Do you know how to pick perfume that suits you?
Are you looking for the right perfume to wear at work? Or one for that special date? You can always learn the tricks on how to pick a perfume that you’ll love. And to make it easier for you, we’ve shared the essential guide to picking a perfume that you will really love.
Know The Different Perfume Types
Before picking which perfume you want to go for, it is wise to understand the different types of perfumes in the form of concentrations. Typically, there are 5 perfume types in terms of concentrations. These include parfum, Eau de parfum, Eau de toilette, eau de cologne, and Eau de Fraiche. These concentrations are characterized by the fragrance content in each perfume type.
Parfum has the highest fragrance oil concentration whilst Eau de Fraiche has the lowest. So, you would expect parfum to smell stronger and last longer. However, because of the increased fragrance concentration, this also means that the prices for parfum will be significantly higher than those of Eau de Fraiche.
Parfum
Otherwise known as Extrait de parfum, it holds the highest fragrance oil concentration of between 15 and 40 percent. Parfum will last up to 24 hours when applied to your body. So when you pick a fragrance scent that you like, its parfum concentration will magnify it so you can enjoy the scent even better. Parfum is the most expensive of the five perfume types.
Eau De Parfum
Eau De Parfum is next on the concentration level. Most EDTs boast a fragrance oil concentration level of up to 15%. Typically, Eau de parfum will last anywhere from 6 to 8 hours after application. Eau de parfum is a more standard purchase for many people looking for perfume.
Eau De Toilette
EDTs are lighter. They boast a fragrance oil concentration of between 5 to 15 %. They work great for warm weather and office environments because they are not offensively strong. Eau de toilettes will last for a few hours after application.
So if you wear them at work, you may have to refresh at least once during the day. However, do not confuse their low price and low concentration as being inferior to Eau de parfum. The only difference between the two is if you want to experience the scent in a lighter, non-offensive feel, eau de toilette is a better option.
Eau De Cologne
Similar to eau de toilette, eau de cologne is a better choice if you want to experience the scent in a lighter version. Typically, eau de cologne boasts a fragrance oil concentration of between 3 to 8 percent. So they sometimes overlap with EDTs and EDPs. The difference is that eau de cologne is more gendered and has more citrus notes.
Eau De Fraiche
Also known as fragrance water, body splash, or aftershave, Eau de Fraiche holds the lowest fragrance oil concentration, typically, around 1 to 3%. Eau de Fraiche lasts within 1 to 2 hours. So you may need to reapply them frequently. They are especially great for occasions such as the beach or freshening up after being active.
How To Pick Perfume -Know The Different Notes And Scents
Typically, perfume is made of three layers. These are top notes, base notes, and middle notes. These notes determine the overall scent of your perfume. The top notes are the initial dominant element of the perfume and usually dissipate within 15 to 20 minutes. The middle notes, otherwise known as the heart notes, are the core elements of the fragrance.
These notes give the perfume its distinctive character and can be detected after the top notes dissipate. The base notes are the final perfume notes and appear in synergy with heart notes after the top notes have fully dissipated, to form the full body of the perfume.
The base notes are the notes that last the longest. So when you are picking perfume, you may want to focus on these notes and pick the scent that you want to last longer. Perfumes also come in different scent profiles. These scents are mixed in the layers to form the full body and character of the perfume, be it oriental, musky or fruity.
Scents such as rose or gardenia are known as floral scents. Fruity scents include grapefruit, green apple, berries, and other similar fruit-based scents. Scents such as cinnamon are spicy, heavier masculine notes are known as the musk. Other common scents include oriental, warm, and citrus.
Sample The Perfume
The only way to know whether or not you will love the perfume is by testing it. During the tests, however, there are several factors you should consider. For example, when you walk into a store, you will not know the full character of the perfume by simply smelling a whiff on the air or a testing strip.
You want to apply it on your pulse points, such as the elbow or wrist, and wear it throughout the day. This allows the perfume to heat up and magnify its smell. Wearing it throughout the day effectively exposes you to the top, middle and base notes so you can get the idea of the perfume’s full body.
In addition to knowing the characteristics of the perfume, wearing it throughout the day allows you to understand how the fragrance interacts with your body chemistry. This is because perfume fragrances react differently to everyone based on their body chemistry and odour.
This is because of our genetic makeup, hormonal levels, and diet differ. Your environment also affects how the fragrance plays on your body. For example, working in a fully air-conditioned office and operating an excavator on a warm day are two different circumstances in your working environment – so the scent will react differently in both.
When you are wearing the scents, you should also observe the cardinal rules to fully experience the new scent. For example, you should avoid rubbing the scent. This is because rubbing the scent breaks up the fragrance molecules which ultimately speed up the fragrance dissipation.
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