How much do you know about perfume? It smells great, yes and honestly, who doesn’t love smelling fabulous? However, there is more to know about perfume than just its smell. Below, we have listed 5 things no one ever tells you about perfume, that you might not be aware of. Some might arouse your curiosity, others might help you make the right perfume choice.
Perfume experience (Photo: Pexels)
# 1 Perfume changes throughout the day – why?
“Different notes in perfume evaporate at different speeds, that’s why the scent changes.”
Have you ever noticed your perfume doesn’t always smell the same? The scents you perceive immediately after application are often quite different from those after wearing the perfume for a longer period, when the scent has already unfolded. This is due to the Top, Heart and Base notes in a perfume, which you can’t smell all at once. The different compounds used to devise the notes have different levels of volatility and evaporate at different speeds. As this happens, the fragrance reveals its different scent notes to its wearer.
# 2 Why does perfume smell different on different people?
“The smell is linked to your genetics, skin PH and lifestyle, that’s why no perfume smells the same on two people.”
Every person lives a different lifestyle, has different genetics and a different skin PH. This can have implications on how your perfume smells on your skin in comparison to someone else’s. If you notice that your perfume smells different than it used to, it does not automatically mean that the perfume has gone off or that the formula of the perfume has changed – it can mean that you might have changed your nutrition or your way of living, which can be expressed through different fragrance scent.
# 3 Does perfume have an expiry date?
“Yes, perfumes also do age, so as you. As the air gets into the bottle bit by bit, the fragrance oxidizes.”
Unfortunately, once a bottle of perfume has been opened, yes, it will eventually expire. »Spraying a perfume allows air into the bottle which over time, oxidizes the fragrance,« says Clement Gavarry, a senior perfumer, who has worked on creating many famous scents for brands such as Giorgio Armani, Calvin Klein, Tom Ford and Chloé. This is why it is recommended to use your perfume within 3–5 years. Commonly, perfumes with heavier (oriental) base notes last the longest.
Perfume and jewelry- match made in heaven? (Photo: Pexels)
# 4 Is applying perfume on jewelry bad?
“Jewelry and perfumes aren’t match made in heaven, as metal can change the smell of the perfume or the perfume can damage the jewelry.”
If you wear jewelry on your wrists or around your neck, don’t apply perfume there or apply perfume first and wait for it to evaporate a bit. The reason why, is metal can change how perfume smells and in addition, some jewelry can be damaged by perfumes. So the next time you are putting on your favorite jewelry, remember the golden rule: »Last on, first off;« your jewels should the last thing you put on before leaving the house, and the first thing you take off before beginning your nighttime beauty routine.
#5 Where to apply perfume?
“As Coco Chanel said- Apply perfume where you want to be kissed. ;)”
Coco Chanel once said that a woman should apply perfume in areas where she would like to be kissed. While this is most likely true, consider the following guidelines as well. Perfume is activated by body heat, this is why you should apply perfume on your skin at the main pulse points. The main pulse points are locations on your body where the blood vessels are closest to the skin: the inside of your wrist, behind the ear, on the neck, your elbows and behind your knees. However, do not rub your wrists together as this will alter the molecules of the perfume and will result in the fragrance smelling different.
