How to Pick a Perfume

Everyone likes to smell good. However, different people have different opinions on what smells good. With patience and an honest second opinion, you'll be smelling great in no time!

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Time
• Patience
• An honest second opinion

1. First of all, take inventory of smells you like. Most perfumes fall into the categories of floral, fruity, or musky. It helps to know what scents you like before you go to the store as you will get overwhelmed by the many strong smells there and decision making is difficult.
2. When you have an idea as to what you like, head down to the mall and make a bee-line for Sephora. This place is nice because you have free reign of the store and the sales people pretty much leave you to browse in peace.
3. There's no getting around it. Use the paper pieces they have there, spray a small amount, away from you, shake the excess. Give the alcohol a chance to evaporate before you sniff, it will smell more like it should. Don't bring it right up against your nose, you'll have difficulty smelling other things after.
4. If you find a smell you like, spray a bit on your wrist. Walk around a bit. Eat a cookie. Browse the lipsticks. Let the perfume and your own body chemistry mesh. Sometimes, just because a perfume smells good on someone else, doesn't mean you'll like it on you. Also, it will give you a chance to smell it the way it will when you wear it: away from other smells and on your skin.

Tips & Warnings

• Cosmetic counters are a great place to find help if you know which scents you like. They can point you in the right direction.
• There are many drug store brands that smell just as good as department store brands. You don't have to pay a lot to smell good.
• If you choose to go to a cosmetic counter at a department store, remember they get paid on commission and might lie to make a sale. Bring an honest second opinion.