PERFUME 101: A GUIDE TO FINDING YOUR SIGNATURE SCENT

Words: Kirsten Jacobs | Images: Supplied

Out of all the beauty products, perfume feels the most intimate. It can evoke strong emotions, take you back to a prized memory, or remind you of someone you love. A whiff of Chanel No.5 makes me look around for my grandmother who wears it religiously. The sight of Narciso Rodriguez Pure Musc For Her fills me with pride, taking me back to the first time I bought myself my first luxury perfume. And Pleasures by Estée Lauder makes me feel like I’m hugging my mom.

Beyond the feelings perfume can incite, your scent is a potent marker of your personality. Are you floral and feminine, woody and mysterious, earthy and grounded? Before you even speak, your scent announces your essence. With so much at stake, finding your signature scent is incredibly important.

If you're in the market for a new fragrance, you’re in luck. It’s Beauty Week on Superbalist.com, and fragrances are up to 50% off right now. Here’s what to look for before you hit checkout.

Fragrances are broken down into key categories that provide guidance on how they will smell. Musk is akin to clean laundry, while a citrusy scent is reminiscent of oranges and lemon. More feminine scents tend to fall into the floral category, with gardenia, lilies and rose often being leading notes. If you want more depth, opt for an oriental scent that has a hint of spice, or a woody scent with notes of sandalwood, cedarwood, or patchouli.

Here are a few of our favourites from each category:

Scents evolve the longer they sit on your skin. Do this exercise: note how a fragrance smells within the first half an hour after you’ve applied versus the 4 hours later. You may smell different because the top notes of a fragrance are your first impression of the fragrance, and wear away the fastest. The middle notes are the heart of the fragrance, and create a beautiful interplay between the top and base notes. The last note is the base note, which lasts the longest. If you know your favourite kinds of scents, take a look at the perfume breakdown to make sure they fall within the middle and base notes so you know it will wear longer.

Here are a few of our all-time favourite scents:

The formulation of your fragrance impacts how well it wears. Fragrances come in two types: eau de parfum (edp) and eau de toilette (edt). The difference between the two is their perfume oil concentration. Eau de toilette typically has a concentration of 8% to 12% and is more affordable, while eau de parfum perfume oil concentration more commonly sits between 12% and 18%, making the perfume more expensive. Because it has a lower oil concentration, eau de toilettes are lighter and last around 4-7 hours while eau de parfum lasts up to 8 hours. It’s important to consider all these factors when choosing your fragrance.

These top picks from either concentration are top-sellers: