Every year, an estimated 400 new fragrances are launched, each competing to be your new best friend. And, with a constant slew of new celebrity and designer fragrances hitting the shelves, it's hard to resist their allure.
While it takes between one to three years to produce a fragrance, more pretty little bottles are now being created than 10 years ago, according to Rochelle Bloom, president of the New York-based Fragrance Foundation, which was established by six perfume leaders - Elizabeth Arden, Coty, Guerlain, Helena Rubenstein, Chanel and Parfums Weil - in 1949.
'The economy plays a role, for sure. For example, fragrance is a wonderful, affordable accessory, so if you cannot afford the whole outfit from your favourite designer, say [for example] Donna Karan or Marc Jacobs, you can still enjoy their fashion vibe with their fragrance,' she says. 'Fragrances are being created by movie stars and singers. A fragrance is a natural extension of their creativity.'
As each aroma is made from a unique combination of scented oils, fragrance expert Michael Edwards created the Fragrance Wheel in 1983 to classify perfumes into four main categories: floral, oriental, fresh and woody, with numerous subcategories. It was a much-needed tool then, as it is today, with more than 4,700 scents available in the United States alone.
Floral fragrances, Bloom says, are typically characterised by single flowers such as the rose, lavender or lily. However, these flower notes are often woven with more complex notes such as citrus, green or fruity for 'a more harmonious balance'.
Dior's J'Adore Eau de Toilette is a classic floral fragrance which derives its bouquet from a reworking of Damascus rose, ylang-ylang and jasmine sambac with top notes of yellow mandarin.