know more about how humans perceive and process fragrance, check out this article.

Perfume is composed of three main building blocks:*

1. Aromatic compounds ("aromatics")

2. Solvents (usually ethanol, or a combination of ethanol and water)

3. Fixatives (elements used to increase a perfume/cologne's longevity by slowing evaporation)

*Some people with reactive airways/asthma, allergies, or skin sensitivities (or all three, like my sister) may find that mainstream fragrance doesn't work for them. I'll write more about less allergenic options in another post.

At the top level, fragrance is categorized by (a) the percent concentration of its aromatic ingredients, and (b) by its scent family.

To help decode fragrance labels, here is the nomenclature that perfumers use: Parfum/Extrait (15-40%), Esprit de Parfum (15-30%), Eau de Parfum/EDT (10-20%), Eau de Toilette/EDT (5-15%), Eau de Cologne (3-8%), Eau Fraîche (<3%).

The vast majority of perfumes/colognes fall into common "scent families" based on their most prominent scent notes. Here are the main scent families with an overview of popular aromatics/accords they may contain (accords blend aromatics to produce novel scents or scents that emulate specific odors).

Citrus: Bergamot, lemon, orange, grapefruit, verbena, lime, mandarin, clementine, yuzu, lemongrass, petitgrain.

Floral: Rose, jasmine, lavender, lily of the valley, tuberose, peony, narcissus, daffodil, ylang-ylang, frangipani, gardenia, magnolia, geranium, iris, violet.

Woody: Sandalwood, pine, patchouli, vetiver, cedarwood, cypress, agarwood.

Chypre (fresh citrus combined with woody oakmoss): Citrus, patchouli, musk, oakmoss, rockrose resin.

Leather: Styrax, cedar, cade, amber, vetiver, papyrus, benzoin, guaiac wood, birch.

Aquatic: Cucumber, melon, sea salt, watermelon, calone (a lab-made molecule that smells like sea breeze), aldehyde (imparts a "soapy" quality), ginger, ozone.

Gourmand: Vanilla, chocolate, caramel, coffee, cotton candy, honey, praline, cognac, toffee.

Fougère: Lavender, oakmoss, coumarin (a synthetic molecule that smells like fresh mown hay), bergamot, vetvier, geranium.

Ambery: Labdanum, vanilla, benzoin, tonka bean, styrax, patchouli.

Choosing perfume/cologne is just like choosing an outfit, so the main question is "what's the occasion"? You may want something slightly unisex and lower wattage (e.g. an Eau de Toilette concentration) for everyday wear. You may want something with a bit more projection that is more distinctive or feminine/masculine for socializing, and finally, you may want something sexy.

For those of you who just want to smell fu*%ing great without any additional ado, here are some solid choices that work well on pretty much everyone (backed up by reviews on Fragrantica), and ratings by top health and beauty mags.

1. Less complex scents for everyday wear:

Chanel Chance Eau Tendre: A delicate citrusy floral that wears clean and light. Top notes are quince and grapefruit; middle notes are rose and jasmine; base note is white musk.

Maison Martin Margiela Replica Lazy Sunday Morning: This is a crowd-pleasing clean sheets scent. Top notes are aldehydes, lily-of-the-valley and pear; middle notes are rose, iris and orange blossom; base notes are white musk, ambrette (musk mallow) and Indonesian patchouli leaf. For me, Maison Margiela's Replica line is a bit hit-or-miss, but this one's a hit with everyone.

Boss Bottled: Gives a fresh from the shower vibe. Isn't overpowering but gets the point across. Top notes are apple, plum, lemon, bergamot, oakmoss and geranium; middle notes are cinnamon, mahogany and carnation; base notes are vanilla, sandalwood, cedar, vetiver and olive tree.

2. More feminine/masculine/distinctive scents:

Valentino Donna Born in Roma: This fragrance is blowing up the award charts. It's highly rated by women, and by men (as a fragrance for women). I liked it immediately, and the longevity is what you'd expect from a luxury brand fragrance. Top notes are black currant, pink pepper and bergamot; middle notes are jasmine, jasmine sambac and jasmine tea; base notes are bourbon vanilla, cashmeran and guaiac wood.

Byredo Desert Dawn: Launched in 2024, this is a bolder woody/spicy unisex fragrance. Top notes are rose petals and cardamom; middle notes are cedarwood, sandalwood and carrot seeds; base notes are papyrus, musk, silk and vetiver.

Bleu De Chanel: This one is on every "best" list and deservedly so. It's a cologne that works well on everyone and provokes a "he smells great" reaction no matter what. Has excellent staying power. Top notes are grapefruit, lemon, mint, bergamot, pink pepper, aldehydes and coriander; middle notes are ginger, nutmeg, jasmine and melon; base notes are incense, amber, cedar, sandalwood, patchouli, amberwood and labdanum.

3. Sexy stuff:

Lancôme's La Nuit Trésor: Gourmand (yummy) fragrances are having a moment, and when done properly, they can be truly irresistable. This one has top notes of pear, tangerine and bergamot; middle notes are strawberry, vanilla, orchid, black rose and passionfruit; base notes are praline, caramel, litchi, vanilla, patchouli, incense, coffee, licorice, coumarin and papyrus. If gourmand fragrances aren't your thing, you could go with Tom Ford's Black Orchid which is a smoky boozy fragrance that slays in the best way (black truffle, ylang-yyang, black orchid, black plum, rum absolute, patchouli).

Le Labo Santal 33: "Imagine sitting in solitude on the rugged, wide plains of the American West, firelight on your face, indigo-blue night skies above." This is a captivating scent that that has been popular since it was released in 2011. There are notes of sandalwood, leather, papyrus, Virginia cedar, cardamom, violet, iris, and amber.

Azzaro The Most Wanted: Everyone is crazy for this one. Men love it. Women love it ON men. It smells great and gives masculine/sexy vibes. It has tremendous staying power (for those long nights). Can't go wrong. Top note is cardamom, middle note is toffee, base note is amberwood.