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How to learn?

post #1 of 6
10/1/10 at 6:06pm
Thread Starter 
Hey team,
very new to this, and like wine, can not noticed any of the scents that go into a bottle of cologne. I'd like to know some good places to start (online) that give beginners a base understanding of scents.

Having never owned a cologne, I'd like my first collection to be somewhat inspired, rather than a collection of branded rubbish.

Thank you.
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post #2 of 6
10/1/10 at 7:07pm
I would say go and smell a lot of designer colognes after that go to niche for comparision, creed, tom ford, guerlain, frederic malle, l'occitane, l'artisan, serge lutens,etc are good places to start.
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post #3 of 6
10/1/10 at 8:09pm
Sample and look up the note pyramids (here, or on fragrantica.com, for example), so you get an idea of what different notes and frag types smell like. It will likely take you at least a few months to really "get the hang of it," so have patience.
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post #4 of 6
10/1/10 at 8:27pm
START HERE(click)... learn some of the terms and various note names, understand the structure of fragrance, and learn the general groups/families. Then seek out and smell good examples of each family, plus compare them to a few widely different takes. Because you won't at first understand the nuances, start with the big picture and go for the extremes so they're really crystalized in your mind/nose.
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post #5 of 6
10/1/10 at 8:46pm
Grifter, welcome to Basenotes

First, sample. Second, be patient. Third, get some bottles and figure out what fragrances stand the test of time ( ie, until it becomes played out with you). I find getting full bottles satisfies a craving.

I highly recommend reading some books. Chandler Burr's The Perfect Scent is a great read. Don't be scared off by Sarah Jessica Whomever as a topic. Its alot more than that. Its about the industry, taste and just a good read. It doesn't judge you and your taste, unless you specifically like Hugo Boss fragrances made in the last 10 years. Its good to understand.

As well, The Art and Science of Scent by Cathy Newman. Hard to come by, but your library may have a copy.
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post #6 of 6
10/2/10 at 10:39am
It just takes time and a lot of sniffing. If you are highly motivated, you might buy some oils and alcohol to investigate individual notes. You might even try constructing some of your own fragrances. Don't be in a rush.
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