Viewer Mail: What's a Good Fragrance for a Dentist?








Hello Katie!

I'm starting my clinical practice as a dentist in Europe. I'm looking for a fragrance that respects the space between me and the patient. However, I want the fragrance to be classy and appropriate to a man in his middle twenties. I'll keep Dior Homme Intense to wear when I go out with friends :) What do you suggest?

Rui


Rui, I'm very impressed by your sensitivity in not wanting to add to your patients' discomfort with olfactory overstimulation. You can't go wrong with a modern take on the classic cologne recipe of citrus and aromatic herbs. Something along the lines of Acqua di Parma Colonia Assoluta, Chanel Eau de Cologne or Voyage d'Hermès would appeal as fresh, clean and wholesome. Consider also Creed Original Vetiver, which starts in cologne territory with bergamot and lemon, but dries down to subtle sandalwood with a smidge of musk. Applied lightly, it's an amplified skin scent.

Moving deeper into the woods, I might suggest Escentric Molecules Molecule 01, a faux bois scenario that is pleasing without being demanding. It seems to be universally enjoyed by those who smell it, although personally I find it too linear and sterile to sustain interest. (I require my perfumes to be pervier.)

Molecule 01: not pervy.

But “pleasing, linear and sterile” sounds like just what the doctor ordered when it comes to the delicate work of digging around inside people's tender mouths. And as an added bonus, many find Molecule 01 absolutely irresistible (as in “running down the street after the wearer to demand WHAT IS THAT AMAZING FRAGRANCE YOU'RE WEARING?” irresistible), so you may end up with lots of repeat visits in the form of spurious check-ups and phantom toothaches from besotted patients angling to smell you again. Could be good for business.

"Ooh nell ood!"

Given your love of Dior Homme Intense with its focus on iris, I think my favorite direction for you is Terre d'Iris by Miller Harris. It kicks off with a recognizably cologne-y flourish (bitter orange, clary sage and rosemary), before turning into a sophisti-cat iris root scent underpinned with moss and patchouli. There's an echo of the cocoa woodsy warmth of Dior Homme, but leavened with citrus and herbs. Terre d'Iris is low-key and classy with the added bonus of being under the radar, so your patients won't have built up negative associations with it.


(Note: Miller Harris will be moving Terre d'Iris from its limited edition line to its permanent collection in the autumn.)

Fumies, please help Rui make his new dental practice a nice place to be. What would you love to smell on your dentist?

25 comments:

  1. Tokyo Milk Arsenic

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  2. Geranium pour Monsieur! Minty fresh to begin with, then a class floral after. My go to daytime

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    1. I love G pour M (it's the boy version of Portrait of a Lady, with the minty geranium and musk), but to me it smells a bit thick for the "in your face" work of a dentist. I wonder if there's a lower volume version of it? Like maybe gs02 by biehl parfumkunstwerke, a transparent absinthe/leathery/floral?

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  3. I would suggest Costume Nationals "21". It's got 21 ingredients, sure, but its not much more than a skin scent at least on me. It kind of rides the lightning (the limp, clean, safe, unobtrusive lightning) between a "clean" and a "green" scent. Should put most folks in a nice, trusting state of mind.

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    1. I've never smelled 21, Stefush, and I've just spent about 20 minutes reading up on it - sounds verrrrrry interesting. I will seek it out myself.

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  4. Contradiction by Calvin Klein would also be excellent. I used to use this in a shower gel, and it was thrilling, but I think it is now only available in EDT. But that would be my other suggestion- to maybe try the shower gel and deodorant version of a fragrance you like. Or to use the ancillary products of any of Katie's suggestions: I think a dose of perfume anywhere will be to specific in its placement for you (considering how close you will be getting to people, and how close your wrists will be going to people's noses, if that is where you spray) and that you are better going for a generalised feeling of smelling great. Voyage d'hermes is available in a shower gel, and I think that would work. I've also seen that Jo Malone does a very reasonably priced version of the Lime Basil and Mandarin cologne in shower gel form. I'd also look at various range of good quality shower gels as being your perfumery source (I hear great things about Molton Brown's black pepper). Failing that, cologne as suggested, and I add Guerlain Imperiale (a great price) to Katie's excellent suggestions.
    I agree with the Geranium Pour Monsiuer being great and appropriate but also a little too strong. But again, it is also available as a shower gel, and I'd maybe try that.

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    1. Bingo! Geranium pour Monsieur in the shower gel would work! (Why didn't I think of that? I'm always suggesting ancillary products.) And the shower gel form of fragrance is a great suggestion in general for enjoying the scent at a lower, more ambient volume.

