Finding Your Signature Scent, How to Analyze Fragrance Notes

Have you ever tried to figure out your signature perfume or signature cologne and liked so many random scents that you just didn't know how to find your signature scent? While it's always a good idea to give any new perfume or cologne a good whiff before purchasing it, sometimes you can tell what scent will fit your style if you pay attention to what's in the fragrance bottle. These tips are also good for purchasing a fragrance gift for another person.

My grandfather has two colognes in his home-one is Grey Flannel cologne by Geoffrey Beene and the other is Pierre Cardin for Men by Pierre Cardin. Grey Flannel ingredients include top notes cypress, mandarin orange, star anise, caraway, cedar and lemon; middle notes eucalyptus, patchouli, lavender and clary sage; and base notes sandalwood, musk and vetiver. Pierre Cardin ingredients include top notes bergamot, clove and cumin; middle notes amber, cedar and oak; and base notes sandalwood, moss and vetiver. On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the highest, I'd give Grey Flannel cologne a one because of its strong, camping, mosquito repellent aroma. However, I'd give Pierre Cardin an 8.5 out of 10 for its mature and masculine scent. When Pierre Cardin is first sprayed, it's too strong but immediately calms down to a powdery, leathery scent that is for a mature man.

However, I was fascinated with why my grandfather would choose two colognes that were so incredibly different. So what was his signature scent? What made these fragrance smells appeal to him?

The first thing I did was look up the base notes, middle notes and top notes for these two colognes. Base notes, according to Medical-Dictionary.com, are aromatic components that "that do not readily evaporate and are used as fixatives to provide permanence." An example of a base note is sandalwood. Middle notes are aromatic components "with intermediate permanence and volatility properties" like geranium or lavender. Top notes are "a highly volatile category of aromatic components of essential perfumes and oils that are penetrating and sharp. These are the first odors that the olfactory system perceives."

The top notes are what you'll smell immediately that will either turn you off or on to the fragrance. Although top notes wear off after a few minutes, they're also what make you put the fragrance down and never return. But keep in mind that fragrances can smell different on each person's body chemistry. Then compare the differences in the middle notes and base notes.

Now pay attention to the pattern in your signature scents. Are they usually fruity, flowery, watery scents or more subtle? Sometimes you may think you like fruity fragrances and smell two perfumes that have a lot in common visibly but with the mixture in top notes, middle notes and base notes, you're not so thrilled. For example, both DKNY Be Delicious and Apple Bottoms by Nelly perfumes smell like apples but the scent is incredibly different. Why? The perfume ingredients are so different regardless of whether they're sprayed on the body or a perfume spray tester sheet.

Finally, if you're one of those people who is attracted to perfumes or colognes that are in decorative bottles, beware of blowing your money. You have to wear the scent inside of the bottle, not the actual bottle. Unless you're a model carrying the perfume or cologne bottle around, nobody will care what the bottle looks like when it's on you. If you can luck out and find a cool bottle (ex. Sunkissed Glow, Givenchy Play, Daisy and Lola by Marc Jacobs) with an attractive scent, then even better. Make sure your signature scent is right for you in a casual, business or formal environment.

Additional Notes: This entry was published by the Chicago Fragrance Examiner. To check out her fragrance reviews, visit the Examiner link.