Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and, likewise, scent is in the nose of the smeller. The pleasant industry of perfumes is one of the most subjective ones. A fashionista may be able, with some training, to get over her hatred for crocs or denim jackets if the hottest trend at the moment dictates it. After all, it’s all about aesthetic. Perfumes, on the other hand? It’s very difficult to get over the subjectivity of wearing a scent that you dislike and that makes you want to take fifty showers to get off. And don’t think that’s an exaggeration either. We can’t control our reactions when we encounter an odor that we just don’t like, which is why we can find them so repulsive.
When something like this happens, can we really risk shunning our beloved ones away from us by wearing a perfume they absolutely hate? You might be really fond of your magnolia and peony Gucci fragrance, but if those around you are this close to filing a restraining order because of it, is it really worth it?
Most of the time, this is the case of boyfriends and husbands. As the stereotype has it, there are some men that truly don’t pay much attention to tedious little details, like subtle hairstyle changes or a change in nail polish color. Sometimes they may not even notice you’ve traded your Gucci flagrance for a Versace, but the moment a scent that doesn’t resonate with them reaches their noses, they can definitely notice that.
Surely, all men are different and just how much attention to detail they possess varies from one case to another. But generally speaking, there are some perfumes for women that most of them can agree on.
The “Girl Next Door” Fragrance
Just like attires and accessories, perfumes need to be matched to the situation. When making a run to the grocery store or when meeting up with your significant other at the park, you can’t be wearing the luxurious Body by Burberry, for example. When several researchers started a quest dedicated to the discovery of male preferences in terms of perfumes for women, they concluded that many like a scent that oozes clean simplicity.
Don’t we all like the feeling of having just taken a shower? It doesn’t only feel good, it smells good too. The interviewed gentlemen all gave a big thumbs–up to the natural and refreshing scents. Top examples for this particular odor include Dior’s famed orchid-infused J’adore and the Estee Lauder Pure White Linen, which soothes our senses with its blend of freesia and dewy greens.
Don’t Wear Your Desserts
As far as scents that are at the bottom of the preference list go, many men have agreed that anything that resembles the smell of food isn’t exactly the epitome of sensuality. In this instance, strangely enough, chocolate is one of the least preferred fragrances. It’s something that we can easily agree with, given the fact that it’s a fairly tricky odor that requires a certain level of mastery to get right. However, its eternal ice-cream rival vanilla is actually one of the best exceptions to the rule.
It’s understandable why vanilla would be a hit among men and women alike. It’s of exotic origins and it’s a scent that can be recognized from a mile away. Moreover, its incredible versatility leaves room for plenty of combinations and fusions. Clean Skin experimented with this versatility, offering us a fragrance that took the mellifluous scent of vanilla and melded it with musk and amber.
Sex Appeal via Woods and Florals
This might come off as a surprise, but wearing a spicy and woody fragrance can make a huge impact during a first meeting. Men who had come in contact with the musky scents said that a woman wearing this perfume leaves the impression of outgoingness and independence. In fact, some of them were completely won over by the Victoria’s Secret Very Sexy, whose soft wood scents, pepper, and vanilla orchid combination really lives up to the name.
But an even bigger surprise is the fact that the smell behind some of the most popular perfumes for women wasn’t all that appreciated. Flowers are the foundation of essentially every fragrance, we know that, but it seems like many of these classics have become outdated. Some men have stated that perfumes that reek too strongly of flowers remind them of “an old lady.” That obviously doesn’t mean flowers should become the pariahs of the perfume industry. It’s all narrowed down to the right balance of flowery scents, like in the case of Dior Addict 2, which is a classy lily of the valley flagrance that was a huge hit among the gentlemen who partook in the research.
The Scent of Luxury
This, right here, explains why some sweet flowery perfumes flopped during the experiment. Although the majority of men generally prefer their lifelong partners to be younger, they don’t seem to want them to smell according to their age. When asked why, they simply said that they don’t want the fragrance to make them feel like they’re going out with a high school girl. This is why sophisticated and mature perfumes of the likes of Si Lolita and Daisy Marc Jacobs managed to appeal to the senses of the men who tried them.
Perfumes like the famous Burberry Body fragrance smell like luxury, which instantly give a boost of femininity. Funnily, this isn’t the best part. The conductor of the research also concluded that these scents make men estimate the woman wearing them as twelve pounds thinner than her actual weight. That being said, don’t avoid spicy floral scents because they can turn you into a walking goddess of sophistication.
The moral of this story is simple: have courage and experiment. Naturally, don’t lose grip on your identity when choosing to pursue one of these vibes mentioned above. Perfumes do more than shroud us in a pleasant scent. They tell a story, something about who we are, and they can often be incredibly influential factors in a first-time meeting.
