A signature scent has been considered an important sensory accessory. Photo / Getty Images
A signature scent has been considered an important sensory accessory. Photo / Getty Images
Everyone says you should have a signature scent, but what do the experts say?
A signature scent is considered important for several reasons - the finishing touch to an outfit, a reflection of one’s personality, a lingering reminder of your presence.
Taste-makers and celebrities have been known through the years to align themselves with signature perfumes, whether it be Liz Taylor’s iconic White Diamonds or Marilyn Monroe’s public praise of Chanel No. 5.
However, with so many olfactory options at our disposal and a world where one’s tastes and style are constantly evolving, do we really only need one?
The Herald chatted to Kiwi perfumer and Miller Road Fragrance founder Treena Nixon, Mecca’s fragrance education manager Laura Curtis, and DS & Durga founder David Moltzto pick their brains on what makes a signature scent yours and if, considering the abundance of perfumes on the market these days, you really need to pick just one.
Before deciding on your signature scent, understanding what makes fragrance a trademark feature is imperative.
Is fragrance tailored to your personality, with loud characters accompanied by bold scents? Or is your perfume choice based on fashion or seasonal style, with fruity fragrances matched to summery ensembles?
“For some of us, aesthetic is very important – a beautiful bottle that resonates with our personal style can draw us to one brand over another. That said, it is what is inside the bottle that really matters – your fragrance should make you feel like your best self,” Curtis says.
“That can sometimes change from day to day – during the week you might want a scent that helps you to focus. On the weekends, you may want a scent that is gentle and calming to help you wind down. Our fragrances can help us to embody different facets of our personalities.”
David Moltz, however, veers away from aesthetics and occasions, and instead puts fragrance-testing down to more of an intuitive approach.
“It’s 100 per cent what you like, not what marketing and salespeople tell you to like,” he says, before adding: “Would you eat a dish all the time you didn’t like because a celeb told you it’s rad?”
It seems the experts in the perfume game are all in for a collection of favourites as opposed to one scent on repeat. Photo / Getty Images
How to choose a signature scent
Moltz recommends an in-store routine when trying to decide on your signature scent. “Smell as much as you can,” he says, before dropping an expert tip when testing scents. “Smell your shoulder between each fragrance to get back to normal.”
Moltz encourages customers to take their time when perusing the perfume shelves. “Pick two to four and put them on your skin separately,” he says. “Walk around and decide which one you like best.”
Curtis recommends taking your time when successfully picking out your signature scent. “My two most important pieces of advice are to take your time, and follow your heart,” she says. “Don’t worry about what is popular, or what other people are wearing – your scent should be a reflection of what makes you uniquely you.”
David Moltz, co-founder of DS & Durga. Photo / @dsanddurga
Is having a signature scent old school?
It seems the experts in the perfume game all recommend having a collection of favourites instead of using one scent on repeat.
A term often referenced by fragrance aficionados is a “fragrance wardrobe” - a curation of scents you can reach for to complement any mood or occasion.
“Just like clothes, you may need a simple, casual scent (like a white T-shirt), an elegant, sophisticated scent (like a well-cut suit), and a bright, vivacious scent (like a flowing party dress) that you can reach for depending on where you’re going, who you’re seeing and how you want to feel,” Curtis says.
Treena Nixon agrees. “It’s very much mood-orientated. I think it’s nice to have quite a few different options for summer and winter and evening and daytime and how you’re feeling. I think it’s nice to have a fragrance wardrobe.”
What’s more, the Miller Road Fragrance founder says having one signature scent is an “old school” tradition, and she’s a big believer in the more the merrier.
“When I was younger, you had your one thing that you wanted to smell like, you’d be known for that smell,” she says. “And if you smelt a perfume, it would remind you of that person you know that wears that fragrance.
“That was a very ‘90s kind of thing.”
Moltz, hardly a monogamist in the fragrance department, likes a bit of variety too. “I believe fragrances are like records. I don’t want to listen to the same record every day,” he says. “Some days I want fresh, green, others deep amber, and so on.”
Perhaps a level up from choosing a signature scent is making one from scratch, something Miller Road Fragrances knows a thing or two about. So where does one begin when trying bespoke perfumery?
“My co-worker Frances said, ‘there’s a perfume for a season and a perfume for a reason’ and that’s just stuck with me,” reveals fragrance expert Frankie from Miller Road.
“It’s so true because we see people coming in here all year round and we find often that during summertime people want to go really beachy and fresh and citrusy and then during winter people want to go super cosy,” she says. “It depends how people are feeling on the day.”
With an overwhelming array of scents, memories and partialities to sort through, one can become overwhelmed at first. But Frankie’s advice is to “trust the process, trust your nose”.
“We actually get you to smell blindly for the first few phases because we don’t want you to be influenced by the names of anything.
“Choose what resonates with you because you’ve got to find those notes that spark joy and bring back memories for you and then, if you mix them together, you’re going to have an overall scent that you appreciate.”
Megan Watts is a lifestyle multimedia journalist for the New Zealand Herald whose passions include honest journalism, backstage chats and carefully perusing perfume shelves (and spritzing every single one).
