We've always loved the idea of having a signature scent — there's just something so romantic about the concept. That said, we've had a tough time actually finding one... anyone else having trouble with this?
Sue Phillips is the CEO of Scenterprises, a fragrance expert and self-described scentrepreneur at The Scentarium in New York City. She's created custom scents for many a celebrity, including Jamie Foxx, Katie Holmes, Laurence Fishburne, Zendaya, and Susan Sarandon — so it made a lot of, uh, "scents," to ask her for some tips on finding your signature scent.
"The first thing I always say is, 'Why wear what everyone else wears, when you can create your own?'" says Phillips. "So many people are lured into wearing a popular scent or a new scent from a designer or celebrity. But there might be ingredients in the fragrance that don't suit your personality, nor reflect your individuality."
She stresses the importance of finding your "olfactive personality", as when certain perfumes dry or stay on your skin for long enough, the scent changes and you might not like it as much. Scenterprises also offers an scent interesting quiz so you can find out which scent suits you best.
"If you are an outdoorsy person you would probably like fresh, bright, citrusy, light exhilarating scents," explains Phillips. "If you tried a heavy floral you probably wouldn't like it as it wouldn't suit your personality or your lifestyle, therefore, I believe your scent preference is tied to both your personality and your skin type."
Phillips says knowing what scent personality you are is very important to keep in mind when you got to a store or boutique and start trying different scents to see which one you like most. That said, keep in mind that many scents shift over time: "Many times a fragrance changes from top note, to middle note, to dry down, and it might take several hours before you really decide how you like it. And by then, you might be really confused," she says. So take special care to pay attention to the various notes at play during your fragrance shopping.
Many people suggest smelling coffee beans in-between fragrances to 'reset' your nose (and avoid anosmia or nose fatigue) so you can tell the difference between scents. But... you're really just smelling another strong scent.
"The best trick to combat anosmia is to take a piece of fabric (shirt sleeve or a scarf) smell it and then start the process of 'sniffing' all over again," suggests Phillips. "Or sniff your elbow, where the skin is usually unscented, and then start evaluating the fragrances again. You will be amazed at how quickly you will be able to identify the fragrances. It's clearing the palate."
