Women's Perfumes

Make the Scent of your Perfume Last Longer

Elle — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 01:23:43 +0000

You put your perfume on in the morning, but by lunchtime the scent is gone. So how can you make your perfume last longer? Or even all day?

First of all, you need to understand that how long your fragrance lasts on your skin depends much on your own physical makeup. For many people, perfume or eau de parfum lasts for approximately six to eight hours, but eau de toilette will generally only last for about half that time. However, depending on the concentration of eau de toilette—the higher the better—it should last on your skin a bit longer. But what if you weren’t blessed with normal skin and have skin that is either dry or oily? Well, that is going to impact how long your perfume will last. For those of you with dry skin, you can expect to lose your scent faster than someone with oily or combination skin. Since those of us with oily skin have a higher degree of moisture, we retain the fragrance longer. On top of that, everyone has a different PH balance to their skin. That is to say that the natural levels of acidity in the skin varies person to person. Other factors, such as anything that brings about a hormonal shift in your body, stress, medication and even the food you eat can have an impact on how long many hours you can expect your perfume to last throughout the day.

One of the best ways to keep your scent all day is to layer it on with different products. What I mean by that is that if your fragrance also has a lotion or soap that comes with it, use those as well. The soap in your morning shower, the body lotion then the perfume. If your favourite perfume doesn’t have a complimentary line on products, make sure you use unscented soaps and lotions. If you don’t, those scents will be at war with your perfume. And of course, make sure you dab or spritz your perfume on your pulse points.

Applying your perfume when your skin is still slightly moist from your shower is also beneficial. This is because your pores are still open—assuming you took a warm or hot shower and not a cold one!—and this allows the scent to absorb into the skin easier. One of the best ways of doing this is to spray your perfume into the air and while still naked and slightly moist, walk through the falling particles. You’ll find your perfume lasts much longer when you do this.

Another trick for those of you with dry skin is to smooth a little petroleum jelly onto your pulse points before applying your perfume. The perfume will cling to that fine layer of jelly instead of completely dissipating on your dry skin.

Do you use your finger tips to apply your fragrance? Don’t! It will last longer if you use a cotton ball, or bet yet, use an atomizer. And when spraying, hold the bottle about twenty centimeters (eight inches) away from your body, applying an even amount over the area surrounding your pulse points.

How to Preserve Your Perfume

Elle — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 22:15:42 +0000

After spending a bundle on your perfume you expect it to last a long time. However, there are several different reasons why a perfume will not last long after you purchase it, but the main reasons why is due to heat, light, oxygen or ingredients.

Heat can harm the perfume’s preservation, not to mention it can be flammable. It is a great idea to store them away from heat, such as a heater, heating vent, etc. Heat can dissolve the natural ingredients and the chemical used to preserve it may be ruined.

Direct light is also dangerous to your perfume. If the perfume is left in the light for too long, it can cause it to become discolored and the scent will become weakened.

Oxygen can develop inside the bottle as you use it. When the space that once stored your perfume fills up with oxygen, that oxygen can cause the perfumes scent to become altered as well as the color.

There are several ways to preserve your perfume. Perfume should last for up to one year on a full bottle. As you use it, the quicker it will expire.

Buy perfumes that come in aluminum containers or use the original packaging to keep the bottles stored in. Glass bottles are beautiful but they can ruin the perfume quickly. You can’t control the oxygen that gets into the bottles.

Buy perfumes that come in a spray like aerosol. The spray bottles hold the scent longer and prevent dust and other particles from getting to the perfume.

Popular Perfumes

Elle — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 21:51:02 +0000

A few years back one of the big fashion magazines pointed out that the most popular perfumes varied by country. The results of their findings were interesting.

The three countries they provided information on were the United States, France and China. They listed the top five most popular perfumes of each country. Only one perfume made it into the top five of each country, and one was a top five contender in two countries. There the similarities ended.

What’s also interesting is the perfume that made it into all three lists has been around for decades! It was released in 1921.

What is it?

