Find your scent preferences.
Listen, fragrance is extremely personal and will smell unique to every nose, so it’s important to keep your preferences in mind before splurging on a new scent.
Rose itself is a floral note, but rose perfumes can span every fragrance category from sweet gourmands (AKA fragrances that smell edible) to woody aromatics. If you’re newer to rose scents, perfumes with fruity citrus notes tend to be safe and crowd-pleasing. But if you’re looking for something more experimental, try a rose scent with rich oud or smoky incense.
Pay attention to the concentration.
Ever wondered why some perfumes are listed as “eau de parfum” while others are “eau de toilette”? These terms refer to a perfume’s concentration, or how much the fragrance oil has been diluted.
Here’s a cheat sheet: Extraits de parfum have the highest concentration (and often the highest price tag), followed by eau de parfum, eau de toilette, eau de cologne, and, finally, eau fraiche. As a rule of thumb, a scent with a higher concentration will smell the strongest and last longer, while those with a lower concentration will have a lighter and more fleeting scent.
Want your fragrance to turn heads and last all day? Look for a bottle that says “extrait de parfum” or “eau de parfum.” For something more subtle, opt for an eau de toilette or eau de cologne.
Consider the occasion.
Time and place is everything, ppl! As much as I love raking in the compliments when I wear a bold perfume, I don’t want to make my whole office nauseous. Stick to lighter concentrations and fresher scents for daytime wear, and reserve your loudest fragrances for date night and going out on the town.
