Tips on how to use and take care of your perfume

By Patricia Okoed

Much as you are what you eat, you are what you wear. Perfume makes a statement and we all want to be recognised by the right smell that often becomes our identity.

In case you are confused about which scent to buy, match the scent with the occasion and the time of day.

Softer, more subtle fragrances suit everyday work and day time engagements. Just a whiff of the stronger, more assertive scents suit evening functions such as dinners or cocktails.

Here are a few tips for you when shopping for perfume.

Remember to go for the ‘eau de parfum’ which lasts longer compared to the ‘eau du toilette,’ which directly translated from French means ‘toilet water.’ In the early days French women used these scents to freshen up after using the bathroom, but not as a perfume.

Spray a sample on your wrist. Do not spray into the cover or the air because it does not give the same effect as it does on your skin.

The next step after choosing the right scent is correct Storage.

Poor storage can destroy a perfume.

The lids on perfumes should always be closed properly. Badly closed bottles can lead to the evapouration of the whole bottle.

Never apply perfume with your fingers. It can react with the dirt on your skin and change the scent.

And on where should you spray your perfume? According to Coco Chanel, of Chanel perfumes, “Wherever you want to be kissed!”