They say that scent is the strongest link to memory. So when it comes to shopping for a perfume you want to make the right choice, create the right memory, and leave the right aroma behind. But how do you do that? Before you hit the amazing stores at Willowbrook such as Hudson’s Bay or Sephora, it’s important to understand how perfume works.
Fragrances are made up of a top note, middle note, and base note. The top note is the first thing you smell when you spray the product, but it also dissipates the fastest. When you’re testing a perfume, be sure to wait a few minutes and don’t judge a scent by your first sniff. Middle notes make up the bulk of the scent and tend to be the more dominant ingredient—as a result, it’s key that you like the middle note. Finally, your perfume has a base note, which doesn’t become apparent until about a half hour after you put it on, but this is the aroma that will stay with you throughout the day.
Are you a spicy vixen? A floral goddess? Knowing what type of scents you prefer, can make finding your trademark perfume easier. Perfumes typically fall into one of four categories—floral, citrus, spicy, or woody. Florals are commonly described as sweet. Not surprisingly, these are usually made up of flowers (duh) like rose, lavender, or violet. Citrus aromas like orange and lemon are thought of as being fresh, while spicy and woody options like vanilla, amber, musk, and patchouli are known to be warm and sultry.
When a scent speaks to you (or smells to you, we should say) give it a fair shot. Your individual body chemistry can impact how a scent wears. Test it out for several hours to get the full experience of all the notes and avoid wearing other scented products at the same time (like fragrant lotions or hair products) to prevent a nasal nightmare.
Experiment, enjoy, and happy sniffing!