1. THE BEST WAY TO TRY ON A PERFUME
Only using sample blotters to try on perfume won’t do you any good. In fact, it will take away the true essence of how it reacts on your skin. The best way to truly experience the real aroma of a fragrance is spraying it directly onto the skin, preferably at your wrist or your fingertips. Both spots are strong pulse points and have high blood flow which raises the skin’s temperature, and the heat itself then helps spread the fragrance. This way you will notice if the perfume changes when it interacts with the molecules of your skin, as well as give you a heads up if the scent is long lasting. Finally, to really experience the scent, leave it to dry completely and wait 3 minutes for the full fragrance to emerge. Then whiff it every minute or so to see how it changes.
2. HOW TO MAKE A SCENT LAST LONGER
Something that is easily forgotten about perfume is how delicate it actually is. The fragrance oils, essential oils and alcohols in a perfume can easily break down, which can cause the scent to disappear or change. Make sure to keep your bottles away from direct sunlight, heat and humidity and store them in a darker place at room temperature.
Want to make it last longer on your skin as well? Easy peasy! Start by properly moisturising your skin with a fragrance-free lotion. The hydrated surface of your skin locks in the aroma. Secondly, as heat activates perfume, the pulse points on your body are the best places to apply your scent. These spots are located on your wrist, behind your ears, on your inner elbows, at the back of your knees and on your ankles. The best spot to put perfume is in your hair, but as perfume usually contains a lot of alcohol it can dry out your strands. We recommend spraying a small amount on your brush and combing it through instead.
Last but not least, don’t rub your precious drops, instead let the fragrance dry on its own or gently pat in into your skin. Voila, your perfume is set to last all day!
3. WHETHER TO PUT ON PERFUME DIRECTLY ON SKIN OR AFTER DRESSING
Perfume sprayed on clothes will usually last ages, and even stay on until washing (sometimes even after that!). Unfortunately, wearing fragrance on your clothes makes it very bland. Your scent won’t evaporate properly as the oil molecules in the perfume need body heat to become activated. Since your skin does a great deal in bringing it’s specific chemistry, you will miss out on the unique features it adds to the perfume. To still keep it personal, do spray a little on your clothes (make sure it doesn’t stain!) but focus on at least one hot spot on your body and give it a generous spritz. This way, you will be able to wear your favourite scent and at the same time add to the ambiance of who you are!