Style File Friday- Finding Your Fragrance

Today’s Style File Friday is about fragrance- I think that some people hate perfumes, some people love perfumes, some people just don’t understand perfumes. I was one of those people that was incredibly hesitant to try and find a scent for myself. Every time I walked near the perfume wall in Sephora or the counter in the Bay, I was either spritzed with a smell I had no interest in, or there was nothing that stood out to me. These are some tips to help you find your own scent in a relatively painless process!

1) Ignore the Bottles 
You will notice from the first second that you start looking at perfume that bottles can come in any number of colours, shapes, and sizes. They can have luxurious wrappings, elaborate boxes, and any adornment that you can imagine. However, the most gorgeous bottle might hold a scent that does absolutely nothing for you, or even works against your skin chemistry. Ignore the bottles and whether or not it is Instagrammable- focus on the actual scents and how they work for you.
2) Keep An Open Mind
I went in to my scent-venture (yup, that’s my new word- take it or leave it) convinced that I would love the Burberry scents because I’m a huge fan of the brand. And the first few times I would only smell their scents. Which is a shame… because they smell awful on me. Like, comically terrible. I wasted two, possibly three expeditions wasting my time on scents that wouldn’t work with me no matter what. Don’t head straight for Chanel because your favourite actress wears it, or for Tory Burch because you love her shoes- consider everything!

3) Understand the Basics
Understanding the basics of the science of perfume can make a big difference, and will help you when you are going to look for your next scent. Sillage? The amount of “throw” your perfume has, or how easily someone can smell it. Notes? All of the individual scents that comprise your scent. Katelynne has a fantastic Perfume Primer post that can help you understand the basics! If you can give the sales associates more specifics on what you like and don’t like, it can help them narrow down which scents to pursue and recommend for you.
4) Use Rollerballs as a Test 
A rollerball typically sets you back $20-35 dollars, so not necessarily the cheapest test you’ve ever done, but this will allow you to test out a scent if you are interested in it. Sure, you can try and snag magazine samples if they happen to be available, but those typically only allow for 1-2 wears. I like to pick up a rollerball, and try it out six or seven times if I’m on the fence about a scent. I have a few friends that prefer different scents from me that I can give them to if I don’t like them in the end, I’ve received a few favourites of mine that someone else decided wasn’t for them this way.
What are your favourite scents? 
Until tomorrow,
The Historian!