#AskThePros: How Do I Choose My Prose Fragrance?

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Meleni: Fruity + Tropical (Mango, Melon, Lush Greens)

What The Pros Have to Say:

To me, this smells like:

• Juicy mangoes and melons while enveloped by the tropical rainforest.
• Feasting on an abundance of ripe.

Who would love Meleni?

• Someone who loves fruit-forward scents and wants to be transported somewhere tropical.
• Anyone who’s fun, energetic, and always ready for summer!

What would a Meleni mood board look like?

• Vibrant cross sections of perfectly-ripe mangoes and melons.
• A tropical summer storm hitting a bed of aloe leaves and lush greens.

Subtle, strong, or somewhere in-between?

Somewhere in-between. It has an impactful first impression, but slowly fades throughout the day.

Fragrance fun fact: Curious to know how “Meleni” is pronounced? You might think, “melon-y”, it’s actually “meh-LEHN-ee”!

Arcadia: Citrusy + Woody (Citrus, Basil, Cedar)

What The Pros Have to Say:

To me, this smells like:

• Fresh, crisp, and invigorating! Like jumping into a mountain stream.
• This is what the “NYC Cool Girl” archetype would smell like–subtle, complex, and masculine.
• That fall morning, 6am smell when you first step outside and there’s still dew on the grass.

Who would love Arcadia?

• The early bird who likes to start each day with a morning walk (or maybe just wants to feel like it in the shower.)
• Hikers, gardeners, anyone who leans towards herbal and earthy scents.
• Someone interested in aromatherapy–this scent definitely invigorates and uplifts.

Subtle, strong, or somewhere in-between?

Somewhere in between, just enough to make you feel energized but can also relax into that state.

Botanica: Herbal + Aromatic (Eucalyptus, Lavender, Rosemary)

What The Pros Have to Say:

To me, this smells like:

• Mint.
• A eucalyptus steam room.
• An oil diffuser at a spa or yoga studio.
• This furniture store my parents used to go to in India, called Good Earth.
• The eucalyptus sprigs from the place settings at my wedding.

Who would love Botanica?

• Anyone who loves incense, sages, and mint.
• Someone who meditates.
• Someone who needs extra stress relief in the shower without the price tag of a spa appointment.
• Someone who’d prefer something fresh and less in-your-face—the most masculine of our offerings.
• What would a Botanica mood board look like?
• A spa.
• Plant roots and little buds.
• Crystals.
• Incense in an empty yoga studio.
• Tapestries.
• Someone doing yoga in Washington Square Park.

Subtle, strong, or somewhere in-between?

Strong in this sample, but in my experience, very subtle in use.

Fragrance fun fact: In addition to being one of our 100% natural options, Botanica seems to break gender barriers more than any other Prose fragrance—it’s one of the most popular choices for male Prose employees.

Corsica: Fresh + Aquatic (Anjou Pear, Peony, Cedar Wood)

What The Pros Have to Say:

To me, this smells like:

• Walking along the beach on a spring morning, wearing freshly laundered linens.
• Seafoam.
• A nautical living room at a house in the Cape.
• Sweet, sparkling wine.

Who would love Corsica?

• Someone who likes their makeup and fashion to seem effortless and natural.
• Beach goers.
• Someone who wants a more gender neutral and universal fragrance—it’s not too floral, not too sweet, not too femme.
• Mermaids.

What would a Corsica mood board look like?

• Flutes of Prosecco overlooking an ocean view terrace.
• Wet pavement after a heavy spring shower.
• A Montauk dive bar.
• Bright blue ocean scattered with white sailboats.
• The entirety of the film Mamma Mia.

Subtle, strong, or somewhere in-between?

Somewhere in between, almost perfect.

Fragrance fun fact: Thanks to incredible feedback from customers who didn’t want to part with Corsica, this limited-edition summer fragrance entered our permanent collection.

Prelude: Floral + Fresh (Rose, Geranium, Blue Iris)

What The Pros Have to Say:

To me, this smells like:

• A freshly arranged bouquet of roses.
• An artisan soap bar, with a hint of sweetness like a jam.
• If our Corsica and Ispahan fragrances had a garden rendezvous.

Who would love Prelude?

• Anyone who likes a fresh, feminine fragrance that treads lightly between floral and semi-sweet.
• For the customer who’s graceful and polished—think Holly Golightly from Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

What would a Prelude mood board look like?

• Rose petals blowing in the wind.
• Dancing ballerinas.
• A picnic in a meadow of wildflowers, baby’s breath, and falling cherry blossoms.
• Crystals sparkling in the sunlight.
• A flute of rosé.
• Essie’s classic Ballet Slippers nail polish (a subtle pale pink).

Subtle, strong, or somewhere in-between?

Somewhere in between, but it has staying power (which is lovely!).

Fragrance fun fact: Looking to refresh your Zoom meetings? You can download our Prelude Zoom background here; the gorgeous floral design also works as the perfect background or lockscreen for your phone.

Oasis: Floral + Summery (Jasmine, Amber, White Peach)

What The Pros Have to Say:

To me, this smells like: 

• Relaxing with jasmine in your hair, while taking a bite of fruit by a warm ocean.
• Lime zest.
• It’s a bit similar to Corsica, but more fresh.
• A sweet, soothing summer breeze.

Who would love Oasis? 

• Anyone who likes warm scents, but wants to stay floral.
• Anyone who wants to feel luscious and overflowing with daydream-inducing flavor.
• For the customer who wants to be transported somewhere tropical with a cold drink in hand, soaking up the sun.

What would an Oasis mood board look like? 

• Submerging in fresh clean water, and the relief of wet skin on a hot day.
• Full, bursting citrus and blooming jasmine.
• Long desert shadows and newly discovered artifacts.
• The Coachella ferris wheel at sunset; A summer afternoon sky dotted with kites and bubbles.

Subtle, strong, or somewhere in-between?

All signs point to “somewhere in-between” for Oasis: Strong floral notes at first, fading into soft warm sandalwood; I really like this scent for the sense of balance; If someone walked by after wash day, you’d get a whiff of the lime zest and fruitiness and say, “I want my hair to smell like this.”

Fragrance-Free

No fragrance notes here, but as a friendly reminder, our fragrance-free products are just that: free of fragrance, and free of any chemical masking agents that are sometimes used to create a “fragrance-free” product. If you opt for fragrance-free formulas and catch a whiff of something, rest assured you’re just picking up on your natural active ingredients. And for those with a sensitive scalp, our chemists always recommend going fragrance-free.