If I say I'm looking for a "luminous" scent… What exactly do I mean?

I feel it refers to a fragrance that has a lot of space in it. It probably contains aldehydes that smell of cleanliness, coolness, even cold. Or it could be citrus—refreshing, energetic, sometimes even effervescent. It's an interesting description. A complete opposite when someone says they're looking for something heavy, dark, earthy. I know they'll probably find that in a composition with notes of wet forest, patchouli, incense and resins. Although we also have fragrances where incense is luminous, vibrating.

Are you often surprised by how people describe scents?

More and more. I can see how much our customers' awareness is changing. Yes, many immediately ask for specific perfumes. Or they precisely name notes and ingredients: "I'm looking for something sweet or dry, chypre." But it also happens that someone describes the impression they want to create. Once a man asked if we had a… repulsive scent. I showed him the famous Marescialla by Santa Maria Novella, a composition absolutely associated with a cellar, a crypt, wet rotten wood. For him, that was it!

I've noticed an increasing number of people looking for unexpected fragrances and provocative combinations. Paradoxically, there's something very attractive to them in those repellent notes.

The strangest "order"?

A woman asked for something sweet, but… "not candy-like." I was surprised—candy is sweet. She meant sweet fruity notes like pineapple, strawberry, raspberry. Another woman said she needed something "elegant." When I asked what elegance meant to her, she specified it should be "a scent for an important conference that precedes me…" One that gives confidence. I've learned many times how important it is to sense how someone wants to be perceived when choosing a scent. Noticed or recognized precisely through fragrance.

So there's some truth to the stereotypical belief that when we want to boost our confidence we choose heavier, bolder, oriental scents, and when we want more subtlety or femininity we reach for florals…

To a large extent, yes. A fragrance often has to fill some lack. Add energy, lift the mood, draw attention, emphasize personality and style. Some people say outright: "Look at me and tell me what suits me." But it's better not to pick perfumes that way, because you can't match a scent to eye color, hair, or coloring type. That's not the right path. Many times I was a bit surprised when I saw a delicate, ethereal woman choosing heavy, oriental scents—at first glance I'd probably have suggested something floral. Every person is a different story.

When someone asks for advice, where do you start?

I encourage them to listen to themselves for a moment and think about what kind of scent they need at this point in their life. What they want to wear. Are we looking for something sensual, or rather something that adds energy—e.g., rose, citrus, currant. And I urge them to try things. People smell, come back, because those scents clearly improve their mood. They leave with a completely different mindset than when they arrived. Some even treat a visit to Galilu like an aromatherapy session.

What do they most often reach for?

Our clients love oriental, incense-y, woody scents (e.g., sandalwood), spicy fragrances (cardamom, pepper), and interesting contrasting combinations. Recently the Promise by Frédéric Malle, created for the Arabic market, has been very popular. I've also found that most clients generally don't like jasmine, tuberose, or orange blossom. When they tell me at the outset that they don't like "floral fragrances," I know they usually mean those white floral notes.

But we do like citrus very much.

Oh yes, especially dry, bitterish ones. And fruits. Even in winter, because they add energy and lift the mood. The "salty sea" scent is also popular. It's fresh, intriguing and at the same time subtle. It's an alternative to citrus.

What has surprised you about these choices?

A huge success in recent years has been Portrait of a Lady by Frédéric Malle; to me it's the scent of the 21st century, like a new Chanel No. 5. A magnetic composition with raspberry and currant in the opening, and Damask rose at the heart. They "bottled" the scent of 400 flowers in each bottle. The base contains patchouli and incense.

It's an extremely intriguing and contemporary chypre fragrance. Interestingly, I've noticed that women who have worn Portrait of a Lady for a while often move on to Promise, which I mentioned earlier. And it's also interesting that fans of challenging scents are increasing. They like that a fragrance provokes comments. That gives them satisfaction. With such scents they arouse interest and reaction from others. They provoke, and that's the point.

What reactions to scents do you observe most often?

Strong, spontaneous ones. Especially when scents are associated with someone important in life. For example, an old lover… Perfumes are a form of emotion, and emotions encode scents most strongly. But it's also about memories. We have L’ombre dans l’eau by Diptyque. They smell of crushed—it's important—blackcurrant leaves, Damask rose… It's a cult fragrance of that brand from 1983, Catherine Deneuve's favorite. It's distinctive and "green." Almost everyone who smells it reacts vividly and mentions similar associations: sunny holidays, summer, grandma's garden, the scent of currants. In short, childhood and happy, carefree moments.

And what do you choose for yourself?

When I have a bad day I choose something sparkling, fresh. Something that will give me light… For example Geranium Odorata and Oyedo, both by Diptyque. When it's gray and cloudy and I need to be enveloped, I reach for scents with cashmeran (synthetic musk), and also with spicy notes. In summer I prefer the hesperidic scents (citrus and herbs: mint, rosemary, thyme). These are fragrances I describe as a sort of cold shower, Acqua Decima by Eau d’Italie, L’Eau des Hésperides Diptyque. And I always give perfumes a second chance.

Experience has taught me not to judge a scent hastily, immediately. Just get used to it, give it time. If at first a fragrance intrigues you, and even though it doesn't fully convince you, it's worth giving it a chance to "unfold" on the skin.