How to Pick the Perfect Perfumes

To pick the perfect perfume is quite an art. With the wide range of perfumes that are available on the market now, it’s easy to get lost in a haze of fragrances. It becomes even more difficult to try a lot at a time as one smell can blend into the other smells. But when it comes to figuring out which fragrances smell best on you, it needs more than just a whiff…

Eau de what? What do the different variations mean?

You will notice that fragrances come in different names for a valid reason. Each of the variations of perfumes are quite different from each other. The different names refer to the percentage of essential oils, and thus, the strength of the scent.

Perfume (or Parfum)

It is the most concentrated form of a scent. It contains 22% of essential oils and is also the most expensive.

Eau de Perfume (Oh-da-par-fum)

It contains less of the perfume oils, around 15 – 22% of it, and is less expensive than perfumes.

Eau de Toilette (Oh-da-twah-let)

This is a mild version of the perfume with only 8 – 15% of oils, and is generally suitable for business environments.

Eau de Cologne (Oh-da-ca-lone)

This one is most generally used by men. It contains only 4% of perfume oils, and is also the weakest version. It is best used as a body splash.

Smell a powerful sense

The sense of smell is one of our most powerful senses. Did you know that we have 10 million nasal cells that enable us to smell? Scientists say that as infants, we call upon this sense to help recognise our mothers, while many experts claim it plays a vital role in the science of physical attraction. Your own personal sense of smell can help you pick the perfect perfume for your body, irrespective of what the brand or fragrance is all about.

The Fragrance

Fragrances smell differently when worn on the skin, so don’t rely on a whiff from the bottle itself. Instead, test perfumes before buying. There are plenty of perfume bookmarks available for you to spray a particle fragrance on it. Or you can spray it on your wrist or neck area. Once applied, wander around for at least fifteen minutes and see how you feel about it. Perfumes can take up to an hour to fully develop, which means first impressions rarely tell you anything. Make sure the fragrance suits you and your senses.

How to Test a Fragrance

Apply a little to the inside of your wrist. You must test it on your skin, allow your skin to warm the perfume, and inhale. Your personal body oils will interact uniquely with perfumes so it will not smell the same on every person. When you’re sampling fragrances, don’t try too many of them at one time. Your smell receptors can become congested after a few new fragrances, making it difficult to accurately assess more than three or four fragrances at a time.

How to Apply

1. Spray or dab the perfume to a couple of your pulse points, though some women favour the back of the knees, crease of the elbows or their cleavage.

2. Do not rub wrists together afterwards as this flattens the scent.

3. Spray a little into the air and walk into it to diffuse the scent all over you.

4. If you’re wearing perfume, try not to use scented body lotions/toners/moisturizers, as the end result will be confusing. Use unscented products instead.

5. Keep perfume away from heat and direct sunlight and make sure the lid is on firmly to keep it at its best.

Make it Last Longer

1. Fragrances need oil to cling to the skin, so use more if you have dry skin.

2. Apply petroleum jelly to the places where you’ll spray perfume. This gives the scent

something to adhere to.

3. Apply perfume right after you shower. Your pores will be open and your skin will be warm, and ready to absorb the fragrance better.

With these tips, you’ll be able to pick the perfect perfume in no time, and impress your man while you’re at it!