How to choose a perfume?

Choosing a perfume is personal – the same scent can come across differently on two people, and what one person loves may be too much for another. Still, a few simple steps make the choice easier and lower the risk of buying a scent you will not end up wearing.

1. Start from scents you already love

Think of scents you enjoy – not only perfumes, but also food, flowers and nature. If you like the smell of fresh orange and grass, you will probably enjoy fresh and aromatic perfumes. If vanilla, caramel or honey appeal to you, look at sweeter, warmer compositions. The smell of wood, leather or smoke points towards woody and tobacco notes.

2. Get to know fragrance families

Perfumes are usually described through fragrance families, or profiles:

• Fresh – citrus, green and marine notes; light and clean.
• Aromatic – lavender, sage, rosemary; herbal and clean.
• Floral – rose, jasmine, peony; from delicate to lavish.
• Fruity – pear, berries, peach; juicy and bright.
• Woody – cedar, sandalwood, vetiver; warm and steady.
• Spicy – pepper, cardamom, cinnamon; lively or warm, depending on the blend.
• Sweet – vanilla, tonka, caramel; soft and enveloping.
• Tobacco – tobacco, honey, resins; full and intense.

Every Manoard perfume lists its scent profile, and you can also choose profiles in the filters of the Perfumes catalogue.

3. Learn to read the notes

The fragrance pyramid divides ingredients into top, heart and base notes. You smell the top notes immediately, the heart after a few minutes, and the base lasts longest. When choosing a perfume, pay attention to the base notes – they are what you will wear longest. Read more in How fragrance notes work.

4. Test on the skin, not only on a strip

A paper strip shows the first impression, but a scent develops differently on the skin. If you can, apply the perfume to your wrist and let it develop for at least an hour before deciding. Do not test more than two or three scents at once – your nose tires quickly.

5. Think about the occasion

Lighter, fresher scents are usually chosen for daytime, work and warmer days, and warmer, more intense ones for evenings and colder months. These are not rules – if you feel good in a scent, it is the right choice.

6. Mind the concentration

The same composition feels different as an eau de toilette, eau de parfum or extrait. If you like pronounced scents applied in small amounts, read what Extrait de Parfum is.

How to choose a women's or men's perfume

The split into women's and men's perfumes is a guideline. Floral and fruity notes are more common in women's perfumes, fresh, aromatic and woody ones in men's – but many people choose exactly the "opposite" notes, or unisex perfumes. It is best to start from the notes rather than the label. Browse women's and men's perfumes.

A perfume as a gift

If you are choosing a gift and do not know the person's taste well, balanced scents without very sweet or heavy notes, or unisex perfumes, are a safer choice. The fragrance guide can also help – it suggests suitable perfumes after a few questions.