Which Perfume Should I Wear?

What Perfume Should I Wear?

Knowing what perfume to wear is not always easy. With so many different brands and “flankers” of the same scent, knowing which perfume to get yourself is challenging.

It goes without saying that your budget matters. How much we can afford to spend on perfume is often the first thing that crosses our minds.

Secondly, we would also like to know what perfume is right for us and the occasion. As a regular perfume buyer, I always advise men and women on what perfume to buy. One of the best pieces of advice I can give is that you should have a couple of different perfumes.

As long as you look after your perfume it will last several years, meaning you won’t constantly be having to buy new fragrances once you find one that suits you.

What Is the Best Size Perfume to Get?

Buying the right size perfume is important. If you have a go-to scent you like to wear every day, I recommend buying a large bottle.

Here’s a thing to bear in mind. If you like a particular scent, I recommend buying a perfume gift set. I am a big believer in perfume gift sets and go out of my way to buy them.

Using a body lotion as part of your morning or going-out routine helps to make the scent last longer. In gift sets, you often get a smaller bottle of the same scent. A smaller bottle of the same scent is perfect for your handbag, gym bag or weekend holder, and is great if you feel your scent start to fade through to day.

Most of us wear different perfumes for going out or on special occasions. As you are likely to use this perfume less, there is no reason why you should not buy a smaller bottle. You won’t be getting the same value for money from a small bottle, but you don’t want to have a big bottle of fragrance sat there for so long that you still haven’t reached the bottom in 5 years.

I like to have a couple of different special occasions perfume on standby. When it comes to daywear, I often choose a freshie perfume. For a date night, I like romantic, seductive or gourmand perfumes. On special occasions call on a perfume that not everyone is going to wear.

How Do I Know What Perfume Suits Me?

When you go out to buy perfume, it is best not to try too many in one go.

Personally, I read up about perfumes before I go shopping. It is important to know what notes you like. If you love magnolia, Issey Miyake makes a wonderful perfume.

It is important to try to understand what you are smelling. Perfumes are made up of essential oils. They all smell differently. In the perfume industry, we refer to them as notes or tones.

As you spray the perfume, see if you can figure out what notes you can smell.

Strong teas and coffees affect your sense of smell. So does spicy food and cooking a meal. Try to avoid strong and spicy tastes before going perfume shopping. That makes it easier for you to choose the perfume which is right for you.

Yes, the price matters. I know that it is easy to make the purchase price the main influencing buying factor. Once again, think about what you are purchasing. If you are thinking about buying a more expensive perfume, it is probably made from better quality ingredients. Used and looked after in the right way, it should linger for longer.

Always buy a perfume that suits your needs and appeals to you.

How Do You Pick A Perfume Without Smelling it First?

This is where perfume categories come into their own. Should you choose a freshie, romantic or special occasion perfume? Further down on this page, I am talking more about what perfumes fall under each category.

It is also good to know your scent palette. If you already have a perfume from the Marc Jacobs range, you may want to stay within that range. Daisy Eau So Fresh is great for the office or school run. For evening wear, you could opt for Marc Jacob Daisy Love.

Don’t rush into making a buying decision. Reading reviews is a good idea before you click on buy now.

Buying perfumes online saves money. It is also a great place to pick up perfume gift sets.

Should I Rub In the Perfume?

Rubbing in the perfume does not make it last longer. Many ladies rub perfumes thinking more fragrance is going to be released. All that happens is that the perfume is absorbed by the skin, and this can actually suppress some of the perfumes notes that needed that time to breathe.

If you have an eau de perfume, there is no reason why you should not put a few drops behind your ear. You should be careful when it comes to applying perfume to your neck as it may dry out your skin.

Spraying an eau de toilette on your hair is a good idea. When you move your hair about, the scent releases and wafts. It is a good idea to spray it on your wrists. If you think the perfume is not going to stain your clothes, you can spray it on your clothes.

Perfume Selections

If you want to know more about perfumes, you should explore the different categories of perfume

There is also something called the Fragrance Wheel or Perfume Families as perfumers like to call them. This is a bit like Color Me Beautiful but using fragrances instead.

On this page, we are taking a nitty and gritty look at what I call Freshies, Sweet, Romantic and Special Occasions perfumes.

Freshies

What are freshies? Freshies are great scents for wearing during the day. They are often uplifting and perk you up first thing in the morning and are great for summers days.

The most popular zingy notes in freshies are citrus including grapefruit and mandarine. Orange is often listed as a freshie note. Personally, I find orange a bit heavy for daytime wear. You can also count on bergamot and rosemary to lift you up in the morning. Many floral scents also make excellent fresh perfumes

Good examples of freshie scents include Dolce&Gabbana Light Blue. The scent has a nice range of light floral notes that starts the day off easily. It is perfect for the school run as well as the office.

