Chanel, Dior, Chloé, Atelier Cologne: 4 favourite perfumes to choose from as your ‘signature scent’
- Choosing a perfumes is a fun way of self-expression, and if you don’t like one, you can always switch to another
There’s nothing more personal than choosing your own scent. A scent lingers in the room after you’ve gone, a little fragrant memento for the room to remember you by.
Because of this, deciding on your own “signature scent” often feels like a heavy burden. You don’t want something trendy that becomes snidely known as grandma’s scent a few decades down the line.
But the decision shouldn’t be so hard that it becomes paralysing. Perfumes are a fun way of self-expression, and if you stop liking one, you can always switch to another.
Here are a few of our favourites to consider:
Orange Sanguine from Atelier Cologne
Don’t let the name fool you – the fragrances from Atelier Cologne are unisex and carefully designed to be used by men and women.
The young company (it was established in 2009) is known for its range of scents that look to those found in nature for inspiration. From a romantic Ambre Nue to a delightfully citrusy Clementine California, each bottle is an ode to nature.
Why: This is one of its bestsellers and for good reason. It’s zesty (thanks to its concoction of blood orange from Italy, geranium from China and sandalwood from Australia), full of life and – there is no better word to describe it – just fun. It’s summer in a bottle, but not in a cheesy way.
No. 5 perfume from Chanel
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Fragrances don’t get any more iconic than No. 5 from Chanel. From the thoughtfully-designed bottle (she wanted it to resemble a whisky decanter) to the unique fragrances (she wanted it to be “a woman’s perfume with the scent of a woman”), this is a sure way to raise your fragrance game.
Why: There’s more to this fragrance than Marilyn Monroe’s suggestive comment about wearing nothing to bed except Chanel No. 5. It’s womanly, strong and unapologetically so.
J’adore from Dior
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Ever since a glimmering Charlize Theron slinked her way onto the screen, the perfume has been associated with powerful sensuality. It’s a lovely, heady scent with notes of jasmine, plum, orchid and rose, boosted by base notes of amaranth, musk and blackberry.
Why: This signature scent is meant to be an “ode to women”. According to Francois Demachy, perfumer-creator at Dior, “J’adore eau de parfum is an invented bouquet, finely crafted down to the last detail, like a custom-made flower.”
Chloé from Chloé
If you’re after a floral, flirty, feminine fragrance, look no further (I mean, come on – even the bottle comes tied with a bow!). The scent is strong enough to work for the boardroom, yet soft enough to work for any after-work event. Key notes in this fragrance include peony, rose, honey and cedarwood.
Why: It’s fun! It’s flirty! It’s feminine! How many other “f” words do we need to put in here?