Last week I went away on a hen weekend, armed with what I thought everything I needed for the two nights I was away.
Sadly, whilst getting ready for the first night out, I realised that my favourite perfume had run out and I didn’t have anything to replace it with.
For that evening, I borrowed my daughter’s fragrance, but it didn’t really work for me, so I headed to the shops the next day to see what I could find.
How to choose the right perfume
I find choosing the perfect fragrance a daunting experience, especially when the staff at the perfume counters give you the hard sell, or thrust half a dozen perfume tester cards at you.
Think about scents you like
We all have scents we like in everyday life, freshly cut grass, coffee, your shampoo – these all serve as a great starting point to finding your ideal scent and you can search for perfumes containing them.
Perfumes consists of different “notes” which determine the overall scent. These notes consist of three different layers called base, top or head, and middle or heart notes, and they all work in synergy to create a specific smell.
For me, I like a fresh citrus or vanilla based scent, but there are also floral, musk, oriental and woody scents to choose from.
How long do you want the fragrance to last?
Fragrances come in four different levels of concentration. As the concentration gets higher, the price usually gets higher as well. Typically, colognes or perfumes with high concentration have a more powerful scent and last longer, however, they can be a bit pricey.
- Perfume or parfum – will last all day with just one application to the wrists or pulse points
- Eau de parfum – can typically last about six hours after application
- Eau de toilette – typically requires more than one application throughout the day to get it to last
- Eau de cologne – only lasts for a couple of hours.
Think about where you are wearing it
I tend to opt for a lighter floral or citrus scent during the day, but prefer something a little musky and heavier for a night out.
If you are on a budget, you could opt for an all-rounder, but if you can afford it it is nice to have a perfume for daytime and another for nights out and special occasions.
Try before you buy
There is no doubt that scents develop and change when on our skin. We all have our own unique code of hormones and pheromones that can alter the way a fragrance smells, so it is important to try perfumes on skin first. The pulse points on your wrist is the ideal spot, but it don’t rub, as rubbing the scent creates heat that will break up the molecules faster, so the fragrance won’t last as long.
Obviously, you only have two wrists, which won’t work if you want to try several different fragrances, so could spray the perfume tester cards with your initial choice and then choose your favourite two to try on your wrists.
Ask for a fragrance sample
Many department stores and perfume shops hold fragrance samples, which give you the opportunity to try the perfumes at home and see how they work for you over a longer period of time.
Shop around
Perfumes can be expensive, but once you have found your perfect scent, you can shop around to find the best price. parfumdreams, at parfumdream has a range of over 850 brands and include current trend products as well as the top well known brands and all at great prices.