Sniffing Out Your Perfect Scent: What Makes up a Perfume and How to Pick One that’s Right for You
Whether you’re in the market for your first signature scent, or perhaps you’ve been sticking to the same fragrance for a decade and feel like it’s time for a shake-up, choosing a new perfume is no easy task. The market is literally saturated with perfumes (pun intended) and deciding which one best encapsulates your personality takes some time and research. Here are some of our best tips for picking the best fragrance for your tastes and smells.
Fragrance Notes: The Layers of Your Perfume
Making a perfume is no walk in the park. There are many different ingredients and methods involved in the process and the results can be surprisingly complex, made up of the different layer or ‘notes’ that become apparent over time. Understanding the different layers that make up your perfume should be an important consideration in which perfume becomes your new go-to scent.
Top notes are those which you notice immediately, the first smell that hits your nose after application. First impressions don’t always last though, and these will soon give way to middle notes, which make up the majority of the scent. Base notes are richer, and often not revealed until you’ve been wearing the perfume for at least half an hour. It is this layer that is the most definitive in a perfume, which is why it’s important not to pick your new scent based on top or middle notes alone. Before committing to a new signature scent, be sure to give yourself time to become acquainted with the different dynamics of its top, middle and base notes.
Perfume, Eau De Parfum and Eau De Toilette
As well as understanding the complex layers that make up a scent, understanding the different categories or types of perfume available can also help you make the perfect pick. Although most people are familiar with the three main types of fragrances – Perfume, Eau De Parfum and Eau De Toilette – few people actually understanding what the differences between them are. Understanding what makes them unique will help you not only decide which one best suits your taste, but what the budget should be too.
Of the three, Perfume is the most potent, and the priciest. This is because it has the highest concentration of the extract, anywhere from 15 to 40%. Although more expensive, this type of perfume will likely linger longer and require a smaller application. Eau de Parfum is the second strongest, and the most popular type of perfume, mainly because of its affordability. It ranges from 7 to 15% concentrate, so if you’re looking for the best bang for your buck, be sure to check the ratio before making a purchase. Lastly, Eau De Toilette is the least potent type of perfume, from 1 to 6% concentrate. These types of scent are usually light and do not last as long. If you like switching up between day and night perfumes, or maybe even depending on your mood, the less expensive Eau De Toilette could be a good option.