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What’s Your Type of Perfume?

 

A fragrance can perfectly capture the essence of who you are.

When selecting a fragrance keep in mind the following things:

1. Consider the keywords for your Type of Beauty

Type 1: Fresh, light, crisp, playful (Scents that are fruity, floral, sweet, fresh)

Type 2: Subtle, soft, muted, blended (Scents that are musky, powdery, soft floral)

Type 3: Rich, textured, warm, earthy (Scents that are spicy, oriental, woodsy)

Type 4: Clean, classic, bold, striking (Scents that are pure, clean, simple, deep)

2. Consider your favorite smells in nature and beyond!

In order to figure out if you like more light, fresh scents or spicier, earthier scents, just walk outside! Which of these do you tend to prefer?

  • Cinnamon
  • Citrus
  • Rosemary
  • Jasmine
  • The ocean
  • Lavender
  • Vanilla

Make a list of your favorite smells. It can be anything from clean laundry or freshly cut grass to campfires or lilacs! Your favorites might be all over the place, but it doesn’t matter. The point is to remember the scents that mean something to you so you can choose a perfume with similar notes.

3. Know the different formulas and applications

Eau de toilette and body sprays are less concentrated than perfume and would work well for Type 1 or Type 2, while perfume would be great for Type 3 and Type 4.

If you are sensitive to artificially scented perfumes consider using an essential oil. Reference the same tips to add a hint of fragrance.

Also you might consider layered application using lotion and/or oil when applying fragrance for depth and complexity. You could also choose a scented moisturizer for a more subtle scent.

4. Mix it up — or not

If you’re a Type 1 woman, you may prefer to have a variety of fragrances so you can mix it up frequently. It might even be fun to create your own unique “perfume cocktails” by mixing 2 or more scents together. On the other hand, if you’re a Type 4 woman, maybe you’ve been wearing the same scent every day for the last 5 years and it’s your signature scent!

If you’re a Type 3 woman, you may want to keep it practical and change your scent less often. If you’re a Type 2, maybe you have a small collection of scents you rotate depending on your mood.

5. Let the design of the bottle guide you

Often the design of the perfume bottle can be a dead giveaway as to what kind of scent you will find inside. For example, consider the animated bottle of “Daisy” by Marc Jacobs. The daisies on the cap and the bright gold touches match the light, floral Type 1 scent!

6. Try it on

Perfumes take on a unique scent once we’ve applied them to our skin. Anything from your diet, body temperature and other scented products you are using can affect the final scent of a product. The same fragrance may smell completely different on your friend! So, remember when testing perfumes to try it out on your skin and let it sit for awhile before making a final decision.

Perfume Recommendations:

Type 1: Daisy by Marc Jacobs, Miss Dior Cherie, Clinique Happy, Orange, Lemon, Peppermint essential oils

Type 2: Coco Mademoiselle, Ralph Lauren Romance, Viva La Juicy, Lavender or Ylang Ylang essential oil

Type 3: Calvin Klein Obsession, Beyonce Heat, Burberry Brit Rhythm, Sandalwood and Frankincense essential oil

Type 4: Chanel No. 5, Estee Lauder Beautiful, Dolce and Gabbana Light Blue, Cyprus, White Fir or Rose Essential Oils

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11 Comments

  1. I am a Type 2 and love Calvin Klein Beauty. Before I discovered it I had a few fragrances that I used. Now it’s the only one and I never tire of it. Also, I keep a small bottle of lavender ES in my purse along with a small lavender sachet.

  2. I am a T3/S4. I have the HARDEST time finding a perfume that doesn’t turn on me. It only takes about 15 min and every thing I try starts to smell like baby powder. It is weird. I feel like I am walking down the tampon aisle – YUCK. I have tried going cheaper and much much more expensive. Same result.

    Well…. I finally found a solution. Actually two solutions.

    One is wearing essential oils. That works well for me. They mix well and I can create a custom scent.

    The other option is buying a men’s cologne. It stays more “true” on me. I have a favorite – Sean Jean’s Unforgivable. It is hard to find since it is kinda old. I have found it at TJ Maxx and SteinMart http://www.steinmart.com/sean-john-unforgivable-1.0-fl-oz-eau-de-toilette-spray-for-men-zid25-54063995/cat-25-catid-5027?var_id=25-54063995&vva_SizeCode=99999&vva_ColorCode=999&_t=pfm%3Dcategory

    It is very fresh. This is the description. Unforgivable’s cool, fresh, sexy scent stimulates the senses and is an exceptional expression of pure unrestrained attraction. Contains notes of Sicilian Lemon, Italian Bergamot, Green Mandarin, Moroccan Tangerine, Grapefruit, Juniper Leaves, Birch Leaves, Champagne Accord, Mediterranean Air Accord, Tuscan Basil, Florentine Iris, Clay Sage, Lavender, Cashmere Accord, Australian Sandalwood, Amber.

    1. I am also a T3/S4 and all my favorites get discontinued! But right now, I am ABSOLUTELY loving English Laundry’s Notting Hill Femme. It’s amazing.

  3. I loooooove perfume. I think it is such an underrated art form and such an interesting way to express yourself. I’m a Type 4, and I do have a love for a big, old-fashioned scents with lots of aldehydes (those synthetic floral notes that almost smell bubbly) like Chanel No. 5. I also love really well done single notes of things like vanilla or gardenia. Some of my favorites are Guerlain L’Heure Bleue–a classic French perfume that is supposed to smell a little sad; it has some anise and bitter herbs in the florals and vanilla to make it seem more cold and melancholy–and Atelier Cologne Vanille Insenee, which is a single vanilla note that isn’t actually sweet. There’s a little lime and I think moss in the composition that keeps you from smelling like a cupcake, and the vanilla is so sophisticated, clean and light. Also, I met someone new today and knew right away that she was wearing Pacifica Gardenia, which is one of the best white florals ever and extremely affordable; I feel like you can smell the waxiness of the leaves, it’s so nice. Estee Lauder Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia is another really beautiful white floral that combines tuberose, gardenia and vanilla bourbon.

  4. I’m a 1, and I have always loved to mix ylang ylang and orange oils together! They both smell so happy! 🙂 I’m not sure how ylang ylang is considered a 2 scent considering how many people can’t handle how sweet (almost bubblegummy) it is, but I myself am crazy for it! 🙂

  5. I am a type 1 and I mix Elizabeth Arden’s 5th Ave. with Curve Wave in a perfume atomizer, 50/50. This creates a fresh, light, fun and really pretty scent that I LOVE!!! I also love to try new scents, but keep coming back to this favorite mix. And thank you to all the other comments below for some great ideas!

  6. I’m a T4/S3 who loves perfume! I have quite a collection, but some of my favorites are (Starting from the earliest):
    Rive Gauche by Yves St Laurent – Even the packaging is perfect T4!
    Calandre by Paco Rabane
    Chanel 19 by Chanel – Indescribable green with iris root – Amazing!
    Aromatics Elixir by Estée Lauder – …this one is Powerful; herbal and intense
    CK One by Calvin Klein
    Essential oils of Rose and Sandalwood

  7. This helped me confirm my type! I’ve been going back and forth between T2 and T4 for some time. Perfume has always been too strong for me, so I’ve always (without realizing the exact reason) gone with eau de toilette. And have a couple I switch between, depending on mood. =)

  8. I like Infusion of Iris by Prada. It smells soft and delicious to me and I have not grown tired of it.

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