Looking for a scent refresh?
Here are 7 tips on finding – and properly wearing – the perfect aromatic brew for your next signature fragrance.
1. Make It Personal
Fragrance is a highly personal, invisible accessory that should reflect your individuality.
Just like your clothes, it should be a pleasure to wear, all while helping you express yourself to the world.
Never buy a scent focusing on pleasing others, no matter how much your partner loves it or how popular it is with other men.
Set the intention of pleasing yourself first, and others will naturally find it appealing.
2. Start with a Blank Canvas
Don’t confuse your nose.
Before fragrance shopping, make sure you don’t have on any other fragrances that would mingle with the new ones you’ll be testing out.
Showering beforehand with an unscented shower gel or soap is best.
But if yours has a scent (which is likely), the second-best thing is to make sure it’s not too strong. Better yet, let it wear off significantly before you head to the store.
3. Know Your Scent Profile
A scent profile is a fragrance’s essence, and what you prefer says a lot about your personality.
It spans from light and fresh to deeply indulgent: starting from bright citrus and fresh greens to warm woods, incense, spice, tobacco, and rich leather.
If these descriptions are too obscure for you, simply point to a bottle with an overall scent you like and ask the person at the counter for similar suggestions.
4. Determine the Intensity
Next comes the decision on the strength – or in liquor speak, the ‘proof’ – of the scent.
The more pure perfume oil in a bottle, the stronger the concentration and the longer it will last on your skin.
And more expensive.
Here’s the terminology and general concentration level of each scent strength:
Parfum (or Perfume): 20-30%
Eau de Parfum (EDP): 15-20%
Eau de Toilette (EDT): 5-15%
Eau de Cologne (EDC) or Cologne: 2-5%
Aftershaves and Splashes: 1-3%
The stronger the scent, the less you need... or you risk bombing the room and gagging yourself and everyone around you.
EDT and stronger strengths need no more than a drop or two (or a couple of very conservative sprays) on your 'pulse points' – like under your wrist and the back of your neck where you can feel your 'pulse.'
The warmth from these points helps carry the scent and makes it last.
The less concentrated versions can be used more liberally and are often worn together. For example, you can pair aftershave on the face with cologne on the body.
This creates a layered effect that, when combined, makes the scent more complex and longer-lasting.
Just don't overdo it.
5. Strip It before Touching, but No Rubbing Allowed
Now that you have a good idea of the fragrance profile and strength you prefer, it's time to try some out.
I recommend testing two – and no more than three or four – scents per shopping trip, or your head might blow up from sensory overload.
First, try the scent on a tester strip or take a whiff directly from the bottle to check if you like how it smells on first impression.
Never let the strip or bottle touch your nose while sniffing though. Otherwise, the scent molecules will stick to your nose and disrupt the rest of your testing day.
Like what you smell and want to proceed?
Dab directly or spray the potion on the underside of your wrist (the 'pulse point') from about 5 inches away.
If there's another scent in the running, repeat on the other wrist.
If you really must test a couple more, make it the creases of your elbow, where it's warm and functions much like the pulse points.
Once the scent(s) is on your skin, don't rub it in!
Premature rubbing breaks down the oils, stunting the fragrance's development and shortening its longevity.
Simply let it dry and set on its own.
6. Feel the Chemistry
After applying to the skin, a fragrance takes at least 15 minutes to gradually develop with your unique body chemistry.
This happens in 3 stages.
The first stage is the release of the 'top notes.' These are the initial notes you smell upon application and are lighter than the subsequent notes.
After that fades, the 'middle notes' follow, which should start creating a more complex olfactory experience.
Finally, the process ends several hours later with a 'dry down' to its final destination, or 'base note' – the fragrance's heart.
The scent will linger here until it fades away at the end of its life.
7. Take It Home Before You Buy
How the scent mixes and reacts to a person's body chemistry varies widely.
The same fragrance could open up beautifully on one person while turning rancid on another.
Plus, the only way to know if it complements you is to wait until the final dry down, which can take hours.
That's why it's best to spend the rest of the day monitoring how it dries down on your skin before you decide to buy.
Better still, see if you can get a sample to try for a few days to make sure it's the perfect fragrance for you.
No samples? No problem.
Most department stores should be able to make a free sample for you in a small vile that will last you several days.
That's plenty of time to know if you love it enough to make the final purchase.
Happy Fragrance Hunting
There you have it.
With these pointers, you're now equipped with a foolproof method to confidently discover your next signature fragrance.
Now go forth and find your perfect juice!