Online retail therapy along with a glass of wine has been the combination that has helped me keep my sanity. While I resort to online shopping for most of my beauty needs, I can’t say the same when it comes to buying perfumes. Let’s be real, shopping for an eyeshadow palette online isn’t as ridden with questions as buying a perfume which demands an in-person experience unless it’s a repeat purchase. I could think of a gazillion things that could seemingly go wrong when I’m trying to pick out a perfume for myself.
When it comes to skincare and makeup, reviews and swatches can help in making a buying decision, even if you’re a beginner. But when we’re shopping for a fragrance, there are so many factors to consider while making that decision, especially if you’re looking to try a new fragrance or are new to online beauty shopping. Fragrances are subjective and unless you experience them, it’s tough to make a choice based on just reviews and product descriptions, even if they are detailed. For instance, a fragrance with notes of roses and jasmine will be received differently by every individual. So, how exactly does one go about shopping for perfume online without wasting money in the process or ending up with something you hate the smell of?
Here are a few tips you can keep in mind when you’re choosing a new perfume online—
Take Cognizance Of Your Perfume History
A great way to get started when you’re shopping for perfumes online is taking a look at your previous choices in candles and perfumes. A quick glance at your pre-existing collection will give you a glimpse into the kind of scents you are inclined towards. This is a great starting point. If you notice a penchant for floral fragrances, you might want to choose a perfume with a floral heart note. Your current collection of scented candles, body washes and lotions are monumental in helping you to come to a conclusion.
Brush Up On Your Fragrance Vocabulary
The fragrance vocabulary can be intimidating, especially when words like chypre and sillage are casually thrown around. It might seem like you will require a glossary to even understand the basics but the key is to not overcomplicate it. One of the most crucial terms that you must be aware of in perfume terminology is notes.
Notes are a blend of all the various aromas or ingredients that are used to create a fragrance and they’re characterised as top notes, bottom notes and base notes. When you’re making a purchase online, take into account all the notes that collectively make the fragrance what it is. These will tell you whether the fragrance of your choice is refreshing, seductive or grounding one. For instance, bergamot and lime notes indicate freshness while musk signals towards a sensual scent and patchouli always acts as a grounding scent. You also want scents you veer towards in the heart note- this one stays on you the longest.
Pay Attention To The Packaging
Online shopping doesn’t allow us the freedom to actually take a whiff of the perfume and make a decision but it does give us a chance to carefully look at the packaging of the product. Most often, the packaging of a perfume is enough to give you an insight into the fragrance family it belongs to. While this isn’t set in stone, hues of blue denote a cool and clean scent that’s all parts breezy while shades of red always translate to a sultry and spicy scent., for the most part. Similarly, golden packaging points to a rich scent that’s curated for evening wear and likely to be more heady.
Scour Carefully Through Reviews
While reviews come in handy for beauty products such as sunscreens and lipsticks, when it comes to perfumes, it’s important to pay attention to descriptions and specific words. Perfumes are personal for everyone, but people often leave reviews about the longevity of the scent and how powerful or subtle its notes are. Online reviews that allow you to visualise and feel the perfume are the ones you need to look out for while shopping.
