Fragrance is considered an essential ally for women when it comes to taking care of our general beauty. They have the ability to wake up memories or particular moments from the past, and they are very widely used in order to attract the person of our interest.
Like a hot bath, perfume scents are able to make us feel wanted or happy, because they make us smell good to the people that surround us. They provide a sense of cleanness, and they enhance our general looks, especially when combined with a nice set of clothes and other clothing accessories.
There is a massive variety of perfumes available in the market today. If you take a walk to the mall or any shopping center, you will be able to find thousands of different fragrances, colognes of various fragrances that are going to fit any type of style or character.
With this fragrance for women guide, hopefully I am going to provide you with some helpful information about ways and secrets on how to choose the right perfume. Make sure that you read it carefully, and decide which perfume is best for the occasion you need it. Let’s go!
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Fragrance for women
When the time comes for us to choose the right perfume, we can easily understand that it is not as an easy task as we thought it would be. There is a countless number of different scent varieties in the market, and this can be really confusing and time consuming.
So, before you get discouraged and go with the first bottle of perfume that will impress you, make sure that you have researched properly and know what you want to achieve with the perfume that you are going to purchase.
In order to make the right decision, try a lot of different perfumes and make sure that you ask the shop employee to help you choose the correct scent. Do not be afraid to compare the perfumes until you find the one of your liking, that smells exactly the way you want it.
5 easy tips that will help you choose the right perfume
1 – What perfume should you wear
The first rule is to find a perfume scent that you enjoy wearing. It is as simple as that. That way, you are easily going to narrow down to the scents that you are most likely going to choose. If a fragrance is not joyful according to your taste, simply ignore it and get to the next one.
Make sure that you try as many varieties as you can. Take your time and not try to fulfil this task in a single day. After some time, your nose is not as helpful as it was in the beginning of your shopping process. Try approximately 10 different perfumes a day and note down the ones that you liked the most.
Think of the use of the perfume. The occasion in which you are going to wear the particular scent you are looking for plays a significant role for your decision. For instance, you would absolutely choose a different scent for the perfume that you are going to wear at work, and the perfume you are going to wear in a wedding.
2 – How long does a perfume last
Various perfume types have different concentrations. Concentration is the lasting power of a perfume and is one of the most important reason as to why you would choose a particular perfume over another.
For starters, perfumes that last longer are going to save you time and money long term. They are going to save you the time from going shopping and trying different varieties of scents to choose from, and money because you are not going to spend your budget on perfumes for a longer period of time.
In most cases, the perfumes that have the ability to last longer are the most expensive. Although sometimes that is not the case, it is a general rule. Cheaper perfumes tend to last for small periods of time, which means that you will have to be ready for frequent shopping walks. To avoid this, you can search for the concentration of the scent on the bottle of the perfume.
3 – Test the perfume
One of the things that most people forget, is to test the perfumes they choose in detail. After you have narrowed down the list of perfumes you want to try, make a case of reading carefully the information and the concentration levels written on the bottle.
Start sniffing the perfumes you like having in mind not to overload your nose. Try not to test more than 10 or so perfume scent at a day, because after sometime your senses are not going to perform as well as in the beginning of your testing.
At first, sniff the bottle, and then start spraying the perfume on you. The best body parts on which you should spray the perfume on is your wrists or your elbow crooks. Before you start smelling the scent, give the perfume some time to be absorbed by your body. In this time, the alcohol from the perfume should be dissolved too, and you will be able to smell the scent appropriately.
You should apply the perfume on your wrists because the scent changes when the perfume hits your body. Keep in mind that you should not spray more than one perfume on each wrist, because you are going to mix the scents and not have a clear indication of which one you like the most.
Besides trying the perfume on your body, you can also spray them on blotter sheets. Most sellers and shops will be able to provide you with blotter sheets so that you can spray a small portion of the perfume on them, label them if you like it and take them home with you to smell them again later.
4 – Decide on your available budget
Perfumes can in many varieties and different types, and this means that their price is going to differ a lot from product to product too. Perfumes created by popular perfume brands can be very expensive as they are considered a luxury item.
There are some very popular perfumes that can cost up to thousands of dollars per bottle, while on the other hand there are some very affordable perfumes that cost from $10 to $50 and they are considered to be the cheapest perfume solutions.
