How to choose a fragrance?

1. 81

   kallini2010posted 13 years ago

   I really want to buy a fragrance for me.  But every time I try to make a choice I am either unhappy or just delay the decision.
   
   How do you make a decision?  I would appreciate any advice, the strategy "how to" or your personal favourites.  Men or women.  I do love men's fragrances for their clearer and fresher bouquet.
   
   Thank you all,

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      emmapad12posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      check my hub out...

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      tdebrickposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Hi kallini2010,
      
      Best thing to do is go into a perfume store and smell things on paper first. I work in the perfume business and I let people smell a little of every category. Once they have narrowed down a category then we work on picking two fragrances they love and trying it on each of their arm to see how well it goes with their BC (Body Chemistry).
      
      When getting a fragrance for the first time it is best to try to layering your perfume (body wash, lotion, and perfume) and please please DO NOT RUB YOUR PERFUME! When you rub it messes up the layers of the perfume.

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      marpaulingposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Its new to my knowledge that there 3 notes in every fragrance. Thanks for sharing.

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      funkyfanposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Sometimes, I will get some advices from my fris. Because, I have so many fris use fragrance. Maybe you can ask your fris to give you some suggestion. On the other hand, you also can go to the fragrance counter to try with fris. I think you will find the best smell for yourself.

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         kallini2010posted 13 years agoin reply to this

         At the risk of seeming obtuse, what is "fris"?  Friends?

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      TheBlondieposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      If you are unsure about what scent or brand to get, try wearing fragrance sprays first. They tend to be less expensive and lighter than most fragrances, so you can layer them to make them more noticeable or just put on a quick spritz to refresh. I like the ones from Bath and Body Works- they are pretty cheap and smell amazing- plus, not tested on animals! Dancing waters is great for spring, and Moonlight Path is a good evening scent. If you fall in love with one of them, Bath and Body Works also has every fragrance in perfume and lotion.

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      Kevin Peterposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Choosing a fragrance is a true emotional purchase which makes it a great thing. A fragrance reflects a person’s lifestyle and a new fragrance will be representative of new experiences and feelings. Your life evolves and changes constantly and the new fragrance you buy should express that change.

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   Gimmibobsavposted 13 years ago

   Know your preferred scents. If you cannot stand the smell of floral fragrances, you probably will not want to wear a gardenia perfume. Make a list of all the scents you love. Since there are even niche perfumes, you can add unusual smells like old books or tobacco.
   
   
   See what categories your preferred scents fall in. There are about 4 general categories of perfume scents. These include FRESH (citrus, marine, green grass/leaves), WOODY (woods and moss), FLORAL (rose, gardenia, jasmine), and ORIENTAL (spices, vanilla, patchouli).
   
   
   Start sniffing. Get yourself to a perfume counter or cosmetics store such as Sephora. Don't be afraid to tell a sales associate what scents you prefer. When you find scents you like, ask for a sample vial.
   
   
   Write down the perfumes that you like. Once you are home, you'll be able to research what accords (scents) are in them and you may discover that you like more scents than you previously thought. Also, hunt around for the best price. You'll probably find that department stores have the highest prices.
   
   
   Test drive the perfumes you enjoy. This is an absolute must. A fragrance may smell great in the bottle or spritzed in the air. Once it is on your skin, it could smell terrible. This is due to body chemistry. If you are having a hard time finding a sample vial of a particular fragrance, check on ebay.
   
   
   Wear your fragrance around friends. Ask for opinions. A signature fragrance is no good if it clears the room due to your body chemistry. Some fragrances may smell different on you depending on the weather and humidity, so keep that in mind.
   
   
   If you think you'd like a fragrance that is out of the ordinary, consider joining a forum for perfume lovers. You will be able to get recommendations for scents from other countries or indie perfumers. You may like the fragrance message board at
   
   Wear your fragrance with pride! Finding a signature scent may take awhile but eventually you will find your own awesome scent.

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   1. 81

      kallini2010posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you so much, your advice was most helpful.  I have started doing "my homework".  I did talk to the sales people and I was able to have some vials even though, she only gave me Guerlain for some reason but for different categories (fresh, floral & woody).
      
      So it is a beginning of a long process.
      
      And I started reading upon the subject.
      
      Thank you so much for your help,

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   ReadMyLipsFASHIONposted 13 years ago

   First you need to think about places or objects that you love the smell of, Lilies for example. Then you need to do some research into your favourite scents to short-list some potential perfumes or fragrances for yourself. Order a few samples of some possibilities that you short-list and try them out, that way you're not wasting too much money, and by the end of the process you'll know which fragrances are for you, and which aren't.
   Hope this helped x

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   Kathy1945posted 13 years ago

   Keep in mind that Perfume is like music it sets moods.  Thats why you need to have a variety of fragrances that are pleasing to yourself so that you can set a mood. 
   
   You have to make selections on which fragrance to use for various situations. For example you may like to fragrance that sets a mood for romance, or laid back, slow moving relaxed.  If you were going to atend a meeting where you have opportunity to give imput, and you want to command somewhat of an authoratitave position you would not want to choose the romantic fragrance but rather you would want a bold strong fresh fragrance.  You can't pick fragrances with just your nose you have to use your head also.
   Remember Perfume is like music.

