the 07/21/2008

Perfume choice more than skin deep

Perfume choice more than skin deep

Emmy Fitri , The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Unlike what people generally think about perfume -- that it is verypersonal and stands a longer fad than clothes, bags or shoes trends-- it is also on a fast-lane of changing crazes.

Reknowned perfumer Joa Kim says perfume is very much related to thefashion trends and is even affected by world situations.

"As you see with fashion, we have definitely gotten out fromthe minimalism of the '90s, and are becoming more glamorous,colorful, exaggerated, fun, sweet and sensual."

"Exaggerated sleeves, bold colors, gold glitters, funnycharacters and patterns (which are in fashion )... definitelyaffect the perfume industry, too," Kim says.

For people living in tropical countries, she says, there is muchmore tolerance of tropical fruity scents. "The Japanese aremuch more tolerant of citrus from there sushi experience, forexample, and Americans are much more tolerant of vanilla andcinnamon from their experience of Christmas and cookies.

"For Indonesia, I have found that people are much moreinclined toward powdery scents because of the baby talc experiencehere," Kim says.

In a tropical country, she says, one should choose a fragrance thatis not too sticky and not too overpowering, as these are notpleasant in the crowds where the temperature is 30'C and above.

It is wise to try a fragrance on your skin before you purchase it,she says, because perfume behaves differently on different skin.

"Basically, choose any fragrance which you feel comfortablewith and is pleasant to you...that will be your fragrance."

Kim who is a senior perfumer of Singapore-based InternationalFragrance was in town to give a media workshop on perfume.

The current trend is sensual chypre or oriental perfume. The trendis being followed by brands like Prada, Euphoria, CK in2 you,Bronze goddess and Armani code.

Fun citrus and colorful tropical fruity scents are still popular. Aluxurious singular floral concept -- as used by Bulgari Roseessential, Prada Infusion d'Iris, Christian Dior Homme (beautifulIris note), Marc J.Cobs Blush (using beautiful Jasmine note) -- isthe coming new trend, she says.

Kim, whose favorite perfumes are Prada and Euphoria, holds a degreefrom IFF Perfumery School in the Netherlands. "It's originaland sensual, but most of the time I make perfume by myself."

At her school, Kim was taught by world class perfumer Jan van Elst.Then one of her masterpiece as Lathyrus, which was inspired by apainting by British Gabriel Rossetti.

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