There is more to perfume than just spritzing it on and praying the scent will last throughout the day. There are many rules to perfume that people have either never learned or even knew existed. To some people some of the rules of perfume will seem very basic while others will inspire one of those light bulb over the head moments as if struck by a great epiphany. Whether you think you know everything there is about perfume or not, it is likely there are a few simple hints you may have missed over the years to help you make the most of the scent you wear.
The first rule of perfume is bing a smart shopper. While scoring a bargain is great, what being a smart perfume shopper really comes down to is patience. Consider for a moment how many times you have been in a department store where you've either been spritzed by the perfume girl or tried a sample out. For most people this has happened constantly. What you need to know however is that even if the scent you are sprayed with smells good initially there is no promise it really is the right scent for you.
The fact of the matter is it takes about fifteen minutes for perfume to interact with an individuals natural body chemistry to actually reflect how that particular perfume will smell when you where it. Out of the bottle or on the paper swab it may be great, but after a half hour of mixing with your sweat and natural porous emissions it may smell like sewage. In short, try a scent on, walk around with it on for about twenty minutes, and if it still smells good then it is a good choice for you. Don't be fooled by a perfume smelling good on someone else being an indication it will smell good on you.
The second half of being a smart perfume shopper is to go bare when shopping for a scent. That means avoid wearing another perfume or any body sprays. it goes without saying that if you mix two scents together you are going to get a third distinct smell. You may initially smell the "new" perfume, but it will only take a few minutes to mix with whatever else you are wearing. As such the combination of two scents may have been nice, but on its own your new perfume may be a terrible scent for you. Also remember that when you try a perfume the best place to test it is on your wrist.
Once you have a perfume that works for you, you have to know how to properly wear it. The best application pattern is the pulse points; each wrist and a spritz on the neck. Don't go crazy spraying your hair and clothes or a "cloud" in the air you walk thorugh to get an all over effect. The all over effect sounds great in theory but doesn't work well in reality as the scent can slightly change as it interacts with fabrics and hair products you may be using. The pulse points are for your normal day to day wear, tips on other scenarios will be presented later.
When applying perfume to your pulse points, lift your chin and tilt your head slightly to one side and give the mister a quick pump. Then spray each wrist and you are done. Many people rub their wrists after application, but all this accomplishes is speeding up the evaporation process which means you will need to re-apply your perfume in all likelihood. If you went a little, or a lot overboard, dab a cotton ball with some rubbing alcohol and quickly swipe it over the area you went a little too heavy on to help cut down on the perfume being too powerful.
Storing perfume properly is something almost no one ever does correctly. Most people leave a bottle out on their dresser, vanity, or any old place they have room and can keep it easily accessible. The truth about perfume is it despises sunglight, heat, and humidity. Even a capped bottle will lose its power and evaporate quicker than you would honestly expect. The best place to store perfume is on a shelf in your closet or a similar place that stays primarily cool and dark.
While the pulse points are you go to spots for day to day wear, there are other occasions you may want to change things up a bit. For certain settings there are better places to apply your perfume than others depending on the effect you want to create.
At the office:
Instead of hitting the pulse points, just dab a little on your elbows and believe it or not behind your knees. The reason for this is that you will still smell good, but it won't be overpowering. A bonus is that you won't get tired of the smell as the day wears on and neither will anyone that has to be physically close to you on a regular basis.
At the club:
Hit the pulse points, but also give your hands a tiny spritz as well. Should you shake hands with someone it will leave a little reminder of you with them. The second bonus is that when you dance, assuming you do get it on and hit the floor, as your hands move you create a subtle "bubble" of a pleasant scent around you. A good looking girl that doesn't smell like pit sweat gets more dance partners.
For first dates:
Fight the urge to overdo it and go as subtle as possible. Just go with a gentle dab behind the ears so your date won't feel like they are spending the night trying to keep their eyes from tearing up. Also if you do let them go in for the kiss, it really goes a long way towards helping kick things in to overdrive if you want to allow that to happen.
For a second date:
Spritz the same as you would for the first date, except this time spend a little shot on your breasts as well. Just in case things go that far it really works wonders and that is one place your scent will linger all night long.
The bottom line is you can wear your perfume any way you like but some methods are better than others. You can also purchase any brand you wish too, but you would do well to remember that regardless of price not very perfume will smell good on every person that wears it. Be patient when testing a new perfume, wear it sparingly, and store it properly. Follow those simple tips and you will get the biggest bang for your buck!