Finding your signature fragrance is how you know you’ve made it into adulthood. However, it can be quite the task to find the one that perfectly suits you.

Some quick perfume vocabulary:

• Eau de parfum: the strongest and most potent fragrance type
• Eau de toilette: lighter fragrance type
• Notes: underlying smells in each fragrance

To help, try finding the fragrance family that fits you most. There are four main categories:

Floral

The floral family is mostly worn during daytime. It has notes of rose, lavender, and very sweet flowery smells.

Here are a few of the best selling floral fragrances on the market right now:

• Marc Jacobs Daisy So Fresh Eau De Parfum- notes of daisy and blooming flowers
  • $60 sold at Ulta Beauty
• Gucci Bloom Eau De Parfum- notes of honeysuckle and rose
  • $80 sold at Sephora
• Dior Joy Eau De Parfum- notes of rose and jasmine
  • $82 sold at Sephora
• Chanel No. 5 Eau De Parfum- notes of rose paired with warmer scents of jasmine and vanilla
  • $138 sold at Sephora
• Le Labo Santal 33 Eau De Parfum- notes of iris and violet paired with sandalwood
  • $196 sold at Le Labo

Fresh

Fresh scents are light and clean; they match best with the floral category. Also worn during daytime, fresh smells have notes of citrus, berries and fruit. This is a less concentrated scent than the other families and is often made into an eau de toilette rather than an eau de parfum, which possesses a much heavier and fragrant smell.

Some of the best fresh fragrance scents are:

• Chanel Chance Eau Fraiche Eau de Toilette- notes of citrus, jasmine and teakwood
  • $62 sold at Sephora

Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Eau De Toilette- notes of citrus, apple, and bamboo

• $60 sold at Sephora

Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau So Fresh Spring Eau De Toilette- notes of pink pepper, green tea and matcha tea

• $100 sold at Sephora

Philosophy Pure Grace Fragrance- notes of water lily, leafy greens and musk

• $52 sold at Sephora

Burberry Brit Sheer- notes of black grape, pink peony and white musk

• $60 sold at Sephora

Oriental

Spicy and warm smells make up the oriental fragrance family. These scents are musky and deep, typically worn in the evening. Oriental smells can possess both masculine and feminine notes making it a versatile family.

Here is a mix of the best masculine and feminine oriental fragrances:

Masculine:

• Chanel Bleu De Chanel Eau De Parfum Pour Homme- notes of vanilla, sandalwood and cedar
  • $98 sold at Nordstrom

Dior Sauvage Eau De Parfum- notes of bergamot, pepper and amberwood

• $82 sold at Sephora
• Viktor&Rolf Spicebomb- notes of sage and triple black spice complex
  • $92 sold at Sephora

Feminine:

• YSL Black Opium Eau De Parfum- notes of black coffee and vanilla
  • $78 sold at Sephora
• Prada CANDY Eau De Parfum- notes of carmel and white musks
  • $76 sold at Sephora

Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille- notes of tobacco leaf, vanilla and ginger

• $65 sold at Sephora

Woody

Woody scents are composed of notes like bergamot, sandalwood, teakwood and moss. This family tends to be more masculine-based and is in the form of cologne rather than an eau de parfum/toilette. These smells are perfect for both day and nighttime wear.

Here are a couple of options to try out:

• Tom Ford Oud Wood- notes of sandalwood and Chinese pepper
  • $65 sold at Sephora
• YSL Y- notes of sage, geranium, and sensual wood
  • $100 sold at Sephora
• Hermes Terre d’Hermes- notes of benzoin, cedar, and shiso
  • $140 sold at Sephora

Maison Margiela ‘Replica” At The Barber’s- notes of basil, lavender and tonka bean

• $72 sold at Sephora

Juliette Has A Gun Mad Madame- notes of rose oxide and blackcurrant bud

• $145 sold at Sephora

Another great option to help find your “signature scent” is to purchase the Sephora perfume sampler. It is a set of seven mini perfume samples of each family to try which one you like best. Once you pick your favorite, you can head to your closest Sephora and get a free full size bottle of the one you chose.

Click HERE for the link to the Sephora perfume sampler kit.

Choosing a fragrance that fits you is not a one step process; it may take you a couple of scents to find your favorite! It is also a great gift for family, friends and significant others.