THE DYNAMICS OF THE UNEXPECTED

Perfumes and gender identity

What makes a perfume masculine or feminine? Does it even matter? Is our gender identity limited to what perfume we wear and is the differentiation between masculine and feminine fragrances a social construct? A clear tendency in the perfume business is that the line separating the two is slowly disappearing. We will now take a look at what happens when men use what is traditionally considered to be feminine scents.

The traditional differentiation between his and hers atop the perfume store shelves at your local mall is not a rare sight. This we are used to. For the niche fragrances however this differentiation is all the more rare. The niche perfumes are targeted towards a more specialized and exclusive group that appreciate the complexity and structure of a perfume and do not care as much if it’s considered to be a feminine or masculine scent. For example a feminine scent can get an unexpected character when applied to a males skin and may pick up new and exiting notes. Therefore masculine and feminine has less of a importance in the fragrance world since it has become more important to have your own signature scent instead of signaling which gender you are. Quality and character are the only things that matter. Niche perfumes does not only change its character during the day, they simply do not smell the same on every person and that is where the fun begins.

A UNIQUE SIGNATURE FRAGRANCE

Some say that there is an ancient human instinct that makes men want feminine fragrances on women and masculine fragrances on themselves. Vice versa, women want men to have masculine fragrances and for themselves to have feminine ones. In other words we choose what perfume to wear just to strengthen our gender identity and that plays a part in how we are attracted to each other. Although today there is a curiosity and a lust to experiment growing among us, to find our own personality and identity with the help of different scents and for those wanting to be different, niche-perfumes are the way to go. To say that you want to revolt might be an exaggeration, but you still want to break the norm in order to find yourself, to explore and to not be like everyone else. Despite who you are there is always room for any- and everyone and your fantasy is the only limitation.

SWEETNESS - FOR THE STRONG CHARACTER

An unwritten rule inside the niche business is that “if you like the fragrance, it’s yours”, no matter what category it might fall under, masculine or feminine. Even though many perfume houses in this segment “officially” have masculine and feminine lines most of their collections fall under what we would say works well for both men and women. An example for this is the exclusive perfumes from the Italian brand Xerjoff. Men who like to experiment with sweet notes often find excitement in the 1861 collections “Naxos” or the Casamoratis collections “Lira” where the overwhelming notes of carmel, vanilla and sweet floral can be toned down on male skin for some and instead be balanced with other ingredients, for example the citrus in the top note of “Lira” or the tonka bean and tobacco in the base note of “Naxos” and therefore may not appear as feminine and sweet. Another type of sweetness can be found in the “Santal” perfume from Creed, popular among women but works just as well for men, for example as a party perfume. For those who might want a vanillic sweetness that has a bit milder and more refreshing note there is nothing more luxurious than “Sublime Vanille” from Creeds Royal Exclusives collection where the sweetness is toned down to a soft nuance of vanilla and powdered sugar and where the ingoing notes of citrus may stand out more clearly on men and give a more refreshing, less powdery impression.

No matter what you choose: If you have a strong personality and like attention, a warm and sweet perfume is an exciting accessory.

FLORAL - FOR THE ADVENTUROUS ONE

The same can be said about what is traditionally seen as the most feminine scent of all; floral. The floral notes also appear in traditionally masculine perfumes to discreetly balance out the light as well as the heavier ingredients in the background. In feminine perfumes however they take up more room and often make for the main characteristic of the fragrance. But even here what can be perceived as floral on a woman can pick up notes that you didn’t know existed.

Rose is highly popular to combine with darker, heavier notes in mens perfumes. In Xerjoff Casamoratis “1888” for example it is the rose in consonance with the leather and smoke that distinguishes the fragrance from becoming just another leather scented perfume. Therefore you can never go wrong when trying a fragrance with rose - the result will surprise you. Even in the most manly of manly: fragrances based on the dark and spicy oud wood it is not uncommon to add a portion of rose to contrast or to complement. The New York based brand Amouroud have a great example of such with the fragrance “Midnight Rose”, that doesn’t only perfectly for women that might want a darker and heavier perfumes (something that is becoming more and more common) but it also works just as well for men, thanks to the base notes of resin and oud but still with an unexpected twist. When you’re already exploring why not try the fruitier “Dark Orchid” from the same brand. Where the citrus, vanilla and floral notes such as orchid and jasmine together with its base notes of patchouli, incense and sandalwood would provide a nice effect on a man. If you’re feeling especially brave you may want to try the floral “Southern Bloom” from the Australian brand Goldfield & Banks with its jasmine, fruit and iris notes that might surprise you when the competence of the floral notes are complemented with a classic touch of vetiver and sandalwood.

It takes courage to wear a floral fragrance, but on the right man the floral notes gives a adventurous, assertive and sensual impression.

FOR TONED DOWN AND DISCREET

All men might not personally identify with strong, startling perfumes that lets people know you’re there. There might also be situations where a discreet fragrance is more suitable, for example at work. Even here there are feminine fragrances that will surprise you. A few of them has a vaguely soapy or powdery character, while some others have a very piquant scent. Musk (nowadays mostly a synthetic product) is often associated with retro perfumes from the “good old days” but is also a very much appreciated ingredient in women's perfumes for the women that want a little more rough and raw note in their fragrance. Although the musks performance is pretty subtle and discreet and is used to, for example, tone down the floral scents. Therefore a fragrance like Nasomatto’s “Silver Musk” can reach new heights and work well on a man who isn’t looking for the “loudest” fragrance, but who instead is looking for one that is mystical, sensual and exotic but in a quiet and unexpected way.

Generally even toned down fragrances like the cautious perfume “ Chine White” from the same brand works well as an exciting perfume to wear at work for the man who wants to keep a low profile but at the same time express their sensitive side.

There are no boundaries to what is possible for those willing to experiment with the unexpected since there is a lot to choose from and a whole world to discover. Dare to try!