This one smells just right!
July 1, 2013 6:48 AM Subscribe
How do I find my signature scent?
Hey guys, I want to find a perfume which fits me just right, but every visit to the perfume section of the department store leaves me feeling dizzy and ... I don't like most perfumes, and I think I might have found a perfume that I really like already, but please share your tips for finding the perfect scent that suits my body chemistry.
Hey guys, I want to find a perfume which fits me just right, but every visit to the perfume section of the department store leaves me feeling dizzy and ... I don't like most perfumes, and I think I might have found a perfume that I really like already, but please share your tips for finding the perfect scent that suits my body chemistry.
Sephora sells scent sample kits. They're generous samples, more like travel size than those tiny ampules from department store counters. Plus, you can order online so no headache, no pressure to buy!
Wear them for a few days in a row. See how they "wear" on you. Get a (close) friend to sniff you. Have fun!
posted by fontophilic at 7:12 AM on July 1, 2013 [2 favorites]
Wear them for a few days in a row. See how they "wear" on you. Get a (close) friend to sniff you. Have fun!
posted by fontophilic at 7:12 AM on July 1, 2013 [2 favorites]
You can't really process more than 3 scents at once. If you're going to a counter, ask to try one each of a floral, citrus and musky/woody perfume. If you can narrow it down to which type of scent you like, you can then ask to try just the florals/citrus etc. You should ideally have it sprayed on your wrist (pulse point) as smelling it from the cards will give you a rough idea, but wont tell you how it smells on your personally. Coffee beans kind of cleanse the palate, so to speak, so if you try 3 and want to try more, go for a coffee in the middle and inhale!
posted by billiebee at 7:12 AM on July 1, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by billiebee at 7:12 AM on July 1, 2013 [1 favorite]
If you don't like the smell of most perfumes, don't force it.
I was worried for a long time that I needed a "signature scent", despite the fact that pretty much 100% of perfumes smell like nasty chemicals to me, and the tiny minority that don't just don't seem like me, you know?
So I decided that my "signature scent" is rosemary mint, because I've been using Aveda's Rosemary Mint shampoo since childhood and have always loved the smell. The rosemary and mint scent combo is becoming more popular, so if I'm choosing personal care products and that's a choice, I'll always pick it.
Beyond that, meh. If I ever find a perfume that I like and that seems like something I would wear, I guess I'll start wearing it. But I find that it doesn't really affect my life at all to not have a "signature scent".
posted by Sara C. at 7:13 AM on July 1, 2013 [4 favorites]
I was worried for a long time that I needed a "signature scent", despite the fact that pretty much 100% of perfumes smell like nasty chemicals to me, and the tiny minority that don't just don't seem like me, you know?
So I decided that my "signature scent" is rosemary mint, because I've been using Aveda's Rosemary Mint shampoo since childhood and have always loved the smell. The rosemary and mint scent combo is becoming more popular, so if I'm choosing personal care products and that's a choice, I'll always pick it.
Beyond that, meh. If I ever find a perfume that I like and that seems like something I would wear, I guess I'll start wearing it. But I find that it doesn't really affect my life at all to not have a "signature scent".
posted by Sara C. at 7:13 AM on July 1, 2013 [4 favorites]
There are simply too many choices to find the PERFECT one. Just go with the one you really like for now, and when you happen to be in a department store, ask someone knowledgeable behind the counter to try a couple, maybe 3 scents that are "similar to [your perfume], but [fruitier, less musky, cleaner, whatever you want more/less of]." If you find one you like better than your current one, make a note of it, if not, OK, just stick with what you've got and try again next time you are in Macy's or whatever.
posted by Rock Steady at 7:14 AM on July 1, 2013
posted by Rock Steady at 7:14 AM on July 1, 2013
As a budding perfume-lover who is starting to get a bit obsessive about it, here's my advice:
This is probably a long game. Going to the department store, trying a million things, and leaving with the perfect scent tends to be a bad plan because:
1. You will get a pretty hard sell from the salespeople
2. After smelling a bunch of things in quick succession, they'll blend together in your head, your nose will get worn out and you won't be able to smell or remember them accurately
Instead, I would read up a bit on perfumes you might like (this is an excellent site for reviews and also has some articles for newbies) and then hit the counter with the goal of trying just one or two of them.
Sample packs are great. You can order samples of hard-to-find perfumes for a few bucks each from LuckyScent.
