Perfume choice: Does it really say anything?

This was an interesting thread, BayKAT!

When I read the question, my immediate reaction was "NO. Perfume choice only says what smells a person likes"
Still, when I see your description of your personality and perfume staples, words like "classic", "basic", "aestethic", "introvert" and "passionate" comes to mind...

I will be fun to read other´s replies!!

Me? Can´t do. I´m a little of this and a little of that, both when it comes to personality and scents...

I love Fracas, Y, Rive Gauche, D&G Feminine, A la Nuit and Un Bois Vanille (SL), White Linen, Couture by Kylie Minouge, Fidji, Baghari, Alyssa Ashley Musk Oil, PG Ilang Ivohibe, Believe (Spears), Covet (SJP) and Dior Homme to name a few that came to mind.

Makes any sense? Try to pin-point one or two of my personality charactheristics, do you dare, he,he?

Personality: left-leaning liberal, atheist, nihilist, very shy and quiet, rather eccentric, max out the introversion on any test, strongly driven by my emotions. In terms of taste, constantly drawn to obscure corners, forgotten time periods, the ornate and complex rather than the simple and spare. Musically, love classical music in Impressionistic and Expressionist forms, late Romanticism, French Modernism of the 20th century, orientalism in western music; in popular music like rock, freakfolk, psychedelia; find the indigenous music of the Arab, Balkan, and South Asian countries fascinating. Have a soft spot for art, music, and literature of the late 19th century till WW1 ( a great fan of Art Nouveau, a style which typified my aesthetics - anti-minimalist ). Love exotic and interesting food and cooking it. Absolutely a city person - I love the life and energy, the color, and the ever changing tapestry of things going on. Not an animal person, but adore plants in all their many variations. Love the warm over the cold, the moist over the dry, and find myself eternally fascinated with the ocean and the weather.

Favorite Genres: Complex Soliflores, Florientals, Animalic Fragrances. Particularly have a fondness for rose and tuberose. A top ten just now ( no order ):

Poison
Gandhara
Oud Cuir D'Arabie
Carnal Flower
Tubereuse Criminelle
L'Arte di Gucci
Gucci No. 3
Amoureuse
En Passant
Tubereuse Couture

I am looking forward to Musse's, too.

Very interesting BayKAT!

I dare say, I suspect scent-types will more likely paint a consistent picture with our personality descriptions (after all we "paint" our personalities to some degree, with our scents, n'est ce pas?) than single notes might. That approach almost strikes me as aromatherapy, as I see it sometimes aligned with astrology.

I am a throwback in many regards, to be sure; almost across the board I prefer traditional, "pleasing" art forms. An "INFJ", too . I enjoy classical music exclusively (Bach is my favorite composer.), 'Realism' in art (from Caravaggio to Singer Sargent), and I am a specialist in Victorian architecture.
However, I also consider myself quite 'radical', certainly politically so. I am an incurable cynic.
And I am an a perversely-obstinate iconoclast, who loves to "fight" for the perceived underdog in any scenario, whenever I can do so.
I have an absurd, widely-offensive, and pretty juvenile, scatological sense of humor.
Finally, ironically I am quite "New Age" (hate that term) in many of my spiritual beliefs; I believe in some far out things!

I like classic chypres, too, though newer and louder ones than BayKAT. I like Diva, L'Arte, Soir de Lune. And I have a crippling preoccupation with what I consider the "finest" fragrances (I am a snob.). My top three favorites are Amouages (Dia, Jubilation, & Ubar), and I prefer to smell of them.

I am also an introvert, a book lover ,cook and a frangrance collector; kind and caring when I wish to extend myself and quite self absorbed at times. An old hippie, up to the eyeballs in off-the-wall humor and belief systems, employed as in a scientific field and middle aged - sounds thrilling, no? I love flowers, mythology, other times and places, embellishment in art and furnishings, old lace and....arsenic. I like my fragrances to make a statement or please my frame of mind at the start of the day or evening - and have a special place in my heart for the grand dames of the fragrance world, always.

