Guide to Perfumes from Italy

A Guide to Choosing the Perfect Italian Perfume for Your Personality

The Jet Setter:

Catch her if you can: Skiing in Aspen, Fashion Week in Milan, Sailing in Southampton... With things to do and people to see, this cosmopolitan babe is always jetting off to an exotic and fabulous destination. She's used to the finest life has to offer and this scent, a blend of ripe fruit and soft flowers with a shimmering base of spice and wood, is no exception. The delicate and airy fragrance will bring her right back to her summer past, spent sitting champagne in a garden on the chic island of Pantelleria.

• Profumi di Pantelleria
• Nico

Notes:

Blueberry, Grape, Tangerine, Violet, Freesia, Cardamom, Cedar wood, Candalwood, Musk

The City Girl:

• 10 Corso Como
• Corso Como

Notes:

Sandalwood, Musk, Rose, Geranium, Vetiver and Rare Malay Oud Wood O

The Classic Beauty:

Pearls, diamonds, and the perfect little black dress are her best friends. Audrey Hepburn is her idol. This head-turner doesn't follow the trends or paint her face when she hits the town. She relies on her timeless elegance, natural poise, and signature style to make a statement. This pure and hypnotic fragrance will quickly find its place on the vanity of this classic beauty. Don't be surprised when she's still wearing it a few decades from now.

• Prada
• Tendre

Notes:

Siamese Benzoin, Plum Accord, Indonesian Patchouli Leaves, Verbena, Cedarwood, Labdanum, Cardamom, Mate Leaves, Indian Sandalwood, Jasmine, Vetive

The Girl Next Door:

She is the girl who always threw the best slumber parties back in grade school. She's a shoulder to cry on and an ear to spill your deepest secrets. She's not afraid to tell you that you look ridiculous in leggings either. She will covet this playful cotton candy scent, with notes of strawberry and caramel that will rouse the same warm and fuzzy nostalgia you get when you've got your best friend by your side.

• Aquolina
• Pink Sugar

Notes:

Bergamot, Sicilian Orange, Raspberry, Fig Leaves, Lily of the Valley, Licorice, Strawberry, Red Fruit, Cotton Candy, Barbe-a-Papa, Vanilla, Caramel, Musk, Wood, Powder

The Flirt:

Normal girls rely on hard work to get what they want in life. Not this flirt. She can charm anyone into getting what you want with a simple bat of her eyelashes. She's fun, spontaneous, and always up for an adventure. A splash of this sparkling citrus and she's ready to dance the night away.

• Moschino
• I Love Love

Notes:

Grapefruit, Orange, Lemon, Redcurrant, Tea Rose, Lily of the Valley, Cinnamon Leaves, Musk, Cedar, Tonka Wood.

The Social Climber:

This sensual fragrance is practically an heir-magnet. A spritz of this fragrance on even the most common girl and she will be fighting off the hoards of blue-blooded men ready to whisk her off her feet. In the past, her biggest problem was figuring out how to get into the party. Now her only dilemma will be deciding if she wants to marry into nobility or a hotel fortune.

• Versace
• Bright Crystal

Notes:

Iced Accord, Yuzu, Pomegranate, Peony, Magnolia, Lotus Flower, Acajou, Vegetal Amber, Musk.

The Domestic Goddess:

The queen of the house will covet this aristocratic fragrance. She's the type of girl who wouldn't dare show up for a dinner party without the perfect hostess gift. She can whip up a mean dish of Bolognese lasagna and an apple torte that melts in your mouth. She'll adore this scent so much she's likely to dab a bit on the monogrammed hand written thank you notes she religiously sends out.

• Acqua di Parma
• Iris Nobile

Notes:

Bergamot, Mandarin, Iris Petals, Star Anise, Cedar Flower, Iris Petals, Orange Blossom, Orris Iris, Amber Crystal complex, Vanilla.

The Humanitarian:

Carnation is known throughout history as the flower representing loyalty and is the top note of this Carthusia fragrance. This woman is devoted to volunteering at the local soup kitchen and reading stories to orphans, yet you can always count on her to be the first one at your doorstep with a thermometer and chicken soup when you've come down with the flu. She'll be just as faithful to this spicy, deep scent of fresh cut blooms.

• Carthusia
• Fiore di Capri

Notes: Carnation, Lily of the Valley, Sandalwood, Ylang-Ylang, and Oak.

The Hedonist:

She's the first one frolicking in the sea on holiday and the last one to leave bed on a Sunday morning. This pleasure seeker will breathe in the fumes of exotic chocolate and intense orange in this Missoni scent in the same manner that she would before indulging in a glass of vintage Barolo.

• Missoni

Notes:

Radiant Yellow Accord, Bergamot, Magnolia, Loquat, Chocolate Brown Accord, Gianduia Chocolate, Amber, Magenta Pink Accord, Peony, Rose, Intense Oranges Accord, Mandarin, Bitter Orange, Persimmon.

By Meredith Paslawsky