It seems like every fashion magazine these days has an annual age issue or a monthly section on “looks for every age”. In them, women in their 20s must be trendy, women in their 40s are supposed to shell out for Kelly bags and Piaget watches, and women over 50 are doomed to wear only black, white, and jewel tones. Once a woman reaches her mid-30s, she’s supposed to keep skirts below the knees and — even more horrifying — cut her hair. All these “shoulds” have made me think about age and perfume. Are certain fragrances more appropriate for women of certain ages?

Someone who loves scent will almost certainly change her perfume choices as she grows older. I don’t know if this holds up scientifically, but a woman’s sense of smell seems to grow keener as she ages, and women need a canny nose to suss out spoiled food and to detect the first hours of a child’s sickness. A fresh college grad might drink Red Bull and Coke while her mother appreciates a glass of Meursault…

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