Before you start shopping perfumes, you have to decide which is the amount of money you are able to spend. This amount differs a lot from person to person, and depends on the occasion and the recipient. For example, if it is a special occasion like an anniversary, you might want to spend a bit more. On the other hand, if it is a gift for a not-so-close friend, you might want to go with a more affordable perfume.
Fortunately, there are thousands of great perfumes that you are able to choose from, and there is an appropriate perfume for every type of budget. Just make sure that you know yours, so that you help the salesperson guide you through various products of the same price range.
5 – Ask your friends what they think
It is a good idea to bring a friend with you and consult the salesperson at any given time. Getting different opinions and the help of other noses is going to help you determine faster which perfume scent you really like.
Having in mind what scents people prefer and the opinion that they share about your perfume choices, can give you a nice indication about the product you are about to choose.
For instance, if you are with a co-worker ask them if the particular perfume would be appropriate for her to wear at the office. If you are with a friend, ask her if the perfume you are wearing would be a nice choice for your girls night out.
Always be aware of the scents other people are wearing. Do not hesitate to ask them about their perfume if you like it, and test the same or similar products yourself. On the other hand, if you spot a scent that you do not like, make sure that you ask about it too and note it down, as it will save you the time of trying it at the perfume store.
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Types of fragrances and their concentration
Like we said above, most of the times you can see the scent concentration written on the bottle of the perfume, usually under the name of the product. The concentration is categorized mainly in four types of perfumes. Let’s see which types:
Perfume or parfum
Perfume or parfum is the name of the perfume type with the highest levels of concentration. All perfumes are a mix of oil and alcohol. The scent concentration of the perfume being the highest is going to last the entire day, which is great as far as longevity is concerned.
Example: Princess by Vera Wang
Eau de Parfum
The concentration levels of the Eau de Parfum remain great, although they are not as high as those of the perfume. The average time that an Eau de parfum is going to last is around 6 hours, which is a very nice period of time for most occasions.
Example: Elizabeth Arden Red Door Eau de Parfum
Eau de Toilette
Eau de Toilette is another famous type of perfume and has medium longevity compared to the rest of the perfume types. Most of the Eau de Toilette scents are going to last for about 3 to 4 hours on average.
Example: Heaven by Gap
Eau de Cologne or cologne
The last type of perfume has the lowest levels of concentration, which is the reason why most of the times it is the cheapest kind of perfume you are going to find in the market. Its scent is going to last for about one to two hours, and it is oil and alcohol mixed with water.
As you can see there are quite significant differences between different types of perfumes when it comes to concentration. The price of the product you are going to buy depends highly on its concentration levels, which is logical as it determines how many hours you are going to be able to wear a perfume.
Example: BURBERRY London
What are the different types of scents
The scent of your perfume depends mostly on what you enjoy wearing. There are different types of people that enjoy wearing only one kind of scent, so they buy one or very similar perfumes. On the other hand, there are those who like to wear perfumes according to the occasion, which is why they choose more than one types of scents.
You have to determine what type of person you are, and decide on the kinds of scents you like the most. For example, if you only like light kinds of scents, you could do your research and exclude the perfumes with heavier scent that you think you would enjoy wearing.
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Lets see what are the main types of perfume scents
Light or floral perfumes
Light or floral perfumes are one of the most common kinds of perfumes in the market, mainly for women. They are mostly worn in the summer, and they fit significantly well with dress or light clothing. Some of the well-known scents are levanter, carnation and rose. They are also considered sweet scents, and they are preferred mostly by young women and teenagers, although this is not a rule.
Woody or Chypre
These types of perfume scents are considered the heavier ones in the market. Mature women and slightly older ladies tend to prefer them the most, and they can be easily worn in formal occasions, such as dinners in classy restaurants or receptions. Some of the most known woody scents are patchouli and bergamot.
Fruity perfumes
As they name states, fruity perfumes smell like fruit. Lime, apple, orange or apricot are some of the most common fruity perfume scents and they are available in almost every perfume store in the world. Fruity scents are considered very light and bright, in contrast to the woody scents.
Spicy scents
These are considered eastern perfume scents, that is why you may know them as oriental scents too. They are mixed with various spices like cinnamon or vanilla, and they are medium heavy and not as clear as the fruity or the floral scents.
