You smell divine!

For some reason, the smell of perfume doesn’t always last as long as expected. A few hours into the day and that heavenly scent you applied in the morning is barely hanging on. There is actually a science to applying perfume. HowStuffWorks.com has some brilliant advice which will have you smelling like a bouquet of roses for days!

No clothes policy



Not only does perfume evaporate faster when applied to clothing, it may also damage certain fabrics. Apply perfume directly to your skin, as the scent is activated by heat from our bodies.

Pulse, pulse



Now that you know to apply perfume before dressing, where exactly should you apply it? Introducing pulse points, these are points on the body where the heart rate can be felt through the skin. The warmth produced by blood circulating close to the skin makes them ideal targets for perfume application. Apply perfume at the temple, just below the ear lobe, at the base of the throat, inside the wrist and elbow, and behind the knee.

Dab or Spray?



Some people prefer dabbing perfume on with their fingers, others prefer spraying. Spraying is the way to go ladies and gentlemen. Hold your perfume bottle about 8 inches away from the desired area, and spray for greater coverage. Dabbing, or rubbing perfume into the skin may cause the scent to disappear.

Seasons come, seasons go



Outdoor temperatures greatly impact the longevity of a fragrance. During the hot summer months, you’ll need a lighter application, or a less concentrated form, of whatever scent you wear. However, heat also increases the rate of evaporation. If you go with lighter scents, you’ll need to reapply them more often in warm weather, due to their low concentrations. The same principle applies in reverse in cool weather.

Skin type matters



Your skin type matters just as much when it comes to choosing perfume, as it does with skincare. The alcohol base in perfume evaporates more quickly on dry skin than it does on oily skin. Having oily skin is an advantage when it comes to making perfume last longer. If you have dry skin, look for a moisturiser with the same scent you plan to wear that day, as this will help stretch the fragrance as well as soften skin. Alternatively, you could use a fragrance-free moisturiser before applying the perfume.

Here’s to smelling tantalising all year round!

Published in The Express Tribune, July 2^nd, 2014.

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