Searching for that unicorn online is even more of a challenge (for obvious reasons). But even if you do have a general idea of what kind of scents you like — let’s say floral — it’s hard to narrow down that specific kind of ‘floral’ you like. Do you like fruity florals? Powdery florals? Wait, what even are powdery florals? Enter: Sephora’s new Fragrance Shopping Guide, which takes all the annoying legwork out of finding that winning scent. Four handy features — including a personalized quiz, under $50 guide, key notes guide, and an in-store 'find similar scents' tool — are all cleverly designed to present you with the best options to suit your own unique taste (and, of course, budget).
If anyone can appreciate such a new, innovative way to explore fragrances, it’s Funmi Monet, or “your fave fragrance auntie,” as she’s affectionately known on Instagram and TikTok. The Dallas-based fragrance and beauty influencer, who you’ll definitely recognize if you’ve stumbled onto #perfumetok, regularly shares with her thousands of followers everything she knows about fragrance, like how to properly layer it, things to avoid when building a perfume collection, and how to find a fragrance without going broke.
As a licensed therapist, too, Monet is big into the emotional impact of fragrance and the personal — and transformative — powers a scent can have. “I always sit down and take the time to really enjoy a fragrance and all the nuances of it,” she tells Refinery29. “It’s like a meal at a five-star restaurant: You really want to savor each bite. I visualize each note and ask myself what it means to me. And I love that applying a fragrance makes me feel like I did something special for myself.”
Monet emphasizes that while it’s great to have that one signature scent, it’s also fun to add a few more fragrances to your collection that feel particularly suited for certain scenarios. “Do I want to start my day feeling confident and bold? Do I want something clean, fresh, and kind of classic? Am I feeling sexy today? Fragrances can definitely match or enhance your mood,” Monet says.
And that's why Sephora’s Fragrance Shopping Guide is so great, she adds. The tools help you discover certain notes (like sensual rose or earthy wood) or scent categories (fresh aquatics, cool spices) that resonate with whatever mood you’re in — or want to be in. So, whether you’re already well-versed in the olfactory world but crave a more seamless fragrance-finding process, or you’re entirely new to the game and want to build out your perfume collection and aren’t sure where to start, the guide will point you in the right direction. Read on as Monet puts the guide to the test by finding a fragrance for 12 different scenarios.
The fragrance: Jo Malone London English Pear & Freesia Cologne
Scent category: Fruity florals
Why it works: “If your style is a crisp white shirt and blue jeans, this is probably something you’d wear," says Monet. This fruity, floral eau is also an ideal “office fragrance." With lighter notes like juicy pear and delicate freesia, plus woodier notes like amber and patchouli, this well-balanced scent is a true classic you can spritz on any time of the year.
Pro tip: Head to your nearest Sephora to find more like it via the find similar scents tool.
The fragrance: Valentino Donna Born in Roma
Scent category: Warm florals
Why it works: This richly layered scent features notes of blackcurrant, jasmine, and cashmeran (a woody musk). Monet specifically loves it for its harmony: “It’s a really sweet floral, but it has some density from the bourbon vanilla base note, which tends to be more syrupy. Combined with woody notes, this makes for a bold, heavy-hitting fragrance,” she says. “It would really do well in colder weather because in warmer climates, heavy fragrances can sometimes feel suffocating.” As fall approaches, this one’s worth looking into, but be sure to cap it at four or five spritzes max since it’s a weightier scent.
Pro tip: Hit up the key notes guide and explore the 'white floral' and
'vanilla' categories to find more popular fragrances with similar notes.
Fragrance: Viktor&Rolf Good Fortune
Scent category: Warm florals
Why it works: “I’m a big fan of Viktor&Rolf’s Flowerbomb, the brand's most iconic [fragrance], because it’s like the ‘It’ girl of perfume,” says Monet. (You can credit the warm, spicy notes of jasmine, orange blossom, and patchouli for its icon status.) “Good Fortune works for someone who wants something a little safer because it’s something you could wear daily, due to the freshness of top notes like fennel and gentiana.” That added element of greenness helps offset the density of the vanilla and jasmine, she adds, making it a great choice for someone who doesn’t necessarily want to stand out, but wants to simply smell great all year long.
Pro tip: To find more jasmine-scented fragrances, select ‘white flower’ in the key notes guide.
Fragrance: Maison Margiela ‘REPLICA’ By the Fireplace
Scent category: Warm and sweet gourmands
Why it works: If you close your eyes and think of your dream vacation, do you envision a beach or a cabin? If it’s the latter, consider this fragrance to satiate your desire for maximum coziness. “This one reminds me of drinking hot cocoa fireside and hearing the crackling of the wood,” says Monet. With notes of orange flower, clove oil, and chestnut, all rounded out with a base of sweet, warm vanilla, this is an ideal fall or winter fragrance that has just the right amount of smokiness.
Pro tip: Shop the travel-sized iteration, which you’ll find in the under $50 guide for a little coziness on the go.
Fragrance: Versace Bright Crystal
Scent category: Fresh florals
Why it works: Monet describes this classic eau as “sparkly, floral, and fruity,” and you’ve probably known someone who wears (or wore) this religiously at some point. The “sparkle” factor can be chalked up to the chilled yuzu lemon, she explains, as it lends a “fizzy” element to the scent. “It’s amazing for spring and summer — it’s very playful, fun, and carefree.” The bright citrus is tempered by sweet florals, like peony and magnolia. With musk and amber at the base, this is one Monet says you can truly “drown in.”