If the quantity of possibilities is overwhelming, just start with the most popular perfumes (here's the list of top sellers at Sephora). If lots of other people like it, there's a decent chance you will like it too.
Make sure you try any candidates on your skin first and let them sit for about an hour. A perfume will smell different 20 minutes after you first spray it on, and the notes that linger later will be different from the ones most prominent right out of the bottle.
And, maybe let go a little bit of the idea of a "signature scent." It's romantic to think about a fragrance that identifies you, that stays with you, that people will remember you by and think of you when they smell it, but there are a couple of reasons to loosen it up:
1. If you wear the same scent every day, after a while you won't be able to smell it on yourself because your nose will get used to it. This is often the reason why people over-apply.
2. Some fragrances are better for different contexts. Some are too heavy to wear to work; some will be more appropriate in warmer/cooler weather; some are great for feeling sexy and some are great for feeling refined. You may find that a "wardrobe" of scents rather than a "signature" is more versatile.
3. There's no need to put a lot of pressure on yourself to find the One Perfect Fragrance. Your tastes and lifestyle will probably change over time, and that's fine.
posted by beatrice rex at 7:19 AM on July 1, 2013 [7 favorites]
This is probably a long game. Going to the department store, trying a million things, and leaving with the perfect scent tends to be a bad plan because:
1. You will get a pretty hard sell from the salespeople
2. After smelling a bunch of things in quick succession, they'll blend together in your head, your nose will get worn out and you won't be able to smell or remember them accurately
Instead, I would read up a bit on perfumes you might like (this is an excellent site for reviews and also has some articles for newbies) and then hit the counter with the goal of trying just one or two of them.
Sample packs are great. You can order samples of hard-to-find perfumes for a few bucks each from LuckyScent.
If the quantity of possibilities is overwhelming, just start with the most popular perfumes (here's the list of top sellers at Sephora). If lots of other people like it, there's a decent chance you will like it too.
Make sure you try any candidates on your skin first and let them sit for about an hour. A perfume will smell different 20 minutes after you first spray it on, and the notes that linger later will be different from the ones most prominent right out of the bottle.
And, maybe let go a little bit of the idea of a "signature scent." It's romantic to think about a fragrance that identifies you, that stays with you, that people will remember you by and think of you when they smell it, but there are a couple of reasons to loosen it up:
1. If you wear the same scent every day, after a while you won't be able to smell it on yourself because your nose will get used to it. This is often the reason why people over-apply.
2. Some fragrances are better for different contexts. Some are too heavy to wear to work; some will be more appropriate in warmer/cooler weather; some are great for feeling sexy and some are great for feeling refined. You may find that a "wardrobe" of scents rather than a "signature" is more versatile.
3. There's no need to put a lot of pressure on yourself to find the One Perfect Fragrance. Your tastes and lifestyle will probably change over time, and that's fine.
posted by beatrice rex at 7:19 AM on July 1, 2013 [7 favorites]
If you are looking for something different try Etsy - there are quite few of organic perfumers on there who sell small sample sizes so you can smell them.
posted by lasamana at 7:23 AM on July 1, 2013
posted by lasamana at 7:23 AM on July 1, 2013
What are some perfumes that you do like, even if they aren't quite "you"?
If you go to one of the older people working at the department store perfume counter, and you can give them a picture of the types of perfumes that you do like, they might be able to help guide you. Usually at the department store they are all trying to push their individual brands' perfumes and to get their commission, but I met this nice older European man at the Chanel counter who "got me."
I've learned that most of the new and trendy perfumes will not be for me--the trend now is for lighter, fruitier perfumes (that smell cheap to me). I've been steered toward older perfumes, classics, big old-lady-esque perfumes from the 80s and early 90s. My favorites right now are YSL Paris (the original from the 80s, not the newer derivatives) and something from Caron that I don't even remember the name of--I have a little sample bottle from the Caron boutique here in Manhattan and I need to go back and have it identified.
I also like to go through this book with post-it flags: Perfumes: The A to Z Guide. It lists almost every perfume on the market, and even those that are no longer on the market, and describes their scent, their quality, the type of personality that they're geared for, whether you should even bother, etc.
And like books and wine, I started to look at the bottles. Anything in a hot pink sparkly bottle I avoid.
