How to Select a Perfume

One of the best sellers throughout the world is perfume. Rather than just accept what the magazines tell us, remember when it comes to perfume, we are all different--we like different scents and we wear them in different ways.Purchasing a perfume need not be an overwhelming experience but you should take your time to find the scent that is perfect for you.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Write down some of your favorite scents regardless of how silly they seem. Write them down before you shop for perfume. Chocolate, cinnamon, roasted chestnuts, the ocean or lavender may appeal only to you. With what you know to be your favorite aroma, seek for similarities to them while shopping.

2. Impression counts but don't be swayed by the packaging or the attractions of displays in department stores. There are three characteristics of perfumes to note. The initial one is your first impression; the second is the body of the perfume after a minute on your skin; the third is the way the scent lingers afterward.Be confident and hit the counters daily and try a sample of only one scent a day keeping a diary on the ones you've tried. By the end of the week, select your preferences, and eliminate the rest.

3. Use your nose to find a scent you adore. It can be as basic as patchouli oil or as extravagant as a bottle of Hermes' 24 Faubourg. The invisible scent should be a self portrait of your own personal style, so choose the one that is truly appropriate for you.Live with a perfume on your own body chemistry. Also, take in consideration other factors. The temperature in your area can help you somewhat narrow down the selection, as warmer weather calls for lighter fragrances, whereas the cold might suggest more intimate, heavy and warmer aromas.

4. Handle the occasion such as intimate dinner suggests a different aroma to a family get-together. Some of the older named perfumes should not be overlooked in your endeavor. With the staying power of many being popular for more than a hundred years, there must be something to their formulas.

5. Travel and take note to look for perfume shops off the beaten path. Some countries in exotic places carry perfume oils that can be very appealing and inexpensive. Set the trend by wearing an unknown scent or one your formulated yourself with these oils.Buy small and build your fragrance wardrobe. Perfume lasts up to 18 months and longer when tightly sealed. Place your winter scents in the refrigerator during the warmer weather to help them last.

6. Still indecisive to what you think will work for you--then check out the duty free shop at the airport. They sell sets of five or six sample sizes as a package at a nominal price and this will give you the opportunity to adjust to one fragrance for a few days and then another.

Tips & Warnings

• Those with oily skin can get away with less perfume than those with dry skin, who need to add more.
• If you choose a perfume that is an Eau de toilette or Eau de cologne, the concentration of perfume oil or scent is going to be lighter than that of an actual perfume. The price will be less than perfume.
• A perfume with your favorite celebrities name was not created by them and is only endorsed for the company.
• Avoid having an overpowering scent or wearing too much.

Resources

• All About Perfume