The Rules You Need to Follow When Picking Out a Signature Fragrance

Pardon the terrible millennial slang but a signature scent is an extension of your brand. It’s a reflection of your tastes and leaves a lasting impression on others, for better or worse.

Now, I can’t tell you how to make people like you but I can tell you how to smell good. Just follow the tips below, and you should find a new, lasting fragrance that plays favorably into the impression you make on others.

1. Familiarize yourself with fragrance families

Just as you know what kinds of foods and drinks you enjoy, you should which notes you like, too. The strongest ingredients in each fragrance determine its essence and overall effect.

You need not memorize all 14 official “Fragrance Families” as outlined by the noses at Fragrances of the World, but you can take something from their classification system: some scents are spicy, some are woody; many are citrusy, others floral, others aromatic, fruity or fresh. That’s easy enough, right?

The strongest ingredients in each fragrance determine its essence.

Start paying close attention to the notes that stand out strongest whenever you smell a good scent: Is it peppery or crisp? Is it powdery or does it smell mossy and earthy? You can separate these primary notes from one another, and then determine which “family” of scents suits you best.

2. Inquire when you like someone’s scent

Don’t be shy — it’s totally okay to ask someone what scent they’re wearing. In fact, it’s a high compliment, and people will be flattered that their scent turned your head.

Take note of the responses you get, then use a site like Fragrances of the World or Fragrantica (a database created by fragrance lovers) to compare notes against other potential candidates. You can also see what other people say about these scents to see if it’s popular.

3. Ignore seasonality and play the long game

When we discuss fragrance seasonality, it’s usually a way to complement the weather. When it’s colder, we want warmer notes, like woods and spices. When it’s summer, the season is emboldened by citrusy, floral, or fresh notes.

When it comes to picking a signature scent, my advice is to ignore seasonality.

It’s a safe way to build a small collection of scents, but when it comes to picking a signature scent, my advice is to ignore seasonality and pick something that you simply want to wear year-round, regardless of when other people think you should.

4. Don’t go too extreme

Now that I’ve told you to just wear what you want, perhaps it’s best to avoid anything too edgy in terms of picking an all-rounder. Anything on the far end of either “warm” or “cool” spectrum might be best kept for beach days or roasting chestnuts by an open fire.

Stick with something near the middle and you should be safe, no matter the season or occasion.

5. Pick one scent, then try five more just like it

Right as you think you’ve found the scent, go to a department store and try five more scents in the same family. Shopping for fragrances is like dating: you need to try a few options (or a few hundred) before you can confirm your undying affection for the one.

Some stores will sell you a small sample vial that you can take for a day- or week-long test run. Or you can sneakily spray one per day on your pulse points and see what kinds of feedback you get, as well as how you yourself react to each scent. It’s not the worst research to do, and in the end, you have all the confidence you need in the winning scent.

And just like that, you’ve got a signature scent.

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