- Hair health
- Tutorials
- Inspiration
- Expert advice
- From Prose
- At Length is your go-to hair resource. Here, waves, coils, curls, straight, and even no strands all come together as one community. Let’s connect, educate, and inspire each other through hair.
  
  At Prose, we grow with you and your hair. By combining lab innovation, natural ingredients, and proven performance, Prose delivers you truly personal haircare.
  
  LEARN MORE

Home > From Prose > #AskThePros: How Do I Choose My Prose Fragrance?

#AskThePros: How Do I Choose My Prose Fragrance?

October 21, 2022

7 Min read

Welcome back to #AskThePros, where The Pros—your support team of custom formula and hair experts—break down our biggest customer questions. This month, we’re decoding the Prose fragrance portfolio.

During the consultation, we recommend a few well-liked fragrances that we think will be right up your alley. With that said, you’re always welcome to select any fragrance and to switch things up with every order. So, how to choose out of our nine exclusive options?

While we’re all about cutting-edge research and scientific rigor, fragrances can be a subjective, deeply personal experience. With that in mind, we decided to go all-in with a decidedly unscientific approach. We asked The Pros (along with a few honorary members) to sniff all of our fragrances and jot down their thoughts. The result? An unfiltered collection of opinions, memories, and musings which we hope can guide you towards your next choice. So if you’ve been dying to know which Prose fragrance is deemed the “most masculine” or evokes “sophistication and mischief,” then look no further.

Palma (limited edition!): Relaxing + Woody (Orange, Tea, Sandalwood)

What The Pros Have to Say:

To me, this smells like:

A breath of fresh air.
New beginnings.

Who would love Palma?

Someone who needs to breathe deep and focus on themselves.
Anyone who loves woody and fresh scents for the fall/winter seasons!

What would a Palma mood board look like?

Juicy citrus and freshly chopped wood.
Bursts of sunlight coming through the blinds in the morning.

Subtle, strong, or somewhere in-between?

Subtle! If you’re a fan of soft, yet invigorating scents, Palma is for you.

Fragrance fun fact: We tested Palma amongst a group of over 100 Prose customers and here is what they had to say about the fragrance:

85% felt invigorated
81% felt more focused
81% felt more relaxed
87% felt more clear

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 Girt” 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.

Perle: Powdery + Musky (Musk, Gardenia, Sandalwood)

What The Pros Have to Say:

To me, this smells like:

Musk, spice, flowers.
An old dresser containing your grandmother’s timeless pieces.
Smells like baby powder got an upgrade.
Fresh lilies, but also smells warm and cozy like freshly washed laundry.
It reminds me of a men’s cologne, but packaged in a femme bottle.

Who would love Perle?

A very diverse crowd.
Someone looking for a traditional fragrance, who loves warmer, powdery, and light floral scents that aren’t too sharp.
Anyone who wants a little comfort.
What would a Perle mood board look like?
A mussed up comforter and rumpled sheets.
Dreamy, wispy clouds.
Cashmere and silk.
The sun rising through sheer white curtains.
Large, fluffy white flowers like peonies, magnolias, or chrysanthemums.
Perle is a Sunday morning sleeping in, where you can luxuriate in a day dream.

Subtle, strong, or somewhere in-between?

Subtle, but lovely.

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.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE:

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The Pros

Custom formula and hair experts who are here to share their knowledge, tips and tricks throughout your Prose journey. #AskThePros your questions at hello@prosehair.com.

Comments [116]