Step up your fragrance game

IT’S time to trade in the light, fruity scents of Spring with the sensual, alluring fragrances of Fall. Once you’ve found a product that’s pleasing to your senses, you have to know how to wear it to get the most out of the intoxicating juice. Check out these basic rules that will help improve your perfume-wearing experience:

Saturday, September 22, 2012

IT’S time to trade in the light, fruity scents of Spring with the sensual, alluring fragrances of Fall. Once you’ve found a product that’s pleasing to your senses, you have to know how to wear it to get the most out of the intoxicating juice. Check out these basic rules that will help improve your perfume-wearing experience:Don’t rub your wrists togetherOne of the biggest mistakes women make when spraying a scent is rubbing their wrists together. The friction causes the scent to settle in a different way than the maker intended. Instead, just spray and let it dry.Perfume and hair don’t mixI have friends who are quick to spritz their hair with a hint of their favorite scent! While this is not completely detrimental to your hair, it could still have adverse affects. There are several potentially harmful chemicals used to create scents such as dye, alcohol and blends of different fragrances. In addition, the shampoo, conditioner and even the natural oils that your scalp produces could alter the aesthetic of the fragrance.Focus on hitting pulse pointsMore ideal pulse points to target with your favorite perfume is the base of the throat, behind the ear lobes, between your breasts, the backside of the elbows and along the collarbones. If you’re rocking a fab skirt, dress or pair of shorts during a night on the town, aim for the back of your knees.Just because it’s right for your friend doesn’t mean it’s right for youHave you ever felt like your favorite perfume suddenly stopped smelling the same on your skin? Well, chances are, you’re not hallucinating. Your hormones can affect the way a fragrance reacts, especially if you’re stressed, menstruating or pregnant. The way a skin reacts with your skin can be a gift and a curse. It’s a gift because as human beings we all have our very own unique body chemistry and ph balance, so even if we all buy the same scent, it will smell different on each of our skin giving us our own signature smell with every application.Don’t forget perfume has a shelf lifePerfume has a shelf life of about three years. To me this is just an industry rule of thumb because I have some bottles on my vanity that I’ve held onto for a little longer than that. They don’t smell different to me, but maybe they have changed over time. Also, avoid storing them near direct sunlight or areas with high temperature.