In a Fragrance Rut? Here's How to Find Your New Scent for Spring

by Petra Guglielmetti

There's something about spring that always inspires me to wear a brand-new scent, but I have a confession (don't I always?). While I make a living writing about beauty, I am the opposite of a "nose." I get easily overwhelmed/overstimulated when trying on and comparing fragrances, so I often end up staying in a scent rut (or wearing none at all). So this time around, I decided to ask my friend Agnieszka Burnett, founder of the cool fragrance brand Nomaterra, for a little pep talk.

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"For the spring, look for a fragrance that has ingredients that are uplifting, refreshing, and revitalizing. Scents with citrus notes are great; grapefruit, for example, has properties that are uplifting and detoxifying. Mandarin is another great note to look for in spring scents--it's inspiring and just what you need to put pep in your step and get that spring-cleaning and organizing done. You can also try narcotic white florals, like gardenia or jasmine, for more feminine yet fresh scents...think fruity florals."

"Avoid heavier scents that contain notes like vetiver or lots of amber, which does a great job of warming up a fragrance, but that's not what you're looking for in the spring."

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As for the process of trying out scents? "Definitely don't try more than three fragrances within a short period of time, as they will all start to blend together. Make sure to try it on the skin and not just smell the stick, as the fragrance will react uniquely to your body chemistry. And wait at least a few hours to determine whether you like a fragrance; the base notes, which don't appear until a few hours into your fragrance wearing, are what you will be smelling for the most time that the fragrance is on you. Make sure you like the base and not just the initial spritz."

Will you be looking for a new scent this spring? Or do you stick to a signature one year-round?

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