The right fragrance is one that smells good on your skin after several hours, not one that smells good on a paper strip in the first minute. Choose slowly, test properly and settle on one.
Understand concentration
The more perfume oil in the bottle, the stronger and longer-lasting the scent, and usually the higher the price.
- Eau de toilette (EDT): lighter, fresher, fades sooner. Good for hot days and offices.
- Eau de parfum (EDP): richer and longer-lasting. The most popular everyday choice.
- Parfum or extrait: the most concentrated, worn in small amounts.
Read the notes
A fragrance unfolds in three stages. The top notes are what you smell first, such as citrus or herbs, and they fade within minutes. The heart notes come next. The base notes, such as woods, amber or musk, remain for hours. The base is what people will smell on you at the end of the day, so judge a fragrance by its dry-down.
Test it properly
- Spray on your skin, not a paper strip. Skin chemistry changes the scent.
- Try no more than three fragrances in one visit, or your nose tires.
- Walk away and wait at least an hour before deciding.
- Come back on another day. If you still like it, it is a good choice.
Suit the Indian climate
Heat and humidity make strong, sweet fragrances feel heavy. Fresh citrus, light woods, tea and aromatic notes usually wear better through an Indian summer. Richer, warmer scents suit evenings, winter and air-conditioned rooms. Many people keep two: a lighter one for the day and a deeper one for the evening.
How to wear it
Two or three sprays are enough for the office. Apply to the neck and the insides of the wrists, and do not rub your wrists together, because friction dulls the top notes. Fragrance should reach people who are close to you, not the entire room. In a meeting, less is almost always right.
Buy it from a trusted seller
Counterfeit perfume is common and can irritate the skin. Buy from authorised retailers, check the seal and batch code, and be wary of prices that look too good. Store the bottle in a cool, dark place, not in the bathroom or a hot car.
Wear one fragrance for several months. People will start to associate it with you, and that is what makes it a signature.