A few favorites - L'Heure Bleue, Vent Vert, Paestum Rose, Eau de Soir, Blackcurrant Rosewood Cyclamen, Franck Olivier, Youth Dew, Fleurs de Rocailles, Joy -

A Capricorn born in the year of the Dragon!

Reine

I am very liberal in my beliefs, but very conservative in my lifestyle. I'm probably an introvert, but an extrovert in the right company. I love music, but not any particular style. Bach is my favourite composer, but I love Twentieth Century composers as well -especially Xenakis, Ligeti and Penderecki. I love studying different languages, but my favourites at the moment are Arabic and Japanese. I am currently taking a break from formal education, but I was doing a PhD in music theory. Perfume is more than a hobby for me. It adds a new dimension to humanity. If I had my life over again I'd like to be a scientist, but I would then be saying I'd like to be a musician. I am glad I didn't become a perfumer, because the pure joy has never been tainted.

I never worry about why we are here, or agonise over finding a higher purpose -if there isn't one that means we are like music and perfume.

Jicky
Guerlinade
Mitsouko
l'Heure Bleue
Apres l'Ondee
Shalimar
Vol de Nuit
Vetiver
Habit Rouge
Mouchoir de Monsieur
Heritage
Chanel No.19
Pour Monsieur
Bois des Iles
Cuir de Russie

Introvert, loyal, faithful, a bit unpractical, creative, sensitive, a bit coward, hates to clean the house, love food, want democracy, feminist. Jeans. Doesn't beleive in God but doesn't believe in atheism, litterature lover, likes many kinds of music but especially classical. Fond of Bach and Mozart. Ring signal on job mobile: Haydens' Emperor Quartet. Ring signal on private mobile: Otis Redding.

Fragrance preference: Mostly floral and floriental but I can also appreciate citrus and a fragrance as Lutens Arabie. Am very happy that I have found the Nicolaï and Grossmith houses. Classical and old style fragrances. Learning and discovering. Many scents smell different to me now than a year ago.

Hmmm... very interesting thread.

My personality profile and likes/dislikes would include: E/INTP (schizo with the extro/intro-version), bookworm (scholar and teacher of literature, expert in 20th century poetics and theory; favorite authors include James Joyce, Salman Rushdie, Walt Whitman, Tony Kushner, Robert Duncan, Charles Olson, Samuel Delany Derek Walcott, Derrida, Foucault, and Said), gourmand (both cooking and eating-out; favorite cuisines: Italian, French, Thai, sushi), aesthetically drawn to mid-century modern design (elegant lines, bright colors, graphic prints), I love the ocean and have a collection of sea glass, musically eclectic but love Magnetic Fields, Vampire Weekend, Marvin Gaye, The Ramones, U2, etc., atheist but I believe in living a spiritually rich life that consists of being present in the moment and helping others, radically leftist with socialist ideals coupled with (crippled by?) expensive tastes in luxury goods (I'm a Nieman Marxist), more of a city person, most attracted to blues and greens, queer (both sexually and politically), and a Virgo, but I'm terribly unorganized and can be messy at times.

Favorite perfumes are classics (both vintage and modern), I like Guerlain, Chanel and Caron even though the house styles are so distinct, and drawn to chypres and orientals both with heavy wood/floral/green components. Top 5 femme scents today: Patou Sublime, *insert Guerlain classic here*, Opium, No. 5/No. 19. Top 5 butch scents today: Antaeus, Heritage edp, Habit Rouge edp, Gucci PH, Encre Noire.

So basically an idiosyncratic jumble of confusions that happen to please me.

That is very eloquent and beautiful. Thank you for sharing.

I have a bold, or so they say, personality... I've always liked to be eccentric and different, and my scent taste is the same... I like'em bold, eccentric and different... Think about my signature scent being TF Black Orchid... I also love EL PC Tuberose Gardenia, Hanae Mori Eau Fraîche (not a traditional eau fraîche to my nose) and most of the Lutens... Big florals, big orientals and big gourmands are my thing... By the life of me, I can't do subtle...

