Heidi Norton
Testing fragrances is a complex process that involves a lot more than simply spraying a scent onto your skin. The first step is to use paper blotters or tester strips to narrow down a few fragrances that you think you might like. It's important to avoid testing too many fragrances at once, as your sense of smell can only handle a few scents before it becomes confused. Once you've found a few contenders, you can move on to testing them on your skin. Spray the fragrance onto your wrist or the back of your hand, and wait at least 30 seconds for the scent to settle before inhaling. It's also a good idea to take a break between testing fragrances, as your sense of smell can become overwhelmed. When testing on the skin, it's important to give the fragrance time to develop and see how it wears throughout the day. This will allow you to experience the full olfactive life cycle of the perfume and see how it reacts with your unique skin chemistry.
Where to Test Fragrances
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Testing Methods | Paper blotters/strips, natural fabric, skin |
| Testing Locations | Department stores, perfumeries, at home |
| Number of Fragrances Tested | No more than 3-5 fragrances per session |
| Testing Duration | 10-15 minutes in-store; a few days at home |
| Testing Frequency | Once a day; every few hours |
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What You'll Learn
Paper blotters or strips
Wait a few seconds for the alcohol to evaporate, then bring the strip under your nose and inhale. Do not touch the strip to your nose; instead, sniff it lightly in short breaths, then set it aside. One handy trick is to bend the fragrant side of the paper upwards so that it doesn't touch any surfaces. Enjoy the sensation of the top notes as the fragrance delves into its heart and base notes. You can smell the strip every hour throughout the day to experience the complete fragrance cycle. If you are simultaneously testing multiple fragrances, keep the strips away from each other to avoid tainting the smells.
After testing on paper blotters, you can narrow down your selection to a few fragrances to test on your skin. It is important to test perfumes on your skin, as the warmth of your skin, its flora, chemistry, and natural oils will react with the perfume to create a scent that is unique to you.
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Testing on skin
Testing fragrances on your skin is an essential step in the process of choosing a perfume. While paper blotters or strips are a good starting point, the unique chemistry of your skin will react with the perfume, creating a scent that is entirely your own.
To test a fragrance on your skin, start by choosing the one you want to try. Spray either your wrist or the back of your hand with two spritzes in a downward motion, holding the bottle about 20 cm away. Avoid spraying too close or too far from the skin. Drop your hand to your side and wait at least 30 seconds for the scent to settle. Once it has started to dry, bring your hand up and inhale without touching your nose to your skin. Keep your hand at least an inch or two away from your nose.
Take your time with this process. A fragrance you love in the store may not be one you love at home, so it's a good idea to do something else after spraying the perfume, allowing the fragrance to interact with your body's natural chemistry. Over time, the fragrance will deepen as you experience each of the levels of notes in its formulation. You can periodically take a sniff to observe how the scent is changing.
When testing on the skin, it's best to test one perfume at a time. This will prevent your nose from becoming overwhelmed and allow you to savour each fragrance. If you are testing multiple perfumes, it's recommended to wait a few minutes between testing each scent. You should also be mindful of where you spray each fragrance, as the more areas you spray, the higher the chances are that the different perfumes will contaminate each other.
It's important to note that the warmth of your skin will also impact the fragrance. To test the perfume as it will be experienced by others, direct the spray towards your pulse points, which are naturally warmed by the veins underneath. In addition to your wrists, you can also try spraying the inside of your forearm.
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Olfactory palate cleansers
When testing fragrances, olfactory fatigue, or olfactory habituation, can set in. This is when your olfactory glands in your nose begin to recognize smells and will stop alerting you to them, making you think there's no fragrance there. To combat this, olfactory palate cleansers are used to reset your sense of smell.
One commonly used olfactory palate cleanser is coffee. In perfumeries, small bowls of coffee beans are often set between various fragrances. The smell of coffee beans is believed to create a palate cleanser for your nose, allowing you to continue to smell fragrance after fragrance. However, some scientists disagree with this theory. Dr. Alexis Grosofsky of Beloit College’s Department of Psychology has scientifically proven that coffee beans do nothing to cleanse or reset your olfactory palate. Instead, they may serve to psychologically distract you.
An alternative olfactory palate cleanser is to smell your own clean skin. Perfumers will often sniff the crook of their elbows to reset their sense of smell. This works because you are always performing olfactory habituation to your own smell, so it is a perfect baseline.
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Testing on fabric
Testing a perfume on fabric is a great way to get an accurate scent profile. Paper blotters are often the first step in testing perfumes, but the paper's own scent, as well as any ink, can interfere with the fragrance. Natural fabrics like cotton, silk, and wool tend to absorb more of the scent than synthetic fabrics like polyester and nylon, so it's important to test perfumes on multiple fabrics.
When testing perfumes on fabric, it's important to take notes on your impressions of each perfume and how it smells on each fabric. This will help you remember which perfumes you liked and which ones you didn't. It can be time-consuming, so it's important to be patient and not rush the process.
To test a perfume on fabric, spray the fabric with one or two spritzes of the perfume. If you are testing multiple fragrances, be sure to use the same number of sprays for each so you can accurately test the concentration. Wait a few seconds and let the alcohol evaporate before bringing the fabric to your nose and inhaling. Be careful not to touch the fabric to your nose—keep it at least an inch or two away.
In addition to testing on different fabrics, you can also test perfumes in different environments, such as indoors and outdoors, and at different times of day to see how the perfume evolves over time.
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In-store vs at-home testing
Testing fragrances in-store and at home each have their own advantages and disadvantages. In-store testing allows you to try out a variety of fragrances at once, which can be a fun and indulgent experience. However, it can also be overwhelming and lead to "nasal fatigue", making it difficult to properly assess the nuances of each fragrance.
When testing fragrances in-store, it is recommended to start with paper blotters or strips, testing no more than 3 fragrances in a day. You can then narrow down your selection to 1 or 2 fragrances to test on your skin. Spray your wrist or the back of your hand, wait at least 30 seconds, and then bring your hand up to smell the fragrance, without touching your skin to your nose. After 15-30 minutes, or even longer, you can smell the fragrance again to see how it has developed and changed over time.
At-home testing allows you to take your time with a fragrance and experience its complete cycle, from the initial top notes to the heart and base notes that emerge later. This can help you make a more informed decision about whether the fragrance is right for you and fits into your lifestyle. You can also test the fragrance on your own terms and in your own environment, without the pressure or influence of salespeople.
To test fragrances at home, you can obtain samples from a store or purchase them online. It is best to test no more than 3 fragrances at a time, and to test each fragrance over the course of a day, starting with clean skin after your morning shower. You can also take notes on your reactions to each perfume and refer back to them later.
Both in-store and at-home testing have their merits, and combining the two can be an effective way to find a fragrance that is right for you.
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Frequently asked questions
The best way to test fragrances is to use tester strips to find the ones you think you like, and then test them on your skin.
Spray the fragrance on your wrist or the back of your hand and wait at least 30 seconds for the scent to settle on your skin. Once it has started to dry, bring your hand up and inhale.
It is recommended that you test no more than 3 fragrances on blotters/strips in a day. Your sense of smell can only handle about 3 scents well before it gets confused.
