104 ew products carry the delicious f frisson of luxury and glamour that surrounds fragrance. “As perfumers, we create illusions,” says Frédéric Malle. But along with that mysterious aura, there is also the actual stuff itself—the liquid that sometimes interacts unpredictably with your body, comes on too strong or too faintly, spills, stains, and sloshes around in the physical realm. Responding to the seductive powers of fragrance comes naturally; knowing how to make it work in the practical, everyday world does not. Most of us got our fragrance education at our mother’s knees (and the pulse points behind them), and that’s a great start. Consider this the master class. —Lindsy Van Gelder Everything You Need to Know About gutter credit archive gutter trunk F104 rphotographeda by kenjig toma r ance 105 What makes a perfume last? How do you know when you’re wearing too much? Read on for these and other gutter credit gutter scent secrets. Fragr ance 105 106 OutsidE thE BOttlE The fragrance counter offers almost as many choices as Starbucks. Perfumer Kilian Hennessy helps us decode it all. —SOPHIA PANYCH Solid Perfume Roller Ball Scented Cream Scented Powder Hair Mist ProS: The waxy base ProS: The diminutive ProS: You get a scent Pro: it’s luxurious— ProS: This instantly holds scent for several size makes this ideal for you love and softer skin. just the act of dusting it freshens hair between hours and has the travel (and for testing Con: Certain fragrance along your décolletage, shampoos. With little to benefit of portability— a fragrance before going ingredients change arms, and legs feels no alcohol, it won’t dry this is the perfect size to for a full-size bottle). color or scent when put sensuous. out strands; some are slip into an evening bag. ConS: roller balls use into a cream. These ConS: Powder rubs off, infused with silicones, ConS: The wax has a a low concentration of tweaks can sometimes so the scent is likely to which soften hair. slight oily smell that can perfume oil, so the make the lotion smell fade after a couple Con: A hair mist plus interfere with the actual scent lasts only an hour like a poor imitation of of hours. And applying a traditional perfume fragrance; it can also or so. Plus, the glass the original. it can be messy. may result in olfactory leave a greasy residue. tubes can break. We liKe: Balenciaga We liKe: Chanel Coco overload. We liKe: Marc Jacobs We liKe: lancôme Paris Perfumed Body Mademoiselle Fresh We liKe: Viktor & rolf Solid Perfume Trésor rollerball Cream After Bath Powder Flowerbomb Hair Mist 60 percent of allure.com users say they wear perfume every day. A scent’s name, ad, or bottle can influence its effect on us. We placed eight new ones in unmarked vessels Sniff Test and asked Givaudan perfumer Calice Becker and scent expert Jan Moran to describe them. —ANGELIQUE SERRANO 1. christiAn Dior ColoGne royale, MorAn’S TAKe: “oh, pretty. it’s a soft 6. BAnAnA rePuBliC WilDBlooM, with with bergamot, mint, and lemon floral bouquet, feminine and romantic.” guava, pink grapefruit, and hydrangea BeCKer’S TAKe: “a total refreshment, 4. MArC JACoBS DAiSY eAu So FreSH, BeCKer’S TAKe: “sassy and fruity.” with citrus and mint. it can be unisex.” with violet, rose, and apple blossom MorAn’S take: “a brilliant bouquet of MorAn’S TAKe: “very clean.” BeCKer’S TAKe: “it has a strong white flowers tinged with tropical fruit.” 2. elizABeTH ArDen PreTTY HoT, with personality, but in a good way.” 7. iSSeY MiYAKe l’eAu D’iSSeY FlorAle, red currant, red peony, and freesia MorAn’S TAKe: “rose and violet jump with rosebud, ginger lily, and mandarin BeCKer’S TAKe: “easy to wear—young, out; a green tone gives it freshness.” Becker’S take: “a nice splash after petal-y, and well-mannered.” 5. VerSACe VAniTAS, with tiare flower, tennis, and before a cocktail party.” MorAn’S TAKe: “the sheer florals have freesia, lime, and tonka bean MorAn’S take: “english roses— an innocence, a lightness of heart.” BeCKer’S TAKe: “this chic, cool young it makes me think of garden parties.” 3. JiMMY CHoo, with tiger lady might fly in from paris for a walk 8. VerA WAnG PrePPY PrinCeSS, with orchid, toffee, and patchouli down sunset Boulevard.” tangerine, jasmine, and coconut water BeCKer’S TAKe: “something MorAn’S TAKe: “For a woman who likes BeCKer’S TAKe: “a boho-chic quality.” to wear with smoky eyes.” to be the center of attention.” MorAn’S TAKe: “it has a joie de vivre.” cook david this page and opposite page: opposite and page this 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 107 Love Story Where’s the love? it may lie in a bottle of the new powdery floral fragrance love, Chloé. We take OLd SPiCe a closer look. —ALISON CAPORIMO THe CHAiN Perhaps the least controversial The rose-gold chain dispatch from the Middle east in looks like the strap on decades is about oud fragrance, a Chloé shoulder bag. the warm, musky bouquet that is THe SCeNT making its way west. A clutch of new scents, including dior Leather iris, heliotrope, and orange Oud, By Kilian’s Arabian Nights blossom blended with a face- collection, Bond No. 9 New York powder note reminds perfumer Perfume Oud, and Michael Boadi’s and fragrance cocreator Boadicea the Victorious collection, louise Turner of “loose all incorporate the subtly spicy powder that my grandmother note. Although it is novel in the used with a big puff.” U.S., oud—a tree resin indigenous to india and Southeast Asia— has been used for centuries in the THe COLOR Gulf region, says perfumer Kilian Hennessy of By Kilian Fragrances. The perfume was tinted “a “Usually, it’s combined with dusky pink,” says Turner— incense or an essential oil, like mirroring the clothes in rose, because one vial of pure oud Chloé’s fall 2010 collection. costs well over $500.” in its countries of origin, people have been known to rub the resin THe eNGRAViNG on their earlobes and neck, or burn incense in their closets so clothes The fragrance’s name is “embossed pick up the scent, but we’re happy into the base of the bottle like to report that ouds also merge the signature on a letter,” says harmoniously with traditional Chloé’s international marketing perfume notes. —DANIELLE PERGAMENT director, Philippe Desroche. she said/He Said Boyfriends may come and go—but what about their scents? Allure editors and their significant others smelled the latest batch of men’s fragrances to see which faded prematurely and which lingered...in an appealing (not cloying) way. —ALISON CAPORIMO SCenT SHe SAiD He SAiD MArC JACoBS BAnG, “it’s a strong mix of evergreen “it’s not offensive like colognes with peppercorns, and spice. after a couple that are overly heavy or musky. woods, white moss, of hours, it was milder and easier it smells clean, kind of like soap.” and patchouli to take.” —Kayleigh, assistant editor —Jarad, law student Chanel Bleu, a “it smells clean and fresh, as long “i’d wear this to a special occasion blend of lemon, cedar, as you don’t pile on too much— because it smells fancy. i’m glad it sandalwood, nutmeg, it can get a little overwhelming.” doesn’t smell like the abercrombie and ginger —Caitlin, fashion assistant store.” —Tom, financial advisor VAn CleeF & ArPelS “Musky with a hint of baby powder, “From the name, i was expecting MiDniGHT in PAriS, which makes it masculine but soft. something like cigarettes in with lemon, green i was surprised by how much i liked a crowded jazz club. But it’s fresh, tea, and tonka bean it.” —elizabeth, senior editor like a clean shirt.” —Victor, writer ACquA Di PArMA “it’s clearly manly, but a bit strong “it reminds me of my dad’s ColoniA eSSenzA, for my taste. You would definitely aftershave. it’s how i wanted to with clove, vetiver, smell it from the other end smell in seventh grade.” and white musk of the bar!” —liz, associate editor —Chris, investment banker CreeD AVenTuS, “it smells hot on him, and i know “it smells cool. Like the guys in GQ with black currant, all the ladies he charms at in suits with private planes— bergamot, birch, oak work will be even more obsessed the ones other men are jealous of.” moss, and vanilla with him!” —Victoria, editorial assistant —Chandos, broadcasting executive 108 The Top 10 Perfume Questions–answered 1Why does my scent smell different 6 What does it mean if a perfume’s on my best friend than it does on me? “We color changes—has it lost its potency? all have a unique body chemistry that reacts Direct sunlight, strong overhead lighting, with the components of fragrance,” says or the simple passage of time can discolor Firmenich perfumer olivier Cresp. Gender, perfume, but that doesn’t necessarily mean race, coloring, diet, medication, and your that the smell has weakened or turned. skin’s dryness or oiliness can all affect it. However, liquid that appears muddy or cloudy does usually mean a sour smell. orientals and chypres have a longer shelf 2is it true that rubbing the wrists life than light fragrances do—so consider together after spraying a scent changes it? buying small bottles of the latter. Yes. “When you rub your wrists together, you’re warming up your skin and causing some perfume notes to evaporate faster 7Will hot temperatures ruin or alter a than they should.