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      kallini2010posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you, Kathy.
      
      It might be like music, even though I don't feel it.  Or correction, I know how my moods can change, but I would rather make a decision to wear or not to wear "my" perfume today.  The fragrance doesn't disappear, it lingers on clothes, so I would not want to mix different ones just to avoid dissonance.
      
      I know that some people have multiple fragrances, which is perfectly fine, different people, different tastes,  but I am searching for "mine", the one that will come across as a signature.  At least for some time until I decide to change.  Our sense of smell is very acute, it makes us remember things that are long gone, it is amazing.
      
      Thank you for advice, your comparing fragrances to music is very poetic.

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5. 61

   RDSPhDposted 13 years ago

   Go into a mall and start trying fragrances, I tried dozens of them until I just found the right fragrance and now I will never switch again
   But it's also important to know that there are always several editions of good perfumes, some of them are more light and others have a  "heavier" scent. There might also be some special seasonal or sport editions. So just try them and you will instantly know when you've found the right perfume for you. You just "feel"/"smell" it

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6. 81

   camloposted 13 years ago

   There are many Hubs that tell you how to go about choosing a perfume, and even some that show you how to make your own according to your preferences.

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   Home Girlposted 13 years ago

   That's why they have test bottles in big stores, try it, wear it, feel how you like it or not.

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   Flightkeeperposted 13 years ago

   If you don't like any of the women's fragrances then don't get one.  Smell is a personal thing.  Most of the perfumes I have I got because I liked it right away.  If you like men's fragrances, I say go for it.  The only way that you're gonna like a perfume is if you smell it, and if it doesn't grab you at first sniff, chances are you're better off not buying it.

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   Ellarose92posted 13 years ago

   when i go to a store i ask for as many samples as i get and the ones you dont like you can always do giveaways to a friend or a hubber!
   
   Also another thing you can do is go to a shop wear you can make your own scent which can be really fun!!

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    MarciaBuieposted 13 years ago

    I used to work in fragrances, I learned that fragrances have 3 notes: top, heart, base...the Base is what you need to be compatible with. It usually takes about 30 min for your fragrance to get to this base (last) level of the fragrance. I advise trying on 1 fragrance that you think you like and going home with it on, see how your senses react (if you get nauseous, headache ectera) and do this until you find the one you like *note you can also ask for samples* I know it sounds time consuming..but it beats being stuck with a $50-$80 fragrance that you hate..hope this helps!!!

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    chrissie123posted 13 years ago

    I always test it on myself because all perfumes truly do smell different on different people. I also know my favorite scent types,I love fruity smells over floral. I am also fond of coconut scent in a perfume.

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    mysistersposted 13 years ago

    Perfume is a tough decision. There are so many to choose from and each have such different scents. What I would recommend doing is going to the department store and getting a bunch of sample scents, take them home and try and get used to each smell and see which one you really like.

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    Bellamieposted 13 years ago

    When sampling fragrances you want to be sure you aren't already wearing something.  Place fragrance on "hot spots", which would be wrist, neck, inside elbow, forearm, behind ear,etc.  Try not to let fragrances mingle.  Your own body chemistry makes or breaks a fragrance, so each fragrance will smell slightly different on everyone that wears it.

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    fragranceetcposted 12 years ago

    Masculine Scents
    
    Spicy
    Spicy notes in a fragrance, such as cinnamon, ginger, frankincense, and myrrh, can warm up even the coldest of nights. The scents evoke memories of baking – especially holiday baking – and warm memories for many women, which can be a powerful turn on. In fact, cinnamon, has long been thought to generate sexual arousal in both men and women.
    
    Citrus
    Clean and invigorating, the tangy scent of citrus, such as lemon, lime, orange, lemongrass, and red grapefruit gives men that fresh-out-of-the-shower scent, a smell that many women find appealing. Just don’t overdo it, or you might smell like the produce department!
    
    Clean
    The clean smell of fresh laundry, soap, or shampoo can have a powerful impact on women who enjoy the fresh smell. Clean scents can be energizing and uplifting, giving women a sense of calm, which can then lead to an increase in sexual desire and attraction.
    
    Musk
    A staple for most men’s colognes, musk is a rich, sexy, and sensual scent that drives many women wild. The scent is masculine in every sense, and is one that many women choose for their men to wear, as well as a popular choice for men themselves. When musk oil was first discovered, it was said to have unusual powers of sexual attraction. Today’s musk colognes are based on this oil, which was originally derived from musk deer.
    
    Earthy
    Earthy scents like sandalwood, patchouli, and rosewood are strong scents commonly associated with masculinity. The earthy aroma can warm the body and increase feelings of well-being, thereby increasing a woman’s desire for a sexual encounter. Sandalwood, in fact, resembles andosterone, which is a chemical that is secreted from the underarms of human males. Scientific studies have concluded that women subconsciously link the scent of sandalwood with andosterone, thus elevating attraction and sexual desire to men wearing that scent.

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    hubsyposted 12 years ago

    You've gotten some pretty good advice so far. I just wanted to say that you should remember that different perfumes smell different on different people. Depending on your skin and your pores, a perfume can smell better on some than others. Make sure you give the perfume a chance to set into your skin and then smell it and see if you like it.

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