How to Choose the Ideal Perfume
People remember you by your scent, and it sets the tone for the day or night ahead. This is why choosing a signature smell is such a significant decision. To assist you in finding the perfect perfume, we’ve put up a list of our top three fragrance shopping tips, including how to distinguish between the many sorts of perfume formulae.
Refresh Your Perfume Vocabulary
Eau de Cologne
Eau de cologne is a combination of alcohol and water with three to five percent perfume oil. It’s usually light and refreshing.
Eau de Toilette
Eau de toilette is more aromatic than cologne because it contains a higher percentage of perfume oil and is combined with alcohol rather than water.
Eau de Parfum
Parfum is heavier than eau de cologne and eau de toilette, but lighter than perfume, because it contains a higher percentage of perfume oil (15 to 18%) blended with alcohol.
Perfume
Perfume has the maximum quantity of oil, with 15 to 30 percent perfume oil combined with alcohol, making it the most concentrated and strong. Perfume is frequently sold in the tiniest bottles for the most expensive price.
Consider the Time of Year
Scents remain longer in the summer because skin is normally more hydrated, and the smell is held by the moisture. This is one of the reasons why, in the spring and summer, light, fresh aromas are preferred, while in the fall and winter, deep, warm scents are preferred.
Get to Know Your Notes
Scents, like a glass of wine, have a range of complex overtones. One perfume, for example, might offer you a citrus scent at first, followed by a spicy undertone. Determine the type of aroma that appeals to you the most when looking for your ideal perfume. Is it a bouquet of roses? Is there a hint of pomegranate in the air? Vanilla’s sweet undertones? Choosing a category will help you narrow down your selections and think about options that are right for you. To help you decide, we’ve compiled a list of some of our favorite scents, divided into the four primary perfume categories.
Notes of Flowers
Floral fragrances conjure us images of freshly cut flowers, as the name suggests. Rose, jasmine, orange blossom, and violet are common notes. Giorgio Armani My Way Eau de Parfum and Lancôme Idôle L’Intense Eau de Parfum are two of our favorite perfumes in this category.
Notes of Musk
Warm vanilla, incense resins, and amber are all reminiscent of musky fragrances. Consider warm, mysterious, and seductive. YSL Libre Eau de Parfum is our favorite scent for this category.
Notes of Newness
Orange, lemon, lime, grapefruit, apricot, apple, peach, and fresh grass are just a few of the scents that come to mind when thinking of this category. Atelier Cologne Lemon Island and Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb In The Sky Eau de Parfum are two of our favorite scents.
Notes of Wood
The woody category includes scents like bergamot, oakmoss, labdanum, and patchouli. These scents are earthy with a hint of spice or citrus. Maison Margiela Replica Whispers in the Library is a favorite of ours.