Beauty Tips and Tricks

Bath Products in your Favorite Scents – The Reasons Why We Indulge

Is there anything more relaxing than a long hot bath at the end of an exhausting day? There just might be. What about a bath with lavender scented oils or bubbles in a floral fragrance? The truth is that aroma therapy has become as much a part of bath time as the rubber ducky. It is likely that you were already aware of this obsession with the scented bath, but have you wondered why? Why is it that bath and aroma therapy have become a joint indulgence for so many? There are a few answers to this quandary.

For one, the human psyche is greatly affected by scent and fragrance. Smells link us to memories and can invoke feelings and moods in many cases. Scientific studies show that the smell of peppermint and lemon are both stimulating and can promote alertness. On the other hand, vanilla can create a mood of relaxation as can many floral scents. What does this all have to do with baths? A bath, for most, is not only a time for physical cleansing of the body, but also a time for cleansing of the mind and relaxation of both mind and body. Since we already know that scents can invoke relaxation, it is a natural move to include them in baths.

The second reason we indulge in this aroma therapy and bath combo is that marketers caught on and took us there. The mall, your television, the newspaper, and even the internet are loaded with the image of the relaxing bath and scents. We can’t smell them, but look at the ads with candles burning, oils drizzled into the water, and the deep breath taken by actors and actresses as they sink into a tub of fluffy bubbles. Whether we want it to be or not, we are influenced by these images. Couple that feeling of bath and scent equals relaxation with our stressful professional and personal lives and you have people who feel like aroma therapy is the answer to their stress.

It is not just the marketing, though. New age and alternative types of health care are gaining an increasingly large following in the population. We drink beverages that contain ginseng and go to acupuncturists, and so it stands to reason that we would put an equal amount of emphasis on the power of aroma therapy. The aura created by the scents can help give us that sense of connection with the spirit or soul the way we feel alternative medicine practitioners might. Is that the reason everyone does it? Of course not, but those influences surely cannot be ignored.

The point of it all is this: we combine our favorite scents with bath time because we not only think it will help relax us, but it actually very well might. So how do you choose the scent that will work for your bath? There are some guidelines that aroma therapists swear will work. Once you have your warm bath, you can add chamomile to help with insomnia or tension, clary sage as an anti-depressant, grapefruit for relief of PMS and hormonal issues, or lavender for balancing of the mind, body and spirit to name a few. Guides to the scents and their affects on people are available on the internet or in your local aroma therapy shop. In addition, therapists suggest that you choose the temperature of your bath water just as carefully. Warm baths are most comfortable, but supposedly the extremes of hot and cold are actually more therapeutic.

A bath is something we cherish in our society. Living in a time where 15 minute showers, ringing cell phones, and a breakfast burrito on the run mark most mornings, the bath is a nighttime reward. In order to complete the effect, though, we as a people have begun to add our favorite aromas and fragrances to the experience so that we can properly escape the stress we build up in traffic, at work, and even when we play. No matter what the reason is for our combing fragrance with bath products, it is a trend that shows no signs of slowing down. Is it because it works, because we think it works, or because Madison Avenue tells us so with creative ads? It is unclear, but what is for sure is this: we take out favorite scents to the bath with us and love it.

Do Perfumes have Personalities?

It is believed that perfumes have their own unique personalities. This view was first put forth by the famous perfumer Jean Guerlain who is the creator of the well-known names L’Instant de Guerlain and Shalimar. Perfume is worn for a variety of different reasons- to attract and seduce the opposite sex; to improve one’s mood or state of mind; to boost one’s level of self confidence; to refresh and energize and so on. The aim is to always choose a fragrance that suits your individual persona. To put it another way, look for a scent that strives to enhance your aura, not take away from it by overpowering you (and others!).

Inside each of us lies our own “fragrance personality.” Our fragrance personality helps explain why some individuals are drawn to fruity scents, others to florals, others to musky and still others to oriental. It has been hypothesized by perfume retailers that what kind of music a person enjoys, plus what colors they favor and what activities they enjoy participating in plays a role with regard to their fragrance preference.

