By Yanar Alkayat
When handbag.com's Beauty Editor, Kate, discovered I hadn't owned a perfume for over three years, she immediately put me on a mission to find a fragrance to wear again. Perfume should be an extension of the self, and not having something to spritz morning or night leaves you almost ‘unfinished'. The mass-market scents I wore a few years ago have lost their appeal and I have never found that ‘signature scent'. There's a charming allure from independent and boutique labels, but there are so many, where do you start?
Luckily, expert perfumers can help customers find their ideal scent through guidance and direction (this should not be confused with bespoke fragrance, which is custom-made scent). So I called on Les Senteurs, a boutique fragrance shop in central London, renowned for their delectable delights, from vintage to modern-day eclectic, to help with my predicament.
Les Senteurs has two ‘selection services', in store and via mail order, which is aptly called ‘The Call Scenter'. This sounded intriguing: how can you find a perfume without being there to sniff and smell it? According to James Craven, the store's perfume connoisseur, who has worked with fragrance for over 25 years, this is ideal. 'Being in a perfume shop can get very overwhelming, with many competing aromas in the air. Sampling at home removes those distractions, leaving you to try comfortably in your own surroundings.'
James cleverly pieced together a picture of me, asking questions ranging from my feelings towards perfume to my taste in colours and clothes, what I looked like (hair colour, skin colour) and my personality traits, which he says, helps him figure out the scents that would suit me. 'You seem to be an extrovert person who likes bright, bold colours rather than floaty, frilly fabrics, so I'm guessing you wouldn't like anything too light or airy. Your taste for vintage is also a big clue, as you may like traditional scents with a modern twist.'
His intuition with people and perfume was remarkable and any doubts I had about the success of a telephone selection service had been quashed. From the six samples he sent me, I loved every one, from the deep and sexy Caron from 1911, to the heavenly floral (but not too feminine) Creed. James encourages trying all six, one on each day, to see how it fits with your day-to-day routine, which 'avoids the problem of getting home and not liking the perfume in the same way', a common problem, apparently. If the samples are not quite right, the selection process will be tweaked and more samples can be sent, at no extra cost.
It feels good finally to have an idea of what I like and the labels that appeal. Having not one, but six scents that I would genuinely wear - fragrances I feel exemplify me in some way, not just those I liked the smell of - is what I had been searching for. Now the hard part is choosing which one to wear...
Les Senteurs 'The Call Scenter' service costs £15
Appointments available on 020 7730 2322
Mona di Orio Nuit Noire, £75 for 50ml Eau de Parfum, exclusive to Les Senteurs www.lessenteurs.com
