Making Dollars Out of Scents: Inside the Retail Smell Wars

Making Dollars Out of Scents: Inside the Retail Smell Wars

It’s not just hotels and casinos that are spritzing their essence into the air these days. Here in L.A., businesses from Bird Streets to Balenciaga to HD Buttercup are suddenly all in on "olfactory branding."

After heavy winter perfumes, it's time for lighter new products. What should you choose if you don't want to smell like an orchard? And are expensive fragrances worth the price? We'll advise you on which one is right for you.

My Friend Wanted to Smell Like French High Society—I Sent Her These 10 On-Sale Scents

I found discounts on the fragrances that smell like the well-to-do of France hiding in Nordstrom's sale section. Shop Diptyque, Jo Malone, and more from $31.

How to Talk About Perfume Like a Pro

Bewildered by base notes? Muddled by musk? Disorientated by dry down? Shopping for perfume can feel like looking at the wine list in a fancy restaurant – confusing, complicated and, dare I say, a little pretentious. From sillage to gourmand, there are all kinds of complex-sounding words and phrases standing between you and your new signature scent. I might have even just lost you at "signature scent" – and if I have, it just means the perfume y…

Start the week with a startup: Base Note

Base Note is a fragrance-enhancing balm that’s applied to the skin before spraying perfume to give the scent more staying power. We spoke to the company’s CEO & founder Mohammad Zaidi to find out more...

Every morning, just before leaving, a gesture is repeated almost without thinking: a couple of atomizations on the neck, wrists or even on clothes. It is not just a routine, but a ritual of identity. Perfume is not only a fragrance, it is an extension of who we are. Since ancient times, aromas have been linked to power, seduction and trust. But, beyond aesthetics, psychology suggests that the constant use of perfume has a profound impact on our …