12/03/2016
8 Tricks to Finding Your Signature Scent
Just like the process of discovering your personal uniform, finding (and sticking to) a signature scent can be downright intimidating. Unless youâre 100 percent sure youâve met your match, the idea of wearing skinny jeans every day is just as daunting as giving off a whiff of vanilla musk 24/7. So how do you figure out what works for you? Luckily, itâs not all about heading over to the beauty counter and spritzing on every single bottle on display. That will just end in a headache.
Read on to arm yourself with expert tipsâand tricksâfor finding your signature scent.
Figure Out Your Favorite Food (and Season)
âEighty percent of your sense of taste is driven by your sense of smellâ that is why when you have a cold, food doesnât taste like anything!â explains Rachel ten Brink, COM and co-founder of Scent bird. Turns out, Brink says that the flavors youâre into may play into what youâll like in a scent. âYour fragrance preferences are also strongly tied to the memories you attach to certain scents. Seasons evoke strong scent memories. For example, if you love summer, your memories may be tied to the smell of the ocean or suntan lotion, while spring is tied to walks in a forest, green, and floral scents.â
If youâre forever a summer girl and canât get enough of cool, crisp, beach scents, itâll be easy to see the connection.
Switch It Up Occasionally
Changing what you wear throughout the year doesnât mean youâve lost your signature scent. It might actually be best to give that rose-scented diffuse a rest. âIn my opinion, itâs best to change up your fragrances throughout the seasons because weather effects fragrance,â explains Mushroom Khan, CEO of Estevia Perfume. âYour body chemistry changes from time to time, causing different notes to effect the body in different ways. In the summer, the fragrance notes dissipate from the skin quicker due to the heat so a lighter, fresh fragrance is better rather than a strong one that will overpower,â she says.
When winter comes around, Khan mentions that your perfume may actually take longer to reveal its notes. âThe notes unfold gradually, therefore you can wear a strong scent or blend, which will slowly release its true aroma.â
Concentration Is Key
Read over that little âeau deâ mention on your perfume bottlesâhow strong your fragrance smells differs on its fine print.âThere is a difference of concentration and dosage between an eau de toilette and an eau de parfum,â explains Brigitte Wormser, VP of Creation & Development Marketing for Atkinsons. âThe eau de parfum is more concentrated of the two. The olfactive structure is also modified in the eau de toilette, [traditionally] giving it a bit more freshness and lightness.â
That might be why you arenât holding onto that scent in your eau de toilette as long throughout the day.
MORE: 10 of the Dreamiest Summer Fragrances
Express Yourself
âPersonality is closely associated with fragrance choices,â says ten Brink. âJust as your lipstick color can be a way to express who you are (fiery red, mysterious mauve, feminine pink), fragrance is a great way to showcase your personality and style.â
But our expert says you donât have to play it so straightforward. If youâre very shy, she suggests trying to go for a sexier scent that is stronger as a way to speechlessly announce youâve entered the room. âSimilarly, if youâre super social and an extrovert, a soft, subtle fragrance may nicely balance your personality.â
Let It Mellow Out (And Sleep on It)
âEau de toilette fragrances develop quicker whereas eau de parfum takes time,â shares Khan. âThe top, heart, and base notes take time to reveal and are what make the blend beautiful.â
To make sure youâre getting the true scent, youâre going to want to put it directly on your skin. Khan says that every scent could actually have a different chemistry depending on your skin type. Another good rule of thumb? If youâre headed to the department store trying to pick up a new product, only sample about three different scents. âEven when Iâm creating a fragrances I stick to two. I sample one on my right inner wrist and the other on my left inner wrist as I leave the office. Then I leave it on and keep smelling it until I sleep to see how it changes over time and which one I like better.â
Scents Smell Different on Everyone
âThink of a fragrance as the Mona Lisa,â explains Steven Claisse, Senior Perfumer at Takasago and Perfumer of various CLEAN Fragrances. âTwo people can look at the same picture and one sees a wry smile while the other sees a disapproving frownâitâs all perception. How you smell something is very different then how someone else smells something. You may be sensitive to green notes that may be in a floral scent and thus pick up on those green nuances in that fragrance. Your friend, on the other hand, may smell the same fragrance and pick up more on the heady floral then the subtle green aspects that you key in on. Fragrance is truly subjective.â
Of course, this all means not to take it personally if your BFF isnât into your Chanel No. 5. You should pick the best fragrance that speaks to, well, you.
Wake Up (and Donât Smell The Coffee)
âThe morning is the best time to try fragrance because the nose is fresher,â explains Wormser.
So what about that coffee bean myth? Put the latte aside.
âCoffee beans attempt to re-set your nose by trying to give it something different to smell, but truthfully, they donât work,â shares ten Brink. âThe best thing to do is to walk away and smell a neutral environment for a few minutes and then go back before making a decision on a scent. If you are in a heavily scented area [like a department store] and canât get outside, you can also exhale deeply into your shirt to clear your nose of the scents that accumulated.â
Hit the Right Note
Donât be shocked if youâre not into the same scent you were when you were 15. Back then, you may have had a thing for super sweet shower sprays. Today? Not so much.
âA single note is the same smell all day long, whereas a blend changes throughout the day and is more complex,â explains Khan. âAt 20, you might desire florals, while as you mature, you may opt for something deeper and muskierâŚyour fragrance should reflect who you are, not the other way around. Choose whatever fits your
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body spray eau de parfum eau de toilette fragrance how to find a signature scent perfume scent signature scent