Here’s How To Find Your Signature Scent While You’re At Uni
This article is a sponsored post in partnership with The Fragrance Shop.
As a student, it’s natural to want to experiment with your personal style and appearance (hands up who has fallen victim to box hair dye). If you want to switch things up, it doesn’t always have to be as drastic as a haircut or tattoo—you can start somewhere simple, such as finding your signature scent.
Whether you have a huge fragrance collection or are a bit of a newbie, your signature scent can be hard to get right, especially because there are literally 1000s of fragrance options out there and it can be a bit overwhelming.
If you’re looking for something new, there’s no better place to shop than The Fragrance Shop for affordable luxury fragrances on a budget. Even better? You can get a student discount at The Fragrance Shop (on top of the already affordable prices!) to help you save even more and really experiment and find the fragrance you love this year.
So, if you want to find your signature scent, we’ve put together our best tips and advice to get you started, as well as picking out some of our fave scents to help give you some inspo on how to spend your student discount.
How to find your signature scent
1. Sample perfumes
Committing to a brand-new fragrance without trying it first can be daunting (and costly!) whether buying for yourself or someone you love. We recommend sampling as many different scents as possible but know this isn’t always easy when studying for exams or attending lectures.
If you’re looking for a new signature scent and worried about trying something new when ordering online, don’t be! There are options which will allow you to try a scent first before committing to a full-size bottle. For example, many of The Fragrance Shop’s scents come with a free ‘Try It First’ sample, so you can be sure you love your new fragrance before you open the packaging.
Simply purchase any fragrance that features a Try It First logo and you’ll receive a free sample of the same fragrance. Give the sample a whirl and if you don’t love it, you can send back the full-size unopened bottle for a refund.
If you’re a little more spontaneous and want to try a new fragrance each month (or refills of your current favourite scent) you could consider a fragrance subscription to ensure you never run out of perfume. When you sign up for scentaddict you can pay £12 a month and choose from over 950 fragrances so that you can treat yourself to a new scent each month for a reasonable price!
2. Decide what vibe you want your scent to match
Are you looking for an everyday fragrance or something to wear exclusively at night or for special occasions? Do you want something light and subtle or something that has a strong, long-lasting smell?
Also, think about how you dress and express yourself every day. If you have a more traditionally feminine style you might want a more feminine or floral scent, however, if you want something completely new, you might want a more bold and alluring scent that will definitely get people asking you what you’re wearing.
If you’ve no idea where to start but want to find that one fragrance that will suit every mood, outfit, or vibe, The Fragrance Shop has a handy quiz to help you find your perfect scent match. All you have to do is answer a few questions, and you’ll get custom recommendations that you can buy with your student discount.
3. Decide which fragrance family you like best
A fragrance family is used to categorise different scents. Examples include amber, floral, fresh, fruity, citrus and woody. This is key to helping you decide which you are most likely to be a fan of and how you can determine your signature scent.
If you can make a list of fragrance families you either love, don’t mind, or perhaps ones you wouldn’t necessarily choose, this can really help you narrow down your options when you’re deciding on a new fragrance to make your signature.
Don’t forget though, what a fragrance smells like overall doesn’t just depend on the type of fragrance family, it also comes down to the different fragrance notes (which we’ll go through next) so, it’s not always wise to rule out a fragrance family before having sampled a few different fragrances first! You may be surprised at what scents you end up loving.
4. Experiment with different notes
If you’re not a fragrance expert this might be where we lose you— but don’t worry we’re going to explain. The notes are the different scent layers that make up your fragrance and are what can really make it different from others. The top notes will be what you smell first; the heart notes are the foundation and will make up the majority of the fragrance; and the base notes make the final, long-lasting impression.
If you have an idea of some notes that you like and maybe want to avoid, it can help you to make a decision on what scent should be your signature.
5. Speak to an expert
Alright, if you’re still not sure what scent will really work for you don’t panic! The experts at The Fragrance Shop will be happy to help you out and give you some good recommendations.
