So far on our fragrance journey we have looked at how a fragrance grows over time and the its different notes, before moving onto the different fragrance types on the market and the different olfactive or fragrance families that define the fragrance market.
Now you are armed with the knowledge to understand why you like your favourite perfume and aftershave, we thought we would use our expert knowledge to pick out some of the best fragrances from different olfactive groups and delve into their roots to hopefully uncover what makes them so special. This week we’re looking at Floral and Citrus Fragrances.
Floral Fragrances
Floral fragrances are perhaps the most popular of the olfactive families as there are thousands of different ingredients that can be combined to create a wonderfully fresh and invigorating floral scent. Although there are male versions, the vast majority of fragrances that fall into this category are floral perfume as the scents created are often very flowery, seductive and feminine.To truly examine floral perfumes it can be quite useful to examine a scent at both ends of the price scale. Not just one of the finest floral perfumes but one of the finest perfumes ever created, Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue is a floral fragrance with a fruity twist that combine to create a perfume that is the epitome of Mediterranean freshness and style. Although a wonderful scent from start to finish, the change between the top notes and heart notes of D&G Light Blue is breathtaking as Sicilian Cedar, Granny Smith Apple and Bluebell melt into bouquet of White Rise, Jasmine and Bamboo to create a distinctively fresh and feminine perfume.At the other end of the price scale but still equally as gorgeous, Beckham Intimately is a hugely successful fragrance thanks to its luscious floral centre that was designed for the “confident, fearless and inspiring woman”. Victoria Beckham was involved heavily in the creation of her first scent and her attention to detail that has become the hallmark of all the subsequent Victoria Beckham perfumes and has lead to the breakdown of perceptions towards celebrity fragrance. The key to Beckham Intimately is its heart notes as Orange Blossom, Tuberose and Casablanca Lily create a deeply sensual and seductive perfume filled with glamour and warmth, much like Victoria herself.
Citrus Fragrances
As close relative to floral fragrances due to their core of fresh ingredients taken from nature, Citrus perfumes and aftershaves are slightly sharper than floral fragrances. As the name suggests citrus fragrances are mainly based around citrus fruits with popular ingredients including Lemons, Mandarins, Oranges and Grapefruit which are used to create tangy scents filled with energy. A popular and modern male citrus fragrance is Hugo Boss Pure, which contains classic citrus top notes which effortlessly evolve towards a warm woody finish to create a refreshing and sensual aftershave. Using bold top notes of Lemon, Orange and Grapefruit entwined with Fig, the opening of Boss Pure is full of confidence and energy before gradually settling towards its sensual conclusion to create a sophisticated citrus male fragrance.
For females there are also rich pickings when it comes to finding the right magical citrus perfume for you as there are hundreds of mouth-watering fragrances each with something different to offer and unveiling different highlights. Among the most delectable is DKNY Be Delicious, which as the name suggests, is a scent so delicious that it is even housed in an apple shaped bottle. Tantalising and fantastically fruity from the beginning, DKNY Be Delicious uses top notes of Cucumber, Grapefruit and Magnolia which conspire to create a bewitching start to the perfume before its juicy centre of Tuberose, White Muguet and of course Apple, continue the sumptuous nature of DKNY Be Delicious and create a gorgeous citrus perfume that simply oozes temptation. If you have never tried DKNY Be Delicious it really is an experience not to be missed!!
Among the freshest and crispest of the fragrance families, Floral and Citrus families take inspiration from to create perfumes and aftershaves packed with life, energy and freshness. Check back next time when i will be reviewing some other olfactive groups and then picking some specific fragrances from the chosen group to explore what makes them so special.
Claire xx
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