The Importance of Wearing Perfume

The Right Perfume and a Nose for Success

Have you ever felt nervous before an interview, a meeting, or even something as simple as going grocery shopping when you realize you forgot to wear perfume?

 

No, it’s not just you… It’s your mind’s way of reacting to that realization and that alone shows the importance of perfume in your daily life and dress code.

Be it a wedding, a meeting, an interview, a date, a party, or even daily events like shopping, and irrespective of dress code, the perfume you wear plays a major role in portraying a vivid picture of your character.

 

But surely a simple fragrance couldn’t possibly represent something as complex as a person’s character?

Oh but it can.

In my blog, I will explain,

1. The importance of wearing perfume
2. How to select the perfume which suits you best
3. Common mistakes made when selecting perfumes

So feel free to read on if you’re interested in how to impress the world with your fragrance and gain a nose for success.

Why perfume? : The Importance of Wearing Perfume

If you have decided to join me in gaining a nose for success, allow me to indulge you with a phrase from the 2006 movie, Perfume: The Story of a Murderer.

Odors have a power of persuasion stronger than that of words, appearances, emotions, or will. The persuasive power of an odor cannot be fended off, it enters into us like breath into our lungs, it fills us up, imbues us totally. There is no remedy for it.

― Patrick Süskind, Perfume: The Story of a Murderer

 

The simple implication of the above quote can be shortened as thus, also from the same movie,

He who ruled scent ruled the hearts of men

 

Although a tad bit dramatic (obviously, it is a movie after all), the saying is not entirely untrue.

As I mentioned earlier, the perfume you wear plays a major role in your daily attire. Let’s take a look at why.

More than your visual appearance, your fragrance tends to precede in adding further context and depth to your attire and appearance and at the same time, becoming an invitation for other people to indulge their senses in your style.

As stated earlier, “the persuasive power of an odor cannot be fended off”. The important fact is to use this to your advantage rather than the opposite.

 

• The most obvious fact when considering the importance of wearing perfume is the The main purpose of the perfume is to keep unpleasant body odors at bay and make sure you smell fresh throughout the day.

 

• The next fact is, perfume boosts confidence. Not by being a mythical magic potion, but rather by reassuring your mind that you have nothing to worry about when it comes to the body odor department. A scent that suits you can work wonders on your personality, boosting your morale, and like a perfect partner, bring out the best in you in all occasions.

 

• Perfume also enhances mood. Although it sounds similar to the above, it’s not. Your mood is what you feel at a certain moment, or what you want to feel like at a certain event or occasion. The type of perfume you wear will help in expressing that mood to others. Whether you feel playful, mischievous or even reserved, different perfumes can reflect different moods. Just make sure you wear one that suits the occasion so that you can get in the mood needed for the occasion.

• Your perfume makes you attractive. The sense of smell is one of the most important of the five senses. Your fragrance will be the first impression of you as you enter a place, and the lasting impression when you leave. Perfumes have a vast amount of pheromones and can make you attractive to people, ensuring the above mentioned first impression and lasting impression be a pleasant and memorable one.

 

• Perfume plays a major role in triggering memories. Ever felt the scent of a pizza and suddenly remember your favorite choice of pizza and where you bought it from? People are like that too. Perfume triggers memories of people in the mind, which can be a powerful advantage. Your unique signature perfume is your reputation. The uniqueness of the perfume you use will distinguish and trigger memories of you in other people… simply put, it can direct their mind’s attention to you, which can definitely aid in climbing the ladder of success.

• Another more psychology oriented importance of wearing perfume is aromatherapy. Perfume types such as floral, citrus fruit, and winter spice help calm the mind and soothe your body, ensuring your stress levels are in control. And the essential oils contained in perfumes have therapeutic effects which can help you relax and sleep better at night, thus helping avert insomnia.

 

 

How to Select the Perfume Which Suits You Best?

Each and every person on this planet is unique in their own way. So are their personalities, attributes and attitudes. And so is their body chemistry.

No two people have the exact same body chemistry. And because of this, the way each and every perfume reacts when sprayed on your body, and how well it synergizes with your body chemistry is entirely different than with another person.

Selecting a perfume that goes hand in hand with your body chemistry and your personality and mood is vital when aiming for a special and unique aroma impression.

Although it may seem like a complicated process, you are only a few simple steps away from selecting the perfume that compliments your personality best.

1. Choosing a price range. Perfume is a luxury item and prices of products can vary widely. Decide which price range is most comfortable with you.
2. Choosing a concentration. Perfumes have different names which depend on their lasting power. Choose a perfume concentration depending on your lifestyle and how long you will need it to last.

 

Eau de cologne – Lowest fragrance concentration. Contains about 3-5% oil in a mixture of water and alcohol. Lasts about 2 hours.

