Knowing which scents to invest in and which scents to leave in the sample tray is a journey that takes time, focus and an adventurous spirit. Everyone deserves to know the feeling of walking into a room and wearing the fragrance that conveys their personality and aesthetic to everyone in the vicinity but to experience this, you must first find the perfect scent.

Fragrance Samples as a Guide to the Perfect Scent

The best way to discover this fragrance is to use perfume samples as a guide, helping you determine your preferred notes and scents and the concentrations in which you want to wear them. Through this process, you will learn that perfumes (+20%), eau to parfum (15-20%), eau de toilette (5-15%) and eau de cologne (-5%) all have different concentrations and last from up to 12 hours or longer to 2 hours or less. This detail impacts not only the intensity and power of each scent, but also their cost and availability.

Testing Sample Scents Will Help You Decide on a Fragrance Family

Stefano from Profumo Bros said “Fragrance sampling gives you the chance to fall in love with the fragrance family you feel is best for you and allows you to discover specific scents within that family that you might enjoy.” Perfume samples then further give you the chance to explore different scents in the same vein. To narrow the field of options, choose 3 to 5 scents that you would consider as good candidates and take a sample with you (preferably sprayed onto a test strip) to smell throughout the day as the smell matures.

Always Test Your Favourite Scents on Your Skin

A critical part of the search for a perfect scent is applying your favourite candidates to your skin and observing how the scent changes. Fragrances naturally change over time (top, heart, and base notes) but they also change as they react with your skin, which makes this part of the process crucial to making the right choice. Let each scent run its full course before applying another scent and if possible, wash the area before trying another fragrance. 

When is the Full-Size Bottle the Right Choice?

When you have narrowed down your choices and are excited to purchase your scent or scents, how do you know if it makes sense to purchase a full bottle? There are a few questions that you could ask yourself that will help you decide if your chosen scent deserves a spot on your fragrance shelf in a bottle of its own.

• Is the Fragrance Going to Be Your Signature Scent?

If you have finally found your signature scent, then a full bottle purchase may be warranted. As your signature scent, it will be in your frequent fragrance rotation and with regular use, even full bottles of fragrances can be depleted rather quickly.

• Will the Fragrance Be Used for an Entire Season?

Some fragrances are designated for a summer season or an extended trip where you expect to use it every day, perhaps even multiple times a day. If this is the case, depending on small sample bottles to provide you with enough fragrance to last may not be a good choice. If you want a scent to define you for a season, make sure to have enough to make a statement.

• Do You Agree with the Price Tag?

Fragrances have not been known to be particularly easy on the pocketbook, but the right scent is always worth the price. That is why, if you find a scent you like and the price is right, a full bottle almost always makes sense.

The Journey is Worth It

From the free sample to the full bottle, you will eventually find the right scent for you. By following a few simple steps and applying a bit of patience, you can find the perfect scent (and likely scents) to bolster your fragrance collection.

Paul Petersen