How to start your perfume collection

We have realized that many of you want to have your own perfume collection, but you don't know exactly how to grow your collection efficiently, and thus not spend excessively on a bunch of mediocre perfumes.

We'll teach you how to start your collection the right and proper way, and we'll share our perfume experiences with you so you can do it too.

The love of perfumes is beautiful, but it can get out of control very quickly. Shopping addiction is real and must be controlled.

So, if you are just starting out or want to learn more about how to expand your collection, this guide is created for you.

In this article, you will learn about the following topics:

• What is a perfume collection
• How to avoid perfume addiction
• Golden rules for buying a perfume
• How to store perfumes

Each of the topics explained could have been a separate article, but we have decided to present it in a single post so that you have the most complete article on how to start a perfume collection.

What is a perfume collection?

A perfume collection is, as the name suggests, a collection of scented items in your personal possession. In addition to liquid perfumes, they can also be scented candles, creams, soaps, etc.

Your current or future collection should depend on two things:

What type of collector are you?

What type of perfumes do you make?
There are different types of perfume collectors, such as hobbyists who collect only the most expensive products and those who want to collect everything from a single particular fragrance line.

Some even collect perfumes from a single brand to which they are loyal. Others collect perfumes based on a single note or a combination of notes.

On the other hand, some men or women even follow fashion and collect everything that is new and stylish, and there is a more common type of collector who collects based on gathered information and recommendations.

So, what kind of collector are you?

Your choice of perfume influences others

What do we mean by this? As your journey progresses, you will realize that many times, people can react negatively to what you are wearing.

For example, not everyone is a fan of Interlude Man by Amouage or Oud for Greatness by Initio Parfums , which tend to project much more and can cause serious headaches for the people around you.

Therefore, if you work in an office environment, you will most likely have to adjust your collection to lighter and more ethereal things.

An easy rule to follow is this: if you work indoors, use light fragrances; If not, you can bring out the most powerful ones.

There is also a third solution: find a work environment that "tolerates" your perfumes. But hey, that depends on you.

How many perfumes do you really need?

We have met different perfume collectors. For example, people who tend to own a few fragrances and others who own thousands.

So, what is the ideal number? In my experience, to be recognized for your potential signature fragrance, you should only have ten fragrances at a time.

Only ten? It isn't true? How can you be a collector with only ten bottles in your collection? Yes, you can, and here's how.

By limiting yourself to a certain number of jars at any given time, you actually experience more.

Think about it, would you experience your fragrances better if you had, say, five, or if you had 50 or 100? I think the answer is clear. Less is more in this case.

A few for work, a couple for different seasons, one special and another for going out to party. Don't go beyond 10 until you have more experience.

It's not a job, it's a hobby

As the title says, keep it simple. Take it easy and don't be in a hurry. These two tips will save you a lot of money and improve your collection.

You don't have to have the latest releases right away. It's not a race, it's a journey. A journey influenced by various sources that should be taken with a grain of salt.

Many of the so-called experts in reviews tend to sell out of their bottles within a week. A common practice for those who receive free bottles or are paid for reviews.

That is why you have to take this hobby as calmly as possible. In the end, it should be a pleasure and not the other way around.

How to avoid fragrance addiction

As stated in the introduction to this article, fragrance buying addiction is a real thing. That's why we've decided to give you some crucial tips on what you should do to avoid it.

If you buy fragrances often and at some point feel euphoric or anxious that something will run out, think twice before purchasing one.

The feeling of remorse or even guilt can lead you into a closed shopping circle. So, here are the guidelines a fragrance collector can rely on.

Don't believe the fashion

Believe us, we've seen it all. The "hype beasts" that never fulfilled their promise and the criticism on the day of the launch.

They all have something in common. In 99% of cases, they are normal or just good fragrances. And you don't just want good fragrances in your collection, right?

So always do your research through multiple sources, don't buy new releases right away, and try fragrances if possible. Our perfumery has the decant format so you can try the perfume that interests you without committing to the entire bottle.

Trust your sense of smell

Your nose is your best friend. Always try before you buy.

The more you try, the more you will realize which perfumes are worth it and which are not. As with everything, educate yourself, gain more knowledge and trust yourself.

make a list

One of the best ways to increase your collection without falling into the addiction of buying many fragrances is to keep a list of the fragrances you plan to try.

On this list, write down things like test time, scores, grades you liked or disliked, and things like that. With this information, you will cut out the unnecessary and thus find the best.

Do at least 3 "test sessions" with each perfume before making a decision. The ideal is to do it in different scenarios and weather conditions.

Golden rules before starting a perfume collection

Some of them are common knowledge, while others are rules of thumb that anyone can follow.

