I've been lurking around here for the last three months since I discovered this site shortly after getting into fragrances. These are some of the things I have learned on my own and from Basenotes:
1. To your own nose be true. Disregard what you have read and what the sales associate says and make up your own mind. Guidance is good, but YOU have to decide.
2. Get a sample and wear the fragrance for a few days or a week to find out whether or not you really like it. Top notes sell fragrances but alas they are only fleeting. And while you're trying it out go ahead and read all you can about it.
3. Buy the small size. Unless you want to be embalmed in the fragrance when you die because you love it so much or like to trade, buy the small bottle or a sampler. This will allow you to have more fragrances because IMO fragrances have varying but limited 5 to 8 year shelf lives.
4. Store your fragrances in a cool dark place. Don't let the sun or excessive heat +84 degrees farenheit or +29 degrees celcius shorten the potency of your fragrances. If you cherish your collection, get a wine cooler if you don't have AC. I believe the refrigerator is too cold for fragrances but better than excessive heat.
5. Keep your box because you might want to sell or trade your fragrance. Also the box will help protect the bottle from breaking or getting exposed to sunlight.
6. You can use the memo pad on your cell phone to list the notes in your fragrances in case anybody asks. It helps me when I shop because the sales associate doesn't always know. I also keep an inventory of how much I have remaining in a bottle in case I want to sell something. Also, I have a price list of how much per milliliter I would sell something for.
7. You can get little bottles with sprayers and a funnel to decant your fragrances to reapply them during the day. Carrying around the big bottle is kind of hard. This helps with longevity issues. Plus with small decants you can share with people. I've given people a teaspoon of this or that. It also makes inventory easy.
I could go on but I will spare you. Anyway I am newly registered and glad to become an official member after lurking around for so long. Basenotes has been an outstanding resource of information for me. I have been impressed by the civility of the members here even though they do not agree on some things. Some of the members here have vivid personalities and I sometimes think or even laugh at some of the things they have posted when I'm at work. Comparing my tastes in fragrances with theirs has helped me to discover things about myself. And now I'm off again to seek the Holy Grail!
1. To your own nose be true. Disregard what you have read and what the sales associate says and make up your own mind. Guidance is good, but YOU have to decide.
2. Get a sample and wear the fragrance for a few days or a week to find out whether or not you really like it. Top notes sell fragrances but alas they are only fleeting. And while you're trying it out go ahead and read all you can about it.
3. Buy the small size. Unless you want to be embalmed in the fragrance when you die because you love it so much or like to trade, buy the small bottle or a sampler. This will allow you to have more fragrances because IMO fragrances have varying but limited 5 to 8 year shelf lives.
4. Store your fragrances in a cool dark place. Don't let the sun or excessive heat +84 degrees farenheit or +29 degrees celcius shorten the potency of your fragrances. If you cherish your collection, get a wine cooler if you don't have AC. I believe the refrigerator is too cold for fragrances but better than excessive heat.
5. Keep your box because you might want to sell or trade your fragrance. Also the box will help protect the bottle from breaking or getting exposed to sunlight.
6. You can use the memo pad on your cell phone to list the notes in your fragrances in case anybody asks. It helps me when I shop because the sales associate doesn't always know. I also keep an inventory of how much I have remaining in a bottle in case I want to sell something. Also, I have a price list of how much per milliliter I would sell something for.
7. You can get little bottles with sprayers and a funnel to decant your fragrances to reapply them during the day. Carrying around the big bottle is kind of hard. This helps with longevity issues. Plus with small decants you can share with people. I've given people a teaspoon of this or that. It also makes inventory easy.
I could go on but I will spare you. Anyway I am newly registered and glad to become an official member after lurking around for so long. Basenotes has been an outstanding resource of information for me. I have been impressed by the civility of the members here even though they do not agree on some things. Some of the members here have vivid personalities and I sometimes think or even laugh at some of the things they have posted when I'm at work. Comparing my tastes in fragrances with theirs has helped me to discover things about myself. And now I'm off again to seek the Holy Grail!