Check out some of our fave scents below if you’re looking for a place to start and need some inspo for what to try out next.
Our fave scents for women
Carolina Herrera Good Girl EDP 30ml- £61 (RRP £65)
- Top note: Almond
- Heart notes: Tuberose, Jasmine Sambac
- Base notes: Tonka Bean, Cocoa
- Fragrance Family: Ambery
- Occasion: Day & Night
Get a student discount at The Fragrance Shop
Ariana Grande MOD Vanilla EDP 100ml- £44 (RRP £55)
- Top notes: Pink Freesia, Juicy Plum, Creamy Musks
- Heart notes: Orris Butter, White Praline, Jasmine Petals
- Base notes: Vanilla Absolute, Cocoa Butter
- Fragrance Family: Gourmand Musk
- Occasion: Day
Get a student discount at The Fragrance Shop
Valentino Born In Roma Donna EDP 30ml- £53.60 (RRP £69)
- Top notes: Blackcurrant, Pink Pepper, Bergamot
- Heart notes: Jasmine, Jasmine Sambac, Jasmine Tea
- Base notes: Bourbon Vanilla, Cashmeran, Guaiac Wood
- Fragrance Family: Floral Amber
- Occasion: Day
Get a student discount at The Fragrance Shop
Chanel Coco Mademoiselle EDP 35ml- £75
- Top notes: Orange, Mandarin Orange, Bergamot, Orange Blossom
- Heart notes: Turkish Rose, Jasmine, Ylang Ylang, Mimosa
- Base notes: Patchouli, White Musk, Vanilla, Tonka Bean
- Fragrance family: Soft Ambery
- Occasion: Day
Get a student discount at The Fragrance Shop
Prada Paradoxe EDP 30ml- £54.99 (RRP £69)
- Top notes: Calabrian Bergamot Heart, Tangerine Essence, Pear Accord
- Heart notes: Neroli Essence, Tunisian Orange Flower Heart, Absolute Blossom, Jasmine Sambac Absolute
- Base notes: Amber Accord, Laos Benzoin Resinoid, Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla, White Musk Accord
- Fragrance family: Floral Ambery
- Occasion: Day
Get a student discount at The Fragrance Shop
Our fave scents for men
Dior Sauvage EDT 60ml- £60 (RRP £75)
- Top notes: Bergamot
- Heart notes: Ambroxan
- Base notes: Cedar
- Fragrance family: Fresh, Citrus, Woody
- Occasion: Day & Night
Get a student discount at The Fragrance Shop
Rabanne 1 Million EDT 100ml- £74.50 (RRP £90)
- Top notes: Blood Mandarin, Peppermint
- Heart notes: Rose, Cinnamon
- Base notes: Leather, Amberketal
- Fragrance family: Fresh leather & Spice
- Occasion: Day & Night
Get a student discount at The Fragrance Shop
Hugo Boss Bottled Triumph Elixir 50ml- £51.50 (RRP £73)
- Top notes: Violet Leaf
- Heart notes: Vetiver Essence
- Base notes: Patchouli Leaves
- Fragrance family: Ambery
- Occasion: Night
Get a student discount at The Fragrance Shop
Chanel Bleu De Chanel EDP 50ml- £85
- Top notes: Grapefruit, Mint, Lemon
- Heart notes: Ginger, Nutmeg, Jasmine
- Base notes: Cedar, Sandalwood, White Musk
- Fragrance family: Aromatic
- Occasion: Day & Night
Get a student discount at The Fragrance Shop
Yves Saint Laurent MYSELF EDP 60ml- £69 (RRP £79)
- Top notes: Bergamot
- Heart notes: Orange Blossom
- Base notes: Wood, Patchouli
- Fragrance family: Woody
- Occasion: Day & Night
Get a student discount at The Fragrance Shop
Hopefully this has given you a good idea of how to get started when it comes to choosing your signature scent. Don’t forget to use your The Fragrance Shop student discount when shopping online to save money on fragrances for yourself or gifts for other people this winter!
This article is a sponsored post in partnership with The Fragrance Shop
