The Right Perfume for You

Do you have a signature perfume or a wardrobe of perfumes?
Do you wear it only for special occasions or every day?
Did you know that smell is our strongest sense, which is why a smell can take you to a situation or experience in your life so easily.

At the Perfume Masterclass at The Powder Room

Scents are broken down into 4 types at the most basic level (these can of course be subdivided into many more categories!)

Floral
Oriental
Woody
Citrus

Which you choose will depend on both your personality, age and the situation. Light florals suit younger women, whilst as we age we will want to mature into a more complex scent.

Sam Taylor – Perfume Expert

Recently I was lucky enough to attend a Perfume Masterclass and High Tea with Sam Taylor of The Powder Room, an expert in the field of scents, who imports and distributes some fabulous boutique fragrances such as Miller Harris and Penhalagons, who shared lots of fascinating historical information about perfume, plus tips and tricks to getting the best from perfume. For example, did you know that Napoleon Bonaparte drank perfume? He thought it had health benefits.

High Tea at the Perfume Masterclass

Sam shared her extensive knowledge about perfume with us, from historical facts through to choosing perfumes, which is an art that comes down to age, personality, skin type (haven’t we all had that experience smelling a perfume on someone else and thinking it divine, then trying it on ourselves and it smelling not so great?).

There are different strengths of perfume:

Eau de cologne (most commonly worn by men): 3 – 5%
Eau de toilette: 5 – 10% - this is a great option if you want to wear a different fragrance during the day and change it up for the evening without showering in between. Better for those with drier skins.
Eau de parfum: 10 – 20% - a stronger perfume that has more of the essential perfume oils in it. Longer lasting and more intense in smell. Will last the day through. Better for those with more acidic skins.
Parfum: 20 – 40%

Some of us like to have a signature scent, whilst others are more keen on developing a scent wardrobe for our different moods and activities (the perfume you wear to seduce is not the one to wear to the office!).

Top Perfume Buying Tips

Never buy a perfume without trying it on for at least 30 minutes – it takes that long for the base notes to become apparent, and this is the lasting scent that you’ll be wafting, you want to ensure that it smells great and you love it! If you’re trying scents and your nose has become fatigued, just sniff the crook of your elbow (as long as you haven’t got perfume on it) and it will reset your olfactory nerves to start sniffing again! So now it’s time for you to tell me:

What’s your favorite perfume?

Do you wear just one scent or a variety?