Don't know your tuberose from your patchouli? No matter. The best scents are the most personal, those you respond to instinctively and still love after a day on your skin.
BUY ONLINE NOW
Covet from Sarah Jessica Parker, $52/1.7 oz; at nordstrom.com.
Check out Style 101 for more of what every stylish woman needs to know!
BUY ONLINE NOW
Covet from Sarah Jessica Parker, $52/1.7 oz; at nordstrom.com.
Check out Style 101 for more of what every stylish woman needs to know!
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To find your signature, first get a sense of which family of fragrance appeals to you. You may gravitate towards fruity scents with sweet but refreshing citrus notes: Daisy from Marc Jacobs has notes of strawberry and red grapefruit.
BUY ONLINE NOW
Marc Jacobs Daisy, $55/1.7 oz; at neimanmarcus.com.
BUY ONLINE NOW
Marc Jacobs Daisy, $55/1.7 oz; at neimanmarcus.com.
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Floral scents, like Pleasures from Estee Lauder, are the most popular perfumes, with notes of jasmine, rose, gardenia or hyacinth, among others.
BUY ONLINE NOW
Estee Lauder Pleasures, $65/3.4 oz; at saksfifthavenue.com.
BUY ONLINE NOW
Estee Lauder Pleasures, $65/3.4 oz; at saksfifthavenue.com.
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Green scents (like L'eau D'Issey) are clean and energetic with bamboo, grass, pine or chamomile notes.
BUY ONLINE NOW
Issey Miyake L'eau D'issey, $84/3.4 oz; at dillards.com.
BUY ONLINE NOW
Issey Miyake L'eau D'issey, $84/3.4 oz; at dillards.com.
Devon Jarvis
An exotic scent is more sweet and spice with notes like musk, vanilla or ginger. What's more exotic than Opium from Yves St. Laurent?
BUY ONLINE NOW
YSL Opium, $269/1 oz; at saksfifthavenue.com.
BUY ONLINE NOW
YSL Opium, $269/1 oz; at saksfifthavenue.com.
Devon Jarvis
You'll also want to consider what intensity you want your perfume to pack: Something light (like Pure White Linen) is best if you work close to others; a stronger scent works for a night of clubbing.
BUY ONLINE NOW
Estee Lauder Pure White Linen, $35/1 oz; at esteelauder.com.
BUY ONLINE NOW
Estee Lauder Pure White Linen, $35/1 oz; at esteelauder.com.
Devon Jarvis
Climate also matters. A basic rule of thumb is that the higher the temperature-and humidity-the lighter your fragrance should be. Intimately Beckham is a light option.
BUY ONLINE NOW
Intimately Beckham, $55/2.5 oz; at ulta.com.
BUY ONLINE NOW
Intimately Beckham, $55/2.5 oz; at ulta.com.
.
Take your time when shopping: spritz options on blotters if possible, then take a stroll while they dry. The top note, or opening burst, of a fragrance often bears little resemblance to its "dry down" (the way it smells after a few hours), so you'll want to whiff at intervals. L, by Gwen Stefani, has a fresh top note, but a base of musk.
BUY ONLINE NOW
L, a L.A.M.B. Fragrance by Gwen Stefani, $55/1.7 oz; at macys.com.
BUY ONLINE NOW
L, a L.A.M.B. Fragrance by Gwen Stefani, $55/1.7 oz; at macys.com.
Courtesy of LAMB
As weird as it sounds, smelling something made of wool between moments of sniffing helps you clear your nasal palette. So bring a scarf or sweater the next time you test drive a scent like Fracas.
BUY ONLINE NOW
Fracas by Robert Piguet, $95/0.25 oz; at sephora.com.
BUY ONLINE NOW
Fracas by Robert Piguet, $95/0.25 oz; at sephora.com.
James Wade
Work your perfume hunt into a few other shopping expeditions, since you don't want to try more than three scents at a time. Any more and the nose gets overwhelmed.
