Not so often do we wander into a store to buy an unknown bottle of perfume without knowing what it scents like or without credible word of mouth. Even when a perfume is tagged ‘a blind buy’, more often than not, we decide to purchase it because we have an inkling of what it scents like.
When testing for perfumes to buy, either with some spritz of the actual bottle, tester bottles or blotter paper, you might get overwhelmed as to what exactly you want and may experience decision fatigue because of the numerous choices presented to you. It is therefore essential to know how to test and pick a bottle you’ll love and won’t regret after you leave the store. Find beneath four golden tips to have in your arsenal when you test perfumes.
Stick to Fragrance Families you are familiar with.
Strutting into the perfume store ready to cop a new bottle of perfume? This is not the time to smell what every bottle on the shelf scents like as this is a sure-fire way to make sure you are confused. Tell the assistant or owner of the store your preferred kind of perfume, what notes you usually like and go for, what event(s) you attend and the longevity and projection you are hoping to get. Sharing these details ensures that whatever selection is brought to you leans within your personal preferences.
Smell Coffee to clean your olfactory memory
This trick is one that my aunty told me about and turns out it is quite common. Do you know how watermelon is eaten between meals to quickly clean your taste buds so you can get the full taste of the next meal you are putting in your mouth? Coffee in this sense does the same thing but with your nose. When testing several perfumes, at some point, there is a tangle up of different scents in the atmosphere and in your mind and you might not be able to conceive the actual scent of the next perfume you are trying. Simply sniffing coffee in a jar helps clean your olfactory memory of the previous scent thereby leaving a fresh memory to perceive the next perfume you are trying.
Consider the life of the Perfumes
Perfumes are made up of top, middle and base notes. The ingredients that make up the top notes come into play immediately after the perfume is sprayed but don’t last long as they give way to the middle notes. The middle notes last longer than the top notes but also give way to the final base notes of the perfume which carries on till the perfume dissipates. This should be a key consideration when you test out perfumes. The initial scent you get after your first spritz will change and mature over time. You might not like the first sniff, but after a few minutes be in love with what it scents like. Also, it may be reversed — falling in love with the top notes and then completely hating what the dry-down scents like. Pay close attention to this factor when testing your perfume.
Sleep on It
If all other tips fail and you are still not sure about purchasing a perfume or not, simply drop the bottle and forgo the idea of purchasing it there and then. If you tried the perfume on a blotter paper, ask to take it with you. If you spritz it on your wrist, it’s also fine. Ideally, when you come back to sniff it hours later, you’d be certain without a doubt if you want that perfume or not. Sleeping on your choice also reveals the longevity of the perfume. You might not know after a few minutes how long a perfume will last even if it is potent at first spritz as it may dissipate rather quickly, but after hours, you’ll be certain if the perfume lasts long or not.
Planet Zaiy 