My personality: ISTJ; conservative (for the most part); Christian. I'm super competitive and love to be noticed (and then left alone). I like classic literature (Steinbeck and Salinger), American history novels, fantasy/sci-fi, and the occasional political novel (Primary Colors remains one of my favorite books); I love blues (Jonny Lang, SRV, Buddy Guy), classic rock (Led Zeppelin, The Who, Steely Dan, Rush), and Baroque and early Romantic (Bach and Mendelssohn); not that into movies, but I appreciate well-done pictures in different genres (Lord of the Rings, Chicago, Immortal Beloved, and The Usual Suspects). My DH says I'm stylish; I don't care too much for trends, and I think I do a good job of choosing colors and fits that look good on me. I'm a big fan of high heels and hoop earrings. I lovelovelove to cook! I've been a veggie for almost eight years. I'm highly experimental in my own kitchen (veggie/epicurean/fusion) but I order the same stuff whenever I go out to eat. I love analyzing myself.

So now my fumes. I definitely prefer modern perfumery. My faves are mostly reforms of classic scents; a couple department store fumes; one niche. Here are my top five-- Chanel 22, Tabac Blond, Alien, Borneo 1834, Tabu, in that order. They all have mad sillage and longevity and a warm feel to them. They all make sense. There is nothing random about them.

Mostly introvert (but an extrovert to the extreme as a kid), guided by emotions more often than logic, liberal with conservative tendencies, cynical on the surface but a romantic at heart. (Possibly slightly bipolar.) Writing is my lifelong passion; the runners-up are reading, cooking, and travelling. Appreciate beautiful things, even insignificant ones, occasionally to the point of distraction. My idea of absolute contentment is sitting on a backyard porch on a mild summer night watching the sun set. Have music in my blood, played piano and sang when I was a kid, and find it hard to focus on much else when there's music playing in the room - I'll even tune in and out of conversations. Think Debussy's "Claire de Lune" is the most beautiful piece of music ever recorded. Have a snarky sense of humor that works 90% of the time and gets me in trouble the other 10%; luckily I don't take myself very seriously, so I can kill the offended 10% with kindness. Cooking is my main form of therapy, and I'm perfectly happy reading a doorstop of a cookbook instead of a novel. Atheist if prompted, but I'm probably closer to agnostic; either way, I don't give it much thought. Enjoy abstract art that uses color and shape in intriguing ways, but my favorite art period is Romanticism - I love the drama. I enjoy minimalism and simplicity as long as it's not cold or industrial - Asian art and architecture, especially Japanese, is right up my alley.

In terms of fragrances, I love depth, darkness, smokiness, and spice, but am perfectly happy wearing florals or fresher things if the mood calls for it. If it smells good, I'll wear it...but if it's a warm, spice-laden oriental, I'll probably love it.

INTP to the extreme. Very introverted, to the point that in the past it has led to some social isolation. Unorthodox when it comes to learning and paradigms: tend to teach myself things rather than follow the conventional method. Taught myself two of my rather divergent interests, programming (prefer to program in the extremely unconventional language, Lisp) and guitar/music theory. Also dove head first into my third primary interest: perfumes and perfumery. Bought 150+ oils/absolutes and spent the next few years familiarizing myself with them. Perfectionist to the point that I tend to focus on perfecting technique or understanding rather than actually producing or finishing anything. I tend to vacillate between my interests and put 110% into one while neglecting the others and then, as if a light switch went off, change direction, with little rhyme or reason. Agnostic but interested in eastern philosophy and spirituality, specifically Zen Buddhism.

My musical tastes are rather eclectic. I grew up on heavy metal and then progressed to death and black metal. I still listen to a few heavier bands and absolutely love them (Nevermore, Scar Symmetry, Testament, Keep of Kalessin, etc), but also absolutely love a variety of things: Andy McKee (fingerstyle acoustic guitar), guitar instrumental music, modern world/new age music like Loreena McKennitt, the folky music of Joanna Newsom, and more and more (finally) I am getting into classical, starting with more modern composers like Gustav Holst and progressing backwards chronologically. My humor is a mixed bag, too. At times it is downright childish and playful, other times dirty and juvenile, and often times intellectual and sometimes rather biting. I work out fairly regularly and value my health and eat rather healthily but don't obsess about it. I simply maintain a healthy body weight and decent muscle tone.

