Find Your Fragrance
The cold weather calls for a fragrance that is warm, sensual and lingers long after you've spritzed it on. We show you how to find one that captures your essence!
Scent is an extension of your personality and every woman's favourite beauty spoil. Choosing your signature perfume is based on your personal preference, as well as whatever emotions that fragrance evokes. These potions can be investments, so it's important to know the basics and how to make sure yours is captivating and true to who you are.
WHAT’S IN A SCENT?
Some are designed to trigger certain seasonal moods. These should combine sweet notes, such as cinnamon, vanilla and amber. Some winter perfumes usually combine the mild citrus scent of lemons, oranges, and other tropical fruits. These are also mixed with sugary undertones, such as honey and caramel.
If you're not crazy about smelling sweet, you may lean more towards sultry and darker scents. In that case, you should look out for perfumes that have a mix of musky florals, like gardenia petals and jasmine. These types of frangrances will be increasingly captivating, if they're combined with slightly sweet ingredients, such as cocoa. Scents fade faster in colder months as your skin is drier, so picking one with a dense formula will help it stay on you for longer.
KNOWING THE SCENT FOR YOU
Before you head off to the beauty store to try some out, make sure you have a clean canvas, by removing any other smells, like body lotion, from your skin, so you can smell the new scent clearly. When you're testing a fragrance, always make sure you wait for five minutes to allow the scent to settle, and then smell it again. Alternatively, ask for a sample and test it for 24 hours to get a more accurate impression of the smell on your skin. A scent evolves or changes based on your own body's reaction to it. So, although it may be perfect at the first spray, it can seem entirely different a few hours later. You may have liked a certain fragrance on your bestie, but it will give off a different whiff on you because our bodies and skin are different. So the best thing is to spray it directly onto your own skin, then decide if you like it.
Fragrances are made up of three different levels of concentration. As the concentration gets higher, the scent will last longer – and the price climbs. The highest concentration is called perfume or parfum. This level will last all day after just one application on the wrists. The middle level is called eau de parfum, which can last up to five hours after applying it. The third level is called eau de toilette, which requires more than one application throughout the day, and is the most affordable.
KNOW YOUR FRAGRANCE LINGO
Every scent consists of top, middle and base notes. Top notes are light and fresh, and evaporate the fastest, like citrus. You'll smell the top notes in a perfume immediately after it's spritzed on. Middle notes are considered the “heart” of the fragrance, which you'll notice after the top notes fade, like floral scents. Base notes are the most dominant and are perfect for the winter months. They are the heaviest and last much longer than top and middle notes. Base notes are warm, rich, and most noticeable after your fragrance dries up. These include vanilla, sandalwood, patchouli, and musk. If you spray the fragrance on your wrists, don't rub it together, so you can smell all of the top notes of the fragrance.
Scents fade faster in colder months as your skin is drier, so picking a dense formula will help it stay on you for longer.