How to choose a perfume you will actually wear
Most people buy a fragrance because they liked it on someone else. That works about half the time. This guide walks through the four things that decide whether a bottle becomes a favourite or gathers dust: the family, the concentration, the season and the occasion.
1. Start with the fragrance family
- Fresh and citrus — bergamot, orange, ginger. Clean and energetic. Good for daytime, work and hot weather. Try Prada Luna Rossa Sport or Lacoste Touch of Pink.
- Floral — jasmine, rose, tuberose, orange blossom. Classic and feminine, ranging from light to opulent. Try Roberto Cavalli Eau de Parfum.
- Woody and aromatic — sandalwood, cedar, lavender, geranium. Refined and versatile. Try Giorgio Armani Stronger With You Sandalwood or Dolce & Gabbana The One Pour Homme.
- Amber and oriental — vanilla, amber, tonka, resins, leather. Warm, sweet and long-lasting. Try Azzaro The Most Wanted or Lattafa Khamrah.
- Gourmand — vanilla, cocoa, sugar, caramel. Comforting and close to the skin. Try Billie Eilish Eilish.
2. Pick the right concentration
Eau de Toilette is lighter and fresher and suits daytime and warm weather. Eau de Parfum carries more oil, projects further and lasts longer, which makes it the better choice for evenings, cold weather and anyone who dislikes reapplying. Parfum is the richest of the three and needs only a spray or two.
3. Match the season
Heat amplifies a fragrance, so heavy amber and oud compositions can become overwhelming in summer — that is when citrus, aquatic and light floral scents come into their own. Cold air mutes projection, which is exactly when vanilla, woods, spice and oud shine. Many people end up with a warm-weather bottle and a cold-weather bottle rather than one perfume for the year.
4. Consider where you will wear it
For the office, choose something quiet that stays within arm's reach: fresh, woody or soft floral, applied in one or two sprays. For evenings and occasions, a richer Eau de Parfum with amber, vanilla or oud gives you presence. For everyday, pick whichever you reach for without thinking.
Why Arabic perfumes are so popular right now
Houses like Lattafa build fragrances around oud, amber, musk and vanilla at concentrations that would cost several times more from a European designer. The result is exceptional longevity and sillage at an accessible price, which is why scents like Yara and Khamrah have become global best sellers rather than regional ones.
Getting the most from every bottle
Spray on clean, moisturised skin at the pulse points. Do not rub. Keep the bottle away from heat and sunlight. And give a new fragrance a full day on your skin before deciding — the base notes that appear after a few hours are the part you will live with.
Still undecided? Browse our best sellers or email us and we will point you at two or three bottles that match what you already like.