Despite all the new perfume scents science has discovered, two of the most popular fragrance families — floral and fruity — remain the go-to choices for thousands of people (and for good reason). While both seem very similar, these fragrances have distinct scent profiles.
Understanding this difference is the key to selecting the perfect scent, whether for daily wear, a romantic evening, or a cocktail party. This guide explores the key characteristics of both fragrance types, their unique appeal, and how they can even be blended for a well-rounded perfume experience.
What Defines a Floral Perfume?
Though floral perfumes aren’t exclusively made of flowery scents, they are distinguished by their dominant flower-based notes, often evoking feelings of elegance, romance, and sophistication. They also happen to be one of the oldest perfume types, often associated with femininity and grace.
Depending on the composition, floral perfumes can be light and airy or deep and complex. You can easily find a floral perfume that smells like a fresh, dewy bouquet (like EMBARK’sMy Dream For Her, for example), or even something spicy like Embark’s My Passion for Her is a good option for this one.
What Defines a Fruity Perfume?
The best way to describe fruity perfumes is sweet, tangy and playful. They tend to make you feel fresh and youthful, ideal for daytime or casual wear. These scents usually have a lighter composition and may fade faster due to that, but they are excellent providing that immediate burst of freshness.
With fruity perfumes, you get options—are you looking for something that has sweetness overloaded? Or something with crisp and tangy freshness like Embark’s My Happiness For Her that makes you feel light and breezy? Both are possible, as long as you’re not afraid to experiment and try new things.
Blending Floral and Fruity Notes to Create a Balanced Scent
A lot of modern perfumes have managed to expertly blend floral and fruity fragrances to achieve a great balance of both scents. But for the sake of individuality, it’s better to mix and match by yourself and find a unique combination that doesn’t come prepackaged.
Here’s a few tips for mixing and layering floral and fruity perfumes:
- Combine a floral perfume with a fruity body mist — Body mists are typically lighter and more volatile than perfumes, which means they evaporate faster. If you layer a fruity body mist over a floral perfume, you will maintain the initial burst of freshness from the mist while the floral perfume provides a longer-lasting base.
- Use a fruity perfume and layer it with a floral-scented lotion — Applying a floral-scented lotion before spraying a fruity perfume enhances the longevity of the scent, because the lotion acts as a base that traps the perfume particle on you, making it last longer on the skin.
In the end, no matter what you decide, both floral and fruity perfumes are some of the best fragrances when layered and taken complete advantage of. Make sure to experiment with different combinations to discover the perfect signature scent for you.
