A signature scent acts as a unique memory scent for your family, friends, and even colleagues.
A fragrance can linger on your clothes or in your office, triggering thoughts like: Vanilla Woods! Jessy’s here! or Oh no! Vanilla Woods. Jess’s here, people. Hurry. But getting there can be puzzling, thanks to the complicated nature of finding a signature scent.
Bloggers and perfume experts claim the easiest way to find your mysterious signature scent is to find the one that excites you, but you’ll be surprised to find it’s not that simple.
The journey to finding your signature scent can feel like the fragrance version of figuring out the plot to Tenet.
So, if you’re in the camp that can’t distinguish Vanilla Exquise from Vanilla Exclusive, here are some tips to help you trust your olfactory senses and commit to a signature fragrance.
Try Out Scents
When you don’t have an idea of the scent to go for, smell everything. However, it would be best if you restricted your exploration by trying three scents at a time.
You want every fragrance to have time to please your olfactory senses and allow you to identify what you like or don’t like about every scent.
The more fragrances you try, the more your palate gets all jumbled up. So, space them out so that you can give each scent a fair shot.
Understand the Fragrance Families
Trying to figure out what you’re smelling will allow you to ask more of the scent that pleases your senses and enable you to vocalize what doesn’t.
The best way of exploring scents is by considering the fragrance families. Each family offers a specific note and can help narrow down a particular scent that will help you tell your story perfectly.
Some of the popular fragrance families include:
Musk: It might sound like the under-washed armpits of a teenage wrestler, but musk is earthy, animalistic, and a clean-laundry type of fragrance.
Citrus: The scent smells like oranges, lime, or lemon. It often feels like a spa or an airy yoga studio.
Woody: It can smell like fragrant cedar chips or a pine-filled forest. Think in lines of sandalwood or patchouli.
Oriental: It’s anything that reminds you of sweet scents like vanilla or a spice-racked cabinet.
Floral: These scents are notoriously sweet and encompass everything from gardenias, violets, jasmine, peonies, or roses.
Allow it to Sit
In fragrance nomenclature, scent senseis often talk about the ‘top note, ‘middle note,’ or ‘dry down’ of scents the same way wine connoisseurs talk about the legs of a Bordeaux.
You know, scents are living entities and change with time. A top note can last up to 30 minutes and acts as your first impression of the perfume, which can change after some minutes on your skin.
So, once you’re spritzed the scent on your skin, allow it to sit for 30 minutes as the fragrance may evolve during this period and enable you to smell the middle and base notes rather than just the top notes.
Doing this allows you to figure out if the scent gives you goosebumps or whether you should give it a good ol’ toss.
See How Long it Lasts
If you’re trying to identify your signature scent, you should also pay attention to how long it lasts. You want a fragrance that lasts your hours as you tackle your tasks.
That’s where Eau de Toilette, Eau de Parfum, and Parfum come in.
Eau de Toilette scents typically last you about three hours, while the Eau de Parfum fragrances last you five to eight hours. Parfum is the strongest since it can last you all day.
Of course, you might have to drop a hefty dime on a long-lasting fragrance, but we all know it’s worth every penny.
Take Your Time
Above all things, the best way to find your ideal signature scent is by taking time. Ensure you completely understand what makes your olfactory senses tingle and what doesn’t.
Visit several perfume stores and try out the scents you think you’d love. Your scent is a personal choice, so you want to ensure you make a ‘show-stopping’ one.
You also have to ask yourself the vital questions, ‘Does this scent make me feel empowered?
Do I want to give off a cool chic vibe, or do I want to go with the sweet lady from the block? How much am I willing to spend on a fragrance?’
Thereafter, you’ll confidently find and identify your signature scent!
