If you haven’t already spent your entire pay-packet on a cab home from that dinner you already couldn’t afford (what’s the deal with ordering starters and anything but house wine at the start of the month?), then may we suggest this: updating your fragrance.
It’s not the cheapest beauty buy but a girl’s got to smell good – and it’ll last more than just the month. With that in mind, we analysed the science behind a whole new host of perfumes. And yes, did a lot of sniffing too. Here’s the best of the new releases:
Dolce & Gabbana’s Dolce– £45 for 30ml Eau de Parfum
The backstory: It’s inspired by Palermo, the designer’s home in Sicily.
What they say it’s supposed to smell like: ‘A fresh bloom of white flowers with amaryllis, white daffodil and lily.’
What it actually smells like: Crisp and fresh without anything overpowering.
The detail: It warms on your skin when exposed to sun and settles into something more musky with touches of sandalwood.
Flora by Gucci 1966 – £48.50 for 50ml Eau de Toilette
The backstory: There’s a category in the fragrance biz called ‘skin scents’ which basically mean any fragrance that brings to mind the sensuality of warmed skin. This is one of those – meaning it's a firm date-friendly scent.
What they say it’s supposed to smell like: ‘It has warm top notes of bergamot and dark Bourbon pepper over flirty notes of peony and rose.’
What it actually smells like: Fresh and floral but with something spicy lurking in the background.
The detail: If he’s still around come morning he’ll pick up the subtlest notes of patchouli and vetiver. If he’s not, you can enjoy it all yourself.
Burberry Brit Rhythm- £50 for 50ml Eau de Toilette
The backstory: Like everything Burberry it’s designed to be quintessentially British.
What they say it’s supposed to smell like: ‘British Lavender plays an important role in this scent but it’s backed-up by orange blossom.’
What it actually smells like: While the star of the show is lavender thankfully it’s not too powerful. It’s less old lady lavender cushions and more summer day.
The detail: Once it’s been allowed to rest on your skin for a little while the soft floral notes will start to dissipate to make way for a more woody and spicy scent.
Bottega Veneta Essence Aromatique - £78 for 90ml Eau de Cologne
The backstory: Designed using fragrances that are deliberately invigorating, this is supposed to refresh you with one spritz.
What they say it’s supposed to smell like: ‘It has a sprightly Italian bergamot note with Ukrainian coriander.’
What it actually smells like: It’s unsual and completely unlike anything else. It’s unisex so there is something a little clean and masculine about it but it’s still soft and zesty.
The detail: The smell totally changes over time: after maybe half hour you should start to smell the Turkish rose absolute and patchouli, with a base of Australian sandalwood.
Follow Suzanne on Twitter @Suzanne_M_Scott
Picture: Ada Hamza
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.