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Fragrance is an often overlooked accessory. Just as completing your look with the perfect handbag, jewelry and other accessory items can make you look and feel better, so can the application of your favorite body fragrance.

The emotional benefits of body fragrance are many. First and foremost, you get the boost to your confidence in knowing that you smell great. Your favorite fragrance can also be a calming, comforting influence as you go through your busy day. Our sense of smell is one of the strongest of all senses and can actually trigger memories more powerfully than any other sense. Most of us have a favorite perfume or cologne and when we spray it on, we are immediately reminded of pleasant times associated with that fragrance.

Yet another benefit of body fragrance is that of making a positive impression on others. Of course, there are those who find strong perfumes and colognes offensive, so we have to be careful not to overdo it. Most high-end fragrances require only a small application for maximum effectiveness. There is nothing worse than drenching oneself in any fragrance. There are a couple ways you can make sure you don't go overboard. First, consider using a powder or lotion version of your favorite fragrance for daytime wear when you might be closely confined with others. You still get the benefit of the fragrance, but usually in a much lighter concentration than with a spray cologne or perfume. Another way to avoid overuse of colognes and perfumes is to use the technique of spraying the mist into the air directly in front of you and walking through it rather than spraying it directly onto your body or clothing. If you're using a good perfume or cologne, this is all it should take to give yourself a lasting and appropriate amount of scent. If you're not using a good perfume or cologne, throw it away and invest in something of quality. Cheap perfume or cologne is simply bad in any concentration and sends its own message.

The fragrances you choose to wear can say a lot about your personality, helping you to make a statement about yourself and therefore adding another emotional benefit of establishing your uniqueness. While you should, of course, choose what you truly love, there are a few things to consider about appropriateness of scent. Everyone's body chemistry is slightly different, so you should always try the fragrance out before you invest in it. Go to your favorite department store and spray on a little. Walk around for a couple hours and see how the fragrance changes and evolves on you. It may smell great when you first apply it, and it may even smell fantastic on your best friend, but as it reacts with your particular body chemistry and the undertones and base notes of the fragrance emerge, it may turn out to be completely wrong for you.

Another note on appropriateness of fragrances is when and where to wear them. You would probably, and definitely should, choose to wear a completely different type of fragrance to work than you would on a special date or a night out on the town. Most better fragrances offer a "suggested use," such as daytime wear, evening wear or romantic wear. Use these as guidelines if you have trouble distinguishing which scents are appropriate for different situations. Your co-workers at the office probably won't appreciate your "Red Hot Passion" nearly as much as your significant other might.

Feel great about yourself, relish a cherished memory and let everyone know just who you are by your choice of body fragrances. What could be better?

Learn more about this author, Bruce W. Coffman.
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