Classical music lovers who vacation in country locations and adore the color pink tend to be drawn to the most feminine of all scents- the floral ones. Rock and roll enthusiasts who also favor the color yellow and enjoy indulging in spa treatments tend to lean towards the fruity kinds of fragrances. R

The Young Have Scents Too – A Guide to Marketing Fragrances to Teens

Young people like to experiment — its in their nature. They experiment with relationships, occupations. musical tastes, fashion trends and experiment, as well, with scents.

Today’s teens, equipped with fairly large allowances and/or part-time jobs and armed with an individuality that was unheard of in their parent’s day, want perfumes and cologne’s (as well as other cosmetics) that speak to them and for them — not the ones designed for their mother or for their Aunt Minnie. That’s why the perfume industry’s entry into the teen perfume market is bound to be a success. Another reason is that the number of teenagers is growing so rapidly; by 2010 it is estimated that there will be twice as many teenagers as there were in 1990.

It will be more and more important for the manufacturers and retailers of teenage fragrances to understand their target audience’s shopping behaviors — just what it is that drives then to the counter.

The celebrities are helping out the cosmetics companies (and helping themselves to more name recognition) by allowing the cosmetics companies to use their names and faces in their advertisements. In a slew of teen magazines on every magazine rack in every supermarket you’ll find pop singer Mandy Moore, actress Jennifer Love Hewitt, TV and movie star Sarah Michelle Gellar and a host of others offering up perfumes and many other cosmetic products.

Why does it work? Well its nothing new, ever since their parents were teens, teens have been doing everything they can to fit in and alternately to find their own identity and make a statement that emphasizes that identity. Then, of course, there’s the ever present ‘boy factor’ every girl wants to appear and smell attractive to the boys — that’s also been going on since grandma was a teen.

Its not just the girls! It is estimated that over 80% of teenage boys (ages 13 to 17) splash on a scent to begin their days and/or to begin their evenings.

The main criteria for a teenaged boy’s choice in a scent are usually very similar to the teenaged girl’s criteria: a scent that makes a statement, gives then an identity and attracts the opposite sex.

Boys like a clean, “manly” scent that is “fresh” smelling and usually choose the scent based on recommendations of their closest friends and on their own experience with a scent — picking up free samples whenever and wherever they can. Teen girls are more likely to go for the brands they see advertised in the teen magazines and/or the ones with celebrity names attached. (Britney Spears has recently added a signature perfume called “Fantasy” to the growing number of perfumes specifically targeting the teenage market.)

The teen boys are generally less picky about where they buy their scents than are teenaged girls. The boys will be happy to find a bargain at Wal-Mart, Target or CVS whereas the girls will gravitate to Neiman’s or Macy’s. In spite of existing data about the buying habits of teenaged boys, more celebrities are entering the market, hoping to appeal to these teenaged boys: Estée Lauder is launching “Sean Jean” a Sean ‘P Diddy’ Combs signature fragrance and there are sure to be others. Over in England a celebrity tie-in has recently bombed. Pop star Peter Andre attempted to make his name better known by launching “Insania” cologne — it’s not doing too well.

The top ten for teen girls! Here are the ten top-selling fragrances specifically being marketed for teenaged girls; there are very many others available and most of them are worth checking out.

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Gathering your Scents – Knowing When to Throw Out a Fragrance

Fragrances, in what may be a surprising revelation to many, do not last for an infinite amount of time. Like many other things in life they will eventually go bad. They will, over time, lose their qualities and eventually turn to something you certainly don’t want to smell like. How, though, do you know when its time to toss that bottle? There are a few ways to know.

Most perfumes will last around two to three years from the day they are made, not the day you buy them. There are some clearance stores that will sell fragrances that are more than 3 years old. With that in mind, always make sure you check the date on the bottle to make sure you are getting something of the highest quality and that will last you a substantial amount of time. Also, make sure you throw out perfume you have had for more than three years. Even if you don’t notice it, the perfume has begun to lose its qualities and it not doing you any good if you wear it.

