So I caught a discussion the other day on the definition of a Signature Fragrance. I've always heard it defined as the scent you wear all the time and that people associate with you. It's what you wear most often and would be the fragrance that people would describe you with. But the discussion presented an alternative definition that I find myself agreeing with. A signature scent should be something that you personally feel like represents the way you most want to smell. It's the fragrance that fits you like a glove and and makes you feel like... YOU. It may or may not be the thing you wear the most often - that would be your utility scent, not your signature. And it may or may not be the thing that other people associate with you. Instead, it is the fragrance that YOU most identify yourself with. As an example, the fragrance I love the most, and that makes me feel the most like ME, is Tom Ford's Black Orchid EDP and EDP Reserve. They are very similar, and I wear them interchangeably. But I only wear it on special occasions, or when I'm not planning much and will be mostly by myself for the day. (as a side note, I once wore it on a casual coffee date, and she told me it was the most beautiful scent she had ever smelled. I wear it now every time I know I'm going to see her). My utility fragrance - the one that I wear most often, and that I think more people would associate with me and how I smell, is Byredo Gypsy Water. I've worn that one more than any other fragrance I own, and have gone through nearly 1/3 of the bottle in a year. It's what I wear when I'm going to be around a lot of people, or when I'm meeting with a potential client, hanging out with my goddaughters, or just because it's Tuesday and I don't feel like spinning the fragrance wheel or playing games with my selection for the day. So what say you? How would you define your Signature? And have you found it, yet?

I live in Warsaw. It's not a small city, and there are several perfumeries here, including some niche. However, even when trying designer fragrances, the stores often have a limited selection of tester bottles available. And many discovery sets seem to be really expensive for the amount of perfume that they actually include. This makes it particularly difficult to compare fragrances with one another, since often, you will find at most one of a pair. And I happen to have quite a bad memory when it comes to smells or sensations in general (a bit autistic). I am looking to expand my understanding of perfumes in general and discover which ones are the right fit for me. I want to build a very small, versatile collection, which is still optimized for me, and communicates "me" in the most accurate way. Do you guys know any ways for me to try fragrances without having to spend hundreds on decants and discovery sets from the Internet?

I love Tom Ford's Noir Extreme. I think it resonates with my personal vibes a lot — gentlemanly, dark, deep, sophisticated, and seductive. But it's definitely a scent that would smell a bit out of place during a summer day. Do you have any alternatives that would carry similar "dark aristocrat-intellectual" vibes, but be more appropriate for hot days?

My daily scent for the last several months has been Gisada Ambassador. I love its fruity combination that is both masculine and very positive. However, recently I've been looking for fragrances that could be layered over it to make it a bit more unique, gentlemanly, mature, and sophisticated, perhaps with some spiritual vibes. I'm thinking fresh incense, aromatics, woodsy notes, or perhaps aquatics. Of course, it's very preferable for the fragrance to also be wearable on its own. As you've probably guessed, I'm looking for something more fresh, not very heavy or winter-y (Ambassador is already a bomb). Would you have any recommendations or anti-recommendations on the subject? I would love to hear your opinions.

Where things stand.