ACCORDING to superstar fashion designer Coco Chanel, “A woman who doesn’t wear perfume has no future.”
For us ordinary people, perfume is not life-or-death as Chanel makes it out to be. However, perfumes are accessories that are often-overlooked and drastically underestimated. They serve as the cherry on top for any outfit, and could drastically transform the presence of any man or woman.
Yet why should we take perfumes seriously? Humanity values excellent representatives of the various senses, such as paintings for sight, symphonies for sound, and food for taste. The best of the best of these representatives are taken as art. They are undoubtedly beautiful and complex, and they enrich our human experience. Fragrance adds to this collection of art.
Perfumes are meant to be worn as a fashion statement. When you wear perfume, you present yourself as a walking piece of art: ready to be observed and appreciated. This might explain why fashion houses have taken fragrances under their domain.
Perfumes complete any outfit by projecting your personality onto your surroundings. A quick spritz of white florals (think jasmine or ylang-ylang) complements the young, carefree image of a woman in a sundress. Likewise, a deep musky scent enhances the maturity of a man in a suit. Since perfumes are made from fragrant chemicals (and there are uncountable amounts of fragrant chemicals), there is a scent for any style or personality.
The problem arises when we consider how expensive perfumes could get. A good 100 milliliter bottle of designer Eau de Toilette could price between P4000 to P5000. Some artisanal bottles could reach prices above P10000. While these perfumes are high quality, potent and long-lasting, their prices are still too steep for many Filipinos. Alas, there is a high price to pay for beauty.
However, when all we need is an accessory to complement our personalities, more affordable perfumes are plentiful in the local market. Filipino fashion brands like Penshoppe and Oxygen are popular sources of perfume. We also have dedicated perfume lines such as Aficionado and Zen Zest, which sell a diverse array of scents.
Of course, a trained nose can distinguish the quality of a perfume. After all, you can compare two paintings, two symphonies, or two dishes from each other. Regardless, cheaper perfumes are a good entry point to the appreciation of scent, and can show a previously inexperienced person the beauty and possibilities associated with a respectable bottle of perfume.
With all of these said, I strongly believe that everyone should invest in a good bottle of perfume. We should also do away with the idea that gifting perfumes imply that the receiver of the gift smells bad. Perfumes are works of art in a bottle. They tell stories and make memories. Everyone should be able to experience and appreciate the beauty in perfumery. Keep this in mind the next time you’ll be shopping for an outfit.
Le Dolino is a licensed chemist and a perfume collector. He has lectured about chemical aspects of perfumery in university and creates his own perfumes as a hobby.