How to start your perfume collection

We’ve noticed that many of you want to have your own perfume collection but don't know exactly how to efficiently grow your collection without overspending on a bunch of mediocre perfumes.

We will teach you how to start your collection the right way and share our experiences with perfumes so you can do it too.

The hobby of perfumes is beautiful, but it can quickly get out of hand. Shopping addiction is real and needs to be controlled.

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

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

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

Each of the explained topics could have been a separate article, but we have decided to present it in a single post to give you the most comprehensive 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, these can also be scented candles, creams, soaps, etc.

Your current or future collection should depend on two things:

What kind of collector are you?

What type of perfumes are you dedicated to?
There are different types of perfume collectors, such as enthusiasts 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 they are loyal to. 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 elegant, 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 perfume choice influences others

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

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

Therefore, if you work in an office environment, it is very likely that you will have to adjust your collection to lighter and more ethereal scents.

An easy rule to follow is: if you work indoors, use light fragrances; if not, you can bring out the more potent ones.

There is also a third solution: find a work environment that "tolerates" your perfumes. But hey, that's up to 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 scent, you should only have ten fragrances at a time.

Only ten? Isn't that right? 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 bottles at any given time, you actually experience more.

Think about it, would you better experience your fragrances 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, a special one and one for going out. Don't go over 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 rush. 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 supposed expert reviewers tend to sell their bottles within a week. A common practice for those who receive free bottles or are paid for reviews.

That's why you should 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 shopping addiction is a real thing. That's why we've decided to give you some crucial tips on what to do to avoid it.

If you buy fragrances often and at some point feel euphoric or anxious about something running out, think twice before buying one.

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

 

Don't believe the hype

Believe us, we've seen it all. The "hype beasts" that never delivered on their promises and the launch day reviews.

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

Therefore, always research through various sources, don't buy new releases immediately, and if possible, try the fragrances. Our perfumery offers the decant format so you can try the perfume you are interested in without committing to the full bottle.

Trust your nose

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 grow 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 trial time, scores, notes you liked or didn't like, and things like that. With this information, you will cut out the unnecessary and thus find the best.

Perform at least 3 "testing sessions" with each perfume before making a decision. Ideally, do this in different scenarios and weather conditions.
 

Golden rules before starting a perfume collection

Some of these are common knowledge, while others are practical rules that anyone can follow.

1. Avoid blind buying

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

In the long run, blind buying will disappoint you most of the time. If you can't try it, then it's a no-go, no matter how brilliant or exclusive it may seem.

Our solution to avoid blind buying 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-making process.

2. Weather conditions and skin chemistry

Not everyone lives in a country that experiences all four seasons in their full spectrum. That's why it's necessary to use fragrances that are appropriate at least for summer and winter.

Fresh citruses usually work best in hot weather, heavy fragrances and resinous scents 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 in an hour or two.

This problem is more common today, as fragrances are more "politically correct" and lighter. Another good reason for you to try, try, and try.

The popular Mancera Red Tobacco lasts more than 20 hours on some, while we have heard that some people barely get 6 hours. Skin chemistry can be amazing.

 

3. Don't do it for compliments

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

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

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

The mentioned fragrances 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 discerning about the type of collection you want to have. The choice is yours.

 

4. Buy only the best perfumes of each scent type

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

Let's say you have three different fragrances of a similar style. Which one will you use most? That's right. The best one, and the others will gather dust.

For example: someone would prefer to use Tom Ford Tuscan Leather 10 out of 10 times, rather than any other leather fragrance. Why? Because they consider it to be the best leather fragrance in that genre.

 

5. Quality over quantity

This rule is rooted 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 you'll be prouder of your quality perfumes than of 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's a simple and relevant fragrance guide. Possibly the only one you'll ever need.

The goal of all 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 build an intelligent collection by conducting quality online research.

Each of the included resources aims to give you a different perspective on 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 perfumer community on the Facebook platform, with over 15,000 members. The only Facebook group without an overwhelming amount of posts about Aventus and Aventus clones.

Gents Scents Fragrance Family: another group led by YouTuber Ashton with nearly 75,000 members. Ideal for easy and casual searches.

 

Youtube Channels

Jus de Rose - recommended for those interested in niche brands. She does 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. Anything to do with new releases and Top lists, he's your man.

 

 

 

Websites

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

Basenotes.com - perfumer community for those who wish to engage in deeper conversations about perfumes.

Parfumo.com - this community is not as large 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 this, and in the post "How to store perfumes" you will find a couple of them that are suitable and will help your fragrances last longer. We recommend reading the tips 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.