Another fun way to research perfumes is to look at how they're marketed: Here is the original obnoxiously fun French 1986 commercial that has solidified my commitment to YSL Paris: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-jDV0RWesw
posted by thebazilist at 7:24 AM on July 1, 2013 [1 favorite]
If you go to one of the older people working at the department store perfume counter, and you can give them a picture of the types of perfumes that you do like, they might be able to help guide you. Usually at the department store they are all trying to push their individual brands' perfumes and to get their commission, but I met this nice older European man at the Chanel counter who "got me."
I've learned that most of the new and trendy perfumes will not be for me--the trend now is for lighter, fruitier perfumes (that smell cheap to me). I've been steered toward older perfumes, classics, big old-lady-esque perfumes from the 80s and early 90s. My favorites right now are YSL Paris (the original from the 80s, not the newer derivatives) and something from Caron that I don't even remember the name of--I have a little sample bottle from the Caron boutique here in Manhattan and I need to go back and have it identified.
I also like to go through this book with post-it flags: Perfumes: The A to Z Guide. It lists almost every perfume on the market, and even those that are no longer on the market, and describes their scent, their quality, the type of personality that they're geared for, whether you should even bother, etc.
And like books and wine, I started to look at the bottles. Anything in a hot pink sparkly bottle I avoid.
Another fun way to research perfumes is to look at how they're marketed: Here is the original obnoxiously fun French 1986 commercial that has solidified my commitment to YSL Paris: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-jDV0RWesw
posted by thebazilist at 7:24 AM on July 1, 2013 [1 favorite]
Wanted to add - I wear Estee Lauder Beautiful Love but in small doses and I also use a patchouli rose oil that I found on Etsy. I mix them interchangeably depending on my mood but it took a long time for me to find them.
posted by lasamana at 7:26 AM on July 1, 2013
posted by lasamana at 7:26 AM on July 1, 2013
Samples, samples, samples. Try Luckyscent, The Perfumed Court, or Surrender to Chance. You can also ask for samples at Sephora or department store counters. Get a few and spend a little time wearing each one.
I prefer niche perfumes like the stuff at Luckyscent to most department store perfumes. While you can get great-smelling stuff at any price (I admit to loving some of the drugstore Calgon stuff), you encounter less of the cloying syrupy-fakey scents the higher end you go.
Your signature scent can also be a lotion or shampoo, if there's a scent you enjoy that's not available in perfume form.
And if you have a partner or friend whose opinion you trust, ask for their advice. Sometimes the fragrances you like are different from the fragrances that smell best on you, and it helps to have a second opinion.
posted by Metroid Baby at 7:40 AM on July 1, 2013 [5 favorites]
I prefer niche perfumes like the stuff at Luckyscent to most department store perfumes. While you can get great-smelling stuff at any price (I admit to loving some of the drugstore Calgon stuff), you encounter less of the cloying syrupy-fakey scents the higher end you go.
Your signature scent can also be a lotion or shampoo, if there's a scent you enjoy that's not available in perfume form.
And if you have a partner or friend whose opinion you trust, ask for their advice. Sometimes the fragrances you like are different from the fragrances that smell best on you, and it helps to have a second opinion.
posted by Metroid Baby at 7:40 AM on July 1, 2013 [5 favorites]
Just to add, don't limit yourself to perfumes. Some aftershaves are really nice, especially if you're not a perfume fan. For ages I wore Chanel Allure Homme Sport which is very fresh and citrusy.
posted by billiebee at 7:40 AM on July 1, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by billiebee at 7:40 AM on July 1, 2013 [1 favorite]
I'd recommend reading blogs like Now Smell This or Perfume Possee, which have interesting articles and reviews on different houses and families. Perfumes: The A-Z Guide is an interesting book, but I don't always agree with it, and if you find they've poorly reviewed one of your favourites, you might find yourself doubting your tastes...
My own tips:
1) Just because it's classic, doesn't mean you'll like it. Chanel No.5 smells like old lady to me, Poison and its many flankers give me a migraine.
2) Just because it's popular, doesn't mean you'll like it. I appreciate Angel was a great breakthrough at the time, but to me it smells like everyone I was at uni with and I don't particularly like it.
3) Just because it's popular, doesn't mean you WON'T like it. Some people are snobby about 'commercial' fragrances (ie those widely available in department stores or that have a celebrity name attached) but it's good to ignore the brand or the name on the bottle and try it anyway.
