Wearing a perfume has many effects. It not only helps you fight body odor but also and largely, helps boost your morale. It is often said, smelling good is one of the nicest compliments someone can give you. That one statement can boost your confidence, make you feel super attractive (yeah), it can act as an aphrodisiac and so much more. Many women say it makes them feel feminine, sexy and confident. Brian Osodo, a fragrance connoisseur, says, "the scent you choose defines your personality and character."
You are never completely dressed at any time, without adding a finishing touch to your everyday grooming and style by wearing you favorite sensuous perfume. Finding that one scent that truly appeals to you is very, very important. It should bring out your personality and style that you'll want to wear it over and over.
We recently paid a visit to Lintons Beauty World, a retailer of high-end beauty, fragrances and skin care products, to find out what the most popular female perfumes in Kenya currently are (2023). What are women wearing? What do they like? What are these perfumes that are very popular amongst female consumers?
Here's a list of the Top 10 female perfumes in Kenya (popular)
1. Coco Mademoiselle by Chanel
COCO MADEMOISELLE: a surprisingly fresh, feminine ambery fragrance with a distinct character. A dual name, evoking a dual personality.
2. Si Passione by Georgio Armani
A sparkling, fruity floral fragrance with notes of Rose & Woody Vanilla. A perfume for women who are passionate, feminine, and free.
The striking rich red color of the perfume bottle captures the essence of passion, and in Giorgio Armani's own words, is "an irresistible combination of grace, strength and independence of spirit."
3. J'adore by Dior
An iconic fragrance, J'adore Eau de Parfum is the grand feminine floral by the House of Dior.
Finely crafted down to the last detail, like a custom-made flower, J'adore is a bouquet of the most beautiful flowers from around the world.
4. Black Orchid by Tom Ford
A luxurious and sensual fragrance of rich, dark accords and an alluring potion of black orchids, and spice, Tom Ford's Black Orchid is both modern and timeless. Bottled in fluted, black-glass, Black Orchid makes an unforgettable statement of iconic style and worldly glamour.
5. Irresistible by Givenchy
Irresistible Givenchy, a fragrance that invites you to let go and be yourself. Twinkling with juicy and crisp tones of pear and ambrette, it then pulsates with powdery iris. The blend comes together deliciously with a tactile caress of musk to create an invigorating fruity-woody floral that is boldly uplifting.
6. Lavie Belle by Lancome
Life is what you make of it so make it beautiful with La vie est belle -- the iconic women's fragrance by Lancôme. A floral gourmand bouquet encapsulated in a crystal smile. Blending the most noble ingredients, La vie est belle is an unforgettable fragrance.
"La vie est belle," a French expression meaning "life is beautiful," is about choosing your own path to happiness and inspiring others.
7. Crystal Noir by Versarce
Crystal Noir by Versace is a Amber Floral fragrance for women. Top notes are Pepper, Ginger and Cardamom; middle notes are Coconut, Gardenia, Orange Blossom and Peony; base notes are Sandalwood, Musk and Amber.
8. Good Girl by Carolina Herrera
The sweet, breathtaking and alluring qualities of Jasmine, bring Good Girl a bright of femininity. The Good Girl's mysterious side is express with richly fragrant Cocoa, an exciting Tonka while Almond and Coffee bring notes of bold vibrancy.
9. L'interdit by Givenchy
A white flower crossed by a dark woody accord. L'Interdit Eau de Parfum for women -- a fearless fragrance imbued with the frisson of freedom. Transgress your limits with audacity and feel empowered on the journey to self-discovery.
10. Yummy Candy by Adopt fragrance
An irresistible accord where the mandarin gives water to the mouth and coats with delicious pineapple, to blossom in the biting sensuality of a patchouli vanilla accord. It is the scent of a woman of today, attractive, playful, and cheerful.
An enchanted addiction with fruity and gourmet accents for a fragrant that celebrating festivals with loved ones.
Tips on choosing what to buy/ factors to consider
How do you then go about choosing a perfume when you walk into a shop/ outlet? Well Brian Osodo shares some valuable great tips that will help you make that all important decision.
The fragrance family or note determines what you're most attracted to. Fragrances are made up of 3 notes; the top note is the first scent that hits you, then followed by the heart note and finally, the base note which is often released at around 30 minutes after spraying.
There are 4 main groups of families in fragrances;
a) Floral- a smell like a bouquet of flowers offering different facets of blooming aromas.
b) Oriental- a warm and spicy scent, which is arguably the most common.
c) Woody a warm and rich scent and as the name suggests, it has that wood, sawdust, forest, earth or dry scent.
d) Fresh- an aquatic, fresh, airy and uncomplicated scents that gives you a sea or beach vibe.
The different types of fragrances will have different concentrations depending on the perfume oil. A higher concentration will mean more oil, less alcohol, great lasting power and of course a higher price eg. Parfum: 20-40% oils, Eau de parfum: 15-20%, Eau de toilette: 5-15% , Eau de cologne: 2-5% and Eau Fraiche: 1-3%.
Try the fragrance on your skin. It is a good idea to spray a small amount on your wrists, wait a few moments, and then smell the scent on your skin. This is because fragrances react differently to our body chemistry. This is based on our bodies unique pheromones that will tweak different scents that come into contact with our skin. One thing to remember is try Up-to 3 different fragrances only so that you don't interfere with your olfactory sense. Sampling more than that especially stronger ones will often lead to Olfactory fatigue- this is a temporary inability to distinguish a particular odor.
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Every perfume has its own purpose. When purchasing one, have in mind to choose what compliments your lifestyle, what times are you hoping to wear and ask yourself, what perfume should you wear for that specific occasion? Are you hoping to leave an effect, are you hoping to impress, are you hoping to be subtle? Are you wearing it to a meeting or to a function or just at home while chilling?
Strong scents are not really advisable for meetings (you don't want to walk in and make people sneeze through out or notice that its probably too much). On other hand, you may want a perfume on a date/ event when you want to walk in and get noticed by the scent you are wearing. So these scenarios should held you determine what you want to purchase for what event/ time.
Consider your skin type before deciding which fragrance to have. Fragrances dissipate faster on drier skin tones and so, a concentrated fragrance with more oils will have more effect on this type of skin rather than an Eau de toilette with less concentration on oils.
Always remember though, that at the end of the day, Fragrance is a very personal thing. It comes down to the smells we like, the image we are trying to portray and the ideals we want to uphold.
(Special thanks to Winnie Mutegi, Marketing and Communications Lintons Beauty World)
