Recognise your notes
According to Swapnil, start by thinking about the fragrances you’ve consistently enjoyed. Look for the common thread. Maybe you’re always drawn to citrus and fresh notes, or maybe it’s florals, woods, spices, amber, or something warmer and more sensual. Once you recognise that pattern, shopping becomes much easier. “I also like to think about how you want your fragrance to feel, rather than just what notes are listed on the box,” added Swapnil.
Explore the categories
If you haven’t tried a lot of perfumes, Swapnil recommends exploring options until something feels comforting to you. You can group them into main families like fresh, floral, woody, or oriental to understand each note.
Try those notes
Do you want something fresh and effortless? Warm and comforting? Clean and understated? Or something with more presence? Then narrow it down to two or three fragrances and wear them on your skin. Swapnil advises not to make the decision from the first spray. See which one you keep noticing throughout the day and which one you find yourself wanting to wear the next morning again. That’s usually a better sign than simply asking which one smells the most impressive in the store.
