Fashion Blogs

Coco Chanel once said "A women who doesn't wear perfume has no future." and although I think that statement is a bit radical, I do believe that perfume is the must have accessory no woman should leave the house without.

The right perfume can do many things for you...it compliments your outfit and personality, helps you flirt without saying a word and keeps you fresh all day long. But beware, not all perfumes smell the same on everyone and depending on the weather and occasion you need to tweak the amount you put on. So I have done a little research and found these great tips that will be very useful when shopping for your perfect fragrance:

Tip #1 - The men scent: As you probably already know, the chemistry of each body can make the same perfume smell completely different on two separate people. Therefore what smells good on you might not work for me. I must confess that I used to wear my man's cologne and it was a total hit, nobody could tell it wasn't a woman's perfume and I loved the smell. Of course, don’t go spraying Old Parr on yourself; instead look for perfumes that say musky, spicy or woody on the label. Although you might think the notes are masculine, these multilayered scents smell great on women—and will win your man over in a big, big way. Glamour Magazine recommends Victoria’s Secret’s Very Sexy perfume, which boasts pepper, vanilla orchid and soft wood scents, among others.

Tip #2 - Out with the florals, in with the citrus: I love florals but you need to be very careful with these types of perfumes. They can be very strong and give you that "old lady" smell that is very very unattractive. Instead of doing flowers, change it up for fruits... try the crisp citruses such as bergamot, mandarin, grapefruit, and neroli. Citrus notes evaporate after about ten minutes, which is why they smell so fresh. For increased longevity, look for citruses combined with florals such as lily of the valley, jasmine, and ylang-ylang. Try Tom Ford Neroli Portofino, Jo Malone Orange Blossom or my favorite classic Calvin Klein One

Tip #3 - Protect the skin!: If you are the super girly girl who wears make-up, perfume and heels everywhere, like I do, then you must be very careful and protect your skin. Most perfumes are alcohol based...and you know what alcohol plus sun does, right? It stains your skin!!! So if you are planning to head out to the beach, park or street mall and want to smell fresh go for an alcohol free perfume such as Gucci's ENVY Sun Mist.

Tip #4 - Perfume overdose - If you're doing a lot of perfume sniffing all at once and need to cleanse your nasal passages between scents, taking a deep sniff of your arm skin (in a spot without perfume, of course) will do the trick. If you sprayed too much in one area, a good trick is to rub a little rubbing alcohol; it works as a "perfume eraser". Also keep in mind that during the summer months your perfume will be more noticeable due to the heat, so spray a bit less than usual.

Tip# 5- Make it last - When it comes to applying your perfume, everybody knows that you should apply it on your pulse points which makes them the warmest spots on your body therefore intensifying the fragrance. So, besides doing the neck and wrists also do the back of the legs, the area just above your hip bones, nape of your neck, cleavage, small of your back and insides of the elbows. Make it last even longer by using the body wash and lotion that compliments your perfume.

Remember that your perfume is an extension of your personality, so make sure you choose the right one. If you are not sure which one is the right for you, the Scent Map will help you find a new scent you are sure to love!