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New to Perfumes? 4 Things to Know Before You Buy

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Beauty Products Reviews

If you are shopping for a new perfume, or if you are new to perfumes entirely, there are a few things that you should know before you embark on a shopping trip. Finding the perfect sweet perfumes can take some time and knowledge of the products. If you need some pointers, here are four things to know before you buy a new perfume.

1.  Learn the Lingo

The first thing you want to do before making a perfume purchase is learn about the words and descriptors that are used to define perfumes. The first thing you need to become familiar with are notes. Notes are used to describe the different layers in each perfume. There are going to be top notes, middle notes, and bottom notes to each perfume. Each layer or note will have a few different scents of its own. The middle notes of a perfume are what you are going to be smelling primarily throughout the day. The top notes will be what you notice when you first apply your perfume, and the bottom notes will linger towards the end of the day.

You also want to know the more basic descriptors like floral, fruity, sweet, musky or peppery. While these seem like they could be descriptors on their own, they are more broad terms for describing scents. Florals scents may contain rose, peony, or lily scents. Or a fruity scent could be strawberry or honeydew. Pay attention to each type of scent and the specific notes that each one contains.

2.  Scents Can Change

It is important to know that the scent of your perfume can change and shift based on a couple different factors. The first being from person to person. If you have ever noticed that you love a scent on your friend, but it just doesn’t seem the same when you wear it, then you have already experienced this phenomenon. Perfumes can actually mix with your own natural scent to create a smell that is entirely unique to you. This is why it is important to test perfumes on your own skin before you purchase rather than just smelling them in the bottle.

Another factor that will change how your perfume smells is how long you’ve been wearing it. We’ve already covered notes, but let’s talk a little more about how your perfume will evolve through each note the longer you wear it. At the beginning of the day the top notes of your perfume will be the strongest, with the middle and bottom notes being more subtle. As the day continues the top notes will take a backseat to the middle notes. The middle notes are what you will be smelling throughout the majority of the day. These are going to be the most important to factor in while you are shopping for perfumes. The bottom notes will start to become more prevalent towards the final hours of the day and they will linger until you shower your perfume off. Keep this in mind when examining the different notes on each potential perfume you’re looking at.

3.  Day or Night Wear

While this is entirely up to preference, some people prefer to don lighter scents during the day, and heavier ones in the evening. You don’t have to follow this as a rule, but it is something to keep in mind if you are looking for a scent that you can transition from day to night with. Plenty of scents are versatile enough to wear all day long.

4.  Body Sprays VS Perfumes

If you are entirely new to shopping for scents, you may be wondering if you should go with a body spray or a perfume. If you don’t know much about the difference, it can be tempting to purchase a body spray which typically comes at a much lower price point. It is important, however, to know that perfumes are much stronger and longer lasting than body sprays are. While you can save money by purchasing body spray, you will need double the amount to achieve the level of scent of a perfume and you will also need to keep applying it throughout the day. Perfumes have the ability to linger on your skin, clothes, and hair in a way that body sprays don’t. Keep this in mind when deciding on a scent.

Finding Your New Scent

Perfume shopping can quickly become overwhelming, especially for anyone who is new to the world of perfumes. If you follow these tips and tricks, your experience is sure to be as seamless as possible. You’ll be rocking your new scent before you know it!

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