Wafts of fragrance, tomato juice and the art of fragrance etiquette.
The first wave of the holiday season is in full swing, as Easter is just two weeks away. God willing – and provided the striking cabin crew don’t cause any trouble – airports and holiday flights will soon be filling up. Depending on their destination, passengers are settling in for a few relaxing hours between the clouds and across time zones – with a book, headphones and perhaps a glass of tomato juice. And often with plenty of fragrance in the air.
Whilst the focus on clothing these days is on comfort, for many people a fragrance is an integral part of their travel and departure ritual. A spritz at the gate, a second in the duty-free shop and a final one before boarding – and the cloud of fragrance makes up for what the clothes might sometimes lack. Whether as a personal statement or a comforting scent cocoon: for many, a perfume marks the start of their holiday. The only problem is: you’re never alone in an aeroplane cabin – and a perfume is rarely a private affair. What smells of freedom, wanderlust or well-being to one person can quickly become an unpleasant nuisance for others two or three rows away – if you’re unlucky, for eight hours, with no escape. Because a perfume takes up space – and, without asking, that of your fellow passengers too.
Interestingly, when we’re on board an aeroplane, it’s not just our sense of travel that changes, but our perception as well. For example, that popular tomato juice tastes different on a plane than it does at home – rounder, sweeter, simply better. The reason: lower air pressure, dry cabin air, and the constant background noise of the turbines all dampen our sensitivity to sweetness and saltiness, allowing the flavours in the tomato juice to stand out more clearly. Something similar happens with perfume. Our sense of smell works less distinctly in the dry cabin air; subtle nuances disappear more quickly, whilst base notes such as amber, musk or oud remain perceptible for longer. A fragrance can therefore seem heavier or even clumsier, even though it is actually a complex composition. At the same time, many people are confined to a small space on a plane for hours on end. No wonder, then, that a mixture of scents sometimes develops that even the best air conditioning can do little to counteract. Ten hours sitting next to an overpowering cloud of Hypnotic Poison certainly lives up to its name – though not quite in the way originally intended.
This is where fragrance etiquette begins. By this we mean the art of wearing perfume not just for oneself, but also being mindful of the space one shares with others. Among perfume experts, the discussion usually centres on two key terms: projection and sillage. Projection describes how far a fragrance radiates from the body. Sillage – originally a term from seafaring – refers to the trail a fragrance leaves behind as you move. Today, both terms are almost automatically regarded as quality criteria: the stronger and longer a fragrance is perceived, the better the quality. At least, that is what many believe. But this notion falls short. For instance, whilst an Extrait de Parfum contains a higher concentration of fragrance ingredients than an Eau de Toilette, this does not automatically mean that the scent lasts longer or radiates more strongly. There are close-to-the-skin extracts, and there are Eau de Toilettes with astonishing presence. But: a drum roll is loud, yet it is far from being a concert. As in music, volume does not necessarily equate to quality. What matters is the composition, the quality of the fragrances, and the skilful interplay of notes and accords. The true art of perfumery often lies in keeping that famous ‘whiff of nothing’ on the skin for as long as possible.
This leads to a simple, yet often overlooked question: context. A fragrance never exists in isolation. It is always part of a situation. What has an electrifying effect at a party can quickly become a distraction in the theatre. An opulent gourmand fragrance that works perfectly on the dance floor may, without being asked, intrude on the menu at dinner. Fragrance etiquette therefore by no means means wearing less perfume or exclusively light scents, but rather being more sensitive to the effect and perception of a fragrance in different situations. Everything has its time and place. The right timing often determines how a fragrance is perceived.
If you’re planning to have dinner at a restaurant in the evening and then go to a party later on, you don’t necessarily have to choose a single fragrance that covers every eventuality. You can also use perfume to create a specific mood. A subtle, skin-close scent, for example, is an excellent choice for dinner – such as a transparent musk, a delicate woody note or a softly powdery iris. Later, as the evening progresses, this base can be adapted to the new situation with a second layer. For instance, by wearing a skin-close solid perfume for dinner and later enhancing it with a matching perfume spray. Some brands, such as Sabé Masson, conveniently offer their fragrances in both solid and liquid forms. A scented body cream can also serve as a base for a long evening. It lasts a long time on the skin without necessarily projecting strongly, and can later be enhanced or varied with a matching fragrance. Some people even carry a small travel-size version in their bag for this purpose. Essentially, it remains the same fragrance – just at a different intensity. Fragrance layering is as simple as it is creative.
Perhaps that is the very essence of fragrance etiquette: not rigid rules, but consideration and empathy. A perfume is an expression of our personality, but also a social gesture. It accompanies us – but also the people around us. And so, in the end, we are left with an age-old question that never quite goes away for fragrance lovers: do we wear a fragrance just for ourselves – or for others too? For me, both apply. I want to feel good, but sometimes I also want to make a statement. Because perfume is perhaps the most personal accessory I wear – and at the same time the only one I share with others.