My favorite season is fall followed by the quiet serenity of winter. I tend to wear browns and greens very often. Coupled with my shoulder length hair this gives me a bit of a 'hippie-look', although my look is more modern and has some hipster influences. Despite that look I engage in no illegal substances and drink only once every couple months or so. I don't like to lose control.

There's a lot more that could be said but suffice it to say I'm quiet, sensitive, reserved and analytical, often focusing so closely on the small details that its to the detriment of the big picture. I exemplify the INTP description of a romantic partner: faithfully devoted and loving but not overly romantic, instead being more forthright and honest in an almost child-like way.

I guess at the minimum my top 11, listed in my signature, at least reflect the contradictions and diversity in my personality and tastes. I tend to prefer very floral scents and scents that carefully tread the masculine and feminine line. I absolutely love neroli/orange blossom as a note, along with cinnamon, rose, bay leaves, vetiver, sandalwood, guaiacwood, orris/iris, violet, coriander and patchouli. I tend to prefer scents that are ethereal or sheer in nature rather than thick or dense. I also don't like scents that last too long or are too strong (some of my favorites do, but only because I haven't found something similar enough that projects less or doesn't last for a week and a half).

I really doubt you can draw specific conclusions about anyone's personality based on their perfume choices. About their culture, background; the social status they'd like to project - maybe. Personality? Intellect? Bah humbug!

On the other hand, this opens up a whole other 'what makes up one's personality anyway' -question. Aren't background, culture and all that other jazz part of it? Indeed, our egos would probably like to have us believe that many of our characteristics, likes and dislikes swell from some deep soulful well from within, where in fact a lot of what we like has been influenced by nurture and influences from others.

Maybe there are some genetic similarities in tastes too.

The geek in me would like to conduct a proper study.

I am an INFJ too BayKat. My perfume choices are quite similar to yours - I love nearly all the ones you listed - dark florals orientals, chypres , and I love Sarah Brightman too amongst other music.
I found the INFJ description quite close to what I am. I will have to come back to this post because I am in a hurry right now - I will have to think deeper on the subject. It's extremely interesting.

I don't really think it says anything. Perfume choices and the "degree of immersion/indulgence" into fragrant world have far more complicated roots.

Financial situation and priorities ....may be ones of the most important though.

I thought about that, too, Nukapai, that my fume preferences mirror my preferences in other art, to a degree, not necessarily that I'm a conservative introvert. Some of my fumes say quite the opposite, actually. Then you come back to the question of what do the name & marketing really mean. I like things that smell good, but I don't think a proclivity towards aldehydes means anything more than a preference for cream sauces. I think the fact that I like big sillage says more about me than the notes/genres I prefer.

I do wonder if perceivers/feelers have different reasons for why they choose what they choose than sensers/thinkers.

Well, where to start? I am a very private person and somewhat shy in person. I enjoy literature, poetry, Opera and classical music. My choices in fragrance are Mitsouko, Shalimar, Chamade, Ambre Gris, the Hermes Jardin series, and Habit Rouge Beau Cavalier. I am a Science/Medical major in college and have a degree in Art. I am finishing a B.A. in Liberal arts and working on a B.S.N. My favorite notes are Vanilla, Musc, Ambre, Cinnamon, Heliotrope, Incense, resins and woods. Favorite fragrance classes; Chypres, Orientals and some gourmands. There you have it. Not too exciting huh? Do you think the fragrances are consistent with the personality?

I am back to continue my posting on this compelling subject.
Well as I said before I am an INFJ and I am a Vata-Pitta type according to Ayurveda.
I think I am abit odd to be honest.

I am actually extremely private ,very sensitive( some of you know that already ! ) , artistic/creative,spiritual,somewhat nervous at times but I can be very practical too . I know lots of people but I hold very few very close to me .
I am quite new agey and I always have been - before the new agey thing started gathering momentum. Vegetarian , supplement pill popper, health freak I consider myself a yogini first before anything else ( even if I lapse now and then ! *GRIN! * )
Expression through art ( whether in music, dance, yoga etc ) is very important to me and for effective functioning on an everyday basis.

