High-Tech Fragrance Help

If you’ve ever wandered the aisles searching for the perfect scent or simply love finding unique fragrances that aren’t worn by the masses, this new free Apple App is up your alley. Givaudan, a leading fragrance house (they actually create many of the scents for the big companies) has developed iPerfumer. The best way to describe it is as your very own portable fragrance consultant. Seriously, there are over 4,000 fragrances in the database and new ones are added continuously.   It’s pretty simply to use: once you download the app and create a profile you will be asked how much you like each of the following fragrance types: Citrus, Chypre, Floral, Fougere, Oriental, and Woody (don’t worry if some of the words don’t mean anything to you, there’s also a No Preference button). Then you’ll be asked to rate some fragrances you’ve already tried (be sure to add your favorites) and you will be given some personalized recommendations.  They may range from scents you know like Este Lauder Pure White Linen Light Breeze ($49.50 for 1.7 oz) to more unique offerings like Series 5: Sherbet Rhubarb by Comme Des Garcons  ($42 for 30ml). In any case, you have a targeted list to smell or spritz on at the fragrance counter or for shopping online. The great news is that this tool can be customized to work for you– for example if you have scents preferences for different seasons or moods or you want to keep a profile on hand for a significant other, your BFF or your mom–and it will definitely open up a whole new fragrance world for you.