There’s more than what meets the eye when it comes to wearing perfume. This statement can be taken both literally and figuratively as scents cannot be seen and have certain effects on a person’s emotions and consciousness that people don’t see.
In a physiological sense, scents affect people’s moods because of how they change the chemical balance of the brain. Psychologically, fragrances trigger memories, which are directly related to experience, learning, perception, expectations, and belief.
Considering the magnitude of its effect on people, wearing the right scent for every situation has become vital for a person’s work and social life. Of course, there’s more to it than just the choice of scent – there’s also the matter of correct usage.
This article will tackle the six bad habits you could be making when buying and wearing perfume, and what you can do to change them.
1. Shaking before spraying
According to an urban legend, shaking bottled products is necessary to mix the ingredients well. This led to a cascade of misunderstanding, causing people to develop the habit of shaking perfume bottles before spraying.
However, this is a huge myth that needs to be corrected right away.
Try asking any reputable perfume oil dealers in Dubai, and they will tell you how big a blunder it is to shake a bottle of a fine fragrance before using it.
Unlike other products, perfumes are manufactured to be ready for use. This means that there is no need for any additional effort that includes shaking.
This habit is deemed counterproductive because it alters the chemical composition of the fragrance by mixing it with air inside the bottle. Doing so also increases the risk of accidentally dropping your expensive perfume. So, whatever you do, don’tshake that bottle.
2. Thinking that all perfumes are the same
If you’re not a fragrance enthusiast, you’re likely to think that body mist, colognes, and eau de toilette, among others, are all the same. After all, they all have the same purpose: they make you smell good.
But not all perfumes are created equal – and we mean this literally.
There are five basic types of fragrances, and each is categorized based on how long they last and their concentration level.
- Body mists have the lowest lasting power of one hour and a fragrance oil concentration level of 1 to 3 percent.
- Colognes have a 5 percent concentration of fragrance oils that help their scents last for about three hours on average.
- Eau de toilette perfumes have 8 to 10 percent concentration and roughly four hours of lasting power.
- Eau de parfum is the second highest in terms of concentration of essential oils (10 to 20 percent), with scents that last for as long as six hours.
- Parfum has a 25 percent concentration, and is the most expensive type of fragrance with an odor that stays with you for up to 16 hours.
3. Rubbing your wrists
Another common mistake people make when using perfume is rubbing their wrists together after spraying the product. This is a habit that originated during the 1900s before atomizers were invented.
At the time, perfumes were highly concentrated and came in bottles with crystal stoppers that help apply the fragrances. Back then, a single wipe of perfume on their wrists and at the back of their ears would allow the scent to waft over the wearer’s entire body. This is due to the high concentration of the fragrances produced back then.
But that is ancient history.
Today, perfume sprays already help spread the scent across your entire body, so there’s no need to apply it to specific areas or even rub your wrists to get the most out of it. In fact, rubbing causes friction and heat that may break down the perfume’s molecular structure and cause it to smell differently. This also shortens the lasting power of the fragrance.
4. Storing your perfume in the bathroom
Perfume is also sensitive to temperature shifts.
Think about it like this: You spend hours under intense heat and direct sunlight only to be placed inside a freezer. While it may sound wonderful for humans (especially during hot summer days), your nervous system would tell you otherwise.
Whether you have a countertop or a vanity in your bathroom, putting perfumes there is a big no-no as it can get too hot suddenly after your morning shower and cold afterwards. With these changes in temperature, your perfume can experience chemical reactions that may affect its smell.
So, ditch those pretty shower setups (or at least, don’t get your perfume involved). Instead, treat them the same way you would a good bottle of wine: stored in a place with constant room temperature.
5. Thinking scents work the same way on everyone
Ever tried shopping at the mall and suddenly smelling a wonderful scent as someone passes you by? Don’t you want to ask that person what perfume she’s wearing and where she got it from?
Of course, the effort would be moot as it is wrong to think scents work the same way on everyone. Just because a fragrance smells great on one person doesn’t mean it would have the same effect on you, too.
A significant factor that affects the smell of perfume on you is your skin chemistry. To test whether certain fragrances are compatible with you, you need to spray it on your skin and let it sit for a while before sniffing.
6. Mismatching a perfume to your personality
Like accessories and clothing, perfume should also be matched to the wearer’s personality. That is, of course, unless your goal is to disguise yourself behind a bottle of fine fragrance.
When matching your personality with perfume, you can take a cue from your general behavior, attitude, and preferences.
If you’re a free spirit, you might gravitate towards light fragrances with a tinge of passion, like vanilla, jasmine, and citrus.
But if you’re more of a bombshell and mysterious kind of gal, you would probably go for scents with notes of exotic berries and wood.
Meanwhile, those who prefer to immerse themselves in a romantic novel rather than go out partying would probably prefer black cherry and rose fragrances.
The Bottomline
Picking the right scent for you is much like choosing what attire to wear: it should be matched with your personality and the situation.
Of course, there’s more to it than just picking the right scent, as there are many factors that affect perfume use.
Learn about the bad habits you could be making and try your best to correct them.
AUTHOR BIO
Lamia Rochdi is the Marketing Manager at Bell Flavors & Fragrances EMEA. A successful family-owned business, Bell’s core competencies include customized solutions for the food and beverages industry, the household and personal care sector, and the perfume industry.