How to Speak Scent Colognes, Perfumes and Fine Fragrances

An essential guide to the world of fragrances, explaining everything from what notes to look for to what scent to wear for special occasions.

Colognes, aftershaves, perfumes, fragrances, scents: there are so many ways to describe those little bottles of fine-smelling liquid that we dab, spray and mist on ourselves every day. But our love of fragrances runs so much deeper than just buying a scent because we like the way it smells. Scent is so evocative, yet so personal; the fragrances we choose tell a story, saying much about us and how we want to be perceived - from subtle, floral notes to warming oud, our obsession with scents runs deep.

Perfect for those who are drawn to classic names such as Chanel and Dior as well as newer brands with more modern scents such as Replica, Imaginary Authors and Zadig & Voltaire.

How to Speak Scent will take you on a journey into this fascinating world, explaining how to tell top notes from mid notes, base notes, dry down and lingering dry down, how to choose a fragrance for special occasions, what different scents say about you, and breaking scents down into their distinct themes: woody, floral, amber, fresh. This book is an essential companion for anyone with a passion for fragrance.

Josephine Fairley is a contributing editor to the Mail on Sunday YOU Magazine, where she writes on beauty and organic living. She is the co-author of the bestselling Beauty Bible series, which includes The Ultimate Natural Beauty Bible, Beauty Bible Beauty Steals and The Anti-Ageing Beauty Bible. She also writes perfume blog called The Scent Critic.

Lorna McKay worked as a Perfumery and Cosmetics Buyer at Harrods before setting up Liberty's beauty department and then joining QVC as their first beauty buyer nearly 20 years ago. She has also created fragrances for the Liz Earle range.