4) Don't be afraid to try things you've never heard of before. Reading about perfume led me to try Comme Des Garcons and Le Labo at a more speciality store, and I probably wouldn't have discovered things I love otherwise. Like make-up and music, there are a lot of 'indie' perfumers as well - BPAL are probably the best known - which I would recommend if you find you don't like the type of perfume that's popular at the moment. (Right now, it seems to be fruity florals.)
5) Cheap is not necessarily a bad thing. One of my favourite ever scents was a Lush solid perfume, which cost £5 and which they sadly discontinued.
6) Samples are great! Department stores don't give them out here, and I don't like paper strips. SurrenderToChance has some great 'beginner' packs which are useful once you've realised what kind of smells you like.
7) Some things smell better in winter, some in summer. If something;s pretty heavy or smoky or spicy, then you might find you hate it in August.
What's the one you think you like? We could probably recommend some similar things to try!
posted by mippy at 7:47 AM on July 1, 2013 [1 favorite]
My own tips:
1) Just because it's classic, doesn't mean you'll like it. Chanel No.5 smells like old lady to me, Poison and its many flankers give me a migraine.
2) Just because it's popular, doesn't mean you'll like it. I appreciate Angel was a great breakthrough at the time, but to me it smells like everyone I was at uni with and I don't particularly like it.
3) Just because it's popular, doesn't mean you WON'T like it. Some people are snobby about 'commercial' fragrances (ie those widely available in department stores or that have a celebrity name attached) but it's good to ignore the brand or the name on the bottle and try it anyway.
4) Don't be afraid to try things you've never heard of before. Reading about perfume led me to try Comme Des Garcons and Le Labo at a more speciality store, and I probably wouldn't have discovered things I love otherwise. Like make-up and music, there are a lot of 'indie' perfumers as well - BPAL are probably the best known - which I would recommend if you find you don't like the type of perfume that's popular at the moment. (Right now, it seems to be fruity florals.)
5) Cheap is not necessarily a bad thing. One of my favourite ever scents was a Lush solid perfume, which cost £5 and which they sadly discontinued.
6) Samples are great! Department stores don't give them out here, and I don't like paper strips. SurrenderToChance has some great 'beginner' packs which are useful once you've realised what kind of smells you like.
7) Some things smell better in winter, some in summer. If something;s pretty heavy or smoky or spicy, then you might find you hate it in August.
What's the one you think you like? We could probably recommend some similar things to try!
posted by mippy at 7:47 AM on July 1, 2013 [1 favorite]
It is surprising how far you can get just going by the name, or the look of the bottle.
My "signature" perfume was/is (can't easily get it any more) related to a special interest of mine, and it so happens that it smells perfect. Might a rose by any other name smell as sweet? Nah.
You can only try on three perfumes at a time before your nose gets overloaded. In between tries, sniff something that's made of wool - say the sleeve of a wool coat - to clear the previous scent.
Dab the perfume away from the previous one (obviously) like, on the opposite wrist, or the crook of your elbow if both wrists are taken. Don't crush your wrists together and rub the perfume in - that can crush the scent particles and distort the fragrance. Walk around with your test fragrances for a while to see how they wear.
posted by tel3path at 7:53 AM on July 1, 2013
My "signature" perfume was/is (can't easily get it any more) related to a special interest of mine, and it so happens that it smells perfect. Might a rose by any other name smell as sweet? Nah.
You can only try on three perfumes at a time before your nose gets overloaded. In between tries, sniff something that's made of wool - say the sleeve of a wool coat - to clear the previous scent.
Dab the perfume away from the previous one (obviously) like, on the opposite wrist, or the crook of your elbow if both wrists are taken. Don't crush your wrists together and rub the perfume in - that can crush the scent particles and distort the fragrance. Walk around with your test fragrances for a while to see how they wear.
posted by tel3path at 7:53 AM on July 1, 2013
I have found my three favorite perfumes through samples I've randomly received via online orders, specifically from Nordstrom, Sephora, and Sample Society. I've also had some moderate success in learning what I DON'T like by going to stores in person and sniffing some scents. Once you learn what doesn't work for your body chemistry, it becomes a lot easier to narrow down your choices to the ones you might like.
