Hi Friends,
Believe it or not, I’ve worn the same perfume since I was 15! I’m now in my 40’s and no matter how hard I try, I just can’t seem to get used to another scent on my skin…I guess my perfume has become my signature scent!
How about you, do YOU have a signature scent or a few favourites you alternate between depending on your mood?
If you own perfume, I’m sure you’ll want the scent to last as long as possible on you…I know I do!
Today, I want to share my tips on the best way to wear your perfume, so that you get the maximum IMPACT from your scent, and have people stop and ask just what it is you’re wearing?!?!
The difference is simply a matter of the AMOUNT or concentration of oils found in the fragrance. The scents mainly fall into the below categories:
This also helps to explain why ‘Eau de Parfum’ is usually more expensive than ‘Eau de Toilette’ as the scent lasts longer because of the higher concentration of essence found here, so a little goes a LONG way…with ‘Perfume’ being the very highest, and therefore – PRICIEST (Eeeek!).
If you spray your perfume right after taking a shower or bath and before getting dressed, the scent is guaranteed to linger around all day.
The steam from the bathroom will have opened up your pores, helping the fragrance STAY on the skin – doing this will also prevent the liquid from staining delicate clothes and tarnishing jewellery. Applying perfume to clothes can also change the scent to what it’s intended, so experts advise wearing directly on the skin to showcase its full potential!
Dry skin doesn’t hold perfume well, so to optimise your perfume lasting longer on your skin, just remember to moisturise your skin first. To maximise your favourite perfume in a not too overpowering way, look into whether your brand of perfume sells a matching body cream in the same scent (could be worth dropping a hint for your next birthday…hint, hint, wink, wink!)
If you can’t get the same scented lotion, use a non-scented brand and mix a drop or two of your favourite perfume into the formula! Works a TREAT!
The pulse points on your body (as shown above), are warmer so applying here actually ‘speeds up’ the scent, helping it develop into it’s full potential quicker!
According to Coco Chanel “a woman should wear perfume wherever she wants to be kissed”…but whether you want to be kissed or NOT, wearing perfume on many ‘kissable‘ areas, such as the base of your throat or behind your earlobes, actually does make sense as these are some of your pulse points!
Your pulse points are pretty much anywhere you can find a heart beat – the heat generated here actually works together with the perfume to intensify the fragrance, and release the scent throughout the day, creating a HALO of heavenly scent around you! Your body chemistry and skin type even affect the way a perfume smells – so make sure you find one you LOVE!!
Have you ever noticed that sometimes you know when someone is coming into a room WAY before they enter because the air carries their scent, and it stays on long after the person has left the room…now that’s a signature scent!
Whether you wear your perfume on your inner wrists, behind the knees or inside your elbows (or ALL of the above!), you’ll be sure to lift the mood, as different scents can alter our feelings.
Just from smelling different things (I mean, how GREAT do you feel when you’re baking something truly yummy in the kitchen?!) fragrances do create both psychological and physiological responses that affect us. This is because the chemicals in the scent stimulate our limbic system – triggering (amongst other things) our serotonin levels in the brain which monitors and controls our moods…so there seems to be more to a simple scent than meets the NOSE!!
Try to resist the urge to rub your wrists together when applying the scent, though – this forces the top notes to disappear faster and, as a result, the scent won’t last as long.
The optimum distance to spray your perfume for maximum impact is simply to hold the scent about 20 to 30cm away from your skin and to spray. You want the mist to fall on to your skin, rather than just sit in a puddle on your wrist, as this will change the smell. Make sure you also allow some time for the fragrance to settle and dry.
Finally, where you store your perfume is just as IMPORTANT because heat, light and humidity tend to break down the perfume and lessen the quality. So make sure you store your perfume in a cool, dry spot such as a drawer in your dressing table.
I hope the next time you wear perfume these tips help make you feel even more glamorous and leaves you (and the rest of the room) with a beautiful scent for longer!
So STOP and smell the roses…you’ll feel better for it!
Love,
Makeup Artist | Stylist | Founder of Beautyandtheboutique.com