When looking for a new perfume, it’s not always as simple as love at first spritz. Read on to learn more about finding the fragrance that’s just right for you. 

FINDING THE SCENT FOR YOU

Do your homework. Ask yourself, what everyday scent am I drawn to and which ones not so much? If you’ve got a fragrance you love already, look into its composition: What are its top, heart and base notes? Armed with this easy-to-find information on the internet, you’ll be better able to describe the type of scent you love.

Be patient. No, it’s generally not enough to spritz perfume on your wrist one time to know if a fragrance suits you. When it comes to scents, love at first sniff is often fleeting. The reason? You need time to allow the top notes—the most volatile, and often misleading—to dissipate and give way to the heart and base notes, which should take about 10 minutes. If, after that, you’re still under the spell of the scent, try again three or four times a few days apart, and for at least 30 minutes at a time, to confirm it’s true love and not lust.

Keep an open mind. Some­times it’s helpful to expect the unexpected. For example, even if you’re not usually into floral aromas, don’t pass too quickly on perfumes that contain the scent of flowers. You could find that when they’re mixed with other notes you love, you’ve uncovered an unexpected gem.

Don’t tend to the trends. Because choos­ing a fragrance is such a personal choice, you absolutely do not have to fol­low trends. Things like your mood and the season matter, too—so go for what you love. Perhaps that means a scent that’s light and airy for spring, but a different one that’s bolder for colder months. 

Mix & Match

You don’t have to purchase a new perfume to update your scent. Simply experiment and compose a tailor-made fragrance by layering up the ones you already own. Spritz two perfumes on your wrist and wait at least 30 minutes to allow all the notes to shine. Try a few times before you make your final decision. 

Responsible luxury

Single-use perfume bottles might become a rarity, as refillable ones are gaining momentum! In 1992, French fashion designer and perfumer Thierry Mugler decided no one should be throwing away the star bottle of his perfume Angel, created with the help of master glassmakers. Instead, the bottles were intended to be refilled and used over and over again. The brand of the late creator, one of the pioneers in the field, is no longer the only one that offers refillable bottles. Guerlain, which already offered the option of personalizing their Abeille bottle and filling it with a fragrance of your choice, is now launching a new Aqua Allegoria bottle this month that is not only refillable, but also made from 15-percent recycled glass. Other brands, such as Armani, Dior and Kilian Paris, have also started this shift toward more sustainable packaging practices.

 

Floral woody chypre

This elegant blend of white flowers—gardenia,  jasmine sambac and tuberose—opens with a luminous note of orange blossom, mandarin orange and ylang-ylang, all enhanced by the depth of woody notes in the background. An ode to the light of a summer morning.

ELIE SAAB Le Parfum Lumière, Eau de Parfum, $145/90 ml, thebay.com. 

Aquatic woodland

This simply unique aquatic woody scent—the sixteenth in the Replica range—evokes a spring stroll through an Irish forest with a harmony of pink pepper, rose petals, pine needles, patchouli and refreshing watery elements.

MAISON MARGIELA Replica, When the Rain Stops Eau de Toilette, $166/100 ml, sephora.ca.  

Spice citrus floral

Citrus notes topped with Chantilly cream, all delivered in the brand’s emblematic apple bottle: There’s no doubt the latest olfactory creation by Nina Ricci is a real indulgence.

NINA RICCI Nina Soleil, Eau de Toilette, $88/50 ml, thebay.com. 

Fruity floral

Fruity top notes and a festive trail featuring a bouquet of iris, jasmine sambac, ylang-ylang and hand-picked Damascena rose celebrate 10 years of an iconic scent synonymous with sophistication.

LANCÔME La Vie Est Belle Oui, Eau de Parfum, $178/100 ml, lancome.ca. 

 

Gourmet floral

The iconic fragrance of the Dutch fashion house reinvents itself in an extravagant way by marrying the richness of ruby ​orchid and red vanilla with sump-tuous notes of red fruits.

VIKTOR & ROLF Flowerbomb Ruby Orchid Eau de Parfum, $148/50 ml, thebay.com.  

Fruity floral

Williams pear, in com-bination with mandarin and peach, shines here alongside notes of orange flower water, rose, jasmine, gardenia, lotus, vanilla and Egyptian geranium from sustainable sources.

THE 7 VIRTUES Lotus Pear, Eau de Parfum, $105/50 ml, sephora.ca.  

Fruity Floral

Lighter than the brand’s original eau de parfum, this new version highlights all the freshness of berga-mot in harmony with ambrosial notes of raspberry and lychee. The blend is then enhanced with a heart of rose and supported by end notes of musk and cedarwood.

MUGLER Angel Nova Eau de Toilette, $99/50 ml, sephora.ca.  

Floral

A newcomer to the world of perfumery, hair brand Authentic Beauty Concept has launched a delicate eau de toilette that perfumes both your hair and skin. An enveloping trail, subtly powdered with waves of violet, evokes just-washed linen and a bouquet of fresh peonies.

AUTHENTIC BEAUTY CONCEPT Body & Hair, Eau de Toilette, $65/50 ml, authenticbeautyconcept.ca.

Amber floral

Infused with a black coffee accord—a first in a women’s fragrance—green mandarin and fig, this bold fragrance is inspired by the art of mixology. 

YSL Black Opium Illicit Green Eau de Parfum, $135/75 ml, yslbeauty.ca.  

Olfactory families

Floral

notes: gardenia, jasmine, lilac, lily of the valley, orange blossom, rose, tuberose, ylang-ylang

Citrus

notes: bergamot, bigarade (sour orange), grapefruit, lemon, mandarin, sweet orange

Woodlands

notes: ambroxan, cashmeran, cedar, cypress, patchouli, sandalwood, vetiver

Ferns

notes: anise, bergamot, coriander, coumarin, geranium, lavender, mint, oak moss, rosemary, sage, thyme, tonka bean, vetiver

Chypre

notes: bergamot, jasmine, labdanum, oak moss, patchouli, rose

Amber

notes: amber, ambroxan, cognac, incense nutmeg, patchouli, pepper, resin, turmeric, vanilla, woods

Leather

notes: ambergris, burnt birch, tanned leather, musk, tobacco