 

Eau de toilette – Slightly more concentrated. Contains about 4-8% oil. Lasts about 3-4 hours.

 

Eau de parfum – Higher oil concentration compared to the earlier two. Contains about 15-18% oil mixed with alcohol. Lasts around 6 hours.

 

Parfum/Perfume – Highest oil concentration. Contains about 15-30% oil mixed with alcohol. Has a greater staying power and can last all day.

3. Testing the perfume. Many perfume stores have blotter sheets to test perfume. These can be used to get an initial impression of the fragrance.

Although, since ultimately you’ll be using the perfume on your skin, the only way to get an idea of how well it synergizes with your skin chemistry is by testing it on your skin.

Spray a small amount on your wrist and wait around 30 seconds for the alcohol to dissolve and then gently inhale.

The most crucial factor in finding the perfect perfume for you is your initial instinctual reaction to the fragrance. Whether you immediately love the fragrance or not will play a crucial role in selecting your perfect perfume.

 

A perfume has 3 distinct notes. The top, middle and base notes.

The base note of a perfume is the strongest and lasts the longest. The middle note is next and the top note lasts the shortest and evaporates fast.

The idea is to find a perfume with a base note that smells great on you and a top and middle note that you wouldn’t mind wearing.

 

The next factor is body chemistry. The body temperature affects the aforementioned notes, and each person has a unique skin chemistry. This is very important because it’s the combination between the chemicals that your body produces and the perfume you choose that will determine whether the specific fragrance will suit you.

 

Simply put, a perfume that might smell great on you might smell horrible on someone else.

 

Once you have selected a perfume after testing as above, if you’re still not sure about buying it, ask for a free sample. Most major perfume brands and online perfume stores are happy to provide samples if they know that the customer is seriously interested.

 

4. After you have tested several perfumes and gathered samples or blotting sheets, compare them side by side. Narrow down your options while comparing until you make your final decision!

 

Common Mistakes Made When Selecting Perfumes

 

Now that we’ve taken a look at how to select your signature perfume, it’s time to see the mistakes done when selecting perfumes, so that you can avoid them and make your selection process a much more pleasant one.

 

1. Smelling immediately after spraying. When trying on a new perfume, wait around 30 seconds before smelling, so that its alcohol content has time to evaporate.

 

2. Smelling too many scents without taking a break. Testing more than three different perfumes in succession is not recommended. Try smelling a different scent in between spritzes, as it can absorb and neutralize smells. You can smell some coffee beans to ‘reset’ your sense of smell, or, if you don’t have anything near, even your shirt would do. Another trick is to drink water between spritzes to clean the palette.

 

3. Wearing scents when selecting perfumes. When you’re selecting perfume, it’s better not to wear any scented skin products like body lotion, body sprays, or even deodorants with a strong scent as they can interfere with the scent of the perfume and distract you from it.

 

4. Testing too many perfumes. Nothing should be overdone. And this applies to testing perfumes as well. Limit yourself to six fragrances a trip at most. This will allow you to completely appreciate the complexity of each fragrance, and won’t overload your sense of smell.

 

5. Testing only on blotter sheets. Your signature scent will be the result of a combination between the perfume and your body chemicals. So testing the perfume on a blotter sheet will not serve the purpose of making a final decision about which perfume you want to buy.

 

 

6. Rubbing your wrists together. This is a mistake that should be avoided when testing perfumes on your wrist as well as when wearing it after purchase. Rubbing the wrists together will actually crush the scent. It will break the molecular bond between the top notes and make the scent weaker.

 

7. Thinking your friend’s perfume will work on you too. As I mentioned earlier, body chemistry plays a major role in how a fragrance smells on you. Your body chemistry is entirely different than your friend’s and how the same perfume reacts to each person is entirely different. So what might work wonders on your friend might be a fragrance disaster on you. So the only way to properly test a fragrance is to try it on your own body.

 

8. Being prejudiced. Just because you might not like a certain note in one fragrance does not always mean you will dislike it in all perfumes. A perfume can have anywhere from 10-200 ingredients and the balance is very delicate in each fragrance. So don’t discount certain fragrance notes based on prejudiced ideas.

 

9. Not trying anything new. Always try to keep an open mind. Select a fragrance that expresses your individual style and also fits your lifestyle or occasion, rather than resorting to one perfume for a lifetime!

Conclusion

The perfume you wear is the final touch in your overall demeanor. You put effort into your body, hair, clothes, makeup, and your signature scent is able to top it all off, wrapping the entire package together.

Your signature scent is a statement to the world that you know who you are and it presents your individuality to the world.

Using the correct methods and avoiding mistakes when selecting your signature fragrance will result in a better statement overall.

The self-awareness and confidence gained by looking and smelling good will work wonders on your personality, enabling you to become a better version of yourself overall and unlock more opportunities of success, whether it be at work, leisure or even day to day life.