By the way, Nordstrom is VERY generous with their samples if you go in person and enlist a sales person for help.
posted by joan_holloway at 8:46 AM on July 1, 2013
By the way, Nordstrom is VERY generous with their samples if you go in person and enlist a sales person for help.
posted by joan_holloway at 8:46 AM on July 1, 2013
Also, it's ok to have a few scents that represent various moods or seasons (say, more spicy in winter, more floral in summer) rather than pinning your hopes on One True Scent. I've lucked into a couple of high-frequency-use winners through the years, but I also have a stable of regulars that come out pretty often too. Plus, then you'll have fun options while you continue your more epic search!
posted by acm at 9:04 AM on July 1, 2013
posted by acm at 9:04 AM on July 1, 2013
Try Jo Malone perfumes. There are a lot of scents, and they do a good job of grouping them into woody, spicy, fruity, floral etc. Also, their big thing is mixing scents. So you get a lot of possibilities. I've bought them as gifts for a couple of people and they've really liked them.
posted by MuffinMan at 9:18 AM on July 1, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by MuffinMan at 9:18 AM on July 1, 2013 [1 favorite]
I say sniff around, it will take several sessions, not all at once, and remember that you're looking for a smell that makes you feel like how you think about yourself. Does that make sense? Are you an "all natural" girl? Rose oils, citrus, patchouli. Are you a city girl? Prada! Are you a sultry Angelina Jolie vixen? Ylang-ylang, jasmine. Are you dainty money rich? Dior's Miss Cherie. I've found the sales people at Sephora very helpful for these sorts of classifications.
I myself am old world Elizabeth Taylor drama glamour = Tocca's Florence.
posted by St. Peepsburg at 10:53 AM on July 1, 2013 [1 favorite]
I myself am old world Elizabeth Taylor drama glamour = Tocca's Florence.
posted by St. Peepsburg at 10:53 AM on July 1, 2013 [1 favorite]
Don't be afraid to ask people what scent they're wearing if you really like it, then go test it on yourself to see if it works for you. And don't think you have to be limited to one signature scent - I have three, depending on my mood and the occasion.
posted by goo at 10:54 AM on July 1, 2013
posted by goo at 10:54 AM on July 1, 2013
The counter isn't the place to go to try on perfumes. Salespeople can help you navigate families and give you samples, but to really find a perfume that works well for you, you should try candidates one at a time and let the perfume stay on your skin for several hours to see how it interacts with your specific chemistry. How a perfume smells on your specific skin is different from how it smells straight from the bottle.
Also, once you start wearing a single perfume regularly, do *not* start applying more as you stop smelling it. Your brain will stop smelling the same scent and many people respond by applying more and more until they're the person who chokes everyone in the vicinity with their signature scent. Decide your "dosage" when you're first wearing the scent and then do not change the amount. Only someone very close to you should be able to catch a pleasant waft of your perfume.
posted by quince at 11:17 AM on July 1, 2013
Also, once you start wearing a single perfume regularly, do *not* start applying more as you stop smelling it. Your brain will stop smelling the same scent and many people respond by applying more and more until they're the person who chokes everyone in the vicinity with their signature scent. Decide your "dosage" when you're first wearing the scent and then do not change the amount. Only someone very close to you should be able to catch a pleasant waft of your perfume.
posted by quince at 11:17 AM on July 1, 2013
For me, "signature scent" means "I don't smell like anyone else". I get that sometimes the same perfume smells different on different people, but I absolutely hate it when someone walks by and you can say "Flowerbomb!" or "Chloe!" or "Coco Mademoiselle!" or any other super-popular fragrance. It's very *personal* to me, so much so that, when I found a lovely perfume in Florence when I was on my honeymoon, I was happy that it wasn't easy to source in the US. I was pouty and hesitant when someone would say "can you bring me back a bottle?".
So. I have the Italian thing that I adore. I have a perfume-head friend who smelled it and said "I know something else you will absolutely love" and she brought me a sample and she was RIGHT, and it was viciously expensive and is now discontinued. So I have a bottle of that and three backups in a cool, dark place. And I have a fairly easy-to-source recent fragrance that I really do love, and you just don't smell it *everywhere*, so it's on the list, and I wear Bobbi Brown Beach a lot in the summertime because when my son was little he would smell my neck and say "you smell like swimming". Oh! And sometimes I layer Bonne Bell Skin Musk under any of these.
I tell you all of these things so that I might tell you this - if you were to ask my husband what I smell like, he would tell you "she smells like Katrina". He would totally notice if I wore something that isn't on the list, but for any of the rest, it just smells like me, which I think in a weird way lends a lot of credence to St. Peepsburg's theory about a smell that makes you feel like how you think about yourself.
