“A woman who doesn’t wear perfume has no future.” – Coco Chanel
I am a self-confessed perfume fanatic who firmly believes in the power of a good scent. When I am feeling low, a whiff of my favourite perfume can instantly lift my spirits and turn my mood around. I also tend to associate certain scents with memories of places and people – for example, Love by Chloe reminds me of serene summer nights and Burberry Sport reminds me of my best friend.
While wearing perfume seems pretty easy, many women tend to get it wrong and either end up giving others a headache with an overpowering scent or having their perfume fade away after a couple of hours. Both outcomes are less than ideal. The tips that follow will help you master the art of wearing perfume the right way (and yes, it is an art!)
When it comes to finding the right scent for you, forget what the most popular perfumes of the season are and never buy a perfume just because it smells good on someone else! Fragrances are very personal and your choice will depend on your preferences as well as your body chemistry. Before purchasing a perfume, think about where you will be wearing it and how often. Although there is nothing wrong with traditional floral scents, feel free to think outside of the box and experiment with different scents and notes.
The biggest dilemma that most women face is where to spray their perfume. To my mind, there are three key places where you must spritz for a long lasting effect – behind your ears, the pulse points on your wrist and behind your knees. As a rule of thumb, you do not need more that two sprays per area but I reckon that one spray is enough, too. Contrary to popular belief, you should never rub your wrists together after applying perfume because the friction rubs away the top notes of the perfume. On special occasions, I also love to spritz some scent into my hair for some extra oomph. Everyone loves hair that smells great!
Another great way to wear perfume is to spray it in the air and then walk through the cloud of perfume; however, you should not try this method if you are wearing fabrics that are prone to discolouration or delicate jewellery.
For your perfumes to last longer, it is really important that you store them in the right manner. Avoid places with really high temperatures and store your perfume bottles in a cool, dry space instead. The best place to store perfumes is your fridge and the worst place is your bathroom (because of the moisture and heat from the lights).
Happy spritzing, girls!