Are you a new perfume enthusiast? Learn how to responsibly collect perfumes and discover your own unique scent style

So you want to be a fragrance collector? First off, congratulations on your newfound enthusiasm for scent—as a fellow fraghead, nothing beats the feeling of falling in love with a new perfume. Now it’s time to build that fragrance collection, which in itself is an exciting journey that involves a lot of passion, exploration, and a bit of venturing out of your comfort zone.

The perfect fragrances not only complement your style but can also evoke memories, boost confidence, and even shift your mood. But with so many options out there, where does one even start?

Before you blind buy that bottle of perfume you’ve never even smelled before (hot tip: just don’t), here are seven essential tips to note and kick off your fragrance adventure. From getting to know your scent faves to learning how to store your bottles, you’ll be able to select fragrances that suit your personality and curate a collection that feels uniquely yours.

Understand your scent preferences

If you’re not yet sure about which particular scents you veer towards, try heading to department stores and sniff as many perfumes as you can | Photo from Curated Lifestyle/Unsplash+

Take a step back and think about what kind of smells you like—do you enjoy fresh fragrances, woody aromas, skin scents, or sweet, delectable gourmands? If you’re not yet sure about which particular scents you veer towards, try heading to department stores like Rustan’s or SM and sniff as many perfumes as you can. The more fragrances you smell, the more you understand what you like, and the more trained your nose will become in picking out what you’ll enjoy most. It’s almost like eating different kinds of food—you won’t know your favorites until you try them.

Do your research

I know the term “research” doesn’t initially sound very fun, but it’s actually a vital part of the fragrance purchasing journey for me—this means reading reviews on Fragrantica, looking up brands and perfumers, and checking out what the folks over at TikTok and YouTube are saying about the scent I’m interested in. It’s fascinating how a lot of people tend to pick up on different things in a fragrance. For example, a sandalwood-centered fragrance may smell like coconut to some noses, but have no coconut at all in the list of notes.

Take a step back and think about what kind of smells you like—do you enjoy fresh fragrances, woody aromas, skin scents, or sweet, delectable gourmands?

It’s also recommended for fragrance enthusiasts to look at the olfactory pyramid so that you have a sense of the different scent families (citrusy, floral, fruity, woody, etc.) as well as what exactly top, heart, and base notes are. This is another method to help narrow down your scent preferences.

Purchase decants and take the time to sample them

While sniffing them in-store is a good way to try scents and get your first impressions, experiencing a perfume via decants is something else entirely | Photo from Curated Lifestyle/Unsplash+

The best way to test fragrances before you buy them is through decants. While sniffing them in-store is a good way to try scents and get your first impressions, experiencing a perfume via decants is something else entirely. With a 2mL to 5mL decant, you’re able to spray it all over yourself and see how the scent develops on your skin and how long it’ll last with your body chemistry. You can also test it for several days to check if you truly love the scent. I’ve lost count of the times I bought a perfume after simply smelling it in a shop and then regretting it after because I realized I didn’t actually like it at all.

So the most responsible way of purchasing a perfume (especially for the really expensive ones) is to get a decant via reputable shops like Shopee, Lazada, or even Instagram. And for the love of the perfume gods, do not blind buy.

The best way to test fragrances before you buy them is through decants

Start small and build your collection gradually

A mistake that newbie fragheads usually do is buy too many fragrances at the same time. Stop. Take a step back and relax. Building a truly curated perfume collection takes time and patience (and not to mention, a lot of money). You can start small and begin with five core perfumes—your everyday scent, your evening scent, your special occasion scent, your fresh scent, and your cold weather scent. Go ahead and mix and match these five by learning how to layer your perfumes. You really don’t need 10 new fragrances in one go. Perfume collection is a process. Trust it and trust how your nose develops as well.

Budget your fragrance hobby

Fragrance shopping can be addicting and may create a reasonable dent in your wallet | Photo by Laura Chouette/Unsplash

Let’s be real: Luxury perfumes are not cheap, whether it’s designer or niche. Just like shopping for clothes, shoes, or bags, fragrance shopping can be addicting and may create a reasonable dent in your wallet. Even if you start small with more affordable dupes or local brands, it’s highly likely you’ll want to “graduate” to getting those pricey bottles. So if you want to consistently be buying perfumes as a hobby, then set aside a certain amount in your monthly budget. Believe me, your future self (and your bank account) will thank you.

Store your perfumes properly

So you’ve got a bunch of perfumes already? Awesome. Just make sure to keep them safely tucked away from direct sunlight and humid areas. Avoid areas like the bathroom or in front of your room’s window. The best place to store fragrances is in a cool, dark place, such as inside a closet, a cubby hole, or a perfume wardrobe. Your valuable fragrances will last you forever if you just know how to take care of them and store them correctly. After all, who would want to spray a bottle of perfume and suddenly smell some rancid, expired juice?

Don’t be afraid to experiment outside your comfort zone and open your mind to scents you think you might not like

Experiment with your taste and have fun

The art of scent is such an interesting and rewarding hobby, prominently featuring one of the most underrated senses that the human body has: our smell. So have fun while at it. Don’t be afraid to experiment outside your comfort zone and open your mind to scents you think you might not like. I always thought I was a fresh scent type of gal, but after over a year of collecting perfumes, I realized that I love sweet, woody scents and despise fragrances that are too citrusy. You’ll eventually learn more about what you enjoy, and in the process, more about yourself as well.