If you’re like me, then you probably find perfume shopping daunting. I never know what to pick, so I have drawers full of “mistakes” that smell terrific on other people but never work for me. I recently decided to ask the perfume manager at my local department store how to choose the right fragrance, how to wear it well, and how to draw people in with any aroma. Believe it or not, that short conversation truly changed my life. If you have no idea how to buy perfume, pay attention to what I learned.
Fragrance Concentration Matters
During our conversation, the department store employee first explained that perfumes contain different fragrance concentrations, and these concentrations determine how “strong” the perfume smells. In fact, there are five main types of fragrance concentrations to choose from. Knowing this information can help you buy the right perfume for any occasion.
The strongest and longest-lasting — called “parfum” — contains a fragrance concentration of 15 to 40 percent. Although this concentration makes it the most expensive type of perfume, I love to wear parfum on evenings when I go out since the fragrance will last!
The lighter fragrances include eau de toilette (5 to 15 percent fragrance oil), eau de cologne (3 to 5 percent fragrance oil) and eau de fraîche (1 to 3 percent fragrance water). Since eau de fraîche is essentially just “fragrant water,” it only lasts a couple of hours. However, that makes it the perfect perfume for hot summer days and a great spray to re-apply.
It’s All About The Notes
In addition to fragrance concentrations, perfumes also consist of three “notes,” or unique scents within the perfume. The “top note” is the initial fragrance you smell when you first apply the perfume. Top notes usually consist of light, floral scents that last a very short time. When they disappear, you then smell the “heart notes” of the perfume. These fragrances are heavier and longer-lasting since they are the “heart,” or central scent, of the perfume. Eventually the heart notes fade as well, though, and all that remains are the “base notes.” These are the boldest, longest-lasting scents, and often determine the true character of the perfume.
After learning about the three notes of perfumes, I finally understood why I had a drawer full of fragrances I hated. Purchasing perfume requires time and careful consideration, but I often purchased them in a hurry without giving the perfume enough time to reveal all of the fragrances within. Therefore, I recommend that you give samples time to show their true character before you buy any new perfume.
Learn What You Like (And What You Don’t)
Although knowing how perfumes work is important, you also need to know what scents and fragrance characteristics you like. Do you like perfumes that smell flowery, fruity, fresh, mysterious, or Oriental? If you aren’t sure, then plan to spend some time learning about different scents and determining which you enjoy.
Additionally, any perfume you wear should match the season and the occasion. For example, a light, floral fragrance might not be the perfect choice for a cold, snowy day and a heavy musk might not work so well at an outdoor party on a balmy night.
After I learned more about perfume, I thoroughly enjoyed shopping for them. Instead of rushing out the door with something that smelled decent for the first few minutes, I took my time before I made my decision.
So take this new knowledge and hit up your local department store or cosmetics store. You just may walk away with your new favorite fragrance!
Feature Image by Valeria Boltneva from Pexels