I love perfumes with a distinct personality ,a rich history which is why I love Guerlains ,Carons, Jean Patou etc .Modern perfumery seldom moves me unless it has some interesting background or story - like Serge Lutens. He is a modern artistic genius.
I have to connect with a perfume for me to love it.

I internalise a lot,introspective and I'm a very cautious person. I think 100 times before I do anything and I try and think twice before I say something .
I am very used to discipline too and I am aware that being humble is best and try to be this way,everyday . ( All these sentences starting with 'I' are freaking me out...... ) Boastfulness will just get me rolling my eyes and tuning out.

Winter and fall are my fave seasons. I really hate being hot !

I can't think of anything else right now..............

My personality is warm, open and reasonably extrovert. I
am a sensitive soul, who loves good music of any genre
(especially J.S.Bach, the Beatles and Faure) adores travel ( France
in particular) is drawn towards helping others (I am a teacher)
loves to cook and plays the piano.
My politics are slightly pink around the edges. I believe in a higher being and
have a strong set of moral beliefs.
I dislike falsehood and insincerity of any kind, always seek to find the best in other people and am
quite easily bored by routine; I see housework as a chore, need intellectual
sensory stimulation and sleep fairly poorly. I seek calmness and restraint and eschew aggression
and noise.

I like Ivoire, Cristobal, Roma, Visa, Casaque, Rive Gauche, "O" de Lancome and Mauboussin.

Make of that what you will!!

Well, well! Looks like David Pybus has looked at this! http://perfumeshrine.blogspot.com/20...rsonality.html

My personality is ENTJ.

I love and wear many perfumes from "monstrous florals" like Carnal Flower and "powerhouse masculines" like Aramis Havana to "sheer florals" like Olivia Giacobetti's En Passant and "aquatics" like Bvlgari Aqua pour Homme.
Really a perfume intrigues me most when it is well-constructed and feels like it has something to say to me.
I'd guess the E part of me is what allows me to wear whatever I like no matter what it is marketed as, but I'd like to think that has more to do with my comfort level after living so long.
My enthusiasm for sampling probably has much to do with the J part as that might have a lot to do with why I write reviews.
In many ways I think it is difficult to pigeonhole many of us based on a list of questions but it never hurts to see if there are similarities based on that pigeonholing.

Just one Q: some of you mention your personality traits... Is there an online test where I can find out what I am? I'm really curious... Thank you all!!

The personality type is called the Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator. If you plug that phrase into your vfavorite search engine you will be able to take the test online for free and get your 4-letter type.

It appears I am an ESFJ!

I have fragrances in my collection from every olfactive family. lol I'm a fairly typical pisces in that I am adaptable and go with the flow, so I guess in that sense, it's great to have a scent for every mood and occasion.

I think my choices say that I probably think too much about fragrance and overanalyse what my scent will "say". I suspect that it usually says "nothing" to those around me as they havent got the perfume fee-vah!

My perfume choices certainly won't tell anybody about the music I love, my political beliefs or my favourite writers, nor will you be able to deduce from my wardrobe where I work, whether I'm married or not, whether I prefer football over tennis etc. -
My perfume might tell you about the mood I'm in, about my amount of "audacity" and my level of "daringness".
I'm not shy, very communicative, a typical extrovert... - and I'm sure that's the olfactory message I'm sending out (most of the time, at least). From my choice of perfumes you wouldn't know that I adore Bach, Mozart, Brahms, Chopin and Mahler (to name just a few) or that I'm fascinated by Comtemporary Arts&Literature. Honestly, if my wearing Mitsouko today would give away soooo much about me- I would STOP wearing perfume. Perfume would - if it had the power of disclosing that much about ourselves and our predelictions and beliefs - be an ideal APP for GOGGLE etc. - nearly as good as the planned "face recognotion tool." I think the charm of wearing perfume lies in the fact that the scent itself - together with its wearer - always harbours a mystery...

