How to Apply Fragrance
How to Apply Fragrance
An interview with Sophia Grojsman. Grojsman, a perfumer, has created scents for Yves Saint Laurent and Estee Lauder.
Excerpts from a fragrance editorial, How to Apply Fragrance, in Allure Magazine Insider's Guide, September 2012 issue.
Perfume Application
Start the Day Right
In the morning, I spritz behind my knees, on my wrists, and a little on my skirt. As the perfume evaporates, it rises up, so you smell it all day.
Spray it High
When you put on an evening fragrance -- anything that makes you feel more sensual -- spray it behind your ears and around your neck so that it envelops you right away.
Let it Develop
Hold the bottle five to 7 inches away from your body and spray each area once. The fragrance should mist onto your skin -- if the area feels wet, the bottle is too close. Within a few minutes, the alcohol solution develops and releases the top notes. At that point, if the scent isn't strong enough, spritz again.
Be Decadent
If you can afford to go through perfume quickly, then apply it the way Mrs. Estee Lauder did: She would spritz an area in front of her body, then walk through the mist so it settled lightly on her skin and clothing.
Perfume Tip - Make It Last!
Moisterized skin holds scent better, so slather on unscented body lotion before you spritz.
Tips for Buying Perfume
- Hit the counter at midday, when your sense of smell is sharpest. Be sure not to wear fragrance or heavy scented skin-care products.
- Spritz a few contenders on paper blotters to narrow down your choices. Clear your head by taking a whiff of coffee beans (often at the counter).
- Test the top three choices spraying one on each wrist and the third on the crook of your arm to see how they react with your body chemisty. Allow 15 minutes for the scents to develop before you buy one.
Storing Your Scents
Once opened, a scent can stay fresh from one to eight years. Here's how to keep yours strong and true.
- Your bathroom is the worst place to keep your perfume.
Temperature and humidity shifts can alter a fragrance, making it sharper or even unpleasant. - The best place to stash perfume is in a dark spot.
Try the refrigerator. It really does lengthen the life of perfumer -- by at least 50 percent. Just keep scents away from foods that easily absorb odors, such as butter. - If the refrigerator is out of the question.
At least store perfume in the bedroom, away from direct sunlight and strong lamps.
(Grojsman, Sophia. "Body: How to Apply Fragrance." Allure Insider's Guide Sept. 2012: 110)