No surprise here. Chanel No 5, released in 1921, is the only perfume to make it into the top five popular perfumes for the United States, France and China. It ranked number 2 in the States and number one in both France and China. The other perfume that made it into the top five of two counties is Christian Dior’s J’Adore. It ranked number three in France and number two in China. This perfume was released in 1999.

So, that leaves the perfume that was ranked as the number one most popular perfume in the United States. What was it? Another perfume that has stood the test of time. Beautiful, by Estee Lauder, was released in 1985, and was the perfume that outsold all others in the United States a few years back.

So, does the fact that a perfume has been around for a long time, perhaps even longer than you have been alive, lessen its appeal? Obviously not! According to this data, the buying public has stated quite plainly that they prefer the tried and true.

If you haven’t tried one of these popular perfumes yourself, why not give one of them a try?

Buying Perfumes Online

Elle — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 16:15:09 +0000

Is buying your perfumes online a good idea? After all, common wisdom is that you should always test a perfume on your skin before purchasing it. If that’s the case, why are there so many online perfume retailers?

First, let’s address why you should always do a skin test for a perfume you’ve never worn before. If you think that all you have to do to determine the correct scent of a perfume or cologne is to pull the stopper and sniff the top of the bottle, you are dead wrong. Because as soon as that fragrance leaves the bottle and lands on your skin, the scent changes entirely. And knowing you like the way it smells when your friends wear it won’t do you any good either.

Why? The chemical makeup of the perfume changes as soon as it connects with your skin and continues to change as it absorbs. And since every person on this planet has their own unique chemical makeup, that scent will change with every person that wears it. And in some cases, there will be a terrible chemical reaction. Oh, it won’t harm your skin in any way, but it just might harm your nose, because it could stink on you, but smell absolutely incredible on the next person. So, never purchase a perfume without testing it first.

Of course, there is no way of doing this when buying perfumes online. But don’t despair. If you have a perfume that you already wear, do yourself a favor and buy it online the next time around. Chances are you can save yourself a bundle. And when you are in department stores or any other places that sell perfumes and colognes, do some testing at the counter. Find out what works with your skin. However, don’t buy it while you’re there at the counter. Well, you can if you want to, but you’ll pay for the privilege. Instead, head home and buy your perfume online. You could save yourself anywhere from thirty to seventy percent, and in many cases you can also get free shipping.

So, while there may be some drawbacks to buying your perfumes online, it’s easy to get around them.

Pheromone Perfume – What’s That all About?

Elle — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:41:00 +0000

Pheromones are defined as “a naturally occurring chemical compound found in all insects, animals and humans.” There are different types of pheromones including alarm pheromones, sex pheromones, food trail pheromones and a host of others. When secreted from the body pheromones have a hand in attracting the opposite sex as well as in dictating to an extent, sexual behavior. It is sex pheromones that are most often discussed.

The word “pheromone” comes from the Greek word “pheran” which means to transfer and “horman” which means to excite. Pheromones are a very primitive form of communication in the animal world as they perform many functions such as allowing animals to recognize mates, signal sexual interest, mark territory, etc.

Pheromones are natural scents that both human beings and animals release in their saliva, perspiration and tears. The scent from these chemicals sends signals to the opposite sex about health, mood, status and sexual drive. However no one can actually smell these chemicals but instead they are detected on a subliminal level through our VNO system (or vomeronasal organ). The VNO system is made up of a small invisible receptor buried deep in the nose cavity which is able to distinguish pheromones and then send the signal to the part of the brain known as the hypothalamus. The VNO was first discovered in 1703 by F. Ruysch. Pheromones are also detected by something called the Jacobson’s organ which is located between the nose and the mouth. Generally speaking the more sex chemicals an individual secretes, the more sought after by the opposite sex they become.

Research done after 1986, found that pheromones do have a place in human sexual behavior and can be found in the highest quantities in sweat. However by showering and using many toiletry products, the action of these naturally occurring chemicals in the body is dulled. In men the chemical in human pheromones contains Androstenol and in women it is Andtrostenol.

