The way you smell can say a lot about you, boldly announcing your presence or leaving a subtle lingering impression. When choosing a perfume, stay open-minded: You may love tried-and-true scents like vanilla and rose, but you might also find that unexpected notes like saffron or hay remind you of a specific memory, or help bring out a new side of your personality. Asia Grant, 30, a co-founder of the independent fragrance brand Redoux and the host of the Scent Social Club, which offers tours of specialty perfumers in New York City, recommends looking for scents that evoke your favorite emotions and sensations, such as strength or warmth. For an alternative approach, Arabelle Sicardi, 32, a beauty writer and the founder of the event series Perfumed Pages, suggests first identifying the one or two notes you love most and sampling a range of fragrances that feature them. “If you use those notes as your unifying factor,” she says, “you’ll feel more empowered to seek scents that incorporate them in entirely different ways.”
If you’d like a little more help, take this quiz to figure out your signature fragrance personality, and find tips and product recommendations from the experts.
