How to choose your new signature scent

Many fragrances are now pared down and perfect for layering, which means you can combine two, three or even four for a totally fresh and deeply personal scent. If you’re looking for a new scent for summer, mixing and matching different ones is the ideal way of getting one that’s totally unique to you and your style! Here’s how…

Sniff out the dominating scents

Spray two scents in your bathroom and walk away for a few minutes. If you can detect only one when you return, that perfume is most likely going to dominate your skin, too.

Don’t decant

Avoid combining several fragrances in one bottle. Instead, wear different scents on different body parts. Confine heavier ones to your pulse points where your body temperature is higher, as body heat diffuses fragrance more evenly.

Start strong

Apply the strongest fragrance to your skin first, giving it a chance to air so that it can settle on your skin. Then finish off by spritzing on the lighting scent.

Layer by lathering

Pick a fragrance that you love, then find bath products with a matching scent. Start with a body wash, apply moisturiser and finish with perfume.

Make it last

Dab a fragrance-free body oil on your skin, then layer perfumes on top of it. The concentrated base will help make your scent last longer.

Embrace the unexpected

Take a whiff of masala chai and try to single out the spices. Now grab a freshly squeezed lemon and give it a good sniff. “It’s a combination of notes that attract you and give a scent its personality,” explains master perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour. “Niche fragrances often contain an element of surprise, and you need to keep an open mind to appreciate uncommon ingredients.”

Go blind and be patient

Never be influenced by pretty packaging. “The first 10-15 seconds are important, as the fragrance reveals its top notes. But don’t decide based on the first impression – let it settle into your skin for a few hours. A niche scent can take as long as four hours to reveal its true identity,” says Bertrand.

Here are 5 daring scents we think will do the job…