Since we detect pheromones on a subconscious level only, fragrance makers have begun to reproduce human pheromones and incorporate them into fragrances. The fragrances that include human pheromones as an important ingredient work on most people who apply them to their skin but in varying degrees. It all depends on the receiver’s sensitivity to his/her vomeronasal organ. Just like non-pheromone fragrances, one or two drops are best applied at the sides of the neck and/or to the inner wrists. Once applied to skin, human pheromones usually last about four to six hours or thereabouts. One bottle of human pheromones could effectively last, if used regularly, for four to six weeks. Pheromones do not need to be reapplied as often as other fragrances to work properly. Manufacturers of these fragrances charge varying prices for their products.

Fragrance companies are busy both focusing on the whole mystery surrounding human pheromones as well as funding research to determine whether or not it has an affect on mating rituals, sexual attraction and sexual arousal. It is well documented that animals emit pheromones that directly result in sexual behavior while research on human beings is ongoing. To use an example from the animal kingdom, a male pig secretes from his saliva a pheromone known as androstenone. When he does this a female pig picks up on the aroma, becomes sexually aroused and the mating ritual begins to take shape.

Due to the research on human pheromones, many people have come to conclude that the sexiest part of us, males and females alike, is our noses and that we all have a unique “special sexy scent” that is unlike anyone else’s. Just as our pheromones can cause us to be attracted to another person they can also cause us to be turned off by someone else. Our body chemistry is intimately tied in with our sexual yearnings.

One of the most well known pheromone enhanced scents is called “Realm” and is manufactured by the Erox Corporation. Anatomist David L. Berliner created the scent in 1989 when he discovered that the addition of human pheromones to scents helped boost the self-confidence levels of men and also gave them a better sense of well being in relation to their interactions with women. More scents with human pheromones are now available on the market and the research into whether pheromones play a role in getting men and women together, and keeping them attracted to one another, are advancing all of the time.

Chanel Perfume – Always Elegant, Always Classy

Elle — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 18:32:37 +0000

Assuming you live in a first world country, and haven’t been living under a rock, you’re familiar with at least one Chanel Perfume, either by name or by scent. Chanel can boast about having one of the most distinguished names in the perfume industry. With their familiar and distinctive logo, Chanel perfumes are a hallmark of quality and are rightly listed amongst the most highly regarded designer perfumes.

Coco Chanel – the company founder – had a vision. She wanted women to be able to wear a fragrance that gave them a sense of independence and the feeling that they belonged to an important part of their culture. Did she succeed? Look at the number of women who would not be without one of Chanel’s scents and you’ll find the answer. There is no doubt that her perfumes are an archetype that other perfume makers try to emulate.

Today, Chanel perfumes are a favourite among many celebrities and media personalities, and this only adds to the glamour surrounding the Chanel name. Take for example, Chanel No. 5, the most famous Chanel perfume. Advertising, and a desire to be like celebrities, has moved millions of women to buy a bottle, thereby contributing to the success of the brand even more. With a history of more than a hundred years behind it, and scents that millions of women today want to wear, it’s no mistake that perfume retailers stock their shelves with a good selection of Chanel fragrances.

Let’s talk about some of these fragrances in detail.

Chanel No. 5.

The first, and for good reason, as this is the most popular Chanel Perfume. This insanely successful perfume is said to sell a bottle once in every thirty seconds! It’s contains ylang-ylang and neroli, as well as notes of jasmine and rose.

Chanel Gardenia Perfume

The original formulation of this perfume was created in 1925 by Ernest Beaux, and was a stunning illustration of his ability in composing floral fragrances. In the 1980’s Gardenia was reformulated, working with Bois des Iles and Cuir de Russie, and is distinctly different from its original. And don’t be fooled by the name, because the chief note of this perfume is not Gardenia. The scent is actually dominated by sweet tuberose, arranged with orange blossom and jasmine.