Feel free to mark this as most oblique and possibly least helpful answer :)
posted by ersatzkat at 12:28 PM on July 1, 2013
So. I have the Italian thing that I adore. I have a perfume-head friend who smelled it and said "I know something else you will absolutely love" and she brought me a sample and she was RIGHT, and it was viciously expensive and is now discontinued. So I have a bottle of that and three backups in a cool, dark place. And I have a fairly easy-to-source recent fragrance that I really do love, and you just don't smell it *everywhere*, so it's on the list, and I wear Bobbi Brown Beach a lot in the summertime because when my son was little he would smell my neck and say "you smell like swimming". Oh! And sometimes I layer Bonne Bell Skin Musk under any of these.
I tell you all of these things so that I might tell you this - if you were to ask my husband what I smell like, he would tell you "she smells like Katrina". He would totally notice if I wore something that isn't on the list, but for any of the rest, it just smells like me, which I think in a weird way lends a lot of credence to St. Peepsburg's theory about a smell that makes you feel like how you think about yourself.
Feel free to mark this as most oblique and possibly least helpful answer :)
posted by ersatzkat at 12:28 PM on July 1, 2013
I don't like most perfumes, but I like almost everything at L'occitane. They smell natural and they last a long time on your skin.
They are mostly subtle, but FWIW, they have inspired several men who never mention that sort of thing to tell me that they liked my perfume.
posted by MexicanYenta at 1:38 PM on July 1, 2013 [1 favorite]
They are mostly subtle, but FWIW, they have inspired several men who never mention that sort of thing to tell me that they liked my perfume.
posted by MexicanYenta at 1:38 PM on July 1, 2013 [1 favorite]
I found out about I Hate Perfume on Metafilter. You might enjoy poking around on there too.
(Looking at your profile, a quick visit to the store seems .. unlikely. But who knows? Put it on your tourist ToDo list?)
posted by RedOrGreen at 1:56 PM on July 1, 2013
(Looking at your profile, a quick visit to the store seems .. unlikely. But who knows? Put it on your tourist ToDo list?)
posted by RedOrGreen at 1:56 PM on July 1, 2013
i was going to answer this question untll i read beatrice rex's answer - she basically hit the nail on the head. i will add (sorry if this, too, has been said already), to don't limit yourself to the perfume counters only. you might find one you love hidden someplace else - Lush has a bunch of fragrances, for example, and a lot of people don't even know they have a perfume line.
posted by carlypennylane at 2:00 PM on July 1, 2013
posted by carlypennylane at 2:00 PM on July 1, 2013
I took a class in making natural perfumes that was very informative as far as "what do I like?" The section where we sniffed the individual ingredients was like a lightbulb going on. I learned that I can't stand neroli (I thought I disliked orange scents in general, but no, it's just neroli that triggers negative scent associations) and, upon returning home with the fragrances I'd mixed up, that while I find oakmoss pleasant, my husband seems to find it to be borderline aphrodisiac. (Bonus!)
One minor downside: Now I need to find somebody to make up a batch of the formula I came up with during class — I love the scent, but mixing it myself is impractical, due to how challenging some of the ingredients are to find, for a hobbyist.
posted by Lexica at 8:40 PM on July 1, 2013 [1 favorite]
One minor downside: Now I need to find somebody to make up a batch of the formula I came up with during class — I love the scent, but mixing it myself is impractical, due to how challenging some of the ingredients are to find, for a hobbyist.
posted by Lexica at 8:40 PM on July 1, 2013 [1 favorite]
This might sound odd, but if you find something you love but it wears badly on you -- consider the knock-offs. I love the smell of Light Blue, but the actual perfume smells bad on me after the top-note wears off. But the knock-off from CVS is formulated differently and the top note hangs around for a lot longer, and wears on me well.
posted by MeiraV at 5:33 PM on July 6, 2013
posted by MeiraV at 5:33 PM on July 6, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
Also, your scent may end up getting phased out after awhile. It sucks!
My scent is Chanel 19. I used to be able to buy body cream, lotion, soap and powder. Now I'm lucky if I can get the Eau de Toilette.
If you just LOVE the way it smells, on first application and subsequently, then that's it.
There are fragrance families, I like things in the Green family. Once you figure out your family, you can tell the perfume person to show you things in that family, and it helps narrow it down.
It's a journey. Also, don't be afraid to SPEND.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 7:05 AM on July 1, 2013