There are steps you can take to ensure that your fragrances last as long as possible. For one thing, keep the bottle some place that is cool and dark .Heat and sunlight can damage a fragrance severely so avoid all the extremes. Colognes and eau de toilettes only can be stored inside the refrigerator, and that will help them keep their freshness. Even with these precautions, however, your perfume will still last only about three years. So once the time is up, get rid of the bottle and get a new batch.

How do you know, though, if your perfume is going bad? There are a few signs to look for. First of all, note the color. If that begins to change then you have bad perfume on your hands and should toss it out right away. Also, if you begin to smell a tinge of vinegar, it is time to get rid of it (though you probably would anyway if it smells like vinegar).

Once you have opened your perfume, you should use it. The biggest problem is that many people will buy a perfume, open it, and use it once before forgetting about it. Perfume is made to be worn just like wine is to be drunk or food is to be eaten, and you should not forget that. If you open a bottle of perfume and then “save it” for special occasions you are just asking for it to be spoiled when you go back to the bottle. If that happens to you cut your losses and toss the bottle. Start over with a new one and remember that you need to wear what you buy.

Another time to consider tossing out a fragrance is when you simply don’t like it any more. That can happen since our sense of smell, like taste, change throughout our lives. If you don’t like a scent anymore, don’t keep wearing it. Remember, fragrances and smells can affect your mood, so if you wear a perfume out of obligation you may put yourself in a bad mood accidentally. Instead, toss out or give away the rest of the bottle and get something you know you will like instead. Your fragrance is very personal and it is something people will identify with you so if you don’t like how you smell you are not going to like how people are remembering you. For that very reason, sometimes it is best to start off with very small bottles of fragrance to make sure you are going to enjoy it for the long haul.

Though it may seem like they would, fragrances actually don’t last in that bottle forever. They do have a shelf life and it is one you should take head in. First of all, make sure it will last as long as possible by keeping your perfume out of extremes in temperature and away from direct sunlight. Certain types can even be kept in the refrigerator as a precaution. Even with such precautions you cannot expect any perfume to last any longer than 3 years from the day it is made, not bought. Watch for signs that perfume is going bad, which is generally just a loss of qualities and discoloration.

Celebrity Scents with a Floral Feel – Which Ones Would Suit your Fancy for Flowers?

To the celebrities, getting their names on a fragrance is pretty much like getting their names on a movie marquee — its a matter of getting their names into your head so that they can demand larger paychecks. To the multi-billion dollar fragrance market, however, these celebrity names mean profits, in the short run, but in the longer run it means an increasing interest in their beauty products.

Many stars have now launched their own signature scents most have some flowery scent (orchid, peony, violet) mixed with spicy or woody scents.

Britney Spears’ entry is called “Fantasy.” It is depicted as a very sweet fragrance that is reminiscent of pastry; that’s an appropriate since its key scents are Red lychee, kiwi, cupcake, jasmine, white chocolate orchid, creamy musk. The scent is not overwhelming, its rather subtle and is aimed at teenagers. Flowery, just a bit of the orchid scent to balance out the pastry. Cost: $45.00 for 1.7 fl. oz..

Jennifer Lopez’ fragrance is called “Live.” This is a concoction of Sicilian lemon, Italian orange, pineapple, peony, violet and sandalwood. It’s mainly a fruity fragrance with quite a bit of a flowery scent thanks to the peony and violet notes, and is also a light fragrance. Cost: $39.50 for 1.7 fl. oz..

Sarah Jessica Parker has introduced “Lovely;” that’s appropriate for the lovely star. Sarah Jessica’s fragrance has mandarin, bergamot, rosewood, lavender, patchouli, orchid and white ambers in its formula. Its depicted as flowery, spicy and woodsy — a little seductive but mostly playful. Cost: $48.00 for 1.7 fl. oz..

Celine Dion’s new fragrance is “Parfums Belong.” This is a blend of red pepper berries, bergamot, pineapple, orchid, peony, cotton flower and Hinoki wood. Very floral and well balanced with fresh, very flowery and fruity notes that give it a subtle sensuality. Cost: $35.00 for 1.7 fl. oz..

