EXPERT ADVICE:
HOW TO CHOOSE A FRAGRANCE
What’s the difference between eau de parfum and eau de toilette? How do you find your signature scent? Our fragrance guide answers your questions
Which perfume should I pick?
When it comes to choosing your signature scent, think about the kind of smells you prefer, and how long you want your perfume to last. If you prefer a light, fresh fragrance for everyday wear, look to scents with fruit or citrus notes. If you prefer a deeper, more lingering scent, try something with wood, amber or vanilla. Fragrances tend to be grouped into different families:
- Floral fragrances are soft and feminine
- Amber fragrances are deep and warm
- Woody scents are more masculine
- Fresh scents are light and airy
- Chypré fragrances are dark and deep
Our Discover range is a great starting point for experimenting with scent. You’ll find a range of eaux de toilette across the various fragrance families, all at affordable prices, so you can try a few options before settling on your forever perfume.
OUR FAVOURITE DISCOVER SCENTS
What are fragrance notes?
To know how a fragrance performs on skin – whether it’s an eau de toilette or an eau de parfum – it’s important to understand its composition. Each perfume is composed of top notes, middle notes and base notes.
Top notes are what you smell initially – they’re light and fresh, but don’t last long on skin. The middle notes of a scent are its true character and tend to be made up of florals, fruits, spices and herbs. The base notes provide the depth and longevity to each scent, and are typically made up of vanilla, amber and woods. Our restorative Apothecary fragrances each feature the main notes printed on their bottles, so you can choose based on the kind of scent you generally prefer.
OUR FAVOURITE APOTHECARY SCENTS
How to test a perfume
When testing fragrances, always allow them to develop for a few hours and observe how the different notes evolve. Also note that your skin type, pH levels and how hydrated your skin is can influence how fragrances smell on you, so always spray on your pulse points before making your final decision.
Moisturised skin will help improve the longevity of a fragrance – try matching your body lotion to your perfume. Always store your fragrance in its original box and in a cool, dark place to help preserve its true character. Try our range of perfumes from top beauty brands, including Floral Street, Estée Lauder and lots more.
OUR FAVOURITE SCENTS FROM BRANDS AT M&S
Words: Ellie Spicer
