• Price: How much do you plan on spending? The price of perfume can range from just a few dollars to hundreds, but more expensive doesn’t always mean better. Establish a budget then stick with it. Not only will it help focus your attention on products that fit into your budget but you will feel better about the purchase if you don’t go overboard.
• Prestige: Many people select a fragrance based upon “brand name” rather than actually trying out how the scent smells when worn. It is almost always a mistake since perfumes and colognes tend to be highly individualized; what smells great in the store may not meet your expectations when you bring it home. Rather than buying brand names take time to sample different fragrances before making a final decision.
• Personality: Whether you’re purchasing a fragrance for yourself or as a gift for someone else, consider how personality plays into the selection. Always consider the personality of the person and how it will “match” the fragrance. Most people have a “signature scent” that not only resembles their personality, but tends to equally match their body chemistry. Determining the signature scent is a very important part of purchasing any perfume or fragrance.

Remember to test the fragrance following these simple steps:

• Go slow. Your nose is only able to handle about three different scents before it becomes a little “confused” so take your time when testing. Since you have already identified the signature scent and price range chances are you have narrowed the selections down substantially.
• Ignore the top note. Fragrance has “notes,” each with a different level and type of fragrance. The top note usually wears off within 5 to 10 minutes, so don't pick a scent by the way it smells at first.
• Don’t test on others. Everyone has a unique body chemistry that reacts to fragrances differently, so always take time to test on your own skin before making a final decision. Dab on pulse points then wait awhile to see how it reacts over time.

Selecting a fragrance for others can be tricky, but these simple tips will make sure your selection becomes a prized possession.

• Find out their signature scent in advance. Ask them what they've liked before, or what scents they like in other beauty products.
• Once you have identified their signature scent, consider purchasing their favorite fragrance in a large size or different concentration.
• Beautiful bottles and gift baskets of their favorite fragrance also make wonderful gift giving ideas. Get creative without the worry of buying a fragrance they will hate.
  Big Buying Blunders

When buying fragrance for others what you don’t do is sometimes just as important as what you do. Avoid these buying blunders to make sure your gift is as well received as you intend it to be:

• Don’t buy what you like. Remember, a scent is as individual as the person wearing it, so make sure it fits the personality of the recipient.
• Don’t buy whatever's in the nicest bottle. It's easy to get charmed by the way perfume bottles look, but it's what's inside that's important.
• Don’t custom blend. Custom blends can be a lot of fun but stick to the basics before investing in something completely out of the ordinary.