Tips for Choosing the Right Fragrance

In honor of National Fragrance Day on March 21, we're offering up some tips to help you choose the right fragrance (or perfume). The perfume aisle is overcrowded with scents, sprays, and bottles, so how can you quickly choose something you like every time?

Read on for our top tips to choose a perfume you love:

1. Body Sprays, Eau de Parfums, and Eau de Toilettes: You may have heard these terms tossed around before. The main difference between the three is the concentration of fragrance oil in each one, which determines how long the scent lasts. Eau de Parfums (EDP) are the longest lasting at 6-12 hours with 15-25% oil. Eau de Toilettes (EDT) last around 3-6 hours with 5-15% fragrance oil, and body sprays last 1-2 hours with only 1-3% fragrance oil. When choosing a perfume, you'll want to decide how long you need the fragrance to last. EDPs, with the highest concentration of fragrance oil, are more expensive but are great for evening and cold weather wear to ensure your scent is strong and lasts. EDTs offer a lighter scent and work best for daily use, especially in warmer weather; they are also less expensive than EDPs. Body sprays, with the lowest concentration of fragrance oil, are good for a quick scent refresh, layering with other scents, and other casual functions where you don't need your scent to last. They are also the most budget-friendly of the fragrance options.

2. Find Your Preferences: Not sure where to start? Fragrances are grouped into families, so that may help narrow down your search. Think about what types of scents you normally gravitate toward, and start there, but also consider your lifestyle: Do you have lots of classic, timeless pieces in your wardrobe? Sophisticated, elegant floral fragrances may be your best bet (think Chanel No. 5). If you have a bohemian, creative spirit, consider fragrances that are warm, amber-rich, and spiced (Tom Ford Black Orchid). If you're a minimalist at heart and love a clean, fresh scent, try gravitating toward "less is more" fresh fragrances with citrus or sea salt notes (Creed Silver Mountain Water).

   1. Floral: Romantic, feminine scents with notes of rose, lily, or jasmine

   2. Fresh: Energetic, uplifting scents with notes like citrus (lemon or bergamot), sea salt, or herbs

   3. Woodsy: Grounded, sophisticated, and earthy scents with notes of cedar, sandalwood, and patchouli

   4. Spiced/Amber: Warm, sensual, rich scents with notes like vanilla, spices, and resins

   5. Gourmand: Comforting, sweet scents with edible notes of chocolate, coffee, or vanilla

3. Consider the Season: How often and where are you going to wear the fragrance? Just on occasion to the movies, or every day at the office? Do you want something that matches the season (darker, spiced scents for fall and winter and bright fruity, floral scents for spring and summer) or something that's classic enough for you to wear every single day? Answering these questions will also help determine whether you want an EDP, EDT, or body spray.

4. Understanding Fragrance Composition: You'll often hear this described as the "notes". Fragrance is designed to evolve over time, usually unfolding in three layers. The top notes are what you smell immediately, which can be light and fleeting, and only last a few minutes. The heart, or middle notes, of the fragrance appear after the top notes fade and last a few hours. This is the core of the perfume. The base notes are the richest, most long-lasting elements that anchor the perfume and typically last several hours to all day. When you know the fragrance family that you're drawn to, you can read the notes like a pro to determine whether you'll like the scent.

5. Test, test, test: You've narrowed down your fragrance family and have found a few scents you think you'll like. Do not make your final decision after smelling a fragrance just on a paper strip. Your body chemistry is unique and will change how the fragrance develops, so start with no more than three scents at once and apply a spritz to your pulse points (inner wrists or elbows). Allow the scent to dry down for 30-45 minutes to smell the true scent, not just the top notes, and avoid rubbing your wrists together, as this alters the fragrance. Mark down which scent you placed where so you don't forget, as it's easy to feel overwhelmed by all the options and forget later on.

6. Try a Sample or Discovery Kit: Small samples and discovery kits will help you learn if you really like the scent before you splurge on that expensive EDP, only to find out it gives you a headache later in the day or starts to smell funky on you. Spray the fragrance on, go about your day, and see how it interacts with your body. Then you'll know whether to buy a full size bottle or not. Plus, discovery kits can help find multiple scents for different occasions, like everyday, formal, or seasonal.

If you're looking for essential oil fragrances, Salon Patrice offers custom blends. Read more about essential oils here, or call the salon at (815) 223-8643 for more information. Find our full list of services here.