How To Choose The Best Perfume For Teenage Girl

Want to know How To Choose The Best Perfume For Teenage Girl? Imagine this: you're a teenage girl, and it's your second day of school. You get up in the morning and take a shower. You put on your clothes (jeans, T-shirt, maybe sweater), grab your backpack from the top of the stairs where you left it last night when you got home from school, and head out to catch the bus. As soon as you step through the front door, there he is: that guy who makes your stomach flip every time he smiles at you in class or asks for help after recess with his math homework. He waves hello to his friend standing next to him and then walks over to say hi to you instead. And suddenly all those thoughts about what other people will think if they see you with this boy fly through your head. Will his friends tease him for walking down the street with you? Will yours notice that he's walking next to you and think, "Whoa! What's going on there?".

And that's just too much pressure for a new school year. So instead of saying hi back, you keep walking until you're standing inside the bus door clutching your backpack in one hand and holding onto the bus pole with the other. You turn around to check if he is still standing outside and look right into his eyes - and then it hits you: Oh my gosh, I smell like soap. Or toothpaste. And maybe even…crushed mint from last night's dinner! Nothing has ever smelled so awful, and you know all too well that even if you run to the bathroom on your break at lunch, there will be nowhere to hide.

So now what? You really like this boy and want to get to know him better, but all of a sudden your crush smells just as bad as wearing socks two days in a row.

So how to choose a perfume for a teenage girl? That's why we're going to give you some tips here on choosing an age-appropriate scent that is also appropriate for school (and somewhere else besides school).

1. What to Ask Yourself Before You Choose a Perfume for Teens

A lot of girls will just break out the bottle of perfume that they've been using for years. Or if their mom or sister is around, she might say, "I like that one!" as an excuse to go buy a new bottle - like in high school when her older sister went off to college and passed down her favorite scent so the younger sister would feel less alone.

But before you do this, take a step back from what's easy and familiar and consider some other things first:

What kind of mood are you usually in? You're not always going to be in the same mood every day. If you feel down or stressed out most of the time, a sweet-smelling perfume like Chocolate by Bottega Veneta might not be the best pick for you. On the other hand, if you're really excited about life and just can't wait to get going every day, a zesty scent with a bit of spunk like Cinnabar from Clinique would probably work well for you. The point is that your choice should match your mood so that it makes all your friends say "Is that new?" instead of "What's that smell?".

Is there something special about this guy? Maybe he likes to take long walks in the park on Sunday afternoons or cook up an omelet for breakfast on Saturday mornings. If so, the last thing you need is to smell like something that's good for a romantic picnic or a night on the town. So if this is a guy with whom you want to spend lots of time, choose something subtle and sweet rather than something bold and spicy.

Who are your friends? Do they usually wear flowery scents that remind you of boxes of Bath & Body Works perfume samples? Then don't walk into class smelling like them - even if it is Chanel No 5! On the other hand, do you have friends who always wear musky fragrances? Then maybe pick out a floral fragrance that has a bit of top-notch lily-of-the-valley in it (and no tuberose), or some woody notes, or orange blossom. Rose is also particularly nice and very feminine, and so is jasmine. The point here is not to try and match your friends' scent, but to make sure that the perfume you choose is different enough from theirs that they don't walk into class smelling like you.

2. Where Do Most Perfumes for Kids Come From Anyway?

Just like when adults buy clothes, some teenagers will go online or pop into a department store and buy their own colognes and perfumes. But most likely this means walking by the cosmetic counter in a mall or going down an aisle in Wal-Mart with lots of scented samples out on display. So unless you're ready to smell everything - and maybe even touch it - in those displays, we suggest being cautious about what you pick up! And while there's not much illegal about spraying a little bit on your wrist to see if you like it, you'll definitely have a hard time finding the right age-appropriate perfume or cologne for teenagers in these places.

