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After I shared my go-to (and Courteney Cox–approved) fragrance combination, a few of you emailed us with questions. How do you find a fragrance that you like? How do you layer them? How do you make them last? As you’ve figured out, I’ve become a fragrance fanatic the past few years, and I’ve been waiting by the phone for someone to ask me about my approach. Here, I wanted to answer some of the most popular questions we received — and share some tips that I’ve learned along the way.
Ultimately, scent is incredibly personal. What works on that person who walked by you on the subway or the scent nut on TikTok might not work on you — or might not smell good to you. What you like is also fluid. In the beginning of my beauty career, I was obsessed with Nuit et Confidences by Annick Goutal. But five years later, I no longer wear it. Some of the notes — vanilla, white musk, frankincense, bergamot — are still present in the scents I like today, just in different ratios or paired with other notes. But I continue to be open and allow my nose to evolve. Perfume is one of the few beauty categories where discovery is part of the process. You can’t skip it, so have fun!
Where do you shop for scents?
Unlike clothes and jewelry and even makeup, fragrance is one of those things that you have to shop for in person. Personally, I like Bergdorf Goodman, which has all the status-y fragrance brands like D.S. & Durga and Byredo and Aesop, so you don’t need to run around to a bunch of different stores. (It also stocks Loewe, which means I can grab chunky candles and fragrances that remind me of that semester I studied abroad in Sevilla.)
For those outside New York City, I recommend Nordstrom, which also has a diverse selection. Outside of department stores, I love a niche fragrance boutique. Places like MUSE in Harlem and Arielle Shoshana in Washington, D.C., stock brands you might not otherwise find — and that’s especially good if you don’t want to walk into a room and smell like anyone else. (There are some scents, like Santal 33 and YSL Libre, that a lot of folks can clock the moment you walk into a room.)
Okay, I made it to the store. How do I find a fragrance I like?
Sales associates are experts and can help you navigate the various notes and offer up recommendations based on what you’re excited about. If you’re starting from square one, just pick up bottles that catch your eye and start trying them out.
If you already like a specific scent but want it to be a bit spicier or sweeter or fresher, a sales associate should be able to steer you in the right direction. You can prep for this by looking at the notes in your favorite scents beforehand, which are easy to find online, and then ask about those. For example, I tend to pick up fragrances that contain notes such as sandalwood or musk or cardamom, spicy, woody scents that have depth and feel a bit sexy. Knowing that helps me find new stuff or understand why I’m a fan of what I already love. If I were going to ask a sales associate, I’d likely say something along the lines of, I really like sandalwood. Do you have any scents with that — and maybe some gourmand notes like vanilla?
Another tip I have for those who want to try a bunch of stuff, or insist on shopping online, is to get discovery kits. A few of my favorites: Nette discovery kit, which contains one of my favorite scents, Thé Vanille; the Matiere Premiere sample set, which can be customized; and the Sephora Sampler set, which includes six popular scents, including Glossier You and Boy Smells Woodphoria. I like the Sephora one because it contains a voucher for a full-size fragrance for the scent of your choice. Discovery kits are the best way to get little samples and also a good way to practice layering and exploring your taste.
What’s the best way to test perfume? Do I need to use those little paper strips?
Give yourself time to shop, and don’t be afraid to sniff and test as many things as your nose can handle. Once you find a few you really like, spritz one on your skin and wear it out of the store. This will ensure you actually like it after it dries down. Scents develop in layers, so the notes you get in the first few minutes won’t be the same ones you smell at the end of the night. The key here is testing, so you’ll want to try it in as many environments as you can.
That’s also why you want to ask for samples‚ so you can live with it for a bit. Give your nose time to develop and yourself an opportunity to assess how it performs over time. Is it lasting long enough? Too long? Is it too strong? Not strong enough? Are you getting enough compliments on your scent? (As you know, that’s my ultimate metric for whether a combination is working for me.)
How do I actually wear perfume?
I like to wear perfume directly on my skin, but I don’t want my perfume to announce itself before I enter a room. So I spray once on each wrist and both sides of my neck. I also have a sensitive nose, so too much scent will give me a headache anyway. Don’t overdo it. People can smell it. I promise.
What about layering my fragrances?
First thing: It’s okay not to layer. Scents can be complete on their own, so if it feels like too much or you like whatever you’re wearing, it’s okay to stop there. I think of layering like that scene in Ratatouille where Remy pairs fruit with cheese. Each scent can stand alone, but together, something magical happens. I’m into juxtaposition and nuance, so if one layer is sweet, then the other might be musky or spicy. Remy was able to get creative because he understood how the flavors worked on their own. From there, he was able to consider how they pair together. The same thinking applies with fragrance. As you start to understand how scents work, and why you like what you do, you can start to pair and play.
I’ve spent all this money on a fragrance collection, so how do I make sure they last as long as possible?
Put your fragrances in a cool, dark place. I store mine in a closet. While this isn’t the most aesthetically pleasing when the bottles are so pretty, it does ensure that my fragrances aren’t being weakened by sun or heat. If you insist on having them out, avoid locations with direct sunlight or near a heat source. This will give them the longest shelf life possible.
This article originally appeared in The Strategist Beauty Brief, a weekly newsletter from our beauty writers on their must-tries, can-skips, and can’t-live-withouts. Sign up here.
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