Top 3 Tips For Finding Your Signature Scent - Without The Smell Test!
How do you find your signature scent if you are unable to test perfumes in person?
When you cannot visit shops and you can only buy fragrances online, it’s still possible to find just the right perfume for you.
Whether it’s the woody floral fragrance of Fendi’s Furiosa perfume or the multi-floral bouquet of Houbigant Quelques Fleurs Royale, we give you tips for zooming in on that signature fragrance you’ve been wanting even without spritzing it on first.
Finding the Right Fragrance
With so many available options in the market right now, choosing just one fragrance can be challenging. Can you imagine the struggle if the only option you have of getting perfume is through an online store? That would mean browsing through an online fragrance shop and being tantalized by countless options – and not being able to sniff the product before purchase.
However, this is not a cause for worry. Even without actually smell-testing, you can still be able to select the perfume of your dreams. In the same way that you can buy bespoke outfits online, you can also find that one fragrance that’s seemingly created just for you.
Before you can pick the best bottle of fragrance, consider these tips:
1. Take Note
Before you can go ahead and shortlist your choices, you should first learn the lingo. There are words that you should be familiar with when choosing fragrances.
For one, there are fragrance notes. Notes refer to the ingredients that make up a fragrance. Notes are categorized as top, middle, and base notes. Top notes are usually the most potent scent that you will smell after you spray on perfume. Also called the head or opening notes, it evaporates quickly, but it will give you the first impression of a fragrance.
Middle notes or heart notes are usually well-rounded and appear after the top notes evaporate. It’s usually called the body of the perfume and stays on for a few hours. Meanwhile, the base notes are what’s left after the middle fades. It is the scent that you will remember the most because it’s rich, decadent, and will most likely stay on until you wash it off.
Keep this information in mind when comparing different perfumes so you’ll have a better understanding of what they will smell like throughout the day.
2. Find the Family
These notes are generally grouped into four fragrance families: fresh, floral, oriental and woody. From these, you can gain an idea of the kind of perfume that you will like.
Fresh fragrances are usually citrus-based and are refreshing, vibrant and zesty, like Tiziana Terenzi Cubia or Ermenegildo Zegna Acqua Di Bergamotto.
Floral fragrances are one of the broadest categories and can range from light and delicate to complex and intense flowery scents. Examples are Carolina Herrera’s Burning Rose, Maison Francis Kurkdjian Paris Baccarat Rouge 540, or Chanel No.5 L’Eau.
Oriental fragrances would lean more towards being sweet, spicy and warm, just like Parfums de Marly Pegasus Exclusif or Van Cleef and Arpels Rêve De Encens. Woody fragrances have a wood-based smell coming from ingredients like amber, cedarwood, and vetiver. Perfumes like Lancôme’s Maison Peut-Être or Affinessence Patchouli – Agar Wood are some excellent examples of this scent.
3. Read the Reviews
Since you can’t get a sample spritz, choose your fragrance with the help of those who have already tried it. Do your research by reading online reviews, flipping through magazines, or watching testimonial videos.
Customer reviews can give you a more objective insight into the product compared to advertisements or paid endorsements. Just make sure to be discerning when you browse through all the customer testimonials so you can sift through the objective and subjective feedback.
The Smell of Success
When you can’t go out or don’t feel like doing so, but still want to determine your signature scent, you can do so online. There are plenty of resources to lead you to the right bottle of perfume. What’s more, you also have a wealth of choices regarding available fragrances from reputable online shops. Just keep in mind the tips we mentioned, and you can look forward to finding the scent that truly defines you.
AUTHOR BIO
Mohammed Ali is the Owner and Managing Director at France Gallery Co., a well-established retail supplier of high-end gift items and accessories in Kuwait. Its multi-product range runs from original French perfumes, bags, and fashion accessories to original leather purses and wallets for both men and women — all quality products and international labels at the most affordable prices.
