Choosing the perfect perfume can be a daunting task. These days, department store perfume counters look more akin to candy stores. With countless choices and plenty of eye-catching bottles, shopping for your favorite scent is difficult. Here are a few tips to help you make the right decision.
Be Patient
Perfume is expensive, and it is something you will wear a lot. You should not choose your scent in haste. Think of all the people who will be near you and catch a hint your perfume! You should go to your favorite perfume shop with plenty of time to spare.
Find a Fragrance that Fits You
A perfume that matches your interests and personality is timeless. Whether you are flirty, adventurous, girly or dangerous, there is a scent that applies to you. Understanding the six categories of scents can help you choose.
Floral
Floral scents are made from flowers such as roses, gardenia, carnations, jasmine and orange blossoms. They are often blended to make new scents. Floral scents are the most popular scents among women.
Oriental
This is a musky mixture that combines extracts of spices and amber.
Citrus
Often used in the summertime, citrus scents are tart and fresh. They are made from extracts like lemon, lime and orange.
Chypre
This is a woodsy and earthly scent. It has traces of oak, moss and bergamot.
Fougere
This is a fresh herb scent that is combined with a mossy fragrance. Men often use this outdoorsy scent, but women love it too.
Green
This is a grassy scent that contains traces of pine and leaf aroma.
Testing a Perfume
When testing a perfume, apply it to the underside of your wrist. Your wrist radiates warmth, because it is a pulse point. You can narrow down your choices by avoiding scents you really dislike on tester strips. Do not rely on the provided paper testers. The perfume reacts differently with your natural body chemicals and will smell differently on you than on paper.
Let the Scent Develop
After you have applied the perfume, leave the cosmetics counter. Run an errand or do some browsing elsewhere. Smell the scent after it has developed on your skin. Do not try more than one or two scents at a time because the smells will blend together. Sniff your wrist over the next hour or two. If you like the way the scent develops on your skin, it just might be the right perfume for you!
Final Touches
Apply the perfume to your pulse points: wrists, base of throat, between the breasts, and behind the earlobes. You might need to reapply your perfume after 4-6 hours, because the scent will break down. Remember- do not overdo the perfume. It should complement your natural scent. Finally, after applying your perfect perfume, expect to smell great and turn some heads!
