Tips on Buying Perfumes

When buying perfume always try a sample. Wear it for about 10 minutes before deciding if you like it. This allows the alcohol to evaporate and the oils in perfumes to interact with the oil on the skin and will be a little different for everyone.

Try samples in the late afternoon. The power of smell is stronger during that time of day.

When starting a new perfume always use it on only one small area of skin. If there is an allergy to any of the ingredients it's the safest way to discover it. After an hour, if there is no reaction, the perfume is safe to wear.

When wearing perfume put it on the pulse points. The inner wrists, behind the knee, and below the jawline near the ears. The pulse sends out the scent.

Perfume will keep fresher longer if you store it in a cool, dark place since sunlight and heat interact with the oils in the perfume.

When testing or wearing perfume don't rub the wrists together. It lessens the effect of the perfume.

Don't apply perfume to clothing or jewelry. It can cause stains and even damage jewelry.

Don't wear one perfume all year all. Temperatures affect the scent. Cold temperatures reduce the intensity of the perfume so wear stronger scents in the winter.

While choosing a perfume, one should consider the climate and season. What goes best in the winter may not be even good enough in the summer. Hence, it is extremely important to choose the perfume that does justice to the climate and to your skin.

In the summer wear lighter scents. But be warned, bees can be lured to the perfume mistaking it for flowers.

Moreover, perfumes should be selected as per the occasions and festivals too. For instance, a particular perfume may be just perfect for a birthday party you are attending, but when it comes to a boardroom meeting you have choose a different one.

The concentration by percent/volume of perfume oil is as follows:

• Perfume extract: 20%-40% aromatic compounds

• Eau de parfum: 10-30% aromatic compounds

• Eau de toilette: 5-20% aromatic compounds

• Eau de cologne: 2-5% aromatic compounds

As the percentage of aromatic compounds decreases, so does the intensity and longevity of the scent created. Different perfumeries or perfume houses assign different amounts of oils to each of their perfumes. Therefore, although the oil concentration of a perfume in eau de parfum (EDP) dilution will necessarily be higher than the same perfume in eau de toilette (EDT) form within the same range, the actual amounts can vary between perfume houses. An EDT from one house may be stronger than an EDP from another.