"Beware of having scent that a lot of people have," said Van Doran, referencing a personal experience: "When I was using Chanel 5, it would often traumatize my partner because it was the same scent his ex wore, and the memories would come flooding back when we were together."
Instead, stick to smaller-batch fragrances from indie brands you love, or consider custom-creating your own scent. "Bond 9 [in New York City] is a cool place to get your own signature scent made, and they design it with your natural scent in mind."
The brand also sells sampler sets like this Bond To Go Super Luxe ($85), which features 18 mini spritzers that'll help you find your fragrance match.