Whether it’s for you or for someone else, choosing a fragrance can be complicated. Wondering where to start? Here’s a short guide to help you find the right fragrance for your personality!
Perfume is like music: in both cases, the goal is to produce a harmonious chord composed of multiple elements that together create a unique signature (and experience).
In perfumes, this chord usually consists of three notes:
When you try a fragrance, be patient before making a decision: you want to see—or rather, smell!—how it unfolds, and how it sits on your skin.
Five fragrance shopping tips
1. Try it in the morning: your sense of smell will be more neutral and able to detect subtle notes more easily.
2. Avoid wearing other scented products (hand cream, body moisturizer, etc.), which may alter the aromas.
3. Reset your nose between tries by sniffing coffee beans or going outside for some fresh air.
4. If you like how a fragrance smells on a paper slip, be sure to spray it on your skin as well to see how it behaves. The results are not the same from one person to another.
5. When applying perfume to your wrists, do not rub them together: friction causes evaporation and can affect the result.
Perfume, eau de parfum, eau de toilette and eau de Cologne: what are the differences?
What differentiates these products is their concentration of pure perfume. Indeed, each of them is composed of a base concentrate (or pure perfume) which is diluted in alcohol. The higher the concentration, the longer the fragrance lasts on the skin.
Here are the concentrations of each product:
Each olfactory family has its characteristic aromas. Which one is right for you? It all depends on your nose—and your personality!
1
Floral fragrances for women often contain notes of white lily, hyacinth, jasmine, rose, or lilac. Those for men tend to include a middle note of lavender, violet, or geranium, enhanced with wood or spices.
Floral scents are good choices for gentle personality types who seek comforting aromas with a touch of romance.
2
These often contain citrus notes, such as lemon, bergamot, or grapefruit.
Bright and fresh, hesperidin scents are a good match for dynamic, bubbly individuals.
3
Oriental scents tend to contain notes of vanilla, cinnamon, or coriander, that exude warmth and sensuality. Today, oriental scents tend towards sweeter notes, reminiscent of chocolate or even caramel.
They’re good choices for adventurous souls who love exoticism.
4
Inspired by Chypre, a perfume created by François Coty in 1917, these fragrances often contain notes of bergamot, jasmine, rose, patchouli, or oakmoss. They evoke bouquets of lichen and greenery.
Chypre scents are good choices for one-of-a kind personalities, who can easily adopt their complex profile and make it their own.
5
These often contain notes of cedar, sandalwood, or vetiver, reminiscent of the spirit of the forest.
Wood scents are good choices for elegant and discreet personality types.
6
Featuring tanned leather accents, these fragrances often contain notes of honey, tobacco, or birch.
With their bold aromas, leather scents are good choices for calm, confident individuals who exude quiet strength.
7
These tend to contain notes of sage, basil, or mint. No, fern fragrances don't smell like ferns!
Fern scents are good choices for athletic types: their subtle essences make you feel like you’ve just stepped out of the shower!
Last updated on November 28, 2022
Want to give a fragrance to someone you love? Buying a perfume for the first time or looking to try something new? Be sure to speak with our cosmetic specialists: they can help you make the right choice!
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