Fragrance Families: A Beginner’s Guide to Choosing Perfume

Last year, the global perfume market reached $32.50 billion and it continues to grow every year. 

Whether we are aware of it or not, fragrance plays an important role in our lives. We wear them to work and school, use them in our homes, and some of them even have the ability to remind us of our favorite memories. Still, no fragrance smells quite the same to every person.

So, why is it that some people enjoy certain perfumes while others despise them? Everyone perceives the fragrance families differently because nobody’s nose is precisely the same. If you’re trying to find a new perfume that delights your senses, you need to know what kind of fragrances your nose likes. Keep reading to find out more about the perfume fragrance families!

Fragrance and Your Body

Before you start your adventure of buying a new perfume, you need to be aware of how certain fragrances mix with your body chemistry.

One perfume with jasmine and sandalwood notes might smell delicious on your friend and then smell odd on you. This is because the pH levels in your skin, as well as your skin’s chemical makeup, react differently to certain fragrances.

To test out which scent notes work well with your unique body chemistry, head to the fragrance shop and spritz several different kinds of perfume on separate areas of your skin. Let the perfume dry as your skin warms it, then give it a sniff to see what notes compliment you.

The Fragrance Wheel

The fragrance wheel was designed to help sellers and customers determine which types of perfumes are preferred.

Most perfumes and fragrances contain notes that are found in the fragrance wheel. There are four main categories of the fragrance wheel (floral, oriental, fresh, and woody) and each of these categories have subcategories of more specific scents. The subcategories are listed below:

• Floral
  • true floral, soft floral, floral oriental
• Oriental
  • true oriental, soft oriental, woody oriental
• Fresh
  • fruity, green, aquatic, citrus, aromatic
• Woody
  • woods, mossy wood, dry wood

It’s important that you spritz perfumes with these different notes in them onto your skin before choosing a fragrance. Knowing which of these fragrance families you like will help you pick out the perfect bottle of perfume or cologne.

Types of Perfume

Not all perfumes are made equally. For instance, parfum or pure parfum fragrances are stronger and more highly concentrated than Eau de Toilette fragrances, but you’ll be paying a much higher price for a parfum.

How long do you want your perfume to last and do you like strong fragrances? If you do, you should be prepared to pay more.

Know Which Fragrance Families You Adore Most

Finding out which fragrance families you prefer will help you immensely to choose the perfect new perfume for you. Now that you’re aware of the scents that make up the fragrance wheel, you can start shopping and find the right fragrance. Happy shopping!

Did you learn something new from this article? If so, be sure to check out the rest of our articles about all things beauty.