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How to Choose the Perfect Perfume
Perfumes are an intensely personal thing. Celebrities often mention their "signature scent", but nowadays, people are more likely to wear multiple scents and to change them up every so often.
There's nothing wrong with wearing the same fragrance everyday, but it should be one that makes you smell gorgeous and feel great.
So how do you choose the right fragrance for you?
1. Know your Fragrance Families
There are four main fragrance families that are used to help categorise perfumes. Some fragrances have notes from more than one family and there are subcategories within the families themselves, but knowing which broad category appeals to you will help you narrow down the search.
Floral
The most popular of all the fragrance families for women, floral fragrances are feminine, sweet and...well...they smell like flowers.
There is, however, a huge range of scents within the floral family, from ones that will use the scent of a single flower to fragrances that are composed of a bouquet of different flowers.
Dolce & Gabbana Dolce Rosa Eau de Parfum, from $87.00
Estee Lauder Beautiful Eau de Parfum Spray, from $130.00
Gucci Bamboo Eau de Parfum Spray, from $84.00
Oriental fragrances are popular for both men and women and often have sexy and seductive connotations. They usually contain ingredients such as sandalwood, amber, vanilla and Tonka bean for a warm and spicy feel.
Chanel Coco Eau de Parfum Spray, from $164.00
Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium Nuit Blanche Eau de Parfum Spray, from $99.00
Paco Rabanne Olympea Eau de Parfum Spray, from $81.00
Fresh fragrances are just that - fresh and invigorating, they conjure up images of lightness, cool breezes and Summer days. Fresh fragrances are more popular in the warmer months and often contain top notes of lemon, orange, lime or even grapefruit.
Shay & Blue London Blood Oranges Natural Spray Fragrance, from $60.00
Issey Miyake L'Eau d'Issey Eau de Parfum, from $113.00
Chloé L'Eau De Chloé Eau de Toilette Spray, from $70.00
Woody fragrances are rich, strong and earthy and can contain ingredients such as leather, tobacco, patchouli and oakmoss. Traditionally associated with men's fragrances, many women enjoy wearing a scent with woody notes as they have a sensual quality to them.
Dior Miss Dior Eau de Parfum, from $165.00
Guerlain Samsara Eau de Parfum Spray, $145.00
Narciso Rodriguez Narciso For Her Eau de Parfum Spray, from $128.00
2. Consider the mood or personality of your fragrance
Fragrances can reflect a mood and evoke certain feelings. Think about whether you would like a fragrance that is playful or mysterious, fun or sensual, or light or complex.
3. Let the fragrance take your mind on holiday
Fragrances can allow you to experience a journey, or evoke a particular feeling, depending on its ingredients.Wishing you were lying on the beach in the Meditteranean or Positano? Choose a fresh fragrance.
Dreaming of a trip to the exotic Middle East or to the zen of Japan? Select from a woody or oriental fragrance.
Longing for lazy Summer days? Go with a floral fragrance.
4. Choose the right concentration
Parfum
The parfum is the purest form of the fragrance with the deepest intensity. The scent lasts the longest, around six to eight hours or more.You only need to dab on a small amount as a little goes a long way. Parfums are the most luxurious of the fragrance concentrations.
Eau de Parfum (EDP)
A generous concentration, EDPs are often sprayed on and result in a lingering scent that lasts four to six hours.
Eau de Toilette (EDT)
A light, transparent veil of fragrance and probably the most commonly worn, EDTs are also generally spritzed on and the scent lasts two to four hours.
Keep in mind that sometimes the EDP and EDT of the same name might share similar traits, but have different oils used so the scents could be quite different to each other.
From left to right
Chanel No 5 Parfum, Chanel No 5 Eau de Parfum, Chanel No 5 Eau de Toilette
4. Make your fragrance last
To make your scent last longer during the day, choose one with a higher concentration (i.e. choose a parfum or Eau de Parfum over an Eau de Toilette).
You can also layer your fragrance if it comes in associated products such as body washes, body creams or hair mists.
The Chanel fragrances have other bath and body products available in the same scents to allow for a complete perfuming ritual which will enhance the fragrance trail.
At Kiana Beauty, we love helping people find their perfect scent, one that makes you smell gorgeous, evokes a desired emotion or allows you to enter a world of dreams. With over 40 different brands of perfumes and fragrances for women and men, we are confident we can help.
Need some help choosing the right fragrance? Ask away via our Ask an Expert page and we'll be in touch with you as soon as we can.
July 2016