Donald Trump, yes THE Donald has introduced a fragrance that is appropriately called “The Fragrance.” Donald’s formula contains citrus, cucumber, mint, black basil, pepper, “luxurious, exotic woods.” Sounds and smells rather woodsy with a lot of character. No it looks like the Donald isn’t sending you flowers but he is taking you on a trip through the woods. No piker is Donald, the cost for ‘The Fragrance’ tops the celebrity fragrance charts at $60.00 but it’s a big 3.4 oz. bottle.

Paris Hilton has hit the market with her fragrance called “Paris Hilton.” This combination of Fuji apple, peach nectar, tuberose, night blooming jasmine and pheromones has a flowery, fresh scent that will be a hit with the younger crowd. The jasmine and pheromones combination sounds right up Paris’ alley and may send you up a few new avenues. Cost $39.00 for 1.7 fl. oz..

Perfume industry profits have been down for the past few years, probably due to the world’s understandable preoccupation with survival taking precedence over the focus on beauty products, so its not surprising that the industry has hooked its wagon to some stars in an attempt to boost profits. If it will be a successful venture only time will tell.

People have also changed in other ways! In the past, a woman would stay loyal to “her” fragrance of choice for many years but now it seems that we all feel freer to experiment with scent and tend to follow the latest trends. That’s not a bad thing, a mindless loyalty, even to a perfume, is still a mindless loyalty and experimentation is almost always healthy.

Not just a matter of taste! Whatever scent you choose, you can’t choose it on name value alone or even by perusing a list of its contents. You need to try it and see if it works for you.

There are certainly many, many perfumes available that will provide you with many hours of beautiful scent. Its a matter of taste, of course; which scent appeals to YOU and which one is preferred by those close to you. Its also, however, a matter of expense! The best French perfume will be prohibitively expensive and out of the question for those without a lot of money to spend on beauty products while many perfumes (as well as other scented products) will be well within their reach. That’s the beauty of these Celebrity scents, they are not way out of reach to even a modest budget and, as a bonus, you get to “associate” with the stars — or at least sample their tastes.

Fame and Fragrance – Are Celebrity Perfumes Worth the Price?

Fragrance and perfume are big time business in the world market today, and nothing helps sell more than celebrity. In the United States alone, the fragrance industry was worth over $22 billion as recently as 2004. Putting a celebrity name with perfume is a much used strategy to help fragrance companies get a piece of that $22 billion pie. So are celebrity fragrances worth the price tag attached to them? They are often expensive, but in an effort to succeed, a lot of research and development may go into the scents. Whether or not they are worth it is more up to what it is you enjoy wearing more than who is endorsing it.

When it comes to these celebrity fragrances, you need to decide if you are paying for the fragrance or the name and marketing. Some of them are very generic or easily duplicated scents that get the name and a healthy price tag. Others, though, are actual unique scents that the celebrity actually helped design or at least endorses because of a genuine love of the scent. So before putting your hard earned dollars into a fragrance with a celebrity name attached, you should take a look at what is out there and whether or not you can get the same affect without that celebrity price tag attached.

Britney Spears endorses her own fragrance. In an effort to piggy back her Louisiana roots; Spears’ scent actually reflects that background. It is a mixture of the fragrance of magnolia with some jasmine added in. There are also hints of Anjou pear and lotus flower. Many enjoy the scent, but you may be able to find a similar blend without the celebrity name and price tag attached to it.

Donald Trump of real estate and “Apprentice” fame even has his own fragrance. It is described as spicy and peppery which comes from a mixture of mint, cucumber and black basil. It also has what the maker describes as an exotic plant they are keeping secret. The scent really is unique so that if it is something you enjoy it is unlikely you will be able to find a similar fragrance. This one is actually original and perhaps worth the price tag that comes with the celebrity endorsement.

Beyonce Knowles scent is called True Star. This is another original scent that may be worth checking out. True Star actually combines floral fragrances with toasted grain undertones making it a little unlike anything else out there. It is not necessarily something you could duplicate at home, but with the price tag that comes with it you should make sure it is exactly what want in a fragrance.