3. How Can You Actually Find Age Appropriate Perfume for Teens?

If you ask me, the best way is by looking online. Why? Because not only will you get to learn about all sorts of perfumes that are made just for girls your age, but there's lots more information available about them as well. Online shopping gives kids and teens so many more choices - not to mention lots of perfume reviews that you can read to help make your buy. So if you're ready to break the cycle, why not take a look online?

You can also find great teen perfumes in stores. Perfume department stores (like Nordstroms and Saks), department stores with a cosmetic or perfume counter (like Macy's and Dillard's), and stores that sell clothes for teens and preteens (like The Limited, Abercrombie & Fitch, Aeropostale, etc.) are all good options.

You should avoid buying teen perfumes in department stores  with makeup counters (this is because their cosmetics are often the same as department store perfumes and those aren't made for teenagers!), and drugstores or pharmacies.

We've given you some great guidelines here about what questions to ask before you purchase your own teen perfume.

Let's talk a bit about perfume concentration - this affects how long your perfume will last and how much it will cost:

Perfume

Perfume contains the highest concentration of perfume oil - from 20-30%. This type of perfume is usually alcohol based and lasts the longest.

Eau de Parfum (EDP)

Eau de Parfum fragrances typically contain 15-25% perfume oil. These perfumes are either water or alcohol based and last 6-8 hours from the first spray.

Eau de Toilette (EDT)

An Eau de Toilette is an alcohol or water based perfume. It contains around 5-15% perfume oil. These perfumes often make a great first impression as they open with a quick burst of bright, attractive scents. In general, eau de toilette fragrances last about 5 hours.

Eau de Cologne (EDC)

Eau de Cologne fragrances are known for being light yet distinct. They contain 2-4% perfume oil and and are alcohol or water based. Eau de Colognes last for about 2 to 3 hours depending on how much cologne is used and how strong it is, so they should be re-applied at regular intervals.

Eau Fraiche

Eau Fraiche is the fragrance with the lightest perfume concentration - only 1-3% perfume oil. This is great for individuals who enjoy delicate scents that last for short periods of time. These perfumes are excellent at being subtle yet present, although they are short lived.

Remember that these are terms used by perfumers for both young people and adults, but teenage girls should wear eau de toilette, eau de cologne, or eau fraiche - young girls should not be weighed down by heavy perfumes.

You may have noticed that perfumes are often described according to their notes. Almost all perfumes have the same ingredient structure in the format of a pyramid. The combination of these different elements add depth and character to a fragrance. These dimensions are called the top, middle or heart, and base notes.

The top notes are what you smell first when sampling a perfume. They tend to be light, fresh, uplifting, and high in intensity. Top notes usually don’t last for very long - around 15 minutes - and blend into the next set of notes.

The middle or heart notes are generally more persistent and long lasting in comparison to the top notes. They aren't always immediately noticeable but the wait (about 30 minutes or so) can certainly be worth it.

The base notes are typically very intense, intoxicating, and rich. They round off the fragrance and are often inviting and pleasurable. Base notes only appear a few hours after application. The longevity of the fragrance usually depends on the base notes.

4. Final Thoughts

Is it safe to wear perfume as a teenager? A few quick tips from our experts: Choose an age-appropriate perfume that's made for teens. Don't overdo it with the amount of teen perfume you use. Avoid putting on too much perfume before leaving the house. Use extreme caution when spraying perfumes in public places or around other people. Always take a whiff of your teenage perfume after each application (or about once an hour); if you find yourself allergic to any ingredients used in your particular brand of teenage cologne or fragrance, avoid using it.

The best perfumes for teenage girls are often light, fresh, sweet, natural and can be described as being floral, or fruity floral. Green notes are also worth considering.

Remember that teen perfume is not just about smelling good - it's about feeling good, too! If you are a vegan or conscious about the impact of the products we use on the environment, then have a look at this article: The Best Vegan Perfumes Under 50 Dollars!

Learn from our experts how to select the perfect scent and apply your teenage perfume correctly.

Browse through out collection of Hugo Boss Best Perfume For Women for some light, fruity floral fragrances.