The best way to buy perfume is by going to a store and smelling the scents in person. However, online shopping has become the norm today because it’s fast and convenient. But when it comes to fragrances, how do you choose a scent you know you will love? Many people might think you simply can’t buy perfume online because it’s impossible to know the scent. But if you can’t visit a brick-and-mortar store, that doesn’t mean there’s no way for you to buy one. With research, some knowledge of terms and scent families, as well as a nod to scents that you liked in the past, buying a bottle of perfume for yourself or a loved one will be easy breezy.
1. Know About the Fragrance Families
A fragrance family characterizes the scent of a perfume. It is the first building block in terms of understanding fragrances. A perfume company typically features the fragrance family in the description of its products (see our guide for the 6 style fragrance guide for more information. Here are the fragrance families you should know about:
Floral – The floral family is defined by romantic scents that evoke flowers. This family is also divided into 3 sub-categories, which are floral, as in roses; white floral, as in orchids with touches of softness and powdery smell; and lastly, water floral, which hints at a cleaner flowery scent.
Oriental – Characterized by spicy and sweet smells, such as cinnamon, ginger, or pepper. and comforting scents such as chocolate and vanilla.
Marine – Marine is characterized by clean, salty, and fresh scents.
Chypre – This scent is characterized by woody or mossy smells, like a forest.
Fougere – This is defined by green scents, such as grass, trees, or a river.
Fruity – Fruity scents are characterized by citrusy and other sweet fruity smells.
2. Take Note of Scents You Love
What kinds of scents do you have? Take note of what you’ve worn before and use this as the basis for choosing the fragrance you wish to buy. If you’ve thrown out the bottle, you can check the online perfume encyclopedia to find out the notes that are featured on your past favorite fragrances. If you’re unsure about the perfume you wish to buy, and the descriptions are unclear, you can also refer to the website to know more about the notes of certain fragrances.
3. Know the Perfumer
Do some research on brands of perfumes and read testimonials along with reviews of their specific products. Some perfumers are more well-known and hailed than others, while some are hardly known. If you want to stick to the tried and tested, that’s a good choice as you can’t go wrong with a brand that have a solid reputation for producing some of the greatest quality and most beloved perfumes in the market. However, some brands may be new to the market but are just as good or even better. Get to know more about the brand, company, and perfumers behind the fragrances to get a better grip on the product you’re choosing.
4. Take Note of the Color
It may not be easy to see the actual color of the perfume through the bottle, but some brands offer products with a transparent bottle with the perfume color visible. You can also take note of the color to figure out the notes of the fragrance.
Here are the usual notes of perfume colors:
- Blue
Notes of freshness, marine, aquatic, citrus, and herbs.
- Gold
Features notes of opulence, richness, and exotic fragrances.
- Red
Scents of spice, black pepper, and ginger.
- Yellow
Features summery scents, citrusy, and zingy.
- Greens
Features woodsy and smoky smells.
- Black
Notes are deep and intense.
5. Take an Online Fragrance Quiz
If you don’t know what you like or if you want to try something new, why not take an online fragrance quiz with results that show you which perfumes will suit your preferences best? These types of quizzes usually ask questions about your personality, what food you like, activities you do, and even your horoscope. Your results will help you realize why you are attracted to certain scents, and which notes, and fragrance families will suit you best.
Conclusion
Long gone are the days when the only way to buy perfume is by physically going to a store and smelling the scents before deciding to make a purchase. With some knowledge about scents and notes, you can easily make the best decision when it comes to choosing the best perfume that fits your personality and preferences.
Follow Us