TIPS & TRICKS
What Your Perfume Says About You.
Just like our clothes, makeup and hairstyles, changing perfumes from time to time is a must. Whether you’re looking for a new signature scent for your daily wear or something a little special and sentimental, here’s what you need to know about finding the perfect perfume and what your fragrance says about you.
START WITH A SCENT PROFILE
The first step (and arguably the most important in our humble opinion) is to figure out which of the primary
scent profiles speak to you. But what’s a scent profile, you ask? That’s a great question and we’re glad you asked.
According to perfume guru and fountain or fragrance knowledge Michael Edwards, there are four main groups or categories that all scents sit within: floral, fresh, woody and oriental. As with all things in life, some perfumes are firmly true to their category, while others straddle between two profiles.
As a general rule of thumb, oriental perfumes are considered to be exotic and slightly mysterious and are known for their warmth and pleasing intensity (think colognes, and warmer, heavier scents). Woody fragrances, meanwhile, mix freshness and warmth (some of the best unisex and gender-neutral perfumes are found within the woody fragrance family). Floral scents offer the timelessness of perfect blooms and a sense of nostalgia (Chanel, we’re looking at you). Fresh fragrances are a one-way ticket to your favourite summer holiday, complete with crisp clean sheets and the perfect lemon tart (hello, summer breeze)!
FIGURE OUT YOUR PREFERRED FRAGRANCES
Deciding on a scent profile as a first step will help to eliminate the fragrance groups that aren’t speaking to you and allow you to go deeper into finding your new fragrance. Say you choose floral as your scent profile, for example. Within that, you have options of perfumes that are floral and fruity or soft florals, pure florals or florals that straddle the oriental profile. Within the fresh scent profile, however, fragrances are based more on citrus, aromatics, greens and water.
From there, you’re on the home stretch, with specific scent preferences coming into play. If you love sandalwood, vetiver or patchouli, a fragrance from the oriental notes family is for you. But if you’re more inclined to oakmoss, amber or vetiver, it’s best to opt for a woody fragrance.
Once you’ve figured out the specific scents you love, it’s time to get down to business and find a fragrance that contains what you love, in an order that works.
TOP, MIDDLE AND BASE
The top, middle and base notes refer to the order in which the scents of your perfume are ordered.
In a nutshell, the top notes are what hits first when you are smelling a perfume. It’s the immediate punch that gets you seriously excited or saying ‘next’. And while top notes are important when it comes to an immediate attraction, the middle and base notes should be what really make or break the love affair.
These “further down” scents are what last the longest and linger for the duration of your wear once the top notes have worn off. They’re what you will smell the longest, so finding a combination that speaks to you and the occasion is essential.
THE END GAME
Finding a new perfume can be like magic in a bottle. Because just like our clothes, makeup and hairstyles, perfumes are more than a mood – they’re another part of who you are and the power to transport us back in time, conjure up magic memories, and create some pretty great ones along the way, too.
Whether it’s long days, first dates, a night out with your friends or walking down the aisle, the perfect scent captures the moment. So bring on the next chapter!
Want to find your next favourite fragrance?
Use our fragrance wheel here.
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