We are always having a look at the latest fragrances on the market, whether that is a new washing powder, or a new shampoo or a new designer perfume launch. It helps us to know that we are keeping up to date with all the latest market trends. There is however, something that we have noticed over the past few months – there seems to be a merging of the sexes.

Many of the newer fragrances that are aimed at men seem to have become the new favourites of our female office staff, with many of us naming one of them as our spritz of choice at the minute, in particular Carolina Herrera’s 212 VIP for men and Viktor & Rolfs Spicebomb.

I decided to ask around family and friends and came up with the same results….it seems that spritzing a sneaky squirt of your boyfriend/husbands aftershave is as widespread as borrowing his razor!

Back in the early perfume heyday of the 18th century there was no dividing line between male and female fragrances – in fact the dividing line was one of class and social standing instead. The most powerful men drenched their lapels and handkerchiefs with fragrance – usually a heavy floral blend, whilst the downtrodden masses blended into the background with the unforgettable stench of ‘Eau de Filth’.

The notion of gender in perfumery only came around in the early 20th century, coinciding with the influences of modern advertising methods. Fragrance became intertwined with fashion and so the flapper girls of the 1920′s became the new target demographic. Ms Monroe heaped glamour onto fragrance by the bucket load in the 50′s with her now infamous quote of wearing only Chanel No.5 to bed - it would have had to have been a brave man to wear a floral scent after that revelation!

The first efforts to woo the male back onboard were heavily advertised as a shaving routine add-on. And so the humble aftershave was born and the whole world seemed to smell of either Old Spice, English Leather or Burma Shave.

Eventually more and more colognes (note – NOT perfumes!!) became available embracing notes that were considered to be a masculine domain – spicy, leathery, woodsy and musky.

Fresh and lighter citrus notes have been an attempt to close the gap – think CK1 – and even more recently the addition of woody and musk notes being added to many female targeted scents have closed it even further.

Ancient men and women knew the power of aromatics, smearing them all over their bodies without any regard for whether spikenard or myrrh were considered to be feminine or masculine. Its a matter of what works well on your skin – so the next time you are looking for a new bottle of perfume – why not check out some of the newly launched male intentions – i’m off to top up my spicebomb!!

We have a large range of fragrance submissions here at Carvansons that are designed to be the creme de la creme of the current trending scents – if you have any new products that need a fragrance then please contact either myself or Helen, and we will be more than happy to send some samples for you to have a look at – all of which comply with current IFRA regulations.

Isnt it amazing how much nicer the world seems when the sun is shining?

 I dont know whether it is the fact that we are all a lot happier wearing less layers, or whether it is the warmth of the sun on our skin setting off our happiness hormones, but there is definitely an uplift in the general atmosphere. Even at work it doesnt seem quite as bad knowing that the sun will still shining on our way home, (and the annual firemens trip around the factory to check the safety of the building DEFINITELY lifted the mood amongst us ladies in the office!). Also, the evenings are getting longer and brighter, so there is always the chance of a late night sneaky glass of vino in the back garden in the dappled disappearing sunlight.

Like most people I know, my life has it’s fair share of ups and downs, amounting to a certain level of stress on a daily basis. What with working full-time, trying to run a family home, and family members with long term ill health, I often resort to using some form of aromatherapy or other to soothe my shattered soul.

This usually takes the form of a beautifully scented candle (I do seem to keep Jo Malone, Diptyque and the like in business single handedly!), or maybe a few drops of essential oil in my bath. I’m never quite sure whether it is the actual properties of the oils themselves that manage to calm and de-stress me or whether its the whole aromachology aspect of the scent, but something definitely hits the spot!

I was asked the other day what the difference was between aromatherapy and aromachology, so here is a quick description for both…

Aromatherapy is the systematic use of volatile plant oils (essential oils) for the treatment or prevention of disease. Essential oils have been used since ancient times as a healing aid and work by assisting the body’s natural ability to balance, regulate, heal and maintain itself. The oils consist of tiny aromatic molecules that are readily absorbed via the skin, and whilst breathing, through the lungs. These molecules then enter the bloodstream and are carried around the body where they can deliver their beneficial healing powers.

Aromachology is seen as the study of how a variety of aromas affect the brain and the physiological makeup of the human body. In brief, it is about how we act and react to individual fragrances and how our body reacts when we experience them. In essence it is a study of how fragrances in general can provide a feel good factor and affect your general mood.

Here are a few of the main essential oils along with an odour description and their main properties.

• Aniseed – sweet odour – softening, soothing and moisturising
• Basil – green aromatic – relaxing
• Bay – strong clove like – softening, soothing
• Benzoin – sweet vanilla like – relaxing, stimulating, soothing, moisturising
• Bergamot – spicy citrus – refreshing, uplifting
• Camphor – pungent – stimulating
• Cedarwood – sweet turpentine like – relaxing, aphrodisiac
• Chamomile – sweet herbal – relaxing, calming
• Cinnamon – warm, spicy – stimulant, aphrodisiac
• Clary Sage – warm, nutty – relaxing, aphrodisiac
• Cypress – smoky, woody – relaxing
• Eucalyptus – medicinal aromatic – stimulant, relaxing
• Frankincense – spicy, balsamic – relaxing
• Geranium – strong floral – relaxing, soothing
• Jasmine – intense powdery floral -  calming, aphrodisiac, uplifting
• Lavender – sweet floral – relaxing, stimulant
• Lemon – sharp citrus – uplifting, stimulant, refreshing
• Myrhh – camphor like aromatic – relaxing, soothing
• Neroli – sweet floral – soothing, relaxing, calming
• Nutmeg – sweet spicy – stimulating
• Patchouli – sweet rich herbaceous - relaxing, aphrodisiac
• Peppermint – clean menthol – relaxing, stimulating
• Pine – clean, balsamic – revitalising
• Rose – soft sweet floral – relaxing, aphrodisiac
• Rosemary – warm, medicinal woody
• Sandalwood – warm creamy woody – relaxing, aphrodisiac
• Ylang – intense sweet – relaxing, soothing, aphrodisiac

So the next time you are in need of a relaxing evening make sure your candle is scented with the likes of rose and sandalwood, or for an uplifting fragrance, use a sharp lemon, orange or grapefruit, and let me know whether it has the desired effect.

As for me i’ll be dreaming of chilling on a deserted beach with a good book and the wind in my hair………Have a happy Easter weekend.