Snif Citrus Circus, briefly: it is a house signature that has been redrawn several times, and most of what people recognise is the proportion rather than the mark itself. Recognition is built by repetition over decades, which is why an imitation of the mark never carries the same weight. The short version usually matters less than how the thing is used now. Test on skin and wait an hour. The opening is not what you will smell like. The groups below run from the decision that matters most to the ones you make afterwards.

What decides this is concentration, notes and how long it lasts. Everything else is preference. Two from the first group show the range: Jenni Kayne's Violet Santal Eau De Parfum at $120, and oscardelarenta.com's Bella Bouquet EDP 1 Oz at $68. The first is the considered buy; the second is the one to start with. Test on skin and wait an hour. The opening is not what you will smell like. A higher price mostly buys materials and finishing, and occasionally it buys nothing at all.

Apply to pulse points and let it sit. Do not rub. From the second group, LoveShackFancy's Mini Vanilla Twirl Hair & Body Perfume Mist with Vanilla Mousse and Salted Caramel ($26) is the one that earns its place, because it works in more than one context without being restyled. The third group is smaller, and it is there for the decisions you make after the main one. None of this needs the whole group. One piece from each is usually enough.

There are 20 fragrances here from 18 brands, $13 to $405, all in stock when this was written. We would not buy all of them, and neither should you. loveshackfancy.com's Mini Velvet Sun Hair & Body Mist with Coconut Water at $13 is the low-risk way in, and tomfordbeauty.com's Bitter Peach Eau de Parfum at $405 only makes sense if this is a category you already use constantly. On snif citrus circus specifically: the difference between the top and the bottom of this list is real but smaller than the price gap suggests. Nothing here is included because it is famous, and price is not used as a proxy for quality anywhere on this page. If you take one thing away: pay for the thing that touches your body and economise on the thing that sits on top of it.