Different perfumes suit different bodies so how can you find the right one for you?
You don’t need to be an expert in aromatherapy to know that the smells that surround you can change the way you feel – and how other people feel about you. But when you’re choosing a perfume, you can use one important principle that aromatherapists swear by: let your instincts be the guide to what you really need. The smell that you’re drawn to, the sample bottle you keep coming back to, is probably exactly right for your personality.
Having said that, you should stick to some rules as you narrow down your options…
Be selective
For starters, don’t walk through the door of a department store or perfume shop and start squirting every tester on the shelf. Scents have three layers or notes: the top note, which is the rough-and-ready instant-impact smell that hits you first; a middle note, which develops over the next few minutes as the topnote mellows, and the basenote, which might not reveal itself until hours later. If you’re serious about finding the perfect scent, and especially if you’re willing to spend a good chunk of cash on the right one, then you should try no more than two at a time, then walk away and see how they develop over the course of the day.
The short-cut to perfume wisdom
If talk of ‘topnotes’ and ‘basenotes’ all sounds a bit complicated, just think in more simple terms.
Most fragrances fall into one of five categories: floral (youthful and feminine), fruity (spicy and warm), woody (sophisticated and earthy), green (neutral and contemporary) and oriental (strong and sensual).
If you’re buying perfume for a seductive night in, your best bet might be a musky, oriental scent; if you want something clean and pleasant for work, try a green perfume. If you think about it as you ‘sniff’ you’ll soon get a feel for what the difference is between a ‘green’ scent and an ‘oriental’ one.
You don’t have to be married to your scent!
Don’t feel you have to stick to one perfume at all times – you can develop a wardrobe of different options, just like you do with your clothes. And bear in mind that you might need a more intense fragrance for winter, when the cold will inhibit the scent, or at times when your skin is dry.
Think about the mix
Finally, don’t forget that your perfume will also be swapping notes with your deodorant, handcream, shampoo and even your fabric softener. If a perfume you love suddenly starts smelling different, it could be fighting with another product you’re using, so check what you’ve changed recently.