Smell fresh

Beauty houses have been releasing more eau de parfums (EDPs). In the past, most perfume releases were relatively lighter eau de toilettes (EDTs).

The latest EDPs are not cloyingly rich. They are more intense than the regular EDT, but still wearable in humid weather and tend to last longer. Perfect for parties that last deep into the night.

The labels EDT and EDP reflect the percentage of aromatic com- pounds in a fragrance. An EDP is made with 12 to 20 per cent of aromatic compounds and can linger for up to eight hours in Singapore's weather. An EDT contains 8 to 12 per cent of concentrates and lasts up to six hours here. A parfum is the strongest, with 20 to 30 per cent of it made up of fragrance oil. It has a very intense scent, and can last up to 12 hours. But the longevity of the perfume also depends on the quality of the ingredients.

1. J'adore Touche de Parfum, $160 for 20ml, from Dior counters

A perfume oil composed of damascus rose absolute, Sri Lankan sandalwood essence and Indian jasmine sambac absolute. Wear it alone or with a complementary fragrance to add depth to the scent. Floral, musky or woody scents would smell best with this.

The oil is rich; so spread just one drop on the skin.

2. FlowerByKenzo L'Elixir EDP, $100 for 30ml, from Kenzo counters

A floral gourmand scent that smells like a sweet treat. Accords of the Bulgarian rose are blended with those of vanilla bourbon and praline.

3. Marc Jacobs Mod Noir EDP, $113 for 30ml, from Marc Jacobs counters

The designer's most sophisticated perfume to date; a blend of white flowers and sensual musks.

4. Miu Miu EDP, $147 for 50ml, from Miu Miu counters

The brand's first perfume is made to embody the youthful character of the label. Composed of white florals and green notes, as well as the new akigala wood accord of patchouli, pepper and oud.

5. Bottega Veneta Knot Eau Florale EDP, $160 for 50ml, from Bottega Veneta counters

A fresh floral fragrance with notes of mandarin orange, neroli, lavender, rose and tonka bean.

6. Victoria's Secret Forever Sexy EDP, $ 149 for 100ml, from Victoria's Secret boutiques

A sparkling fruity floral.

7. Armani Code Satin EDP, $125 for 75ml, from Giorgio Armani counters

A warm, floral gourmand composed of neroli, jasmine, vanilla, ginger and patchouli accords.

8. Pomellato Nudo Amber EDP, $59 for 25ml, from Sasa stores

Inspired by the quartz, this sexy and musky floral is one of the first fragrances by the renowned Italian jeweller.

9. Tom Ford Noir Pour Femme EDP, $115 for 30ml, from Tom Ford boutiques

A warm and sensual floral with hints of vanilla and powdery cosmetics.

10. Estee Lauder Modern Muse Le Rouge EDP, $88 for 30ml, available at Estee Lauder counters from December

Of berries, roses, white flowers, patchouli and vanilla.

11. Karl Lagerfeld Private Klub EDP, $50 for 25ml, from Karl Lagerfeld counters

A powdery, woody and musky fragrance; the result of rose, violet, magnolia, almond and musk accords.

12. Narciso Rodriguez For Her l'Absolu EDP, $104 for 30ml, from Narciso counters

Wear this when you want to leave a deep and lasting impression: a heady bouquet of jasmine, musk, patchouli and sandalwood.

13. Shanghai Tang Gold Lily EDP, $155 for 60ml, from Shanghai Tang counters

An intriguing fresh but musky blend of jasmine, orange flower and patchouli.

This article was first published on Oct 29, 2015.
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