Choosing a Fragrance

BEAUTY · GLOBAL

Choosing a Fragrance

Concentrations, fragrance families, testing properly and making it last

Fragrance is bought in a shop in five minutes and worn for months, which is exactly the wrong way round.

Concentrations

Eau de cologne is the lightest, eau de toilette sits in the middle, eau de parfum is stronger and lasts longer, and parfum or extrait is the most concentrated. The same name in different concentrations smells different rather than simply stronger.

Stronger is not better — a lighter concentration suits an office and hot weather.

Fragrance families

Fresh and citrus, floral, woody, oriental or amber, and fougère. Knowing which family you tend to like narrows a counter of two hundred bottles to a handful.

Notes develop over time — top notes fade within minutes, heart notes carry the middle hours, base notes remain.

Testing properly

On skin rather than paper, one or two at a time, and then leave the shop. Judge it after four hours and again the next day, since the opening is the least representative part.

Coffee beans do not reset your nose; fresh air and time do. Never buy on the first impression.

Making it last

Apply to moisturised skin at pulse points, do not rub the wrists together, and spray onto skin rather than clothes, which stains silk and holds scent for weeks.

Storage

Cool, dark and sealed. Heat, light and air degrade fragrance, so a sunny windowsill or a steamy bathroom is the worst place.

Seasons and occasions

Heat amplifies fragrance, so lighter citrus and fresh scents suit summer and heavier amber and woody ones suit winter. A single spray in an office and more for an evening is a reasonable rule.

Many workplaces and healthcare settings ask people not to wear fragrance at all.

Buying as a gift

Difficult without knowing what someone wears, since scent is personal and unreturnable once opened. A discovery set or a gift card lets them choose.

Skin and sensitivity

Fragrance is among the leading causes of contact allergy. Spray onto clothing rather than skin if you react, and stop using anything that causes a rash.

Longevity and projection

Skin type affects how long a fragrance lasts — dry skin holds scent less well, which is why moisturising first helps. Heat and movement increase projection, so less is needed in summer.

Anosmia to your own fragrance is normal within an hour, which is how people end up over-applying.

Fragrance in the home

Candles, diffusers and sprays use the same materials and affect anyone in the room. Ventilate, keep them away from pets and people with asthma, and never leave a candle unattended.

Trim wicks to five millimetres, which stops sooting.

Buying

Decants and travel sizes let you live with something before committing.

WHERE TO BUY

Ready to shop Sentier Fragrance? Use the link below to visit the official store.

→ Shop Sentier Fragrance — official site

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