Finding Your Signature Scent (& My Go-To Fragrances)

I’ve spent a lot of money impulse purchasing perfumes because there was a sale and the packaging was pretty–and/or the description sounded whimsical. And then I hated it. To avoid my past mistakes, you’ll need to understand the varying types of fragrances and identify what’s most appealing to you.

Identifying the Scent Family That Speak to You

What scents are you instantly drawn to you? Is it woody, spicy, floral, fresh or fruity? I recommend reading this article to explain the scents to help you determine your favorite fragrances. I’m drawn to anything woody or spicy, men’s colognes and anything with vetiver, oud, bergamot, tobacco and cardamom.

Perfumes are described by notes so pay attention to the notes description. Top notes usually are herbs and spices, scents that evaporate quickly but something you smell immediately and makes that first impression. Middle notes (also known as heart notes) stick around longer and are usually florals. The base notes usually take 30ish minutes to be detected and they’re usually roots and woods–and this is what sticks around the longest.

For example, my newest and favorite scent is Jo Malone’s vetiver and golden vanilla. The top note is cardamom, middle note is vetiver and base note is vanilla. It’s not your typical sweet vanilla–much more spicy. The description is something I’d be drawn to and could buy online without smelling first just as I did with Jo Malone’s rose and oud (while it’s super floral, it’s mixed with a smoky oud.) A very rich scent that I love reserving for date nights and special occasions.

You’ll also want to determine if you’re looking for a bold or subdued fragrance–I have a mix of these–wearing my subtle scents for everyday, but this could change day to day and having a little mix gives you options.

Tips for Shopping Fragrances

When I’m at a department store, I’ll always peruse the fragrances so I can figure out what I like and I have time to think on it. Don’t be afraid to sniff it at all and take a few notes on your phone of your favorites.

And ask the sales associates questions! I was overwhelmed with it all last December and the knowledgeable sales person asked me which scents I love already which helped him point me to Jo Malone’s pomegranate noir–a lighter sister scent to the rose and oud scent–and they mix well together! I wear this scent almost daily.

Online, read the descriptions and review the notes of your favorite fragrances at home to determine if something online that you haven’t smelled in person is a good match. You can also read the reviews–that helped me decide to recently purchase Byredo Gypsy Water without every smelling it.

Choose a smaller size–If you love a scent and not fully committed to a huge bottle, select the small size or travel size! This is a great way to test a scent out everyday and see if you still love it as much as you thought.

Shop Them On Sale

Right now, all beauty is 15% off at Saks including fragrances which doesn’t happen often. If you had a perfume on your mind, now is the time to snag! And I highly recommend Jo Malone’s line!

I also love Diptyque–but only have tried out the Vetyverio perfume. This is another great everyday scent. LOVE this one. When it comes to Diptyque, I more focus on their candles and room sprays. These are all on sale too.

If you like similar scents to me, I HIGHLY recommend ambre, santal and vanille is my second favorite. I truly hated Baies and didn’t take my own advice and bought the fruity smell that didn’t align with my preferences–and what a surprise that I hated it!