Chloe Rose Tangerine is another daytime perfume I think works well as a Freshie. The tangerine notes pick you up and the rose tones add to the longevity of this scent.

Estee Lauder's range of fragrances is great when you want fresh notes. White Linen is a classic scent that is at home almost anywhere. It has a few sharp notes that will keep you on your toes until you had your second cup of coffee.

Modern Muse is another scent from Estee Lauder you may want to try, I like to call it fun-loving. It has nice floral notes with added woody depths.

Sweet Perfumes

What about sweet perfumes? If you like sweet fragrances, you should check out scents that contain a touch of vanilla. Floral scents are often sweet, but some berry essences can smell sweet in the right combination of essential oils.

Marc Jacobs Daisy is a classic with its range of floral notes. The Marc Jacob range of perfume has grown. It is an excellent brand with many fragrant surprises.

One fragrance many ignore when it comes to sweet perfumes is Viktor&Rolf Flowerbomb. Rose mixed with patchouli makes this perfume sweet and appealing. Let it linger and you soon discover freesia and bergamot. By the way, it comes in an absolutely gorgeous bottle.

Hugo Boss The Scent For Her is another fragrance which falls under the sweet category of perfumes. It offers plenty of fruity notes which make it sweet.

DKNY Be Delicious is another you should consider if you are buying for yourself or someone else. For some reason, this often left off the list of sweet scents. I don’t know why. It is a very feminine perfume with magnolia sweetness. At the same time, it is a bit sassy.

Date Night Perfumes

If you are going on a date, you are probably looking for a romantic perfume unless you want to be a femme fatale for the night. If you have a more adventurous night in mind, YSL Opium and Poison are perhaps your best choices. DKNY Tempted is another good choice.

When it is romance you are after, you are looking for slightly different notes. The choice of notes is varied. You are bound to find a perfume that suits you.

The notes and tones you should look out for are tonka bean and rose. These two notes are a match made in heaven. Lotus flower is another romantic fragrance which is a bit dreamy as well. White gardenia, ylang-ylang and amber are all classic romantic notes associated with romance.

When you want a more interesting romantic fragrance, you should look out for black currant and violet. Both essences have a slight edge to them which come through in a scent. You often find them blending with other sweeter more mellow notes.

Some say that lavender is romantic. Personally, I am not sure about that. But, I do think that lavender can add a sense of depth to a romantic scent. It just mustn’t be overbearing.

Popular romantic offerings include Good Girl Carolina Herrera, Armani Si and Mugler Angel Nova.

Mugler Angel Nova is one of those scents that you don’t smell a lot. Not only does it come in a beautiful bottle, but it also has a beautiful romantic scent of roses. Fruit notes along with a slight citrus fruit finish make this a perfume that will last the night.

The Good Girl Carolina Herrera range has many qualities to admire. It is slightly mysterious while offering elegant romantic nuances.

Armani Si has long been considered a romantic perfume. It is sparkling with a sweet finish offered by vanilla. In many ways, you can say Armani Si is soft and feminine. If you are shopping for Giorgio Armani romantic perfumes, you should also check out In Love With You.

Giorgio Armani has become one of my go-to perfumes for nights out. What can you expect from In Love With You? It is sweet and warm thanks to black cherry. The addition of patchouli makes it elegant. Let me just say that patchouli is one of those essences men pick up on. For some reason, I am almost always the only woman in the room wearing this scent. However, most men remark on how nice I smell.

Special Occasion Perfumes

What are special occasions perfumes? It depends a little bit on what you consider a special occasion. Perhaps it is a holiday or special day such as a wedding anniversary.

That does not mean you have to dash out and buy Amethyst Haze from Carolina Herrera. Giorgio Armani My Way is an excellent special occasion fragrance. White musk and vanilla from Madagascar make this scent interesting. Notes of tuberose and orange blossom add depth. It is a great scent for new beginnings thanks to its sparkling notes.

Thierry Mugler Angel Eau De Parfum is another special occasion fragrance you should look out for. First launched in 1992, it quickly became a hit. The first notes are oriental blended with the sweetness of honey. You will also pick up on sandalwood, patchouli and fruity notes including orange and melons. It is a rare scent and makes a great perfume for special occasions.

Jimmy Choo I Want Choo Forever is another choice when it comes to special occasions. It is sophisticated and fun at the same time giving vetiver a chance to play with pink pepper. Rich in energy and intensity, I Want Choo Forever is a very special perfume.

Final Thoughts

It is not easy to find the best perfume to wear. When my girlfriends ask me, I recommend they have one perfume of each category in their fragrance collection. Remember to look after your perfumes, keep them out of the sun and cool. Buy larger bottles of the scents you wear a lot and smaller bottles for special occasions perfumes.