Picking a new fragrance is not easy but finding ‘the one’ can be even more overwhelming. Maybe you are one of the few that discovered your signature scent right when you first started exploring the world of perfumery, but maybe you are one of many still searching the fragrance halls of every department store growing ever increasingly confused about what you actually like.

A signature scent is a fragrance that truly defines you – it says exactly what you want it to say about you. You cannot get enough of the scent and whilst you may dabble in a new fragrance as you move through the seasons or your style changes over time, you find yourself going back to this specific scent time and time again - it never gets old.

No matter what point in your perfume story you are at, it is never too late to find the star of your show.

All too often we find ourselves giving a new fragrance a quick spritz onto a blotter and making a snap decision then and there as to whether we like it or not. Giving yourself time to really understand if you are going to enjoy the fragrance is the key to finding your signature scent.

Allow yourself time to really experience the whole fragrance, from the top notes that you immediately smell, right through to the deeper, longer lasting base notes. This takes time, so if you are testing fragrances in store, go get a coffee and let the scent develop over the next few hours before making a decision, paying attention to the different layers of scent that you are experiencing – often a perfume can smell very different after a few hours, so it would be unfair to judge it on the opening fragrance notes alone.

If you are purchasing your fragrance online, we recommend purchasing a sample set before purchasing a full-sized bottle, especially if it’s the first time you will be trying the scent. Creed sample sets come with a selection of 5 samples to try, which allows you to test the fragrances in your own time, away from the mix of fragrances in a department store fragrance hall.

Whatever way you decide to purchase, you should always test the fragrance directly on your skin as well as on a blotter, as the natural ingredients used in Creed perfumes can be much more volatile than artificial fragrances, meaning the perfume may react and, ultimately, smell very differently on your skin, as apposed to on a blotter or on someone else.

You should never let your fragrance wear you. Decide what you want your fragrance to say about you, and you’ll be much closer to discovering your signature scent.

Before choosing your signature scent, give some thought to what you want it to communicate about you. Do you want to stand out from the crowd or are you looking for something more discreet and intimate? If you’re looking to turn heads as you walk in the room, then a fragrance like Aventus may be perfect for you, but the bold nature of this fragrance is not going to also suit that discreet individual.

Likewise, if you want a fragrance to communicate your fun, extroverted personality, you are not going to find solace in a classic scent, but rather gravitate more towards unusual, experimental and sense invigorating perfumes.

You should feel completely comfortable wearing your signature scent. It’s important that you love the fragrance that you are wearing, however, it’s just as important to remember that you are also wearing a fragrance for other people – to tell your story to others through scent.

At Creed, we are dedicated to getting to know you and understanding what you are looking for in your fragrance to help guide you in choosing the right scent. As a niche perfume house, the House of Creed pride themselves on creating fragrances for those that go against the grain.

Consider fragrances that are going to align with your individual style. Whether you are more classical or contemporary, experimental or stick to what you know and love, it’s important that you choose a fragrance that you truly feel comfortable wearing.

A great way to explore fragrances is through the fragrance families. Every family will give a certain message and can help quickly narrow down a select few fragrances that are going to help you tell your story best.

Oriental and spicy fragrances tend to be much warmer and heavier in nature, lending themselves best to the winter months or an evening fragrance. Fruity and citrus fragrances tend to be more uplifting and easy to wear, making them ideal for daytime wear or for summer months. Woody scents are more masculine in nature, whilst floral fragrances tend to be more feminine, however, that being said, a fragrance is not gender specific and any opportunity to break the rules are wholly welcomed by the House of Creed.

Temperature can change the way a fragrance smells so it’s always great to revisit your fragrance wardrobe seasonally to make sure it’s still working for you. Don’t be afraid to experiment with 2-3 signature scents that will carry you through the seasonal changes and your different personality traits – you aren’t going to feel the same every day. Perfume is emotive so it’s natural that you aren’t going to always want the same from your fragrance each day either.

Finding your own decoding methods when exploring fragrances will really help you when it comes to choosing a new scent. There are many ways you can approach this, from associating fragrance with food, travel, textures, musical styles or fashion.For example you may want to think of perfume in fabric texture and wear woody fragrances with fabrics like cashmere and ouds with velvet and rosy perfumes with silky fabrics.

The world of perfumery is open to interpretation and the beauty of it is in the experimentation. Don't be afraid to create your own rules and, in turn, finding something that really represents you and your personality will become a whole lot easier.