How to Pick a Perfume
Finding the Right Scent For You; Where to Get Free Samples
Choosing the perfect scent is no easy task. Especially if you don't want to spend a lot of money. But you can find great deals on colognes and perfumes.
Floral, exotic or musky? Bold, subtle or somewhere in between? These are questions you need to ask yourself before you head to the cosmetic counter of your local department store. In fact, you may not want to go there at all. You can find great deals on perfumes by surfing the ‘net. You just have to know where to look.
How to Find the Best Deals on Perfume:
- Narrow down your preferences. Before you start searching for the perfect scent, you need to figure out the type of fragrance you gravitate towards. You may like a sweet, floral scent, or an oriental exotic flavor. (Think Opium by Yves St. Laurent.) Or maybe a woodsy aroma is more your taste. After you narrow it down, and before you plunk down any hard-earned cash, try at least three free samples and wear each for a few days before you make a decision.
Where to Find Free Samples:
- Sephora is a great place to start. If you make a purchase of at least $75 you’ll receive free shipping plus your choice of three free samples. There are usually at least four fragrances to choose from. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Just because you’re a city girl doesn’t mean you wouldn’t like a woodsy aroma. And don’t let the names fool you. One perfume that is called "cucumber" actually has a fresh subtle aroma that is perfect to wear during the day.
- Try a men's cologne. Armani Code is an example of a men's fragrance that a lot of women love. It’s subtle, sophisticated, and best of all, a lot cheaper than many women’s perfumes. Sephora often gives this fragrance away as part of their free sample selection.
- Hit the department store cosmetic counter for samples. But before you do this, be prepared to make several trips. Don’t just head there one morning with the goal of trying on as many scents as possible. Not only will you have a headache at the end of it, but you’ll also lose track of which perfume is which; they will all blend together and you’ll come away no more knowledgeable than when you left.
- Try only one or two fragrances at a time. If you are particularly interested in one, ask the sales person if he/she has a sample you can take home. Sometimes they can even prepare a custom sample for you if you ask. Then go home, see if you still like the scent after you wear it for a while. Does it hold up, is it too overwhelming? If everyone in the office suddenly dissipates when you walk in the room, you either put on too much, or the scent is wrong for you. And some work places prefer employees not wear perfume at all. If that’s the case, try a body lotion with a hint of fragrance.
- Once you settle on the fragrance you like, scour online as well as physical stores for the best price. Outlet malls and discount chains usually offer pretty good deals. And before you hit "purchase" do a search for coupons.
The copyright of the article How to Pick a Perfume in Consumer Education is owned by L. Marie Dubuque. Permission to republish How to Pick a Perfume in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
