Underrated but overpriced

Perfume is a luxury and it has always been. Is it really? Let's go through a few topics always coming up when thinking about fragrances.

Chanel, Dior, YSL, Gucci, and the much loved niche brands such as Amouage, Tauer, Imaginary Authors or Byredo - do they ring a bell? Do you feel the need to deep dive into their world or do you simply buy the latest bottle in a perfumery?

I can see a small circle of fragheads, or perfume devotees, talking and living perfume. Is this a first world madness, an unnecessary luxury, a waste of money?

There is no eterenal truth here. What do fragheads say? I have heard and read many devotees say fragrances can heal, can cheer them up on a bad day. Scents can lift us up on a rainy, sad afternoon. Sometimes a fragrance is not even a luxury: even a cheap shower gel can bring the uplifting mood. Not mentioning essential oils that have very defined effects. The right fragrance can make you feel more self-confident or focused. I could go on.

Are they a luxury? Well, they can be. Perfume addicts are sometimes spending large amount of money on their collection. Some can never stop and have entire shelf systems for the bottles. On the other hand, you can enjoy fragrances even on a low budget. Perfume prices are a wide range. Sniffing and testing perfumes in a store will cost you nothing. You can buy samples, small, inexpensive bottles, and some brands are great but not expensive at all. And remember, everything, or almost everything has a scent. Think your favourite cup of tea or your morning latte. No need to explain further :)

What's the point? Well, once you start focusing on scents, your most forgotten sense is revived. Your nose can be trained. We listen to music and understand the important of visual esthetics, so why is our olfactory side so neglected? Because we neglect it, as I see it. The sense of smell is simply forgotten, while it does influence us more than we realise - when meeting someone new, when walking through a dirty area in the city, or when entering a scented shop that we immediately love.

My blog will feature pieces of writing on notes, noses, perfumes, smells, and situations when a fragrance played a leading role.

Let's start the discovery!