Still being faithful to one fragrance when there are so many gorgeous new spritzes to flirt with? We’ve got 6 tips to help you take that leap of faith and find a new fragrance love.
When we’ve worn a fragrance for years, it takes a lot to let go and try something new. Perfume taps into the brain’s limbic system, the home of memories and emotions, and one quick spritz of an old favourite can instantly zip us back to one unforgettable and cherished moment.
Hardly surprising we’re reluctant to let go. It’s fine to pull out an oldie when we want to feel safe and comforted or maybe need a shot of confidence, but there comes a time when we’re ready to make fresh memories with something newer, sexier and different.
Forget tentative sniff-and-spritz trips, there’s a better way to find a fragrance you love and it starts with the fact that perfume-buying is the most fun you can have with your clothes on. Our beauty expert Annika Hakansson reveals her top tricks.
1. Give it your best shot… shop dressed to the nines to give you a confidence buzz and free you of your own fragrance. Buy a little bag of fresh coffee beans (more on that later) then dive right into the lushest beauty boutique.
2. Forget the hype… don’t feel you have to buy the scent of the moment. Trust your instincts. If you want a celebrity endorsement or a beautiful bottle, that’s fine. Go ahead. Spritz a little onto blotter strips and keep aside those you like – but don’t spray yourself yet.
3. Amaze yourself… by trying a few you thought were too sexy or too young, just to see if you might connect. After every three or four tries, sniff your bag of coffee beans to clear your palate. Experts use them, good fragrance stores will have them, but most counters don’t.
4. Where’s the fire?… take your time, go back to your selected blotters and get it down to two. Don’t buy from a blotter, you wouldn’t buy a dress without trying it on! Spray one on each wrist and go for a wander.
5. Sleep on it… even if you love it at this stage, still don’t buy. In a store, your senses are constantly under assault from browsers spraying their favourites. So ask the shop assistant for samples and wear them over a few days.
6. Wake up with it… When testing a sample, try one scent all day long and make a note of the time when you liked wearing it the most. That heavy scent you adored in the store may not be so good first thing and might work better in the evening. At woman&home, we spritz on something new early evening and see how it smells in the morning – if you love it, then it’s a winner!
