Perfume Etiquette
Perfume can be of the most playful and intoxicating aspects of your beauty routine, as scent unleashes sensual memories and can define your signature sense of style.
If you wear perfume, you walk the fine line all the time — between overdoing it and underdoing it. The goal is to wear enough fragrance to feel good and make the right impression. But how do you prevent yourself from smelling like you just bought the fragrance floor of a department store? Experts say it’s a combination of using common sense, knowing your body chemistry and adhering to the rules in fragrance-free zones.
You might wonder who needs an etiquette guide to wearing perfume?! To give some context to this advice – as harmless as spraying on a bit of scent may seem, wearing perfume at work is actually banned in some workplaces. Why? It’s not just because some sensitive-nosed colleagues may object to your sweet smell. There are people who genuinely suffer from serious reactions when exposed to aerosols and perfume. And others who find over-use antisocial and distracting. Oversensitivity to smells is something very personal. Just as one is more likely to suffer from sound or light, fragrances are also stimuli that can literally work on the nerves. Some people have a very keen sense of smell, while others hardly notice that they forgot to put the garbage outside.
But even without having problems, bear in mind that not everybody will share your taste in perfume. So tone it down and wear perfume in a more intimate way, so that only people who come really close to you can enjoy your scent.
Here’s a quick guide to considerate perfume etiquette:
1. Less is more
We’re used to the concept of ‘less is more’, and never was this more appropriate than with the wearing of perfume. Whether you’re partial to a warm, floral scent, or prefer a fresher, zestier aroma, try to avoid showering in it. A light spritz of perfume on your neck and wrists (most effective on the pulse points) is more than enough.
The point of perfume is to leave a delicate scent as you pass someone by, not to overpower others across the other side of the room.
2. Don’t re-apply it
Just because you can’t smell your perfume by lunch time doesn’t mean others still can’t. Over time we’re unable to smell our own scent – however much we have applied.
So while you may think your perfume has worn off, resist the temptation to re-apply it. By applying more, you’ll just make the smell more overpowering, ruining the subtle scent you had.
3. Be aware if you’re wearing too much
This is a tricky one. We’ve already established that you can’t usually smell yourself – so how do you know if you’re wearing too much? Well if you can smell yourself several hours after applying your scent, it’s a good sign you’re wearing too much.
If you suspect you may need to tone down your perfume use, ask someone you trust, and reassure them you won’t be offended by the truth. And if they are honest with you, thank them.
Wear perfume with confidence
Find a smell that no one else is wearing and use it as your hallmark to set yourself apart.
The right perfume might help you feel more confident or re-energize your senses.
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