This will be the last Monday Mail for 2013 — it’s about to take its annual holiday break. If you want to get on the waiting list for January, follow the instructions here.

Today we’re helping Paula. She wants to find a signature fragrance — she likes the concept, but she also has Asperger’s syndrome, and that has complicated her search. Price is not important so long as it doesn’t get Clive-Christian-spendy. Here is what we know about Paula and her scent preferences:

She’s in her late 50s, and her clothing style is usually soft knits with dramatic jewelry.

She describes herself as intense and introverted.

She is fascinated by perfumes, and loves to sample new scents, but is prone to sensory overload…

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Today we’re helping Florence. She wants to find an everyday perfume that’s not boring, that will not offend anyone if worn very lightly to work, but that will bring her joy when she smells the inside of her wrist. She’d love something mysterious and unexpected, dark but not heavy. Florence says she is in a “leather and Eau de Cologne rut”, so she’s also hoping we’ll help her find new notes to explore and fall in love with. Her budget is $200 max. Here is what we know about Florence:

She’s in her mid-20s, and lives in San Francisco.

She works a museum by day and a bar by night.

Her style tends to the vintage and menswear-inspired, usually with a scarf for a little flair.

Florence says her perfume journey has been mostly theoretical…

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We have two more participants in line for the Monday Mail, and then the Monday Mail will take its annual holiday break. Want to be on the waiting list (currently wide open!) for January? See the instructions here.

Today we’re helping Sabine, who wants to find a new autumn/winter fragrance. Her perfect perfume will be warm, cozy and sexy, but also classy, and preferably with an unexpected twist. She can spend up to €100 (about $135). Here is what we know about Sabine:

She’s in her early 40s and married; she has two wild boys (5 and 7).

She’s an SA in the beauty business and has access to almost all mainstream fragarances. She lives in Berlin, and has good access to niche brands too.

She loves going to concerts (Baroque music mostly) and opera, and reading Balzac, Flaubert and Austen.

She adores Shakespeare movies, including the new Much Ado movie.

Sabine likes gourmand perfumes, but not too sweet…

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Today we’re helping Kelly, who is looking for a scent that fits her personality and tastes rather than something for a specific occasion or context. She isn’t worried about the price, and it doesn’t matter if the perfume is from online, a high end department store or a drugstore. Here is what we know about Kelly:

She’s in her late 20s.

She loves writing poetry and making music, and she works on these as much as time allows everyday.

She’s shy, down to earth, and likes learning about anything creative and unusual…

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