You smell great!
Everything you need to know about fragrance and finding the perfect perfume...

The science of scent
Perfume is made up of odoriferous materials of a synthetic and/or natural origin. The oil of these materials is extracted and combined with alcohol to make fragrances. Traditional perfume-making techniques, involving the extraction of essential oils from plants, are saved for only the finest of fragrances.

Fragrance 101
Perfume, eau de parfum, eau de toilette/cologne are all alcoholic solutions of fragrance oils. They differ in the percentage of oil contained. Here's a quick guide:

• Perfume - Also called parfum, this is the most potent and the most expensive product in the perfume family. It has the highest concentration of oil. It seems expensive, but you don't require as much for the scent to linger.
• Eau de Parfum - A very close second to perfume.
• Eau de Toilette/Cologne - They are weaker solutions of fragrance oil, but are popular because of convenient spray bottles. Even though the bottle may be bigger, the oil is less concentrated.

Suggestive powers
The part of our brain that controls smell is very close to dealing with strong emotions and memories. Have you ever noticed how a smell can suddenly bring back vivid flashes of past events and emotions? By the same token, it's easy to get sentimental when a loved one changes their signature scent. We choose scents that personify those characteristics we most want to embody ourselves - our fragrance becomes a part of us.

Finding your signature scent
Here are some helpful hints when shopping for fragrance...

• Always try before you buy. You don't want to spend money on something you might have an allergic reaction to!
• Sniff the scent on your skin. It will smell different on a tester than it will mixed with your body chemistry. Be sure to give the scent a few minutes to develop - the heat of your body will affect how it smells on you.
• Let your honey smell it. You don't want to end up with something that he doesn't like (or reminds him of an ex!).

Wear it well

• For real staying power, layer your fragrance. Combining a bath wash, moisturizer and perfume will ensure you smell sweet for the duration.
• Apply the scent to pulse points such as wrists, behind ears, cleavage, and behind your knees. These spots generate a lot of heat and will release the scent over time.
• Put your fragrance on before you get dressed to avoid staining.
• Don't overdo it. Your scent should be noticed only by people who get very close to you - not something that announces you arrival!

Fun fragrance facts

• The alcohol in perfume makes the fragrance emanate from your skin. Without it, you would be the only person who knew you were wearing any fragrance at all.
• Musk comes from the male musk deer found in the central Asian uplands of Tibet.
• Fragrance has three 'notes': the top note, which you recognize first, the middle note and the base note, which lingers the longest on your skin.
• A bottle of Chanel No.5 is sold every 30 seconds!!