Wishing you had your own bottle of a famous Chanel perfume, but afraid of the possible cost? Yes, Chanel is quite expensive, but as with any other designer perfume, you can find them at discounted prices. There are several places online that sell perfume at reduced prices, but be aware that prices may vary and some places may run seasonal campaigns. So do your due diligence and check them all out before making your purchase.

How to Find Cheap Designer Perfume

Elle — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 22:14:55 +0000

Let’s face it. All of the trendy, celebrity and designer perfumes are expensive. If you want to adorn your dressing table with an array of chic perfume bottles, you’re in danger of breaking your bank or choking your credit card account. Most of these perfumes and colognes are priced in an area of hundreds of dollars an ounce, and then if you add the additional products in the lineup, you are looking at a fortune. But don’t despair! You can stay within your budget. I’m going to tell you how to find cheap designer perfume.

So, where should you look? First of all, you can check your local department stores, since they often have sales throughout the year. If they aren’t running any sales currently, move on. Otherwise you are going to end up paying the suggested retail price, and in my opinion, that’s often overpriced. So, leave the cosmetics counters in your mall’s department stores behind and head for a perfume outlet.

You may not have to travel far for a perfume outlet, as many malls now have them., but if that’s not the case in your area, check you phone book, or online, and find an outlet that isn’t too far away. It will be worth the time and effort, and you’ll be satisfied when you realize just how much money you can save. You’ll find designer perfumes reduced in price – sometimes quite significantly – in the majority of outlets. Expect to find prices marked down anywhere from thirty to seventy percent off. You may not find all the ancillary items that are part of the line, but since you’re likely looking for the perfume and not all the accompanying lotions and notions, that should be okay.

A few things to be careful of when outlet shopping. Make sure you are not purchasing a knockoff. You want to spend your money on the real deal. Even though a knockoff might smell just like your favourite designer perfume, it likely has a higher alcohol content, and more importantly, the scent will expire almost immediately.

Another option for finding cheap designer perfume is to check discount stores that sell seconds and/or last years fashions. In the USA, such stores would be Ross, Marshalls and TJ Maxx. In Canada, you can try Winners. You should be able to find a variety of perfumes and colognes at any of these establishments. And again, another thing to be careful of when shopping at these types of places. Since the bottle won’t be locked up behind a counter, make sure the perfume bottle you buy isn’t only half full! You want to go home with a full bottle of your new favourite scent.

The best place to find cheap perfume is on auction sites such as eBay. Chances are you won’t find a better price elsewhere. A good time to check would be after the holidays, when people are starting to regift.

In conclusion, you should never have to pay full price for a designer perfume. If you know where to look, you can always find the best brands at a reasonable price.

How to Apply Perfume

Elle — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 17:47:26 +0000

There is a science to applying women’s perfumes. It’s simple yet effective and will increase the staying power of your fragrance of choice.

So, let’s begin. Your major pulse points are between your breasts, around your ankles, the sides of your neck, the base of your throat and behind your knees. These are the spots to which you should apply your perfume. However, there is something you should keep in mind. If you wear a watch around your wrist, or some sort of pendent or chocker that rests in one of these places, the perfume could have a chemical reaction with the leather or metal and dull or damage the material.

Your skin type also comes into play here. If you have dry skin you’ll need to reapply your perfume more often, but for those of you with oily or combination skin, this isn’t necessary as oily skin retains the scent longer.

Now, before you get to the point of reapplying, you need to know how much to apply in the first place. The rule of thumb is that less is more. A light spritz on a pulse point is really all that’s needed. And this is especially true if you’re attending any kind of crowded event, where every man and woman in the room may be wearing some kind of scent. Too many fragrances trying to overpower each other in the same room isn’t what anyone is after.

Here’s a little known tip that’s perfect for the social event scenario mentioned above. Spray the outside of your hand instead of your wrist. This allows the scent to defuse outwardly instead of inward, creating an airy and subtle release of your fragrance. Another way of achieving this effect is to spray your perfume into the air and then walk through the scent as the particles fall around you, adhering to you. This way of applying your perfume is subtle, yet extremely effective. And you don’t need to worry about damaging the fabric of your clothes when you do this as they will not be affected in any adverse manner.