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    2. Or a selection of products- deodorant, shower gel and maybe even the spray of the Eau Dynamisante range by Clarins would be great too.
      I remember that the Contradiction shower gel used to leave me quite perfumed, so I am assuming it will be true of other shower gels too, and the concentration will be enough to have that effect.
      Certainly a combination of shower gel and body spray with the same perfume in them should do the job, but in a way that is not going to feel suddenly intrusive to your patients.

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  5. Hi, I'm Hessa, I think the body shop musc for men may work but if its not classy enough, I suggest carolina Herrera the old one its called Herrera for men I think. Its dry down is musk & this is what I dig in men's fragrances

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    1. I've not encountered the Caroline Herrera one, but I do love how soft and quiet the Body Shop White Musk for Men is.

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  6. I think I would love my dentist wearing Equipage. Thrustworthy, masculine and sexy in a very controlled way.

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  7. Infusion D'Homme by Prada would be perfect for a dentist. A safe and crisp scent.

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  8. "Safe", "crisp", "trustworthy": all good descriptors for a dentist.

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    1. If you look closer, you'll see she/he didn't type "trustworthy."

      Nora B

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    2. Hahahahhahahaaaaaa! *mock clutches pearls* My stars! You're so right Nora, I missed that.

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    1. Yes Stefush, "crisp". Everything starched, cleaned, factory-sealed. As opposed to "wilted".

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  10. Good evening!
    Let me start by saying a big "Thank You" to Katie from bringing my question to this noble corner of the Internet. You provided me a very interesting range of fragrances. I'm very fond of your accurate descriptions and spot-on humor. Thank you all, ladies and gents for your suggestions, as well.
    Katie, I didn't put my nose on any of the suggested fragrances yet, however I did some research on their notes. At this moment, I'm leaning towards Voyage d'Hermès. At a first glance, it seems to be what I am looking for as a daytime scent. Anyway, next time in London I'll probably stop by Miller Harris Boutique in order to try Terre D'Iris.
    I've already tried Infusion by Prada. Colorful opening, but its too soapy for me. It's very clean, and that's what I want, but somehow it always reminds me of a soap bar (a posh one!).
    You talked about Diptyque in your last post. Let me ask you: What do you think of Diptyque Philosykos for my profile? I know it is classy, cause I've been told that Alexa Chung does not smell of vintage Chanel leathers :)

    Kind Regards to Everyone,
    Rui

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    1. Diptyque Philosykos is an explosively juicy fig: very green, almost woody at the start, then getting sweeter and sweeter towards the drydown. It really does smell like an entire rip fig tree crammed into the bottle. But I think it's too juicy/sweet and "there" to wear when working as closely as you do with your patients. It also might be an odd clash with medicinal odors.

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    2. The key with wearing fragrance in "close contact" professions is dosage. You could even pull of wearing Kouros as a dentist provided you use it sparingly (one spritz at the most).

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  11. Rui,

    Great suggestions everywhere, and I feel really bad for raining on your parade. But when it comes to health professionals, I prefer them unscented. A dentists office is already impregnated with a lot of scents that many associate with pain and discomfort. Bringing one more scent to the play may not end well. You have to lean very close to your patients, so they will be smelling anything you are wearing, and they can't move back if the scent doesn't please them, just wait there with their mouths wide open (and in extreme cases, watering eyes) until the job is done. That's it, I said and I am sorry.... I admire your enthusiasm with the suggestions and wish you luck in finding a scent that suits you, but please be merciful towards your patients, ok?

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  12. Spray it only on the back of your neck. That way it's not in anybody's face.

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  13. You should definitely buy perfumes meant as soft lingering scents. The exclusive lines boasts some scents meant to be sprayed very liberally. For a very unique fragrance try no 18 based on ambrette seed iris and rose and fruity overtones. Its a musky fruity floral with a boozy fermented vibe. This may all sound weird but its very pale, restrained and elegant. Nothing else like it I've evet smelled.

    If you want to feel or be perceived as solid as a rock try terre d'hermes.actually, any light eau by jean claude is a good for you

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  14. This thread is old but being a dentist myself I would say what I think.

    Use light stuff, avoid food related perfumes that make your patient salivate like heavy citrics or yummy stuff, dentist would know how bad that is. Avoid heavy dense stuff that will compete with your patient crave for air. And common sense, use whatever you like but use it and keep it for yourself something that makes you upbeat, happy and relaxed, ready for work, its not time for compliment getters. When a patient compliment me on my scent I know I over did it, and there were probably other one who hate it and didnt say anything.

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    1. Thanks Anonymous dentist - this is good advice straight from the horse's mouth...so to speak!

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