What are top, heart and base notes?
Top notes open a perfume, heart notes form its body, base notes stay at the end. What the three stages mean, why some pages show only a flat list and...
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Testing perfume, explained
Guides on decants and samples, on testing a perfume on skin, and background on brands and notes.
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How do you choose a perfume online?
Choosing a perfume you cannot smell is risky. Read what a page really tells you, check the seller and use a sample to settle the question before you buy a...
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How many sprays of perfume should you wear?
Start with one, wait, and add one at a time. The right number depends on the perfume, the place and your nose, and here is a method to find your...
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How do you choose a perfume for women?
Choose by what you already love, the family you lean to and the day you have in mind, then compare a few women-tagged samples. Labels guide, your skin decides.
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Why can't I smell my own perfume?
Your nose adapts to a constant smell, so a perfume you wear fades from your own notice long before it fades from the room. What happens, and how to handle...
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Which perfume suits me?
A five-question way to narrow down which perfume suits you, then test the shortlist as samples on your own skin.
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How do you choose a perfume for men?
Pick by occasion, season and strength, not by the label on the bottle. A practical route to a first and a second perfume, with samples tagged for men to compare.
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How many samples should you try before buying a bottle?
There is no fixed number, but there is a sensible sequence: a shortlist, a screening round, a longer trial of one or two, and a clear sign that tells you...
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What does unisex perfume mean?
Unisex means a perfume is not aimed at one gender. What the label says, what it does not, why most niche and Arabic houses use it and how to pick...
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Does a decant smell the same as the bottle?
A decant holds the same perfume as the bottle it came from. Small differences in the spray, in air and in how the vial is kept can change how it...
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Can you layer two perfumes? How to do it with samples
Layering means wearing two perfumes together. A cautious method, how to pick pairs that share a note, and why samples are the sensible way to try it.
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Can you test perfume if your skin is sensitive?
Yes, with care: a small patch first, one perfume at a time, and a stop at the first sign of irritation. Plain practical steps, not medical advice.
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From the house of FragranceGems
The sample department of FragranceGems
DecantGems is part of FragranceGems B.V. in Zoetermeer, the Netherlands. We fill every sample ourselves from the original bottle into a glass spray vial and label it ourselves. Behind it stands the same team that handles every FragranceGems order.
Reviews of FragranceGems, the shop behind DecantGems
- Filled by us from the original bottle
- Glass spray vial, labelled by us
- Customer service by the FragranceGems team
- Secure payment