And there’s another reason why less is more, unfortunately it’s one we would rather not think of. As we age, our sense of smell is not as sharp as it once used to be, and this dulling effect means we might not be able to gauge whether we are wearing too much, instead of just enough of our favourite perfume. We might end up assuming that since we can’t smell our cologne on our own skin, that no one else can. Never assume that!

Women’s Perfumes – How to Choose Perfume

Elle — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 23:01:49 +0000

Call it what you want—eau de toilette, cologne, perfume, parfum, scent or fragrance—there are over 20,000 women’s perfumes. That’s pretty intimidating!

So, how do you go about choosing a perfume, or your signature fragrance? Well, your first step is to decide on what kind of mood you’re looking to create. Remember, scents are inexplicably tied to emotions, so this is a very important step.

In a very general sense, fragrances can be classified into three different groups. These are classic, delicate and sensual. Keep reading, as I will explain each group to you!

If you’re already confused by the choices and not sure what kind of fragrance you’re looking for, I recommend going with a classic scent. These are the tried and true perfumes, the ones that have stood the test of time. They are the real deal—authentic. Don’t be fooled into thinking these perfumes are dull or boring because they have been around since your mother’s day. The classic, little black dress has been around for decades as well, and that will never go out of style! In fact, it should be a staple in every woman’s wardrobe. The same can be said of a classic scent. It will go with everything. Going shopping for groceries in jeans and a t-shirt, a little more dressed up for dinner with the girls, a business meeting, a job interview, or yes, you are pulling out all stops with that little black dress, a classic perfume will work in any of these cases. One of the all-time classiest perfumes is Chanel No. 5. It’s timeless. A blend of ming, rose and jasmine, it’s a sophisticated and elegant choice and is a favourite of women around the globe.

The second group of women’s perfumes is the delicate scent. These fragrances are soft and feminine, as the name suggests. Two of the most popular delicate scents on the market today are from Nina Ricci. The first has been around for decades and the second has been out for just a few years. They are L’Air du Temps and Premier Jour. L’Air du Temps is a floral mixture that mainly consists of gardenia and carnation, but also jasmine, rose and sandalwood. The ultra modern Premier Jour is based on a note of sugared almond. Another delicate favourite is Dreaming by Tommy Hilfiger.

The third group of women’s perfumes is sensual. Bold. Self confident. Passionate. The most notable sensual perfume to hit the market is Opium, which appeared in 1977 and has been popular ever since. Described as sultry and magical, this fragrance is a blend of carnation, jasmine, lily of the valley, mandarin, amber and vanilla. Chanel Chance was released in 2002, and is another sensual choice. Described as spirited and edgy, it’s made up of citrus notes, jasmine, pink pepper and white musk.

There’s a lot to think about when choosing a perfume for yourself. Remember, your choice of perfume should complement the entire you—your looks, your personality and your lifestyle. It’s generally a good idea to test a fragrance on your skin first, but this isn’t always doable. Just remember that perfumes mix with your body chemistry, so the same scent will smell different on every woman. Once it’s on your skin, it becomes something absolutely individual. You can make a perfume your signature scent in every sense of the word.

Women’s Perfumes

Elle — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 01:00:22 +0000

Women’s Perfumes are a part of history.

For centuries, women have been adorning themselves with a variety of fragrances. There is a psychological connection between odours and fragrances that we don’t even process at a conscious level, even while they’re having on impact on the brain.

Think of the various intents behind your perfume selection. You may have a scent that makes you feel attractive, another that’s just distinctly you, and yet another you wear when you want to garner a positive response from someone you’re hoping to attract.

The power of fragrance doesn’t stop there. They can stimulate the mind to the point where is unlocks memories buried deep in our subconscious. It can wake us up, or lull us to sleep. And the science is there to prove that a powerful connection between scent and the emotional side of our brains.

In essence, perfume is emotion in a bottle. Choose your perfume wisely and use it to convey a limitless array of moods and feelings. Learn how to communicate who you are with the power of fragrance.