How you smell says a lot about you. Most scents are often linked to emotions and moods and can instantly remind you of a loved one, a happy moment or even a special place.
Geraldine Augustine-Darwood from Perfume brand Gold Series says that fragrance and perfume is an incredible field to understand as it is linked to so many of our senses.
She added: “Perfume can make you feel happy, it can endear you to someone that smells like someone you know, it can bring to people together romantically, and it can make you feel as though you’re going to conquer the world!”
For this summer, Augustine-Darwood helped us put together a few things you should know about wearing your favourite scent:
Scent your locks: Some people wear perfume on their hair. When worn loose, hair is usually bouncy and easy to diffuse the scent. The best way to do this is to spray the perfume on your brush and then brush your hair.
Know your notes: Scent is defined as having top notes, heart notes and base notes. After applying the perfume, the fragrance notes are released, starting with the top notes, which then fade to the heart notes and end with the base notes.
Typically, top notes are more delicate and do not last as long as heart and base notes. Heart notes could be a spice, herbal or floral notes. You are usually able to smell the base notes the longest - common base notes include amber, musk or wood notes.
No more blue Mondays: Perfume can be an incredible mood booster. It can be a feel-good stimulant that can improve your mood, make you feel happy, romantic, and even increase your confidence. The scent is also closely linked to recall and can even provoke unforgettable memories.
Activated by body heat: Perfume is best applied to pulse points, as this enables the scent to last longer. Pulse points include the inside of your wrist, on your neck and behind your ear. You should not rub your wrists together as this damages the molecules of the perfume and changes the scent of the fragrance.
You’re unique: You can wear the same perfume as the next person but still smell differently. It is because everyone’s skin has a different chemistry and PH level.
Don’t overload: It is not advisable to test more than three perfumes at a time as it will confuse your nose and you will not be able to differentiate between the scents. To avoid nose fatigue, the best way to ‘reset’ your nose is to smell fresh coffee beans in between.
Layering: Avoid using a scented lotion that will clash with your perfume. It is best to layer your fragrance with the same roll on and perfume. If there is a scented lotion that matches your perfume, even better as this adds another layer and allows the fragrance to last longer.
I don’t smell my perfume any more: Fragrance fatigue is your body’s natural desensitisation to the same smells over time. If you’re used to the same scent, it takes time for your sensitivity to that odour to return. One way to avoid fragrance fatigue in that instance is to alternate between two or more fragrances that you like.