7 Simple Tips for Finding Your Signature Scent

Signature scents have a way of becoming a strong personal identifier. To those around you, it can be a subconscious way they’ll remember you. That being said, how many of us are still using the same perfume we started using in college? Considering there are literally thousands of fragrance options on the market, choosing your signature scent can be a bit overwhelming. And while having a signature scent is a great way to streamline your routine, who’s to say you couldn’t have more than one signature fragrance to add to your collection? So, if you’re new to perfumes and have not yet defined which fragrances you like, or if you’re looking for a fresh new addition to your fragrance wardrobe—I’m here to help!

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Know What You Like

Some perfumes overlap more than one fragrance family, but knowing what you like quickly narrows down your search for a signature perfume. For example, I know that if a perfume has strong vanilla notes, I’m more than likely going to love it. You may be more drawn to more feminine scents like florals. Or spicy fragrances, which tend to be warmer and sultrier. There’s a large range of olfactory cocktails to choose from and therefore something for everyone.

Understand What You’re Smelling

Here’s a little crash-course of the different scent categories to help you understand basic terms and help express what you like. A word to the wise while browsing and sniffing—If you have to ask yourself if you like something, you probably don’t.

• Floral: Floral encompasses everything from white florals like gardenia, lilies and ylang, to deeper florals like roses, violets, and peonies.
• Citrus: This tends to be a lighter scent, reminiscent of spring or summertime. Think lime, lemon and oranges.
• Musk: This may sound very masculine and animalistic, but musk is actually a clean-laundry scent.
• Smoky: As the name implies, it smells like a burning campfire, fragrant cedar chips, or a blown-out match.
• Woody: These scents can range from a creamy nutty flavor, to sandalwood, to spicy and dank like patchouli, to cedarwood.
• Aquatic: These scents are meant to remind you of a fresh, clean feeling after a bubble bath or a day at the Mediterranean Sea.
• Oriental: Think incense sticks from your teen years. It can be slightly powdery with a hint of spice or sweetness.
• Green: If you’re into the chalky aftertaste of a wheatgrass shot as well as dewy moss on a spring morning, this is your scent.

$75 vs $350 Fragrances

Yes, sometimes you’re buying the fashion house’s name, but it’s actually a little more complex than that. Cheaper fragrances tend to have top notes that are initially very strong but then fade quickly over the course of the day. More expensive fragrances have the complexity of top notes and heart notes. A top note lasts about 20 minutes and is your first impression of the fragrance. The heart lasts for the better part of the day. This is why some scents actually evolve and give off a different scent throughout the day. They also tend to have longer-lasting power.

Consider How It Makes You Feel

When wearing your signature scent, do you want to feel sexy? Do you want to feel playful? Take this into consideration as you take turns sniffing fragrances before settling on the one. When you spray on the scent, you should know almost immediately if the smell puts a little wicked smile on your face or makes you feel special.

Spend Time with It

Perfumes smell differently on everyone, thanks to our unique body chemistry. How a fragrance smells on a paper sampler or sprayed into the air won’t give you an accurate depiction of how it settles onto your skin. Before purchasing a full-sized perfume, I’ve been known to spray it on my wrists and walk around the mall for a few hours before deciding. If you’re ordering online, get a sampler or travel-sized bottle to experience several scents for a few days before deciding to commit.

Avoid Fragrance Fatigue

Once you’ve found your signature scent, it’s important to break up your nose’s perception. You do this by alternating with a different fragrance or skipping perfume altogether once or twice a week. This will help keep the scent smelling fresh to you and keep you from burning out on your new fave.

Have Fun with It

Perfume is very much like fashion. You might love something for one occasion that wouldn’t work in another. There may be certain fragrances that you wear only on special occasions. And sometimes, the right scent, like the right clothes, is just the thing to boost your mood and confidence. Perfumes, like your wardrobe, are an extension of expression of yourself.

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**Fragrance images courtesy of fragrantica.com