I am a huge fan of wearing fragrances . . . also called perfumes. While some people have a “signature” fragrance, or one they wear every single day, I prefer to switch it up based on my mood. I am a fan of scents from soft floral to woodsy citrus and even just the scent of vanilla. But there’s more to perfume than just spraying it on! Here’s what you need to know about wearing perfume and how to get the most out of your scents.
Choosing a Scent
One of my favorite things about visiting the mall or those stores where lots of scents are found is that I can sample so many different ones! However smelling a fragrance just once isn’t the correct way to do it. You need to give the scent a good ten minutes to really get the correct scent.
Perfumes have three different “notesâ€Â: the top, middle, and base. The top note is the first smell you take and wears off within five minutes. That’s why you may have purchased a fragrance before, only to realize the first time you wear it you don’t like it. The middle and base notes first emerge ten and then fifteen minutes later. The way to avoid buying a perfume you really won’t like is to spritz the scent on a test strip, walk around for at least 10 minutes, and then smell it again.
Also, limit testing only three scents at a time so that your nose will be able to pick up a perfume’s complexities. And use those coffee beans you see at perfume counters to clear each scent out of your nose before you try the next one.
Where To Put Perfume
Your pulse points are the best place to dab perfume. Pulse points are the areas on your body where the blood flows the strongest and your skin is warmest. To get the most out of your fragrance, dab or spray perfume on wrists, back of the ear, nape of the neck, chest, inside the elbow, and behind the knee.
Do I Really Need to Buy The Perfume and Matching Lotion, Shower Gel, Etc?
If you want your perfume to last longer, yes. Perfumes work best on moisturized skin, and on skin that’s prepped with matching fragrant oils or creams. When you layer a fragrance, the scent will last longer.
How Long Will My Scent Last?
That depends on the type of perfume that you are using. Eau de colognes are the least concentrated scents and have only about 3% perfume oil. These will last an hour or so. Eau de toilettes contain 3-8% perfume oil and will last about two hours. Eau de parfum is around 15% perfume oil and will last three to four hours. And if you are using perfume or parfum, they contain 20% perfume oil and last five to six hours. Of course, those are more expensive than the others, but if you wear a lot of perfume, it might be worth the extra cost.
Do you wear perfume? What are your favorite scents?
