The Best Types of Perfume

The concept of different types of perfume has been around for a very long time, since the time of the ancient Egyptians, in fact. The Egyptians often used many types of perfume during religious ceremonies, also burning resins and oils to fill the air with different scents. They believed that these scents were essential for embalming since they supposedly kept the dead body pure.

However, the ancient Egyptians didn’t just use scents for religious purposes but also used them as part of their daily routine. At the time, there was already a big market for scents such as myrrh, resins, and incense, all of which were common to be transported from Egypt to the Middle East and even as far as India.

As time progressed, scents became less associated with exclusive religious ceremonies and more connected with common daily use, especially with the ancient Greeks and Romans. The perfume trade blossomed even more when the Silk Road allowed trade from the far East allowed Westerners to enjoy unfamiliar and exotic scents from herbs and oils. As for the Romans, we have them to thank for bottling perfume into blown glass vessels.

However, the field of perfume really started to become modernized during the Renaissance when distillation and chemicals were being discovered. France was especially obsessed with perfume, going as far as to make an industry surrounding the perfuming of leather clothing items and stressing the importance of having a signature scent.

Types of Perfume

But how can one choose a signature scent when there are so many to choose from? These days, the different types of perfume include the following catagories:

• Floral. Floral fragrances are highly associated with femininity, romance, and delicateness. They have a wide range but are often light and sparkling. They can include notes of cherry blossom, orange, rose, lavender, violet, or sandalwood, and some even have fruity undertones such as strawberry. While floral is usually a light and innocent scent, it can be seriously seductive. Classic film star Marlene Dietrich was known for wearing violet perfume which gave her no problem in seducing a long line of lovers.
• Fruity. Fruity perfumes are usually sweet but not too sweet. They are usually great to accompany hot summer days and include hints of watermelon, pear, cherry, and sometimes apple. Fruity perfumes give off a more playful, youthful impression.
• Woody. These fragrances are interesting since they can offer to a woman the stronger and more natural scent that is more commonly associated with men. The woody scent invokes images of the great outdoors and it can range from pine, redwood, cedarwood, and chamomile to sandalwood, cardamom, leather, and tobacco. This scent is certainly for a woman who wants to make a strong, serious impression.

The Details

• Gourmand. Gourmand fragrances are unique in that they are particularly sweet and not for everyone. They have a powdery aroma with hints of burnt sugar, melted caramel, chocolate, or vanilla. Similar to fruity fragrances, they can offer an upbeat and youthful notion.
• Spicy. Spicy scents are similar to woody scents in that they are warm and sultry and can often be associated with mystery and flirtation. They usually include low notes of cardamom, pepper, and smoke.
• Aquatic. This scent is for those who want everyone to know that they love the fresh ocean breeze and the salty sand–or at least give the impression that they love these things. This scent, of course, is dominated by hints of sea salt and gentle notes of seaweed and sunny water droplets on the air.

After some time trying out different kinds of perfume, you’re sure to come across a scent that reflects your personality and your tastes. To get some high-quality perfume of your own, click here.

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