Choosing a perfume

Choosing a Perfume

When choosing a perfume, be it for yourself or for a loved one, there are some tips you can keep in mind to help you through the ever growing maze of perfumes available.

Remember a perfume is a very individual thing; everybody has a different body chemistry and just because it smells amazing on your friend or sister, doesn’t mean it would work for you. Where possible, test the perfume on the inside of your wrist (obviously if you are buying as a gift this is harder).

Perfumes tend to come in a few base groups:-

• Floral: - Scents with a floral base tend to be viewed as romantic and have a timelessness about them that makes them popular with many age groups. For example, Flower, by Kenzo.
• Fruity: - These normally use the citrus fruits for a base and tend to be fairly light and sweet smelling, making them good for everyday wear. For example, Hugo for Women by Hugo Boss.
• Woody/Musky: - These scents tend to be heavier, and suit a more mature woman or be reserved for evenings out. For example, White Musk by Body Shop.
• Oceanic: - Fresh scents tend to try and mimic the tang of the ocean air and are again a good choice for everyday wear. For example, Ocean Dream by Giorgio Beverly Hills.
• Oriental: - Oriental scents tend to be fairly heavy, and rich with spices and heavier scented flowers making them superb for evenings out. For example, Red Delicious by DKNY.
• Green: - Green scents are the ones that remind you of the outdoors on a summer’s day, and tend to be favoured by younger women. For example, Diesel Green by DKNY.
by Diesel.

As well as the basic groups, remember that perfumes have three distinct layers of scent. The first, referred to in the trade, as the “top note” is the burst of scent you get right away after applying the perfume. It isn’t wise to base your choice on this note as it fades quickly. Citrus scents tend to be used for a top note.

The second layer, or “Middle note” tends to last a bit longer, normally ranging between a few minutes or even as long as an hour, they tend to be the floral, spices or heavier fruit scents like plum.

The “base note” is the final layer of the scent, and tends to be the heaviest, containing the woody, musky scents or heavier blooms and fruits like Vanilla or Magnolia. Most base notes take a minimum of 5 hrs to fully develop on the skin but start to mix with the middle note after about half an hour or so to provide the main body of the perfume.

Because of this, most reputable perfume sellers would suggest that you leave the scent on your skin for a day, so you can see how all three layers appeal to you. The chances are if after this time you still love the scent, then it is the one for you.

Don’t be afraid to take your time in choosing the perfume that is right for you, it is a choice that is likely to stay with you for many years. Once you have decided on the scent that is right for you, there are a couple of other factors you need to bear in mind.

Some perfumes can stain your clothes if they have an added colorant in them, so it is best to check the ingredients in case of a mis-spray. Also, some of the oil based perfumes may also stain even if they have no colour in them – in this case, put the perfume on a handkerchief in your pocket instead of directly on your skin or clothing.

The other thing to consider is would a parfum or eau de toilette suit you better, and this really depends on how you like to wear your perfume. If you like to spray all over, then an eau de toilette would suit your needs better as it would be less over powering used that way. But you would need to “top up” again during the day, as it doesn’t last as well as the heavier parfum, which is better applied to the pulse points where your blood can warm and nurture the scent.

The most basic trick to choosing a perfume is simply to go for something you like the smell of, take your time, smell it through its various stages and if at the end of the day, you still love it, you have found the scent for you. Of course, once you have settled on the perfume you like it is often cheaper to buy your perfume online, allowing you, in most cases, to save money on the recommended retail price.

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