When I started testing my newly acquired collection of sample perfume vials a few months ago, I was very conservative with my spritzes—2 per day, 3 if I was feeling indulgent. Because they were novel to me, that was enough for me to be able to smell them all day. Based on impressions from these small quantities, I executed my judgment, ♥-ing it or else donating it to charity.

(I kept the “okay” ones, too.)

Now, I wear them as I would from a full bottle: 6 or more spritzes each time. To my surprise, some of them surprised me. One in particular, that I loved on first sniff, now had a hollow quality under its velvety seduction—not unlike the deliberate coolness of Concrete.

Maybe it’s like listening for the effect of each instrument on a symphony with a bigger orchestra.

As a final test of compatibility with a perfume, smell the steam that wafts up from your skin under the hot water in the shower.