How to test perfume before you buy

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Start with paper, finish with skin

Paper strips (blotters) are good for a first pass. They let you compare several perfumes quickly and rule out what you clearly dislike. But paper does not behave like skin. Spray your top one or two choices on skin before you decide anything.

Test fewer at once

Your nose tires quickly. After smelling several perfumes in a row, they start to blur, a well-known effect called olfactory fatigue. Try no more than a few at a time, and step outside or rest between rounds.

One perfume per spot

Use different spots for different perfumes: one on each wrist, one on the inner elbow. Spraying two in the same place makes it impossible to judge either.

Wait for the dry down

The first minutes are mostly top notes. Leave the store, go about your day, and smell the perfume again later. The dry down is the part you will live with.

Sample at home

Wearing a sample for a few days is the most reliable test. Try it on different days and in different weather. Notice whether you still enjoy it later in the day, and whether people around you mention it.

Common sample formats:

• Vials from a counter or brand, often a dab or small spray.
• Travel sprays sold by many brands.
• Discovery or sampler sets with several small vials from one brand.
• Decants poured from a full bottle into a small atomizer by a seller. Buy only from sellers you trust, because you cannot verify what is inside.

Skin first, carefully

Fragrances can cause skin irritation or allergic reactions in some people. Patch test a new fragrance on a small area of skin, and stop using it if irritation occurs. See a doctor or dermatologist if a reaction does not go away.