
Don’t buy perfumes because they are famous. Marilyn Monroe may have worn only Chanel No5 to sleep, but that doesn’t make it perfect for everyone. Scents are very expensive, so don’t buy a bottle unless you’ve tried and tested it.
Make a list of perfumes you want to try, according to your preferences. If you like fresh floral scent, an Oriental whiff may drive you crazy. Your choice can also vary according to season and occasions. Summers are ideal to spray on an airy fragrance while heavy scents may be better suited to winters.
Don’t go by what the perfume smells on a tester strip. Apply some on your wrist or elbow, areas that you can take a whiff at easily. Don’t rub your wrists against each other—that bruises the perfume and affects the fragrance.
Some perfumes smell gorgeous when you spray them on but a little later you may as well have worn a rotten fruit. That’s body chemistry at work. The three notes take time to really settle in the skin. Leave on the perfume for a few hours before you decide.
There’re only so many fragrances you can try. We suggest trying two or three at a time. Any more than that and you will have a hard time appreciating the individual scents. Pick up samplers to use on later days.
Written by Sohini Dey on 7th Sep 2015