How are perfumes made
Perfumes are made from raw materials and natural ingredients. There is a wide variety of natural ingredients such us flowers or spices to fruits or animal secretions used in order to make a perfume. These ingredients are then mixed other resources such as alcohol (the most common one) or coal, which finally help us manufacture the perfumes.
The vast majority of the plants do not produce oils naturally. Although this may sound a bit strange to many people, as in some way we have connected perfumes with plants, this is a common truth. So, in order to get the essential oils from the plants, we are able to recreate the scents or smells of the perfumes with the help of synthetic chemicals.
As mentioned before, animal secretions are also used in the perfume industry. Animal substances are mainly used in order extend the longevity of the perfume or enhance the power of its scent. In addition to this, in order to achieve dilution of the ingredients, alcohol and water are mixed with the rest of the material during the process.
How to wear a perfume properly
There are many dangers if you do not apply the perfume on your body properly. One of the main dangers, is the quantity of the sprayed perfume. In the attempt to smell nicely, you may end up using too much of the perfume, applied to the wrong parts of your body and this might become an unpleasant experience for those that surround you.
The best way to apply a perfume on your body, is to spray it on the warmest parts of your skin. Such parts are those that the bloods tends to flow strong, such as the wrists or the throat. You should apply the minimum portions of perfume on these parts of your body, especially when you wear perfumes with very strong fragrances.
For types of perfumes that have less strong fragrances, such as the cologne or the Eau de Toilette, it is advised that you apply the perfume on your chest, elbows or behind your ears. For perfumes that have significantly weak scents, you could apply them on these parts along with the wrists and the throat.
Except the upper body parts, there are lower body parts that are suitable for applying a perfume. Such parts are the back parts of your knees. Behind your knees like your wrists, the blood flow is very strong and it can boost the scent of your perfume.
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How to spray the perfume on your skin
The strength and the intensity of the perfume play a major role on the way you are going to spray it on your skin. If the scent of the perfume is strong enough, you should consider spraying it from a distances of some inches (7 to 10) so that your skin doesn’t absorb big amounts of the perfume.
If you feel that you got a perfume with a significantly strong scent, spray it on the air and make some steps inside the sprayed are. This way, you will be able to wear some of the perfume, without overloading your skin with massive amounts and making it smell intensively.
You may have seen a lot of people rubbing their wrists with the perfume the moment they wear it. Do not do it. It is a mistake and no one should consider doing this. There is a high probability that you are going to destroy the balanced mix of the perfume by destroying its scent. The chemicals of the perfume are extremely sensitive.
Is it okay to spray perfume on your hair
Spraying perfume on your hair is not recommended and here is why. Because of the alcohol. The alcohol included in the perfume, which is a very important ingredient of the perfume mix along with the essential oils, is going to damage your hair by drying them, especially if you do it very often.
What you could do instead as was mentioned before, is spray the perfume in the air and make some steps into the sprayed are in order to let your skin and hair absorb little portion of the perfume. This way the perfume will sit gently on your strands, instead of being absorbed by them if sprayed from a close distance.
Another great way of applying your perfume on your hair without ruining them, is to spray your brush before you use it, instead of your hair. That way you avoid damaging your hair with alcohol, and you enjoy the benefits of your perfume.
Last but not list, one great option is to use mist. Mists, like the Fekkai Hair Fragrance Mist which is a product that I very often use and highly recommend, have the ability to scent your hair in a strongest way and they additionally provide hydration and protection without damaging them.
Can perfumes expire
To answer this question as fast as possible, yes every perfume expires. This is the hard truth and it is an indication that you should learn how to use your perfumes properly in order to capitalize on the quantity and quality of your perfume.
When the perfume is going to expire depends solely on its scent’s composition, meaning that not every type of scent has the same expiry date. That being said though, it is a common rule that every perfume is going to oxidize and evaporate over a period of time.
In order to understand when a perfume starts going bad, you should pay attention to your perfume and watch if its color has changed, or if its scent smells no more like it used to. These are some very obvious indications that the perfume has gone bad, and that you cannot use it anymore.
The best way to make your fragrance last longer
The easiest and by far the best way to make your perfume last longer and keep its initial scent, is to keep it cool and protect it from heat. Do not put the bottle of your perfume next to the radiator, as it will help the alcohol evaporate and the perfume to go bad.
