A perfume has the power to enrich a suit, even when you are wearing jeans and a T-shirt. It can spice up a romantic date and help you attract someone. However, there are some misconceptions about what types of fragrances to buy, how to apply them and where. The difference between a correct and a wrong application is substantial: it can even change the course of the evening. Fortunately, the steps to follow to properly apply the perfume are quite simple.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Preparing to Apply the Perfume
Step 1. Find the perfect perfume
Don't pick one just because it's branded. Make sure you really love the top and bottom notes.
- The top notes are the ones your sense of smell perceives as soon as you bring the spray nozzle to your nose. They are usually citrusy, fruity or herbal. They often disappear very quickly, so it's important to check the base notes as well.
- The base notes are generally woody and natural. To find out if you like them, spray some perfume on your wrist, wait 20 minutes and smell it again.
- You can also make a decision by going to a perfumery and asking a saleswoman for help.
Step 2. Choose a day or evening fragrance
If you have to go out on errands, to work or to the beach, try a daytime scent. If you've been invited on a date or dinner, you can use an evening perfume instead.
- Read the labels on the package: sometimes it is indicated whether a fragrance is for day or evening. Not specified? You can usually tell this from the color of the box. If it's a bright yellow or orange, it's springtime and generally daytime. If it's dark blue, red or purple, it's evening.
- Evening fragrances are usually sprayed on or around the neck. You have to do it this way because they don't last long and the impact should be immediate. In this case, to extend the duration of the fragrance, apply extra moisturizer to the area where you will spray it.
- Daytime fragrances generally need to be sprayed on the hips or knees. In fact, they rise upwards over the course of the day and thus last longer. To extend the life of the perfume, apply extra moisturizer to the area where you will spray it.
Step 3. Take a shower or bath
Warm skin absorbs perfume better. When you wash, make sure the water is warm to help open your pores.
- Use a shower gel or a mild soap, at most lightly scented. It shouldn't counter the fragrance.
- Take advantage of this moment also to moisturize the skin. To make her more receptive to the scent, apply a body balm to use in the shower or an oil.
- If you are going to spray the perfume on your hair, it is preferable to shampoo first. Make sure you use conditioner to make them soft and receptive to the scent.
Step 4. Dry the skin
After taking a hot shower or bath, be sure to dry the skin, otherwise the perfume will not remain on the epidermis. In particular, dry the hard-to-reach places, such as the back of the knees, neck and hair. These points are called "hot": it is here that the perfume must be applied in order to emit a more intense fragrance.
Step 5. Moisturize the skin
If you haven't applied moisturizer in the shower, you definitely need to do it once your skin is dry. If it is smooth and soft, it will be easier for the scent to set, while it is less likely to happen when it is dry and rough.
- A lotion or body oil is preferable. Pour a small amount on your palm and rub it with the other. Apply the lotion or oil to the body with your hands.
- You can also use petroleum jelly. The essence will bind to the gel-like molecules, not the pores, so it will last longer. Pat a small amount on your skin and spread it.
- The secret is to apply it to hot spots, including feet, knees, elbows, collarbones and neck. The scent will be more intense in these areas.
Step 6. Spray the perfume before dressing
If you spray it directly on your clothes, it can leave ugly water stains, especially if you have to go on an important date. Among other things, the fragrance is much more intense when applied on hot spots, as the molecules interact with the skin thanks to direct contact.
Part 2 of 4: Apply the Perfume
Step 1. Spray the perfume by placing the bottle at least 12-18cm away from the chest or body
Point the nozzle at the point where you will vaporize it. If your skin gets wet when you spray the perfume, the bottle is too close.
Step 2. Spray the perfume on hot spots, because in this area the blood vessels are closer to the skin and give off more heat
Since the heat moves upwards, it is easier to perceive the fragrance. Some of the most common spots are the collarbones, knees, and chest.
Step 3. Spray it in a targeted manner
Instead of vaporizing the perfume in the air and passing through the cloud it created, you need to spray it exactly on the hot spots. This will be much more effective and the essence will not be lost that much.
Step 4. Dab the perfume
If it's not in a spray, you can always apply it with your hands on a hot spot. Pour a few drops of perfume on your palm and rub it between your hands. Gently apply it to the skin and massage it gently into a small circle.
Step 5. Let the perfume dry without rubbing it
Do not dress until the area has dried. Try to wait at least 10 minutes. Friction and heat increase the interaction between fragrance and sebum, so they can alter the essence. As a result, don't rub the skin you applied it to.
