The right perfume is alluring and can lift the spirits—especially if a loved one is wearing it. But perfumes smell different on different people. Here’s how to boost the odds that the person you love will love the perfume you buy…
If you want the gift to be a surprise, scan the recipient’s perfume shelf. Then jot down names from bottles. The safest course is to buy a perfume that this person already uses and is nearly out of.
If you wish to choose something new, take your list of perfumes to a store—a skilled salesperson can make recommendations based on the perfumes that someone already wears. Technology can help here. For example, Sephora’s in-store touch-screen “Scentsa” system and online “Fragrance Finder” tool (on www.Sephora.com, select “Fragrance” then “Fragrance Finder” at left) make suggestions based on perfumes currently enjoyed. The free smartphone apps iPerfumer (www.Givaudan.com/iperfumer) and OsMoz (www.Osmoz.com) also do this.
Another gift idea is to put several perfume samples in a gift box so that the recipient can try them. You can order samples over the Internet…
Aedes de Venustas, a wonderful New York City fragrance shop, offers samples in vials of any seven fragrances in stock for a $15 shipping charge (www.Aedes.com, click on “Complimentary Samples” at left).
LuckyScent, an Internet fragrance retailer, sells samples of a wide range of fragrances, most for $3 or $4 apiece, plus $4 shipping per order (866-931-8297, www.LuckyScent.com/samples.asp).
A surprise is fun, but the best way to pick perfume is to take the recipient with you. What you need to know…
Choose the right store. Among the major chains, Nordstrom has perhaps the best-trained perfume-counter sales staff and a good perfume selection (to find a store, go to www.Nordstrom.com). Sephora (www.Sephora.com) has a fine selection, too.
Make the fragrance counter your first stop. Sense of smell is sharpest immediately after leaving fresh, outdoor air.
Have your loved one sample just three or four perfumes at a time. The olfactory system will be too fatigued to note the differences after that. If you must sample more, take a walk outside before continuing. I also find that taking a sip of water helps.
Have perfumes sprayed a good distance from one another on the skin so they don’t mingle—one scent on each wrist and one near each elbow if sampling four. Let the perfumes dry for a few seconds before smelling them. Then sniff in short, quick inhales with the nose a few inches from the skin—long, deep inhales could oversaturate your sense of smell, limiting your ability to appreciate additional scents.
Do not make your purchase immediately. Perfumes often smell different when initially applied than after they have been on the skin for a while. Wait at least 30 minutes and preferably an hour or longer, then sniff again.
Be wary of pushy salespeople. They often receive larger commissions for selling new products.