My Briggs score: INTP. Moderately introverted (33%) but highly intuitive (50%).

I favor the subtle over the loud, the smooth over the rough, the soft over the harsh, deeply complex over linear simplicity. Perhaps that's why I have very few issues with sillage but frown at uber-masculine powerhouse frags of the '80s. A look at my wardrobe seems to bear testimony:

1725
1740
Essencia Loewe
Mitsouko
Heritage
Shalimar
Cuir de Russie
No.19
Serge Noire
Arpege pour Homme
5 O' Clock Au Gingembre
etc.

My preferred genres: floral/leather chypres, orientals.

I think of perfumistas and gourmets the same way - they will probably enjoy anything you put in front of them as long as it's finely crafted using wonderful ingredients. My wardrobe (and appetite) is very diverse - what I choose from moment to moment depends more on my mood than anything else. And I think the fact that we love to surround ourselves with beautiful fragrance is simply an indication that we are sensualists - we love to smell good.

However, I suppose if my fragrance wardrobe could talk, it might tell you that I tend to prefer old things to new (some might say "stuck in the 80s"), I'm very open-minded, and I'm not at all label-conscious. (Well, it might also tell you that I like pretty bottles and I can be a bit of an emotional hoarder, but that doesn't have anything to do with what types of fragrances I choose.)

I wonder if this thread says more about fragrance fans on the whole and less about us as individuals. I'm not really seeing a repeated link between fragrance tastes and personality types, but on the whole I'm seeing a strong lean towards introverts and artistic types.

I'm an ESFP (note to self: Extraversion, Sensing, Feeling, Perceiving)... Gonna check what that means, though!

We're exact opposites! I'm INTJ.

LOL... You're cool, though!

I like this thread because it's fun to learn more about all of you! I have heard our friend Odysseusm comment that exploring fragrance helps us learn more about ourselves. I have to admit that I didn't really see this, at first, but now I think he has a point! Fragrance exploration has, if nothing else, reinforced what I already knew or suspected about myself.

Things About Me:

• ENTJ, with a drift toward INTJ as I get older
• Libra, with the typical love for beauty, balance, logic, and fairness
• Generally happy, even-tempered and positive; avoid negative people, clutter, and noise
• Can be lazy, selfish, a little insensitive, bossy, and quite indecisive
• Have no religious affiliation, but possess an interest in many things spiritual
• Political views strongly emphasize personal freedom and personal responsibility
• Oriented toward the future; interested in the natural world, language, and the arts

My Fragrance Preferences:

• Strongly value balance and harmony of composition (not a surprise, huh?)
• Prefer subtlety and transparency to the Big Bad Sillage Monster
• Prefer complexity to a one-note focus (with a few exceptions), but tolerate linear style
• Generally prefer a natural/relaxed "feel" (as compared to formal/controlled)
• Prefer a modern vibe and love innovation, but appreciate selected gems from the past
• Very open to learning more and expanding my repertoire

Haunani, it seems like you were describing ME. Also a beauty-loving Libra here.

I thought you might be! :-)

Well said

I come out as INTJ usually, though last time I took the test it flipped me over to ENTJ.

Yeah, that seems to be the way - we're not representative of 'normal' population. That David Pybus study was also only narrowly targeted to one group of people. Maybe I should do my final dissertation on this topic and conduct a wider study.

To the OP: I know it's just a bit of fun and that's cool. It's just that there are enough of us geeks here to start thinking beyond that and be frustrated by just anecdotal evidence and lack of proper data.

Noooooo, don't say that, BayKAT! How cool would it be if we actually conducted an actual study? We have international members who probably wouldn't mind setting up interviews and collating results...

I can't talk about myself, it makes me uncomfortable. But perhaps my favorite fragrances can tell something about me:
Fumerie Turque, Douce Amere, Narcisse Noir, L'Heure Bleue, Iris Poudre, Parfum de Therese, Femme de Rochas, Une Fleur de Cassie, Un Lys, Bandit, Mure et Musc, MPG Jasmin.