To the question of what she wore to wore to bed, actress and beauty icon Marilyn Monroe coyly answered, “What do I wear in bed? Why, Chanel No. 5, of course.” This has become one of Marilyn’s signature quotes, just as Chanel No. 5 was Marilyn’s signature scent.
Every woman aspires to have a perfect scent, one that matches our personality and is fun, flirty and sensual. Perfume can be as much a part of your look as hair color, outfit choice and fashion accessories.
Just as some people are remembered for the couture handbags they carried, others are remembered simply for how they smelled. With just a spritz from a little glass bottle, you can create a lasting impression that reignites every time your scent wafts under their noses.
Here are four tips on how to pick that perfect perfume.
Similar to choosing the inspiration for your style, you have to choose a mood for your perfume. This comes in the form of notes. Every perfume you try will have a different combination of notes that come together to create a harmonious blend.
The Perfume website explains that top notes or head notes are the lightest of the three notes and is the scent that is recognized immediately after application. The middle notes or the heart notes last longer than the top notes and is “often a smooth combination of floral or fruit tones.” Lastly, the base notes are the final fragrance notes that appear “to provide the lasting impression,” says Perfume.
These three notes are comprised of a variety of scents. Some diverse examples include citrus, fruit, vegetable, nut, floral and spice. Citrus notes can range from orange to lemongrass. Fruit and nut notes can include anything from kiwi to hazelnut. Floral and green grassy notes are also two common categories. Spicy perfumes can have notes of cinnamon or allspice. Sweet and “Gourmand” notes like maple syrup, vanilla and cream became trendy starting in the ’90s. Woody notes, resin notes and musky notes are also quite common.
So before you choose your perfume, choose which notes will best match the mood you want to create.
Choosing the concentration for your perfume is almost as important as choosing the notes you like. The concentration of the scent can mark how strong the notes will stand out. There are four different concentrations of scents: parfum, eau de parfum, eau de toilette and eau de cologne. Parfum is the most concentrated and eau de cologne is the least concentrated of the fragrant oils.
Choose a concentration to match your daily habits. Parfum usually lasts all day and does not need a reapplication throughout the day, while eau de parfum usually lasts about six hours. Eau de toilette and eau de cologne usually require multiple spritzes throughout the day to keep the scent intact.
When it comes to picking a perfume – just like picking your style – go with your gut. What works for someone else may not work for you. Being a fan of Beyoncé or Taylor Swift does not mean that a perfume marked by these celebrities will work for you. If the scent gives you a headache or makes your nose itch, don’t buy it. No matter how cute the bottle is.
Harpers Bazaar suggests choosing a perfume that fits your personality. For example, if you’re “ladylike and elegant” woman, you will probably feel best in white floral scents like jasmine and lily. If you’re aiming to be a little more flirtatious, however, fruity notes like plum or passion fruit may be your go-to. But, if you have a bold personality, then you may need a “strong balance of feminine and masculine notes,” shares Harpers Bazaar. An example of this would be a combination of full floral scents like rose and jasmine, infused with deep clean wood notes like sandalwood and cedarwood.
So you think you’ve narrowed it down to two scents? They’ve got all the right notes, the right intensity and even a cute bottle. Well now, you need to see if you like wearing it. Vogue advises, “Never commit to purchasing a perfume unless you’ve worn it for at least eight hours.” In other words, try before you buy because its faded scent (or bottom notes) may not be as attractive as the top notes.
In stores, try spritzing the scent on your wrists. This is one of the areas with the most heat in your body. If you like how it smells at the end of the day as much as you did at the beginning, then you’ve found your perfect, signature scent.
