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Choosing the perfect fragrance is all about finding a scent that resonates with your personality and style – and your budget! Here’s how to find your perfect match and a list of the best perfume for women so you can make your decision with ease.
Step one
Think about scents you naturally gravitate towards. Do you prefer light and airy florals, warm and spicy orientals, or fresh and citrusy fragrances? Each offers a unique olfactory experience and understanding your preferences will help narrow down your options.
Step two
Take a trip to a department store or fragrance boutique where you can sample a wide variety of perfumes. Sniffing coffee beans between testing each fragrance can help prevent scent fatigue during this process. Just remember to go with a clean palette (avoid wearing any scented products such as lotions or perfumes).
This ensures your skin won’t be influenced by other scents and allows you to accurately assess each fragrance.
Step three
Once a perfume passes the sniff test on the paper strip, it’s time to apply it to your skin to see how it interacts with your body chemistry. Fragrance molecules react differently to everyone’s skin, meaning the same fragrance can smell quite different on each person. Spray the scent on your wrist or inner elbow and let it settle for a few minutes.
Step four
Found your top contenders? Great! Now, walk away. Don’t feel pressured to make a decision – give it time. Pay attention to how long the fragrance lasts on your skin (longevity), how far the scent projects (sillage), how it evolves on your skin throughout the day and how it makes you feel. Some people prefer long-lasting scents with strong projection, while others prefer more subtle, intimate fragrances.
Step five
Fallen in love with a scent? Once you’ve splurged on your favourite, you might like to build a fragrance wardrobe. For example, you could stick to your signature perfume for everyday wear and switch to a more intense scent for special occasions. Or experiment with layering different products to enhance the longevity and complexity. Some fragrance brands offer complementary products such as shower gels, body lotions and hair mists in the same scent family to level up the experience.
Beauty editor’s tip: If you have dry skin, apply a fragrance-free moisturiser before applying your perfume to help the scent last longer. Spritz onto your wrists, neck and pulse points – your body heat will help to diffuse the fragrance as the day goes on.
Shop the best perfume for women 2024
Dior Miss Dior EDP
$235, at Sephora
Fragrance notes include lily of the valley, peony, centifolia rose and iris.
Fragrance notes include mango, bergamot, tuberose, rose, coconut, musk and sandalwood.
Giorgio Armani My Way EDP
$218 from Sephora
Fragrance notes include orange blossom, tuberose absolute and white musk.
Fragrance notes include pomegranate, violets, jasmine, wisteria, freesia and sandalwood.
Fragrance notes include tea accord, jasmine and vanilla
Fragrance notes include lemon heart, oregano, jasmine, sand and freesia.
Fragrance notes include white tea, pink freesia, blush honey suckle, musk and tonka bean.
EDT vs EDP
Eau de toilette (EDT) typically contains a lower concentration of fragrance oils, which results in a lighter scent that doesn’t last as long on the skin, but is more affordable. Eau de Parfum (EDP) has a higher concentration of fragrance oils, which provides a stronger and longer-lasting scent.
