5 tips to choose your signature scent

Before heading towards the beauty counter, here are a few tips to help select the right fragrance for you

The fortunate ones among us are born with a sense of smell that helps us identify different scents. Besides our signature aroma, we use various perfumes that leave a lasting impression on other's memory.

But sometimes we fail to find that one particular fragrance which accentuates our personality. Here's a basic guideline to find the perfect scent:

The following tips from Designmom and Vogue will help you pick your perfect perfume:

1. Narrow down your list

Before you head towards the beauty counter, make sure you are aware of the different categories in order to simplify your options. There are 'absolutes', pure, natural extracts and oils from flowers and herbs such as pure rose oils that cost you a lot. You should know these terms like the back of your hand when you head to the perfume store:
'Eau de Cologne' is a lighter and refreshing mixture of three to five per cent oil, mostly citrus, with alcohol and water.
'Eau de Toilette' contains a similar proportion of oil or slightly above than the former but is solely mixed with alcohol.
A higher percentage of oil mixed with alcohol is called 'Eau de Parfum'.
And then comes 'Perfume', the most expensive as it contains 15 to 30 per cent perfume oil mixed with alcohol.



PHOTO: THEFRAGRANCESHOP

2. Discover the family

The scents are classified according to their predominant characteristics and you need to find out which type of perfume you will enjoy the most. Women can choose from a diverse range:

Floral: that is feminine and sweet such as Chloe by Chloe, Flower by Kenzo and Flowerbomb by Victor & Rolf.

PHOTO: VOGUE

Citrus: such as Jo Malone Lime, Basil & Mandarin, Guerlain Eau de Guerlain for boost of freshness in summers.



PHOTO: VOGUE

Oriental: seductive and spicy with notes of incense, amber and vanilla such as  Yves Saint Laurent’s Opium, Givenchy Organza or Dior’s Poison.



PHOTO: VOGUE

Wood: while men can opt from different sub-groups within these families, Wood based scents such as those of cedar tables and wood fires and Orientals can be a better option to choose from. Women can also use woody scents by trying some unisex fragrances such as Tom Ford’s Tobacco Vanille or anything by Comme Des Garçons.



PHOTO: FLICKR

3. Keep more options

You can always have a variety of perfumes under one family to wear according to season or occasion. It is preferable to wear floral and sweet during day-time and oriental and woody in the evenings. You can easily wear strong scents in winters and light in summers to avoid overwhelming others around you.



PHOTO: WORDPRESS

4. Suggest and choose carefully

Before endorsing someone else's perfume, always remember that each one of us has a distinctive body chemistry. A same perfume as your friend or family member can smell slightly or complete different on you.
Also you should not be fooled by the smell of the tester spray when it is spritz on the card as it will smell different on your skin. Take your skin type into account before choosing a particular scent. If your skin is dry, the dissipation will be quicker. So, choose a highly concentrated perfume.
Last but not the least, wear a perfume for at least eight hours before committing to it.



PHOTO: ALLWOMENSTALK

5. Lasting hours

The lasting factor of any fragrance on the body depends on the area to which it is applied. Avoid the hassle of re-applying your perfume during the day by wearing it on your pulse points including center of the neck, behind the ear, inner wrists, and behind the knee. Spritz the perfume into the air and walk through it for a lighter scent.
You should also be careful as some of these scents leave a stain on your clothes. In this case, spray the perfume on bare skin.
Another tip to make your perfume last longer is to apply a little amount of petroleum jelly on your skin where you wear perfume.



PHOTO: MAKEOVERLY