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Beginner's Guide to Perfume Layering
Perfume layering is trending these days and no wonder why! Layering is a technique for creating something very special: your own personal scent. It's not just a simple blend of fragrances but a creative journey into a world of endless possibilities for creating a completely personal scent, one that only you know the recipe for.
With perfume layering, you can combine different scents to create something that not only smells good but also tells your own story. But it's not easy! Because not all scent notes match.
So let's dive into this exciting practice together and explore how you can create your very own scent.
What is perfume layering?
Are you tired of smelling like everyone else? Then perfume layering is for you.
Perfume layering, or fragrance layering, is a creative process where you combine several different scents to create a unique and personal fragrance experience. Unlike traditional perfume use, where you typically use one perfume at a time, perfume layering allows you to blend different fragrances together to achieve a more complex and nuanced scent profile.
The process can be compared to mixing colors on a palette to create new shades or composing music by combining different tones and chords. By combining different scents, you can tailor your own scent signature that reflects your personality, mood, and personal preferences.
What you need to know before you start
Before you dive into combining perfumes, it's important that you understand scent notes. Perfumes consist of a composition of top notes, middle notes (also called heart notes), and base notes.
Top notes are the initial scent notes you smell the moment you apply the perfume - they are typically light and evaporate quickly.
Middle notes emerge after the top notes have dissipated. They form the core of the fragrance and add body and character to it.
Base notes constitute the fragrance's foundation. They give the fragrance longevity and depth, lingering on the skin for several hours.
Now that you have a basic understanding of perfume notes and how they evolve, let's go through everything you should consider when combining fragrances.
Step-by-step for perfume layering
Here's a beginner-friendly procedure for you, who is about to become your own perfumer and experiment with perfume layering.
1) Start with clean skin
Before you even consider which fragrances to combine, it's important that you start with completely clean skin.
2) Balance the scent notes
Now, let's return to the different levels of notes. A balanced perfume layering requires a good balance between top, middle, and base notes. Combining several dominant top notes can result in an overwhelming scent opening that quickly fades. On the other hand, an excessive concentration of base notes can make the fragrance feel heavy and nauseating. Therefore, strive for a balanced blend that unfolds beautifully over time and showcases each note at its best.
3) Choosing notes
When you, as a brand-new home perfumer, are about to compose perfumes, there are two different paths you can take and a set of rules of thumb you should follow.
👉 Combine complementary scents
When combining perfumes, make sure the scents you choose complement each other. Perfumes that are in synergy enhance the overall scent and create a harmonious blend. To ensure synergy between the scents you're combining, you can choose perfumes with the same notes or with notes from the same fragrance family.
For example, you can combine two perfumes, both of which have vanilla as a central note.
👉 Combine simple and complex scents
You can also combine scents from different fragrance families - this can be a bit more complicated and requires some practice. The result also becomes more complex and requires some experimentation.
For example, you can start with a citrusy top note, add a floral middle note, and finish with a woody or musky base note. This technique requires more attention to detail, but it can result in a stunning fragrance experience.
Tips for perfume layering
Tip 1: Apply the strongest perfume first
Når man kombinerer parfumer indebærer det i sagens natur man påfører den ene duft før den anden. Begynd altid med den stærkeste parfume. Hvis du påfører den kraftigste parfume til sidst kan du risikere at den anden (eller de andre, hvis du er vovet) drukner i den.
For eksempel bør parfumeolier påføres før traditionel eau de parfum, da olier har en højere koncentration af duft. Hvis du bruger dufte med lige store procenter af duftolie, så påfør den, der har den tungere duft, først, så den lettere ikke bliver begravet under den.
Tip 2: Test on paper before skin
This tip is super important! Before applying your new signature scent to your skin, you can test the combination on a perfume strip. This will give you an idea of how the scent notes interact without committing to wearing the scent for the rest of the day (you can thank us later!).
Tip 3: Practice makes perfect
Practice makes perfect! Start your perfume layering journey by experimenting with small amounts of each fragrance to avoid an overwhelming composition. One or two sprays of each fragrance should be enough to evaluate how they interact. As you become more familiar with the process, you can adjust the proportions to your preferences.
Tip 4: Combine different formulas
There's no rule saying that all your scent combinations have to be in perfume form. Perfume layering can easily be done by combining notes from, for example, a body lotion or a body oil with notes from a perfume or body mist! The principle is the same regardless of the formula of your scents.
Don't you know where to start?
Here are 3 scent combinations that work well.
🌺 Floral and citrus 🍋
Start with a strong floral scent, such as rose or jasmine, as your base, then add a fresh citrus perfume to achieve a fresh and light finish. This combination is perfect for warm summer days.
🌳 Wood and vanilla 🍦
Start with a solid wood-based scent, such as cedarwood or sandalwood, and top it off with a perfume with light and sweet vanilla notes. This blend creates a cozy and gentle scent, perfect for cooler weather or evenings out.
🌿 Spice and fruit 🍑
Start with some spicy scent notes, such as cinnamon or cloves, and combine them with a juicy, fruity scent, such as peach or apple. This combination is exciting and exotic, and really suitable for those who want a truly special and remarkable scent.
Still find it all very daunting? Then you can cheat a bit by starting your layering journey with a perfume layering bundle 👇
Shop perfume layering bundles (click here!)
