By Clara Nanut and Lisa Bertoni

@gour.mode and @lisa__bertoni

Perfume is a fine art.

Knowing the essences, choosing the most suitable fragrances for ourselves, our tastes, our style, the message that we want to leave as a trail, and wearing the most suitable perfume for any occasion in the most correct way, are skills that are refined with the olfactory experience.

Exercise your nose to capture the scents that surround you, distinguish and recognize those that you find more pleasant, train yourselves with olfactory appointments in perfume shops, and, last but not least, learn from experts – these are all infallible methods to master the art of perfume.

For this precious scented vademecum on how to choose and wear fragrances like a true gourmand, we have chosen to rely on an institution not only for those who love perfumes but also for those who create them.

Campomarzio70‘s story is a story of passion, shared and handed down from parent to child for four generations. A passion that was born in the gilded age of artistic perfumery, the ’20s.

In 2003, the opening of the family’s second store in Rome, in Via di Campo Marzio 70, also inaugurated the foundation of the brand.

Discovering and proposing creations capable of conveying authentic emotions is the mantra of the brand and of Campomarzio70‘s brand ambassador Lisa Bertoni, with whom Clara had the pleasure of having a fragrant chat while Lisa was hunting for perfumes along les rues of Paris.

We discover together the “methods” and curiosities revolving around the magical world of perfumes, a sophisticated Q&A reserved for true gourmands.

Dear Lisa, let’s debunk the myths: rub it on the wrists, wear a few drops behind the ears, vaporize a cloud in the air, and walk through it… do these old rules still apply? And if not, how should you actually wear the perfume – on what areas of the body, with or without clothes on… – so that it expresses its entirety better and lasts over time?  

The answer is that there are no rules, but there are historical clichés. Firstly, I would always avoid the famous wrist dab, because people often wear jewelry – never spray perfume on jewelry, especially pearls! Secondly, an area that comes into contact with external surfaces, which is why the fragrance may become distorted throughout the day.

Let’s remember that perfume is a pleasure and a game, and everyone can wear it where and how they want.

However, there are some basic tips that can be helpful in avoiding mistakes.

In summer, for example, I would avoid the warmer areas of the body, because the heat can change the fragrance. In summer we should also avoid the neck and décolleté because in the sun the perfume is likely to stain the skin. It is also a good rule to never wear it at the beach.

In winter, however, since we are covered by various layers, we can best showcase the fragrance by spraying it on our clothes: on the lining of the jacket will leave a trail of your eau de parfum, on a skirt that flows in the wind, on a wide-brimmed hat, on the warm wool scarf that you will accidentally forget at someone’s home…

How can we choose the right fragrance for ourselves, and what are the necessary steps to follow? 

If you do not have clear ideas, it is good to first rely on experts who know what they are selling, and who can also advise you based on your choice of clothing, style, and tastes.

Even if you are not an expert in the field of perfume, you should pay attention to your olfactory preferences, for example, the scents that you like to smell in a natural environment or in the kitchen!

Lastly, register your emotions.

If you have very clear ideas, and you already think you know everything about your olfactory predilections, but at the same time you would like to try to get out of your comfort zone, I recommend small experiments. Take an échantillon with you on a trip, or a travel-size sample dedicated to that place and that special occasion: they will allow you to experience and remember that moment even more intensely.

What are the most appropriate ingredients or olfactory families for different seasons and different moments of the day? 

 I don’t necessarily distinguish by season. If we want to wear citrus in the winter – which is when they would actually be in season –, or salty fragrances that remind us of the sea in January, why not!

I do not even distinguish by ingredients or olfactory families: I rather think that there are essences that, in their complexity, are more suitable for certain moments, for example, fresh and clean scents in the morning, structured and enveloping ones in the evening.

I am more focused on the perfume’s bon ton: let’s remember, for example, to avoid heavy scents, those that leave their trail, when we go to the restaurant, where guests are supposed to focus on the courses. Pay attention to situations and think of others!

Layering is in vogue today, but how should we combine fragrances wisely?

The basic rule is to start with scented creams or with water or oil-based fragrances, and then proceed to spray on the scent we want to layer on. Once we’re more confident with this first step, we can then explore further. There are brands that specifically offer mix & match products, for example, Hermetica with its Soures, Anomalia, and Escentric Molecules.

How can we choose a perfume, its notes, according to the destination of our next trip, so as to create an olfactory memory of it? 

As I said before, a good idea is to try something that we have never used, either as an experiment to broaden the horizons of our own taste, or to anchor the journey even more deeply in our memory.

Draw inspiration from the destination, from its native ingredients, or from the emotion that that destination evokes.

Back when collectors filled their Cabinet de Curiosités with wonderful objects from distant lands, what fragrances were popular?

 Between the 16th and the 18th century, people still wore very natural scents with notes of wood, flowers, and citrus, as the cologne invented at the end of the 17th century. The perfume was an extremely elitist luxury, and the luckiest upper-class members had their own master perfumers or traveled to the most prestigious perfume shops in London and Paris.

According to Campomarzio70, what are the most Gourmode classic and new fragrances for the fall and winter seasons? 

Some great classics:

Outcast Blue Extrait by Ex Nihilo – a magical, elegant, and timeless male fragrance.

Grand Soir by Maison Francis Kurkdjian – for a magnificent Parisian evening at Opéra Garnier.

Here are the most original novelties:

Vanilla Powder by Matiere Premiere – a warm and enveloping vanilla scent, that is not too sweet. Also, for vanilla lovers, L’Ivree Blue by Ormaie, with dark notes of vanilla, cocoa, and rum: is a hypnotic and intimate fragrance.

Since Gourmode is a fusion of two souls in perfect harmony, here is a must-have layering proposal: Shaman and Jardins Humanistes from Anomalia, a mix that marries two opposites, the floral world and smoky wood notes.

And now, are you ready to wear your perfume?