BUY ONLINE NOW
Nina Ricci L'Air du Temps, $42.29/3.3 oz; at fragrancenet.com.
BUY ONLINE NOW
Nina Ricci L'Air du Temps, $42.29/3.3 oz; at fragrancenet.com.
Devon Jarvis
If you think you may have found a favorite (like Keira Knightley's fave, Coco Mademoiselle), go back and try it on the inner wrist of your dominant hand-but don't rub wrists together, as friction alters the smell. Leave it on for several hours before you buy, since it takes time to ascertain how the notes will develop with your skin chemistry.
BUY ONLINE NOW
Coco Mademoiselle, $80/1.7 oz; at chanel.com.
BUY ONLINE NOW
Coco Mademoiselle, $80/1.7 oz; at chanel.com.
Devon Jarvis
To gauge cost, know that most scents are a combination of natural and synthetic ingredients; the greater the percentage of things like jasmine and Bulgarian rose, the higher the price. Joy by Jean Patou has long been an expensive luxury.
BUY ONLINE NOW
Joy Jean Patou, $400/1 oz; at nordstrom.com.
BUY ONLINE NOW
Joy Jean Patou, $400/1 oz; at nordstrom.com.
Devon Jarvis
Classic fragrances like Chanel No. 5 can be purchased in a variety of forms. Eau de toilette and eau de cologne are cheaper options than perfume, since they contain smaller percentages of fragrance oil and higher percentages of ethyl alcohol.
BUY ONLINE NOW
Chanel No. 5, $155/0.5 oz; at chanel.com.
Check out Style 101 for more of what every stylish woman needs to know!
BUY ONLINE NOW
Chanel No. 5, $155/0.5 oz; at chanel.com.
Check out Style 101 for more of what every stylish woman needs to know!
Devon Jarvis
Advertisement
Sarah Jessica Parker Covet
Don't know your tuberose from your patchouli? No matter. The best scents are the most personal, those you respond to instinctively and still love after a day on your skin.
BUY ONLINE NOW
Covet from Sarah Jessica Parker, $52/1.7 oz; at nordstrom.com.
Check out Style 101 for more of what every stylish woman needs to know!
BUY ONLINE NOW
Covet from Sarah Jessica Parker, $52/1.7 oz; at nordstrom.com.
Check out Style 101 for more of what every stylish woman needs to know!
Advertisement
Marc Jacobs Daisy
To find your signature, first get a sense of which family of fragrance appeals to you. You may gravitate towards fruity scents with sweet but refreshing citrus notes: Daisy from Marc Jacobs has notes of strawberry and red grapefruit.
BUY ONLINE NOW
Marc Jacobs Daisy, $55/1.7 oz; at neimanmarcus.com.
BUY ONLINE NOW
Marc Jacobs Daisy, $55/1.7 oz; at neimanmarcus.com.
Estee Lauder Pleasures
Floral scents, like Pleasures from Estee Lauder, are the most popular perfumes, with notes of jasmine, rose, gardenia or hyacinth, among others.
BUY ONLINE NOW
Estee Lauder Pleasures, $65/3.4 oz; at saksfifthavenue.com.
BUY ONLINE NOW
Estee Lauder Pleasures, $65/3.4 oz; at saksfifthavenue.com.
Advertisement
Issey Miyake L'eau D'Issey
Green scents (like L'eau D'Issey) are clean and energetic with bamboo, grass, pine or chamomile notes.
BUY ONLINE NOW
Issey Miyake L'eau D'issey, $84/3.4 oz; at dillards.com.
BUY ONLINE NOW
Issey Miyake L'eau D'issey, $84/3.4 oz; at dillards.com.
Advertisement
YSL Opium
An exotic scent is more sweet and spice with notes like musk, vanilla or ginger. What's more exotic than Opium from Yves St. Laurent?
BUY ONLINE NOW
YSL Opium, $269/1 oz; at saksfifthavenue.com.
