Perfumery & scent
How to Choose a Perfume: A Practical Guide
Choosing a perfume can feel daunting when you are faced with hundreds of bottles. With a few guiding principles, though, the search becomes a pleasure. Here is a practical method for finding the fragrance that is truly right for you.
Start with the families you love
Rather than sampling everything at random, pin down two or three olfactory families that feel like you — say citrus, woody or amber scents. Narrowing the field from the outset makes testing far more effective, and far kinder to your nose.
Test it on skin, not on paper
A blotter (the mouillette) is handy for a first pass, but every perfume shifts on contact with skin, which has its own unique pH and temperature. Spritz the inside of your wrist or the crook of your elbow and genuinely wear it before you commit.
Resist the urge to try too many scents at once: after three or four, the nose simply tires and stops reading them clearly.
Wait for it to develop
A perfume should be judged over time, not in the first few seconds. Let the top notes fade and give the heart and the base time to arrive: that is often where the fragrance reveals its true character. Allow yourself at least a few hours.
Think about season and occasion
Fresh, citrus notes are at their best in warm weather; warm, amber and woody accords come into their own in the cold. Consider the setting too: something discreet for the office, something more intense for the evening. Many people enjoy building a little "fragrance wardrobe" for different moments.
Skin, longevity and your signature scent
Perfumes fade faster on dry skin, so moisturising before you apply genuinely helps. Over time you will discover your own signature scent — a recognisable style of your own — while still leaving room to be surprised by new finds.
The Time Gallery catalogue spans niche and luxury perfumes across every family: an excellent starting point for exploring.