Category: Getting Started

Reading through fragrance message boards, I see people referring to scents as HG or Holy Grail.  This confused me at first, until I realized what they are talking about.  The Holy Grail has several historical connotations, though most people in Christian traditions trace it back to items supposedly used by Jesus at the Last Supper which possessed miraculous powers.

What does this have to do with fragrance?   A holy grail fragrance for someone would be their ultimate favorite or the scent which they have been searching for their whole life.  To some it might be serious and singular while for others it can vary over time and include many.

In my personal journey, the closest I’ve come to a holy grail is Nasomatto Black Afgano.

There are a variety of answers as to where should you store fragrance so they last a long time.  Aficionados (or extremists) might store their bottles in temperature-controlled refrigerators like fine wines, but the average person needn’t go to such lengths.  Basically, avoid direct sunlight, humidity, and temperature changes.  Keep your fragrance out of the bathroom (hot showers over time can cause problems), and consider putting them in a cabinet or a desk drawer.

Sillage and projection are often use to describe the strength of a fragrance.  While related, they are not synonyms.  When you hear silage, think of the cartoon character Pepe Le Pew and the scent trail he leaves behind.  Projection is the bubble or cloud of smell around you as you stand still.

The idea that a fragrance is for men or women is a marketing construct.  Guys will not sprout breasts if they put on a woman’s fragrance and girls will not start growing a beard if they put on a man’s fragrance.  Cultural norms and lifetime experiences affect how we perceive fragrance.  People often joke that if a girl wants to attract a guy, they should smell like what guys want (e.g. pizza, beer, new cars, and money). I’ve noticed that traditional female fragrance notes include florals, fruits, vanilla, and candied notes. Traditional male notes include leather, vetiver, tobacco, woods, and lavender. Of course, fragrances aimed toward either gender often carry a wide variety of notes.

The question to ask yourself is whether you want to wear a fragrance that you enjoy, a fragrance that attracts other people, or a scent that does a combination of both.