Designer Perfume: Is It Worth It? What You Should Know

designer perfume

Many people have a go-to scent. For some, using an affordable brand or drugstore option is enough. However, others prefer luxury perfumes. It’s not just for prestige; here are reasons why it pays to know how to distinguish your Christian Dior from your Carolina Herrera.

Designer Perfumes Have Unique Scents

Luxury fragrances are layered; they aren’t just “citrus,” “floral,” or “fresh.” They usually have the full spectrum—top notes, heart notes, and base notes—combining and creating unique scent profiles. Some fragrances use oils from rare roots or flower petals, and the more oil in a perfume the more concentrated the smell.

These Scents Last Long on Skin

Designer perfumes last longer on skin and clothes. They have a longer sillage or trail, but they are often delicate and alluring. Cheaper colognes or perfumes tend to be overpowering, and you would need to spray them on again after a couple of hours. High-end perfume can last the entire day, and you don’t need to spray it on over and over—a few drops on specific areas will be enough to last you approximately six hours.

You Save on Designer Perfume in the Long Run

Cheaper brands might be easier to purchase now, but saving up for a bottle of designer perfume is worth it. Though inexpensive cologne can “do the job,” you get what you pay for—designer scents will be longer-lasting and more memorable. What’s more, since you only need a few drops, you won’t run out of them quickly.

How to Find a Good Designer Perfume

Designer perfumes might smell the same to the untrained nose. However, designer scents come in a variety of scent types. From the light and youthful blends like what Jo Malone has to the classic and feminine ones from Chanel, here are things to consider when choosing a scent. 

Evaluate the Wear Time and Shelf Life

Ideally, when you put on perfume in the morning, it should last you the entire day. Designer perfumes generally have longer wear times. When shopping for a new scent, you can use perfume blotters or strips or even test it on your skin.

Note as well that the type of scent also affects the perfume’s shelf life. Top notes like citrus, lavender, and florals are more volatile, while spicy and woody scents like cedar, vanilla, and patchouli are more stable.

Try Out Different Scents

The choice of a perfume scent is a very personal preference. Different people have different notions on what smells good, but you can make the process better and commit to a signature scent much sooner. First, start with lighter scents, and work your way toward sharper ones.

Don’t sample all the perfume you’re considering all at once—do three scents at a time and spread out your perfume hunting over a longer period. See how the scent evolves as well—some fragrances have incredibly different top and base notes. What you might have liked at first might not be appealing to you six hours in, or vice versa.

Should I Choose Designer or Niche Perfume?

If you’re wary of smelling like many other people, you might want to choose niche perfumes from labels like Le Labo. These are brands you only find at perfume specialists and have more unique scent profiles. However, if you want classic scents, then designer perfumes are for you.

Conclusion

Our sense of smell is perhaps the most evocative of our senses; humans readily associate scents, fragrances, and odors with specific memories. If you have a favorite fragrance or scent to wear, people come to associate it with you. If you don’t have a signature scent yet, now’s the perfect time to find it!

Be at your most unforgettable with scents from our collections. Alexandria perfumes are inspired by your favorite fragrance designers and developed with high-quality materials. View our collection and find your next favorite scent today!

Back to blog