BODY odour may be a fetish for some, but I rather you keep your smell to yourself, thank you very much.

Since I am dependent on public transport, I am keenly aware of how many people are misusing fragrances.

It seems that some have yet to come across a scent they don't like, and would be enveloped in a dense cushion of scent.

Why is it always the case of cheaper the perfume, the more the user would douse?

I usually meet these people in tight spaces: inside the lift or next to me on the MRT.

While I am fickle about a lot of things, I am a one-scent man. I'll stick to one for a few years and when I get tired, I move to another.

I've ended my Marc Jacobs Men cycle a few months back, and am in the thick of my Terre d'Hermes by Hermes phase.

What works for you?

I believe buying a scent is personal, I can never get it right anyway. There are different types of scent that might work for different personalities; but I'll never try to guess.

Make it easy on everyone: If you know someone is buying you a fragrance, don't be shy and just tell him what you want. Either that or you might end up with a scent that will clog your nostrils.

So while you are scent hunting (for yourself or others), here are some tips:

• Remember your favourite smells, such as coriander, wet grass or loaf of bread. Mention these to the salesperson and hopefully they'll be smart enough to find you the right scent.
• Spray on your wrist and wait 10 minutes. Don't rub. Smell and see if it appeals to you.
• Perfume will last about three years from the date it was bottled. Keep the bottle away from high temperature or direct sunlight.
• Finally, the warmer the weather, the lighter the scent. But reapply often but do it sparingly, please.

One of the most pleasing scents to be released this year was Pure White Linen Light Breeze from Estee Lauder. It smells like a summer salad, and is the perfect neutural-enough scent for most women. Ask if your intended giftee likes the smell of grapefruit, kumquat, osthmanthus, teak and honey? If so, this is it. The eau de parfum spray is at $63 for 30ml.	Everyone knows an 'act cute' woman who cannot kick her Hello Kitty habit. This may be the scent for her. The bottle is adorable. It's called G and is designed for pop star Gwen Stefani. It has coconut, apple skin, magnolia and sandalwood - but it doesn't matter because the bottle is just so cute. It costs $67 for 30ml.	If you're shopping for a lover of hip-hop music, anything from Juicy Couture would be ideal. After all, Juicy - as it is usually known - is the label for hipsters. The fragrance is not too far removed from the image. The base is fun - creme brulee - with fruity topnotes. It's $71 for 30ml, available at Nuance Watson's Changi Airport branches at all three terminals.
The smouldering sort should find Notorious by Ralph Lauren interesting. Lauren created this scent for the femme fatale. It has hints of black currant, bergamot, carnations and vanilla. It's at $89 for 30ml, and you'll feel like a '40s movie star when you're wearing this.	Thinking about scenting your room. For that, it is hard to look anywhere else but Crabtree & Evelyn. The brand has a reputation for offering tasteful, elegant and useful household must-haves. The Noel home fragrance diffuser ($68) is a blend of cranberries, orange and balsam. It smells like a holiday. This is also a good gift for someone you don't really know that well.

This article was first published in The New Paper on Dec 7, 2008.