The second way is a very simple but often overlooked way. You simply have to use your perfume less. You nose, like your eyes or your ears in other occasions, have the ability to become accustomed to the smell that you use the most. So it is natural that your nose will get used to your perfume, and you will think that you have not applied enough. Make sure that you consider that the next time you spray your perfume on your skin.
Where should you store your perfume
Avoid storing your perfume bottles in places that there is a lot of sunlight. Most popular brands place their perfume inside glass bottles, and the light can easily pass through the glass. Make a case of putting your perfumes in darker places, such a cupboard or a drawer or even the wardrobe.
Heat is the enemy of perfumes. Keep your perfume bottles away from the radiator, your appliances or any heat source. The heat is causing the alcohol of the perfume to evaporate, and as a result your perfume will to go bad.
Try to keep away humidity from your perfumes. The ideal environment is that with a stable average home temperature. High or low temperatures will most likely damage the perfume. Although bathrooms tend to be the main places where people store their perfumes, it is a bad idea because of the humidity levels.
The ingredients of the perfume are a very sensitive mix. You should not shake the bottle before applying the perfume on your skin. What you are going to achieve is insert air into the bottle and cause damage to the perfume. Let it be as it is.
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How to travel with your perfume
When you travel, especially with an airplane and you want to bring your perfume with you, it is essential that you prepare for the trip. First thing you need to do is get a travel-size plastic bottle and pour the portion of perfume you are going to need in it.
Trips usually last for a few days, which means that you do not the entire original bottle of your perfume with you. In addition to this, the original perfume bottles are made of glass, and plastic bottles are a lot more safer when travelling as they are harder to break or damage.
In order to protect your perfume, wrap the plastic bottle with toilet or kitchen paper. After that, place the wrapped bottle into a sealed bag for additional protection from leaks. Make sure that you seal the bag carefully, and press the air out.
As a final step, you should consider wrapping the bottle with sealed bag into a piece of cloth. It doesn’t matter which type of cloth, as long as it is fairly soft so that the bottle doesn’t crack.
Are perfumes safe for pregnant women
Yes they are. There is no fear of using perfume while pregnant. One thing you should consider though, is the fact that some scents may be unappealing for your nose due to the hormones. Your nose becomes more sensitive during pregnancy and this is quite normal.
In order to avoid feeling nausea from certain types of perfumes, you are advised to check which scents you can stand and feel good with during pregnancy, and stick with those. Keep away from heavy fragrances for a period of time is a good idea, as it will help you determine whether you are more sensitive or not to certain fragrances.
Can men wear women’s perfumes
Men’s fragrances do not differ a lot from women’s. Mainly, perfumes are marketed to certain types of people for advertisement purposes. Men and women can both wear the same perfume, as the scents were not initially created for a specific type of person.
There is no actual difference between the words cologne and perfume. Cologne does not mean perfume for men, and perfumes are not entirely made for women. While men were hesitant to wear perfumes, marketers had to find a way to market specific perfumes to men. So they made up those meanings and altered the actual meanings of the word cologne and perfume, which were there to indicate the concentration levels of the perfume scents.
In other words, yes men can wear women’s perfumes and the opposite.
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Are perfumes toxic
It is a common truth that some fragrances may contain toxic ingredients. Such ingredients are chemicals, which may or may not cause light headaches or some types of itchiness to the most sensitive groups of people.
Although there should be no fear of using perfume as an everyday luxury, you should carefully read what is included in the perfume you are about to purchase, and think it a lot if you are allergic to any types of chemicals.
Are perfumes bad for the environment
Environmentalists state that certain perfumes and fragrances can be harmful to the environment. This happens because some perfumes contain synthetic fragrances that evaporate to the air. This can easily cause environmental issues.
Such chemicals used when creating perfumes are the petrochemicals. The chemicals come from fossil fuels, which when extracted can be harmful to the environment. Contamination of water and air are two of the main reason fragrances are considered to be bad for the environments, and environmentalists advise that we make very careful use of our perfumes.
Conclusion
To sum up, perfumes are an essential accessory of our everyday beauty process. They are considered a luxury item, and they are used both by men and women daily. They come in many variety and types of fragrances and scents, such as floral, woody or spicy and they have different levels of concentration that determine their longevity.
In order to find out which perfume is best for you, you have to do your own research, test a number of perfumes and trust your nose. Choose the one that you enjoy the most and wear it proudly!
