These are florals from other houses, and they are a good way to tell what you like about Estée Lauder. Chanel N°5 Eau de Parfum is the famous one, created in 1921 and described by Chanel as the world's first abstract fragrance. Chanel Gabrielle is four white flowers, jasmine, ylang-ylang, orange blossom and Grasse tuberose, by Olivier Polge. Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Crush Absolu has the line's ambery character turned up.

Dior J'adore pairs Damascena rose and lily-of-the-valley with two jasmines and ylang-ylang. Frederic Malle Lys Mediterranee is dew-dotted lilies with a salty breeze, and Frederic Malle Eau de Magnolia is bergamot, lemon and grapefruit over oakmoss and patchouli. Liis Lucienne puts pomelo and lemon zest over magnolia and waterlily. Santa Maria Novella Acqua Della Regina is the house's oldest scent, with over 800 years of history, citrus, neroli, rosemary, cloves and lavender.

A fun pairing: put Estée Lauder Beautiful Magnolia beside Eau de Magnolia on two wrists. The first is magnolia with solar gardenia, the second is magnolia with bergamot and oakmoss.

What I would skip: Acqua Della Regina if you want a soft, powdery floral. Its notes are citrus, herbs and clove, and Gabrielle is the gentler white flower.

Amber and patchouli give a perfume a warm finish, and Cinnabar is the Estée Lauder version of the idea, a spicy amber. Chloé Eau de Parfum is peony, rose, honey and cedarwood, a powdery floral. Prada Paradoxe is neroli bud, white amber and white musk in a refillable bottle shaped like the triangle logo. YSL Mon Paris pairs red berries and datura flower with patchouli and white musk. Burberry Her, described as a creation of the perfumer Francis Kurkdjian, is blackcurrant, jasmine, white woods, musk and dry amber.

The darker end: Rabanne Fame Parfum is incense, jasmine and musk in a chypre woody. Burberry Goddess Amber Vanilla Eau de Parfum Intense has lavender, a maple syrup accord and roasted vanilla over amber. Tom Ford Rose Prick is Bulgarian rose and rose de mai with Sichuan pepper and Indonesian patchouli. The Maker Paradiso is mangosteen, plumeria, patchouli leaves and blood orange, from the Maker Hotel founders Lev Glazman and Alina Roytberg, who also founded Fresh.

If you like Cinnabar, try Fame or Rose Prick next.

What I would skip: Goddess Amber Vanilla on a humid day. Paradoxe or Paradiso are fresher ways into amber.

Choose by the notes you already reach for. Rose and honeysuckle point to Private Collection or Chloé, lilies and peonies to Pleasures, white flowers to Gabrielle, and clove and amber to Cinnabar or Fame. Spray on pulse points, let it dry without rubbing, and layer with a matching body cream or lotion if the brand makes one, as Estée Lauder suggests for Youth-Dew and Beautiful. Try one scent for a week before you add a second. The lighter florals in the second row suit daytime, and the amber ones in the third row are the ones I would save for evening. If two scents sound alike on paper, wear each on a different wrist and compare them after an hour.

If Estée Lauder perfume is where your shelf begins, this last stretch is for the white flowers and powdery notes I keep going back to. Gucci Flora Gorgeous Gardenia pairs white gardenia with pear blossom and a touch of brown sugar, and Rare Beauty Rare Beginnings puts gardenia beside pear nectar and vanilla bean. For tuberose, Valentino Vendetta Donna adds a red orange nectar accord and creamy sandalwood, and GUERLAIN Aqua Allegoria Florabloom Forte adds a mango accord.

The powdery ones are quieter. GUERLAIN L'Heure Bleue blends iris and vanilla under an ozonic note, Prada Infusion d'Iris wraps iris, neroli and warm benzoin, and BYREDO Blanche opens with aldehyde and peony before settling into musks. Maison Margiela REPLICA Lazy Sunday Morning is lily of the valley with white musk, and Diptyque L'Eau Papier is white musks with mimosa and a rice steam accord.

For something lighter, Glossier You Fleur starts with a mineral salt accord and apricot skin, and Jean Paul Gaultier Gaultier Divine puts lily with a salty accord and meringue. CHANEL CHANCE EAU TENDRE pairs grapefruit and quince with a rose accord and white musk.

What I would skip: wearing a gardenia and a tuberose together. Choose one and let it dry first.