Paris Hilton, the heiress who is famous for being famous, has a fragrance as well, called, yes you guessed it, Paris Hilton. This is a very sweet and floral fragrance that is not unlike a lot of others out there. It may be difficult to truly duplicate the sandalwoods, jasmine, mimosa, and lily scents in it completely, but there is really nothing overwhelmingly unique to justify the celebrity price tag that comes with it. Is it worth it? It is obviously a judgment call, but make sure you look before you leap on this one.

Jessica Simpson has lent her name to Taste, a perfume. This one is unique in the combination and Simpson was actually involved in the development of it. It is a combination of vanilla, white chocolate, and even coconut and honey. It can be described as sensual and tropical and fairly unique. It may very well be worth a look for the money.

Celebrities endorse anything they can. Fame sells and marketers know that. So besides shoes, clothes, cars, games, and even soap, fragrances are also being endorsed and named after celebrities. The fragrance industry is a huge one globally and anything that will help a manufacturer get a piece of it will get their full attention. So, with that in mind, it is hard to know if the perfume is worth your dollars just because of the name on it. So is it worth it? It actually depends on what the fragrance is like. Sometimes it is a generic blend of colon fragrances with a celebrity name and price tag attached, and in other situations it is unique and actually something the celebrity himself of herself enjoys. The decision, in the end, is yours, but make sure you are cautious and as always with fragrances, try them on.

Secrets to Making your Scents Last All Day

Perfume has been described as being the “ultimate sensory experience, calling up emotions and forgotten memories.” If there were lessons in fragrance then fragrance 101 would be learning the secrets to making your scents last all day.

How long a fragrance lasts on the skin is not the same for every individual. As a general rule a perfume (or parfum) or eau de parfum should last anywhere from six to eight hours while an eau de toilette can last anywhere from three to four hours. The higher concentration that an eau de toilette has the longer it will last. Dry skin doesn’t retain scent as long as oily or combination skin. Oily skin contains more natural moisture and that’s why it holds in scent longer. The PH levels in a person’s skin (which is the amount of acidity in the skin) are not the same for everyone. What your own personal levels of PHs are will determine how a scent will react to your skin. Other things such as pregnancy, menopause, stress, medication and hormonal changes, even eating foods with a lot of garlic or spice in them can affect how they smell on you and how long the scent will linger on your skin.

The best way to encourage your scent to last all day is to layer it. In other words use more than one product of the same scent. For example start with a body wash or body gel and then use the complementary scented soap. If your fragrance doesn’t have its own soap, then to avoid a clash of scents, use a non-scented soap. After your bath or shower while your skin is still wet apply a generous amount of body cream or lotion and then to finish up the layering process, spritz or dab some of your favorite fragrance on a pulse point. Your skin will warm to the fragrance and absorb it making you smell heavenly and giving the scent lasting power.

It is not advisable to apply scent behind your ears because that area of your body contains a lot of sebaceous glands, which will have an effect on how the fragrance smells both when you first put it on and hours later. A fragrance body lotion contains approximately three to five percent aromatic oils while a body cream has even more, approximately eight percent. Due to the high concentration inherent in both, your fragrance once layered, can last for many hours and even a full day later you will be able to smell the scent ever so faintly. Warnings about soaps- if you use a deodorant soap when you bathe don’t apply perfume immediately afterwards as the scents might clash and it also isn’t good for the skin (too much scent!).

Other secrets to making your scent last all day include applying it right after you take a shower or bath as your pores are open and will easily soak up the fragrance. An excellent way to do this is before you get dressed, while you are still naked, spray your perfume into the air and walk through it as it falls. If you do this before you dry off it will work even better. Since perfume has more lasting power on oilier skin types, try applying a small amount of petroleum jelly to the areas on your body where you plan to apply perfume. The jelly will give the perfume something to cling to and thus increase its lasting power.

Many people don’t realize that when applying perfume to their skin it is always best to spray from the ankles up because like hot air, fragrance also rises and if you apply it lower on your body it will adhere to your skin for a longer period of time. Another secret to applying fragrance for longevity is to not use your fingers to apply it directly. Instead put it on a cotton ball before you put it on your skin or even better, use an atomizer.

