Few more questions from a Newb

I appreciate your enthusiasm for fragrances! I was the exact same way when I first started this hobby. But be forewarned: don't buy blind based on what others have to say because I regretted a lot of my purchases this way. Buy samples and go with what you like. Let's see if I can answer a few of your questions...

When I spray my neck or wrists, I let the cologne evaporate naturally. I believe that it lasts longer this way. When you rub it in I find the top notes fade rather quickly.

Sillage is a french term (pronouned see-yij). It's used to describe how a scent lingers in the air. Fragrances with a lot of sillage such as Joop! and A*men can still be detected after the person has left the room. I also consider this term to describe how well a person can detect a smell on you. So in both regards to radius and scent trail, they are both correct.

A signature scent is a frag that we use the most often in our rotation. Certain scents are only used for specific purposes depending on the occassion or season. A signature scent is used throughout the year and is versatile for almost any situation.

A gourmand is a term used to describe scents which resemble food such as chocolate, vanilla, caramel, etc.

I get accustomed to almost every scent with the exception of strong ones like Le Male, Joop!, and A*men. Platinum Egoiste is my signature scent but my nose gets "immune" to it after about thirty minutes. I can't smell it anymore but I continue to receive compliments throughout the day so I know it's still there. It's a rather light scent so I don't expect it to last more than 4-6 hours on my skin. I find it very suitable for the office as it's not overpowering or offensive. Resist the temptation to overspray though.

As for your recent purchases, I personally like Silver Mountain Water and Himalaya, although I find that I get "immune" to these scents after only ten minutes.

Hope this helps and please post your impressions/opinions on your lastest purchases. I like reading what others have to say. Good luck.

That's why you should never tell the truth when someone asks what cologne you're wearing. LOL. Another site that I go to read reviews of scents is www.perfumeemporium.com It has plenty of reviews and even some from fellow Basenoters. Oh yeah, nobody ever plans on acquiring this hobby. It just sort of falls in your lap. Whether it is a gift or a curse is something that I'm still trying to figure out.

Welcome to BN.

1) I never rub after applying. It accelerates and changes the progression as intended by the perfumer.

2) I'm pretty sure sillage refers to the trail of scent. I use "projection" in terms of how pervasive the detectable radius of a scent is, though that is just a personal thing.

3) When I hear signature scent, I think of something a person would own and wear almost exclusively. Personally, I don't have one since I love too many to devote myself to one.

4) teflondog nailed it

5) Yes, your nose becomes accustomed to a scent rather quickly. This will vary with each fragrance and individual.

A good site to browse around is http://www.osmoz.com, where you can find some good resources. I'd also recommend Mandy Aftel's book, Essence and Alchemy if you really want to know more about fragrance. One of my favorites.

For online purchasing, I've used all the following satisfactorily.

http://www.scentiments.com

http://www.parfum1.com

http://www.aedes.com

http://www.luckyscent.com

http://www.lusciouscargo.com

http://www.perfumebay.com

You can also find a lot of great samples and decants for sale here on the swap boards. It is a great way to sample scents without spending a lot of money. The list of what you have coming to you is quite impressive...almost a "greatest hits" of BN in many regards. L'Anarchiste is rather strange for some, but one of my favorites. That one may throw you a bit (some don't like it) with the top notes. Anyways, hope you enjoy all your new acquisitions and post your impressions of them.

When I think of signature scent, I don't think of the scent that's most versatile ie I could wear anytime. Rather, I think of the scent that best suits my personality and my spirit, even if it's not suitable for everyday wear. For me that's Amouage Gold for Women. Definitely more of a luxurious evening out or a sensual special occasion. I stretch that by quite a bit, but it's still not the most versatile scent. Nevertheless, I feel that it embodies me most, and thus I would call it my signature scent.

As for everything else....what they said [smiley=tongue.gif]

~Silk and Steel

I have that same problem I am also new to frags, today i had decided to wear Curve but i knew a few sprits would not be enough so I went with 15 and after about 30 mins NOTHING i could not smell it anymore I went into work I was going to ask someone if they could smell it but decided against as I was afraid of what the person might think.

I always have to fight the temptation to ask other people what they think of my cologne. One time I was smelling my shirt to see if my scent faded and then someone walked in and asked if I was checking for B.O. It was embarassing.
[smiley=embarassed.gif]

I always sniff my shirt to check if i can smell anything, I had a alot of times people looking weird because i did that, so i know what you feel.

See this is where it's better to be a fragrance-obsessed girls...I can ask anyone I want.

For me, I find that it's usually stronger than I perceive myself, but if I can't smell it at ALL it's usually actually gone.

~Silk

Never rub a fragrance in. You'll "crush" the molecules and spoil the balance of the scent.

Sillage means "that which lingers in the air after the passage of someone who is perfumed". It's the way it project, the way it surrounds you, the way it reaches out to other people. I think this simply means the volatility of the scent. If it is highly volatile, more scent molecules diffuse into the air and thus lingers longer!

Signature scent, as the word tells us, is the scent which people will smell and associate with you.

Gourmand scents can be fruity scents too. Like DKNY's new fragrance.

Your nose will get accustomed to scents easily. It's a trait we inherited from our early ancestors. If a smell is of no longer importance to you(no longer signal danger), your brain automatically "switches off" to it and concentrates on your other senses.


Wow! Those fragrances are awesome!!! Do give Guerlain Vetiver a bit more time. It'll smell a little weird at first, but you'll grow to like it.

Buket, welcome to the board and to the wonderful world of scent in general!

You have ordered some really great scents, though I'm not a fan of Creed products.

Your questions have been answered, but I'll make a suggestion....decants are definitely the way to go, particularly with the niche/artisinal fragrances, which can be really expensive. Go to the sell/swap board and try some Serge Lutens, Diptyques, Malle, MPGs and L'Artisans. It's a greay way to introduce yourself to some of the finest scents in the world for a fraction of the cost.

Welcome to the forum, I don't feel so bad after seeing the decants you have lined up in the mail for you! Hehe.. [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

Yeah, don't rub the scent, it really does some harm to the scent on the drydown.

And the most helpful things in choosing a scent is to read up on the different essences used in a scent (you'll be blown away at what they use sometimes for musk frags!). Even better, try and find a place that sells pure essential oils to help you zero in on the specific accords that you enjoy in a scent, in my case it was bergamot, basil, mint, oakmoss, tea, sandalwood, cedar, olibanum (frankincense), vetiver, amber, tonka, and patchouli. Phew, I know there's more...but it helpfully brings joy in discovering the multi-faceted complexities of a fragrance for me!

There are many ways to classify fragrances!

Take Guerlain Vetiver for example:
Osmoz classifies it as woody-->aromatic
Sephora classifies it as woody-->mossy woods
Michael Edward classifies it as mossy woods-->classical