Rubbing your wrists together after applying perfume is a very common but wrong habit. In fact, this action breaks down the molecules of the fragrance and dampens it
Step 6. Try not to overdo the perfume
To get a good result it takes very little. Better to spray less than too much. You can always put the bottle in your bag and vape some more later if it isn't intense enough.
Part 3 of 4: Choose where to apply it
Step 1. Distribute the perfume with the comb
The essence sticks to the fibers, so the hair allows you to keep a good scent for a long time. It also binds to hair products, such as shampoo and conditioner, making it even more persistent.
- Just spray the perfume on a comb or brush, but you can also apply it with a hand or a towel on these utensils. Gently comb or brush your hair. Make sure you proceed evenly rather than patchy.
- Try not to overdo the product, or the alcohol in the perfume will dry out your hair.
Step 2. Dab some perfume behind the ears
In this hot spot the veins are very close to the skin surface. Apply a small amount of perfume to your fingertip and dab it behind your ears. The effect will be immediate and is ideal for evening fragrances.
Step 3. Rub some perfume on your collarbones
Due to its bone structure, this area has many cavities. The perfume will then have room to fix and interact with the skin. You can dab it with your fingers or spray it about 12-18cm apart.
Step 4. Spray the perfume on your back
It is not a very well-known point, but being covered entirely by clothes, it allows you to keep the fragrance longer, which among other things will not be particularly strong. Extend your arm and spray it on your back a couple of times. If you can't reach it, you can ask someone to help you.
Step 5. Apply the perfume behind the knees
Since they are in constant motion throughout the day, they generate a lot of heat. It is an ideal condition for the propagation of the perfume, which will gradually move upwards as the hours pass. You just have to dab some perfume behind the knee or spray it about 12-18cm away.
Step 6. Apply the perfume on the inside of the elbows
Just like the knees, they are hot spots. Throughout the day they are in constant motion, generating heat. Dab the perfume with your fingers or spray it 12-18cm away.
Step 7. Apply the perfume in the navel
It will seem like a rather strange place, but it is ideal because the scent will stay in contact with the skin and interact with a hot spot. In addition, being covered with a mesh, it will not be too strong. Pick up some perfume with your fingers, then run it around your navel and inside to apply.
Part 4 of 4: Using the Perfume
Step 1. Become familiar with the scent
The skin reacts differently to various fragrances. See if you can feel it a few hours after application. Make sure it doesn't react negatively to a particular scent.
Step 2. Repeat the application every four hours
Even the best perfumes don't last that long. Ask a friend or family member if they think you need more. Often you get used to a smell and it is difficult to understand how it is perceived on the outside.
Step 3. Use alcohol wipes and hand sanitizer gel
If you think you've sprayed too much perfume, take an alcohol wipe (such as a baby wipe) and hand sanitizer gel, then clean the area. Dry it and repeat the application. Make sure you don't spray or dab too much this time.
Step 4. Store the perfume in a cool place protected from sunlight
Heat and light alter the chemical composition of the product. At that point the fragrance will change and this will not be a good omen for the appointment. The best place to store it is the refrigerator.
Step 5. Check the expiration date of the perfume
As with other products, the perfume also expires. If when you open the bottle it emits a pungent odor, this means that it is now unusable.
Advice
- Do not leave the bottle exposed to sunlight, otherwise the perfume will lose its intensity sooner than it should.
- If using perfumes isn't your thing but you still want to smell nice and discreet, try a scented shower gel and matching lotion.
- Try new scents once in a while. Eventually you get tired of the usual fragrance and after getting used to it you risk not being able to smell it anymore.
- If you keep the perfume in the fridge, it will last two to three weeks longer.
- Do not apply a deodorant of a different fragrance, otherwise the smells will mix and the result will be annoying.
- If you are a woman, try a male cologne. Many have preconceptions about it, but there are several men's colognes on the market that are also suitable for women.
- Change your scent on special occasions, like Valentine's Day or Christmas.
- If you don't like perfumes, you could try using scented water.
Warnings
- Do not wear too intense perfumes, otherwise they will be nauseating for those around you.
- Never rub your wrists to apply perfume. This action generates friction and heat, which increase the interaction between the sebum and the fragrance. This could cause the perfume notes to react differently because evaporation will be faster.
- The scent should be perceived only within a certain radius, the distance of which corresponds more or less to an arm. Nobody should smell the fragrance you wear unless it comes close. Perfume should be one of the most discreet and personal messages you convey to the people you come into contact with.
- The secret is to avoid bathing in perfume. Just vaporize it lightly.
- Do not spray perfume on clothes. It can stain them and bind to the fibers of clothing, not the skin.
- Many liquid perfumes are composed of petroleum or oil. Solid perfumes are less likely to contain these ingredients.
