What is a niche, natural, or synthetic perfume?

I believe that the writer of a perfume blog should have some unique knowledge of the subject of scent. So, with that in mind, I’ve been educating myself and I have to say that the more I read, the more I realize how much I have to learn.

For example, I reviewed a “niche perfume” the other day. I wanted to know what was meant by the term “niche perfume.” It refers to a perfume made by a smaller company or an individual who has complete control of what they are creating and presenting. it is the opposite of a mass-market celebrity designer scent. The niche perfume may cost more, but you aren’t going to smell like every other Paris Hilton Fairy Dust-wearing girl walking down the road. You are going to smell unique.  Some people firmly believe that a niche perfume is going to be a better or the best perfume out there. I feel that it’s up to the individual.

Perfume is not just about smelling good. It’s also representative of your personality and the image you are wishing to portray. Who you are is linked into how you smell.

Perfume can be either natural or synthetic. A natural perfume comes from 100% natural ingredients, nothing artificial. This would include essential essences of items like flowers, tobacco, or something I read about today – toasted, crushed sea shells. Natural ingredients are more expensive, so chances are, you are more likely to find them in your niche perfumes, not in something that is mass produced.

A natural perfume will not last as long on your skin as a synthetic. The way it interacts with your skin, with your chemistry will also be different. The drydown on a natural fragrance will mellow differently because, unlike the synthetic, it is not meant to smell exactly the same from bottle to skin and then throughout the day.

I’m not saying that I think that a synthetic is not a good-smelling perfume or that only a natural perfume is the best perfume. It’s just a different experience than the natural perfume. In the past, I’ve had more experience with a synthetic, but the naturals that I’ve used I’ve loved. They smell rich and earthy. That Aroma M Geisha  Noire from the other day, it smelled wonderful. When I awoke in the morning, I sniffed the place where I had tried it and it did have a different smell. The amber was mellowed, but still exotic. I’ve learned, while writing this blog, that amber is what I’m drawn to in a scent. It has this warmth to it, a round-sort of smell.

Do you have a preference when it comes to naturals or synthetics? What have you noticed about the differences in notes between the two? Do you have a favorite niche perfume that you think I should look for?

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