Pro tip: To find equally fresh and floral fragrances, head to your nearest Sephora, where a Beauty Advisor will help you use the nifty 'find similar scents' tool.
Fragrance: Gucci Flora Gorgeous Jasmine
Scent category: Classic florals
Why it works: It’s hard to overspray this floral scent, says Monet. So, spritz to your heart’s content and rest assured that “no one will be upset with you.” It’s light and fresh thanks to the jasmine and mandarin essence, but the sandalwood base adds a “creaminess and woodiness” that balances it without being too harsh, she adds. If you appreciate a pretty bottle, even better: “They did a really beautiful job with the packaging. It’s a lovely bottle to have on your perfume tray. It’s honestly stunning.”
Pro tip: Select ‘classic florals’ on the fragrance quiz and filter by ‘best-selling,’ ‘top-rated,’ or ‘what’s trending’ to find more fragrances like this.
Fragrance: Yves Saint Laurent Libre
Scent category: Warm florals
Why it works: If you’re looking for your next signature fragrance, opt for something well-rounded, like this bold-but-not-overpowering eau that Monet says “screams confidence.” It features an intoxicating combination of orange blossom, musk accord, and lavender, which makes for a “zesty, uplifting, and aromatic scent,” says Monet. “The musk base makes it clean and light, so you can wear it year-round and in virtually any setting, like work, an event, or even a date.” (To make it last through all of the above, Monet recommends being well-moisturized upon application — preferably with a lotion that smells similar — and spritzing generously.)
Pro tip: Select the ‘best-seller’ category under ‘warm florals’ on the fragrance quiz to shop similar scents.
Fragrance: KILIAN Paris Princess
Scent category: Warm and sweet gourmands
Why it works: A marshmallow-infused scent may sound too saccharine, but this one's got other notes — herbal green tea and zesty ginger — that help round it out. The sweetness of the marshmallow “gives off this beautiful fluffiness,” says Monet, but there’s a kick from the ginger and green tea.” She adds that this is the perfect scent for someone who craves something on the sweeter side but doesn’t want to smell too “childish.” This one, she adds, has that perfect “yummy factor” that so many gourmand fragrances (which feature notes that smell edible) aim to achieve.
Pro tip: Find this perfume under the 'new' category on the main fragrance guide hub.
Fragrance: Marc Jacobs Daisy Ever So Fresh
Scent category: Fruity florals
Why it works: If you’re perpetually in vacation mode — and you’d happily choose a beach over a cabin — go for something that includes both regular fruity notes and tropical fruity notes, like this one, which has mandarin orange, mango, and pineapple. “It reminds me of hanging out by a pool, drinking a pina colada,” says Monet. Interestingly, she adds, the scent is devoid of notes like vanilla (which often appears in fruitier scents) and instead relies on the fruit for all the sweetness. However, rose water, orange blossom, and silky cashmere woods add variety. “After spritzing it, you’ll immediately notice the fruit, but when you let it sit on your skin, you’ll get a little more of that floral, woodsy balance.”
Pro tip: On the fragrance quiz, select 'florals' and 'fruity florals,' then sort by ‘what’s trending’ to discover the newest fragrances in this category.
Fragrance: Juliette Has a Gun Magnolia Bliss
Scent category: Fruity florals
Why it works: After purchasing this fragrance a couple of months ago, Monet is fully “in love” with this scent because it “doesn’t feel really sticky and heavy.” Soft, creamy magnolia is at the heart, while juicy plum and fresh bergamot provide contrast, making it a “very uplifting and playful fragrance that also smells very clean,” she says, adding that this cheerful eau feels especially apt in the spring or summer seasons, though it’s well-rounded enough to work year-round.
Pro tip: Find more like it in the ‘fruity fragrance’ category under the fragrance quiz.
Fragrance: Dior Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet
Scent category: Fresh florals
Why it works: With notes of peony (a sweeter floral) and Damask rose (a particularly fragrant variety of rose used commonly in perfumes), plus a base of clean-smelling white musk, Monet recommends this "fresh, playful, floral" scent for someone who tends to be a bit more conservative with their fragrance, but still craves something head-turning and noticeable. "It has fruity nuances, like mandarin, apricot, and peach, which are balanced with sweet peony, rose, and white musk," she says. "It's definitely signature scent-worthy."
Pro tip: For the mini version, peruse the under $50 guide.
Fragrance: KAYALI Lovefest Burning Cherry
Scent category: Warm and sweet gourmands
Why it works: Monet says that this complex, "warm, sweet, woody gourmand" scent — the 10th fragrance in KAYALI's lineup — would work "really well" for a fun evening out or a date night, especially during fall and winter months. (Thank the uniquely seductive mix of burning black cherry, luscious raspberry, caramelized praline, earthy palo santo, and smoky guaiac wood for that.) "This fragrance is absolutely [intoxicating]," she adds, "and definitely something I would drown in when applying."
Pro tip: Find more warm and sweet gourmands by selecting that category on the fragrance quiz.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
from Refinery29 https://ift.tt/AaURmjw
via IFTTT
