HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT PERFUME

Perfume is DEEPLY personal.

It’s more than just a good scent — it’s a feeling, a mood, a memory in the making. The right perfume doesn’t just smell good… it speaks to who YOU are. It reflects your energy. It lingers long after you’ve left the room. But with thousands of fragrances on the market (and dozens more dropping every month, literally), finding your perfect scent can feel a little overwhelming.

Don’t worry — I’ve got you.

Whether you’re just starting your fragrance journey or you’re ready to discover your forever scent, here are my best tips for choosing the right perfume — the one that makes you feel seen, centered, and unforgettable.

A note before we dive in: I used to think that having a signature fragrance meant that you had to choose just 1 fragrance that people would recognize and know that it was you, or a fragrance that you would gravitate to more than others. While these both can be true, I like to think that you can have more than one signature scent. There are so many fragrances out there that I love and I'm sure that goes for you also, why do we have to pick just one. I can't. I literally can't.

I have what I call my CORE fragrances. It's a rotation of my "signature scents" that I wear often and will never be without. The guidelines below still apply, I just wanted to provide you with some context.

1. Understand What You’re Smelling

Before you can find what you love, you need to understand how fragrance works. I wrote about this in a previous blog post HERE, but here is a refresher. Most perfumes are built in layers:

• Top Notes: These are the first thing you smell — fresh, light, and short-lived. Think citrus, herbs, aldehydes (an organic compound used to add a unique, sparkling, and fresh scent to fragrances).

• Heart Notes: The soul or heart of the perfume. Florals, spices, fruits. These emerge as the top notes fade.

• Base Notes: The anchor. These are rich, warm, and long-lasting. Think vanilla, woods, musk, amber.

Understanding this “fragrance pyramid” helps you recognize why a scent might smell different after a few hours — and why the base notes matter just as much as that first spray.

2. Identify What You Naturally Gravitate Toward

Pay attention to the scents you already love in your everyday life:

• Are you drawn to fresh laundry smells? You may like clean musks or aquatics.

• Love lighting sweet, cozy candles? Try gourmands or vanilla-heavy fragrances.

• Obsessed with the smell of roses or peonies? You’re likely a floral lover.

• Enjoy walking in the woods or love the smell of leather? Look into woody or smoky scents.

Fragrance is emotional. It taps into your memories and your personality. Let your instincts guide you. In fact, the more you smell, the faster you start honing in on what you gravitate toward.

3. Learn the Fragrance Families

Fragrances are often grouped by family. Knowing what each category smells like can help you narrow your search.

Try samples from each family and see which ones make you feel the most you. You may find, like me, that you like more than one category and that is just fine as well!

4. Try It on Your Skin — Not Just Paper

This is where the magic happens. Once you can start to narrow down the fragrances you gravitate the most to, you'll want to do a skin test. Perfume interacts with your body chemistry, which means a scent that smells amazing on a paper strip might not smell the same on you — and vice versa. Oils, pH levels, skin temperature — they all play a role. Spraying on a fragrance strip or another type of paper or material in no way should be thought of as the way to judge any fragrance. The ultimate test is a skin test.

Spray on your wrist or inner elbow. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes. Notice how it evolves over time. Once you let it sit for at least 30 minutes, you can see how the fragrance acts on your skin.

💡 Pro tip: Don’t test more than 2–3 at a time. Your nose gets overwhelmed quickly.

5. Match Your Fragrance to Your Lifestyle

Think about how and when you plan to wear your perfume:

• Everyday scent? Look for something versatile and not too overpowering.

• Date night? Choose something sultry and sensual with strong base notes.

• Office wear? Clean, soft, inoffensive scents work best.

• Vacation or summer? Go for bright, fresh, or citrus-forward fragrances.

• Special event? Pull out something bold, elegant, or deeply personal.

You might even create a scent wardrobe — different fragrances for different moods and moments. I personally have not done this yet but it is on my list to do, because, why not??

6. Don’t Rush the Process

Finding your signature scent is a journey — not a race. It might take time to figure out what truly feels like you, and that’s okay. I would even say, you really want to take your time with this new adventure. Enjoy the process. Smell absolutely everything. Take notes. Keep a scent journal if you want to track your favorites and how they wore on your skin. I'm actually creating one as we speak. Check back here for the link soon.

And remember: the perfect scent doesn’t just smell good.
It makes you feel powerful, beautiful, and at home in your own skin.

Final Thoughts

Choosing the right perfume isn’t just about what’s trending or what smells good on someone else. It’s about choosing a scent that feels aligned with your identity — one that tells your story.

So next time you’re in the fragrance aisle (or scrolling online), pause.
Take a deep breath. Ask yourself:
Does this smell like me?

If the answer is yes… you’ve found it or one of them lolol.

XO,

Jackie