A signature scent serves as your identity. A fragrance linger on clothes, in rooms and in the air, announcing your arrival or departure, triggering thoughts like: Jire is here! Do you aim to achieve this goal? then finding and wearing a signature scent is a must!
Finding that signature scent is not as simple as walking into a perfume store, sniffing every single scent on display. It is more complicated than that. Perfume descriptions are useless for determining whether a smell suits you, as a matter of fact, they leave you more confused than ever. How then can you find that elusive, signature fragrance? The simple answer to that question is to trust your nose, follow your instincts and commit to these tips to finding a signature scent.
1. KNOW THE FRAGRANCE NOTES
First, you need to know what you’re buying, If you’re going to find your signature scent. Every scent is composed of a top note, a heart (middle) note and a base note in that order.
The top notes are usually composed of clean, fresh florals, citrusy and fruity smell. They are the most notable scent on first spray, however, they evaporate fast, about 10 minutes after spray.
The Heart (middle) notes are apparent after the top notes. They are usually green, herbaceous or spicy smell that becomes apparent as the top notes starts to fade. They are the most dominant part of the scent and usually last for about 30 minutes.
At the bottom of the scents are the base notes. They are the underlying smells that form the foundation of the scent. They are usually earthy smells like chocolates, woods, and musks. They last for the longest out of the other two notes. They become detectable after half an hour and they can last for two hours to a whole day.
2. CONSIDER FRAGRANCE CONCENTRATION
There are different versions of every fragrance, so you have to know and choose the one that works for you.
An Eau Fraiche is the weakest version of a fragrance and usually only lasts for up to an hour.
Followed by Eau de Cologne which is typically composed of 2 – 4% perfume oils in alcohol and water and will last for about two hours.
Next is Eau de Toilette, which is about 5 – 15% strength, and will generally last for about three hours. It’s olfactory structure is a bit more fresher and lighter than eau de parfum.
Eau de Parfum is more concentrated containing around 15 – 20% pure perfume essence, and lasts for anything between four and eight hours.
Perfume oil is the strongest (hence the most expensive) version of a fragrance. It’s undiluted pure essence and has an oily feel. They usually last for an entire day.
3. GO SHOPPING
There’s no alternative to finding a signature scent than to walk into a perfume shop and actually try out scents yourself. On the day of your visit, ensure you aren’t wearing any fragrance and only try a minimum of three fragrances, so you don’t get confused. When trying fragrance, be sure to spray it on your skin and not your clothing. Also do not place directly under your nostrils. Perfumes smell differently on everyone, depending on our body chemistry, hormones and sweat.
4. EXERCISE PATIENCE
Wait for some couple of minutes for each of the fragrances to dry down. Your wait will allow the perfume to sit on your skin, enabling you smell the heart and base notes, rather than the top notes that you’ll smell on first spray of the fragrance. While you wait, avoid rubbing the spots you sprayed, else you will rub off the top notes making the fragrance smell different. Do not sniff but allow to waft towards you so that you get a feel of the scent.
4. KNOW WHAT YOU’RE SMELLING
Having a basic knowledge about different scent is key. It will help you ask for more of the scent you like or vocalize what you don’t like. Here are a break down of scent categories in basic terms:
Musky notes actually smell like a fresh clean laundry.
Green notes smell like freshly cut grass or freshly mowed lawn. They have aromatic notes of rosemary, sage, Clary, basil and lavender.
Floral notes encompasses rose, jasmine, orchid, violet, lily of the valley (water lily), ylang-ylang, gardenia, peonies and all those beautiful feminine essences that we adore.
Citrusy notes are characterized by notes of lime, lemon, orange, mandarin, tangerine, grapefruit.
Smoky notes smell like a campfire burning or a blown-out match.
Powdery notes are a variety of natural and synthetic notes that smells like talcum powder. Most powdery notes are iris, violet, vanilla, rose, some musks, heliotrope, oppoponax, resin and some amber-oakmoss effects.
Oriental (Spicy) notes are associated with incense, spices, tobacco and leather. Oriental fragrance can also have notes of vanilla.
Aquatic notes smell like the open sea. A scent of sea breeze.
Woody notes are more masculine. They are associated by earthy smell of nature, characterized by dry wood such as cedarwood, sandalwood, patchouli, oakmoss.
5. ASK YOURSELF QUESTIONS
Ask yourself questions like : why am I shopping for a new perfume? Does any of the fragrances under trial fit my lifestyle or personality? Is any linked to lovely and significant memories? Am I looking for a fragrance to wear during the day or at night? Provide answers to these questions. Ask yourself, have I found the one? Does it suit my fancy? If yes, then make the decision and buy it. If no, continue exploring on another day.
Want to know what your fragrance says about your personality, click HERE.
Do you want to be in the know of how to choose the right cologne, Click HERE.
Tell us, do you have a signature scent? And if so, how did you know it was the one?