BUY ONLINE NOW
YSL Opium, $269/1 oz; at saksfifthavenue.com.
Advertisement
Estee Lauder Pure White Linen
You'll also want to consider what intensity you want your perfume to pack: Something light (like Pure White Linen) is best if you work close to others; a stronger scent works for a night of clubbing.
BUY ONLINE NOW
Estee Lauder Pure White Linen, $35/1 oz; at esteelauder.com.
BUY ONLINE NOW
Estee Lauder Pure White Linen, $35/1 oz; at esteelauder.com.
Advertisement
Intimately Beckham
Climate also matters. A basic rule of thumb is that the higher the temperature-and humidity-the lighter your fragrance should be. Intimately Beckham is a light option.
BUY ONLINE NOW
Intimately Beckham, $55/2.5 oz; at ulta.com.
BUY ONLINE NOW
Intimately Beckham, $55/2.5 oz; at ulta.com.
Advertisement
L, L.A.M.B. Fragrance
Take your time when shopping: spritz options on blotters if possible, then take a stroll while they dry. The top note, or opening burst, of a fragrance often bears little resemblance to its "dry down" (the way it smells after a few hours), so you'll want to whiff at intervals. L, by Gwen Stefani, has a fresh top note, but a base of musk.
BUY ONLINE NOW
L, a L.A.M.B. Fragrance by Gwen Stefani, $55/1.7 oz; at macys.com.
BUY ONLINE NOW
L, a L.A.M.B. Fragrance by Gwen Stefani, $55/1.7 oz; at macys.com.
Advertisement
Fracas Robert Piguet
As weird as it sounds, smelling something made of wool between moments of sniffing helps you clear your nasal palette. So bring a scarf or sweater the next time you test drive a scent like Fracas.
BUY ONLINE NOW
Fracas by Robert Piguet, $95/0.25 oz; at sephora.com.
BUY ONLINE NOW
Fracas by Robert Piguet, $95/0.25 oz; at sephora.com.
Advertisement
Nina Ricci L'Air du Temps
Work your perfume hunt into a few other shopping expeditions, since you don't want to try more than three scents at a time. Any more and the nose gets overwhelmed.
BUY ONLINE NOW
Nina Ricci L'Air du Temps, $42.29/3.3 oz; at fragrancenet.com.
BUY ONLINE NOW
Nina Ricci L'Air du Temps, $42.29/3.3 oz; at fragrancenet.com.
Advertisement
Coco Mademoiselle
If you think you may have found a favorite (like Keira Knightley's fave, Coco Mademoiselle), go back and try it on the inner wrist of your dominant hand-but don't rub wrists together, as friction alters the smell. Leave it on for several hours before you buy, since it takes time to ascertain how the notes will develop with your skin chemistry.
BUY ONLINE NOW
Coco Mademoiselle, $80/1.7 oz; at chanel.com.
BUY ONLINE NOW
Coco Mademoiselle, $80/1.7 oz; at chanel.com.
Advertisement
Joy Jean Patou
To gauge cost, know that most scents are a combination of natural and synthetic ingredients; the greater the percentage of things like jasmine and Bulgarian rose, the higher the price. Joy by Jean Patou has long been an expensive luxury.
BUY ONLINE NOW
Joy Jean Patou, $400/1 oz; at nordstrom.com.
BUY ONLINE NOW
Joy Jean Patou, $400/1 oz; at nordstrom.com.
Advertisement
Chanel No. 5
Classic fragrances like Chanel No. 5 can be purchased in a variety of forms. Eau de toilette and eau de cologne are cheaper options than perfume, since they contain smaller percentages of fragrance oil and higher percentages of ethyl alcohol.
BUY ONLINE NOW
Chanel No. 5, $155/0.5 oz; at chanel.com.
Check out Style 101 for more of what every stylish woman needs to know!
BUY ONLINE NOW
Chanel No. 5, $155/0.5 oz; at chanel.com.
Check out Style 101 for more of what every stylish woman needs to know!
