Here are a handful of our favourites…
 
By Adriana Ermter
 
Perfumers have been mix-mastering unisex scents for centuries, some lasting for a moment, others for a lifetime. “A perfume is successful when it reaches a timeless balance that seduces one generation after another,” says Vann Guillon. “The materials blended into its composition, a smart design of its bottle and a sharp image that works year after year is the secret.” Here are a handful of our favourites…
 
1900s: Caron Narcisse Noir: daring and intimate, clean and loud, contradictory notes of soap, musk, rose, spice and wood intermingle.
 
1910s: Aqua di Parma Colonia: heady blooms mix with herbal, citrus and musk notes for an elegant finish.
 
1920s: Chanel Cuir de Russie: tobacco, leather, and white and yellow flowers intertwine.
 
1930s: Jean Patou Le Sien: sporty, fresh and green, like a sharp, crisp spring morning.
 
1940s: Carven Ma Griffe de Cologne: floaty and warm with breezy green, wood and floral notes, and a touch of spice.
 
1950s: Hermès Eau d’Hermès: fresh, aromatic, warm and spicy with undertones of leather.
 
1960s: Revlon Mood Drops: technically for women, the cloudy, woody, warm and aromatic scent was, at the time, also favoured by men.
 
1970s: Goya Aqua Mandan: a vibrant, warm and bright spicy orange.
 
1980s: Comptoir Sud Pacifique Eau de Tropiques: a sunshine-filled, warm citrus floral.
 
1990s: Commes des Garçons Commes des Garçons: honeyed cloves, cinnamon and cardamom mix with flowers and wood.
 
2000s: Bond No. 9 Eau de New York: dirty, sultry and gritty, notes of musk citrus, wood and flowers swirl as one.
 
2010s: Creed Royal Oud: stylish, exotic and warm with spiced woody, green and aromatic notes.
 
2020s: Frederic Malle, Dans Mon Lit: a sleepy, clean and powdered blend of musk and rose water.
 
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ADRIANA ERMTER is a Toronto-based, lifestyle-magazine pro who has travelled the globe writing about must-spritz fragrances, child poverty, beauty and grooming.