Ask any girl what’s in her handbag and chances are that there’s a bottle of perfume in there somewhere. It’s a staple in every girl’s beauty ritual. And why not? After all smelling good is one of the many ways in which you can present yourself well. But it’s also true that many of us have to carry perfumes around because we have to keep applying and reapplying it throughout the day. That needn’t be the case though. There are ways you can make your fragrance last longer. Here, The Week tells you how and also helps you choose the right fragrance for the right season.
Making perfumes last longer
If you often find yourself complaining about how perfumes fade away quickly and do not last even a few hours, maybe that’s just because you’re doing it all wrong. Although using perfumes sound like a no brainer and a very basic and mundane task, there are some clever things you can do to make it last longer.
Generally, eau de parfum last longer than eau de toilette as they (eau de parfum) contain a higher concentration of oils and are considered heavier scents. So you can think about that when you are buying a perfume. Then, one of the very basic things you can do is moisturize your skin before applying perfumes. The perfumes cling onto the moisture and will last a long time. The best moisturizer option for this would be something with petroleum jelly or just petroleum jelly.
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Remember to spray or dab on your perfume rather than rubbing it in. Many people have this habit of rubbing the inside of their wrists together after they apply perfumes. This will just crush the smell and the scent sinks into your skin making it disappear faster. Although spraying the air with the perfume and walking through it does work, most of the perfume you spray will just be wasted. For solid perfumes, swipe it across your skin and that’s it.
Be mindful of how and where you store your perfume. Keep it away from sunlight but do not place it in a very cold and damp place as that breaks up the perfume molecules and deteriorates it. Try to store your perfume in regular room temperature. And close or seal your perfume as soon as you finish applying it. Leaving it out and open will make it last for a shorter period of time.
Where to apply perfumes
Your pulse points are they key places where you should be applying perfume. Pulse points are the areas where you can feel your heartbeat. The blood vessels are closest to the skin on your pulse points so they exude a little bit more heat than any other areas of your body. The heat helps to spread the applied perfume from your skin to the surrounding. All of this results in you smelling good at all times or as long as the perfume does not wear out.
The inside of your wrists, under your elbow, on your neck, behind your ears, behind your knee, in the middle of your chest, and down your back are some pulse points where you should be applying your scents. An additional bonus in applying perfumes in all these areas is that since these places are spread out throughout the body, the perfume will also spread making you leave a fragrance in your wake.
Choosing the right smell
“Perfumes are a mandatory part of our hygiene routine and are a great personality indicator and development tool,” voices Udhav Bartaula of INA Centre Nepal. Our sense of smell in some level dictates our attitude to the thing or person emitting the smell. So you do not want to smell overpowering and offensive, yes, that is a possibility. There are quite a few recognized, expensive, and branded perfumes that are said to smell offensive.
Bartaula believes you should smell like you just showered. This might sound odd but he has a very good logic for this ‘absurd’ notion. “Showers are very soothing and relaxing and they not only clean you but also put your mind and body at ease. In summer, showers are cool and refreshing and in winter, showers are warm, cozy and comforting,” he says. Peachy, citrusy, tropical, floral, lavender-esq, coconut-esq and cherry-like smells are best suited for the warmer weather as they smell very fresh and spring-like. For the colder days, you could do well with spicy, woodsy and musky smells like honey, cardamom, milk, jasmine, sandalwood, eucalyptus, vanilla, pepper, leather, and saffron.
Stick to classic and comparatively stronger smells if you are heading to a party or want to give off a posh vibe. Eau de parfum and cologne are good choices for this. For a more youthful and lively smell, you can stick to sweet, floral, vanilla-esq and spicy scents. If you are headed to a crowded event then strong base note smells like cinnamon, sage, and amber will help you stand out. “Sometimes perfume selections can also depend on your age. People in their teens and 20s usually like chocolaty scents and older people go for scents like mayrose and vetiver,” adds Bartaula.
The most important thing while selecting a perfume is that you should like it. It should reflect your personality and make you feel confident. Howver, Bartaula claims that no perfume is bad. It’s just about how it makes you feel. “The only thing here is that you should buy a scent that you gravitate towards. It’s not about what’s expensive or popular,” he concludes.
