The guide to choosing your fragrance(s)

Want to find the perfect fragrance or olfactory signature for your personality? Discover the fragrance(s) to adopt and layer according to your tastes and desires.

Understanding fragrance notes

The structure of a fragrance is traditionally made up of three levels, known as the olfactory pyramid. As a fragrance evolves over the course of a day, this pyramid gradually reveals different notes. Understanding a fragrance’s olfactory pyramid is the key to its lasting appeal to the nose. 

Oily fragrances, like those from Versatile Paris, have no olfactory pyramid as such. Once applied to your skin, they do not evolve over time and remain identical throughout the day.

  • Top notes: these are the notes we smell as soon as we spray, and which give us our first impression of a fragrance. They are also the most volatile notes, often corresponding to citrus or herbal aromas.
  • Heart notes: these are more voluptuous and reflect a perfume's true personality. They appear after several minutes and are often floral, fruity or even spicy.
  • Base notes: these are the scents that linger on clothes or skin, and are the last to be smelled. They give the fragrance staying power and are often woody, animalistic or gourmand.

How to choose the right fragrance? 

Choosing the right fragrance isn't always easy: you need to find a scent that you won't tire of, and that suits the facets of your personality. Of course, there's nothing to stop you from collecting perfumes and changing them to suit your moods and desires, or even layering them to create your own olfactory style. To help you find the fragrance that's right for you, first identify the major olfactory family or families that appeal to you: woody, sunny, sweet, or floral or citrus, and then identify what you want to feel when you apply your perfume. Follow our guide to find your ideal scent! 

 

Citrus scents for citrus cravings

Citrus scents are those that remind us of vacations in Italy, or simply of summer. Synonymous with lightness and freshness, fragrances from this family are often cheerful, airy, sunny and light. 

 

We find them in

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Floral scents, sensual and romantic

These are the fragrances that will delight fans of lily of the valley, iris, rose or orange blossom. Often feminine and romantic, these scents often evoke the sweetness of spring. They can also be sensual with the right accords.

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Woody fragrances with comforting intensity

This is an olfactory family that's comforting and warm, but also intense and bold. It's a scent you'll want to take refuge in, like snuggling up next to an open fire in the middle of winter. 

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Oriental scents

This is an olfactory family that makes you travel, with warm, smooth, rich scents that form complex, enveloping and sometimes spicy, mysterious and sensual scents. Key notes in the oriental family include oud, amber and incense, as well as patchouli, tonka bean and vanilla.

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Green scents

This family recalls the scent of morning dew, freshly cut grass or the vegetal freshness of a late summer's day. Green vegetal notes are pure, soft and fresh.

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Sweet fragrances

Happy, sweet scents and gourmand fragrances transport us to breakfast or snack time with their scents of caramel, cotton candy or a warm croissant accompanied by a cup of tea.

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Musky fragrances

These notes are synonymous with softness and tenderness, bringing a certain refinement and freshness to fragrances, scents that are both masculine and feminine, evoking skin-to-skin contact.

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How do I apply my fragrance?

To apply your perfume correctly, spray it onto the skin, ideally on pulse points (wrists, along the neck, behind the ears).
Please note that due to their high concentration of natural raw materials, the perfumes in our selection are best stored in a cool, dry place, away from direct light.

Can I use fragrance when I'm pregnant?

Pregnancy is a particularly sensitive time for both mother and baby. To avoid inconvenience (but also for ethical reasons), many substances are not tested on pregnant women. It is therefore unknown whether or not they are dangerous during pregnancy. This is why most of our brands do not recommend the use of their fragrances during this period, as a precautionary measure. Our tip: don't hesitate to perfume your clothes or the tips of your hair, if you want to continue enjoying your favourite scent...

Want to find out how we curated this new selection of fragrances? Discover everything you need to know about them here.

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