Holiday 2009: the Definitive Guide to Finding the Perfect Fragrance

November 2, 2009

NEW YORK, Nov. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Holidays are all about families and fragrance certainly fits right in. Here's a guide that puts personality style together with the fragrance family to ensure the perfect fragrance gift.

First, know your nose! Perfumes are like musical compositions. The overture is the 'top'' note or the first impression when you try the scent on or open the bottle. The impact is immediate and sets up the next chorus of the fragrance which is the ''middle note''. This is the very heart of the fragrance that stays with you longest before the final ''base note'' comes into play, signaling the moment when the fragrance has truly developed to its fullest, lingering on the skin for many pleasurable hours.

Next, let's talk fragrance like a pro. According to The Fragrance Foundation, who wrote the book on all things fragranced, perfumed and scented, fragrances are grouped into ''families''. Florals, Orientals, Chypre (pronounced Sheep-ra), Woody, Fruity, Floriental, Citrus and Green are the most well-known. ''It's the magic and alchemy of the perfumer's art to blend and mix the hundreds and thousands of ingredients that can make up an infinite variety of 'scentsational' scents. Just like a composer does with music,'' explains Rochelle Bloom, President of The Fragrance Foundation.

Now that you get the idea, here are some personality types that you might recognize on your holiday gift list and the fragrance ''family'' ingredients that would appeal to them:

For Her

Sporty: Look for a fragrance that is light and sparkly. Citrus and green. The crystal-clean fresh tang of such fascinating ingredients as lemon, orange and lime. The zest and energy of freshly cut grass and dewy-green leaves.

Classic: Think Audrey Hepburn and Coco Chanel. Often single florals like rose or gardenia, sometimes balanced by a variety of contrasting, sophisticated notes from the perfumer's palette.

Fashionista: A cutting edge Italian designer. A little black number from Paris or a style maven from the U.S.? The fashion designer today uses individualist notes that range from sophisticated and mysterious to spicy and oriental. Get their style through a signature scent.

Romantic: Chypre and Floral Orientals work their magic. Often an uninhibited blend of exotic flowers, herbs and spices.

For Him

Athletic: Citrus. Fresh and brisk. Clean and simple.

Earthy: Fougere forest notes from oak moss, resin and geranium oil.

Dynamic: Smoky, pungent, masculine leather notes.

Holiday 2009 - it's all about family.

SOURCE The Fragrance Foundation