1. Avoid buying blindly

This is a common trap that beginners and some well-informed enthusiasts fall into from time to time. If a fragrance is not available in your perfume store, do not buy it blindly.

In the long run, buying blind will disappoint you more often than not. If you can't try it, then it's a no-go, no matter how brilliant or exclusive it seems.

Our solution to avoid buying blindly is to try the perfume you want in decant format , with which you can test it in different environments and situations that will help you in your decision process.

2. Climatic conditions and skin chemistry

Not everyone lives in a country that has all four seasons in its entire spectrum. That is why it is necessary to use fragrances that are appropriate at least for summer and winter.

Fresh citrus fruits tend to work best in hot weather, heavy fragrances and resinous aromas in winter.

On the other hand, skin chemistry can be a blessing or a curse. There are many people, whose skin eats up their fragrances within one or two hours.

This problem is seen more today, when fragrances are more "politically correct" and lighter. One more good reason for you to try, try and try.

Mancera's popular Red Tobacco lasts over 20 hours in some, while we've heard some people barely make it to 6 hours. Skin chemistry can be a wonder.

3. Don't do it for compliments

We have nothing against compliments. It's great to receive positive feedback about a fragrance you're wearing.

But don't make decisions based on compliments. If that's the only reason you're starting a collection, purchase these and your fragrance journey will be set:

• Baccarat Rouge 540 by Maison Francis Kurkdjian
• Creed Aventus
• Layton by Parfums De Marly

The fragrances mentioned are not bad, on the contrary, they are sensational. Designed to attract the opposite sex, you are sure to receive many compliments.

But, if you're here for the art, we recommend being more picky about the type of collection you want to have. You choose.

4. Buy only the best perfumes of each type of aroma

Everything we have talked about so far brings us to this. You should only own 10 out of 10 of each type of perfume.

Let's say you have three different fragrances of a similar style. Which one are you going to use the most? That's how it is. The one that is best and the others will be left collecting dust.

For example: someone would prefer to use Tom Ford's Tuscan Leather 10 out of 10 times, over any other leather fragrance. Because? Because he thinks it is the best leather fragrance of that genre.

5. Quality over quantity

This rule has its roots in keeping only 10 perfumes in your collection. However, no perfume should be judged by its price.

This is up to you, and we all have to start somewhere. We recommend starting with a couple of well-known classics and then upping the ante.

We guarantee that you will be more proud of your quality perfumes than other not so good fragrances.

6. Use our guide: How to find your essence

Last but not least, use our guide “ How to Find Your Essence: Part 1 ” and “ How to Find Your Essence: Part 2 ” .

It is a simple and relevant fragrance guide. Possibly the only one you need.

The goal of all of this is to guide you on your fragrance journey and help you find your signature scent.

Online resources

In this chapter you will learn how to create a smart collection by doing quality online research.

Each of the resources included aims to offer you a different vision of the world of perfume.

This is because I believe in something that has already been mentioned in this chapter. Quality over quantity.

Facebook Pages and Groups

Facebook Fragrance Friends: the most educated community of perfumers on the Facebook platform, with more than 15,000 members. The only Facebook group without an overwhelming amount of posts about Aventus and Aventus clones.

Gents Scents Fragrance Family: Another group run by YouTuber Ashton with almost 75,000 members. Ideal for easy and casual searches.

Youtube Channels

Jus de Rose - recommended for those interested in niche brands. He makes excellent reviews and comparisons.

My Scent Journey - Eduardo from My Scent Journey covers many perfumes in an interesting way and is always up to date on the latest trends.

Andrés Perfume-Man - Andrés is one of the most successful content creators in fragrances. Everything that has to do with new releases and Top list, he is your man.

Websites

Fragrantica.es - online encyclopedia of perfumes and community. Best for researching perfume notes and consulting occasional interviews with perfumers.

Basenotes.com - community of perfumers for those who want to engage in deeper conversations about perfumes.

Parfumo.com - this community is not as big as Fragrantica and Basenotes, but they are good for researching unknown perfumes.

instagram

This platform can be a rabbit hole for any perfume enthusiast. Some of the accounts we like for this are:

@theperfumegoddess

How to organize and store a perfume collection

Now that you've learned how to start your collection the right way, the next question is how to store your fragrances.

There are many suggestions on how to do it, in the post " How to store perfumes " you will find a couple of them that are suitable and will help you make your fragrances last longer. We recommend you read the tips that appear there.

Conclusion

We hope this guide to starting a perfume collection provides you with essential information on how to do it the right way.

We would love to read your story on how you started your perfume collection, and what perfumes it consists of, in the comments section.