As a good rule of thumb, spray your scent approximately twenty centimeters away from your body. If you spray an even amount of fragrance over a larger area it will last much longer than if you instead concentrate it over a smaller spot of your skin. Scents last longer if applied to pulse points (the sides of the neck, the inside of the wrists, the elbow creases, between the breasts, around the ankles and behind the knees). People often make the mistake of rubbing their wrists together assuming that will intensify the scent. It will not! In fact it will have the reverse effect and will end up distorting the notes that comprise the fragrance.

Making Scents of the Top Perfume Categories

The fragrance industry did more than ten billion dollars in sales last year. People love perfumes. They like scents in everything they use. In our society, we use perfumes in almost every product we make. Perfumes are in our soap and our cleaning products. We use perfumes to freshen our air, our bodies, and our pets. We cannot escape these scents in our society. People have used perfumes for thousands of years, and until recently; all perfumes were made of completely natural ingredients. In recent years, perfumes have become less expensive. As a result, more and more people are able to purchase them in a variety of products. However, as these two things have happened, they have lost most of their natural ingredients and become more synthesized. More than ninety five percent of the chemicals that come in perfumes today are synthetic. As this has occurred, perfumes have been placed into seven basic categories.

The first perfume category is floral. Floral perfumes make up more than half of all fragrances on the market today. They are, quite easily, the most popular category of perfumes. Floral perfumes are very feminine and are typically associated with romance. There are several different types of floral perfumes. Floral green perfumes are characterized by things like iris and galbanum. Floral fruity perfumes offer things like cassis, pineapple, apricot, peach, and apple hints combined with flowers. These are the newest category of floral perfumes, as they have only been introduced to the market in the last ten to fifteen years. Floral fresh perfumes are spring like fragrances. Hyacinth, lily of the valley, orange blossom, hinted with bergamot or other citruses usually make up the base of these perfumes. There is also a basic floral category within the florals. Rose and jasmine are the two most popular basic floral perfumes, but ylang ylang, narcissus, tuberose, iris, and carnation are also popular bases within this category. Another category is floral-aldehydic. This group is often called florientals. They are intense floral perfumes. They were popular around the turn of the century, but they made a huge comeback in the nineteen seventies.

Another popular perfume category is the Oriental scents. These are the heaviest of all of the scents. These fragrances are most popular in Europe and the United States, despite their name. They are considered to be evening scents, and many people consider them to be very sexual scents. As with the florals category, there are a few categories within this scent. Oriental-ambery scents usually have a citrus and vanilla base. These became popular in the early nineteen eighties. The bases can also be combined with green or herb like elements for a bit of a twist. Another category is the Oriental-spicy category. Clove, mace, and cinnamon are the usual bases for fragrances in this category. Lots of florals fit in this category, too, though. Jasmine, ylang-ylang, or various salicylates are popular, and they lend these scents a feminine touch. Many masculine fragrances are based on an Oriental-spicy combination.

The citrus scent is another category of popular perfumes. These are among some of the oldest scents known the perfume world. Many masculine scents fall within this category, but they are gaining some popularity in the women’s fragrance market. All of the scents in this category are energetic and sporty. They make great summer scents. There are three categories within citrus scents, but they are poorly defined, as it is not a well-explored category of perfume. It is just becoming a popular one for manufacturers to cater to. Citrus fantasy is one category. This is a highly imaginative category that a number of unisex scents are currently working with. Citrus fresh is another category. This is the oldest category, and it utilizes traditional citrus scents as a base. The final category is citrus-green. The green elements of this category help to brighten the fragrance to some degree.

Chypre is also a popular perfume category. This is a complex category, blending woody, mossy, and flowery scents with leather and fruit. This is a dry fragrance with little hint of sweetness. This is a fragrance for elegant, classical people who prefer their lives to be slightly out of the norm.

The world of scents can be difficult to make sense out of. Once you do, however, you will be choosing your fragrance like a pro in no time.

Perfume vs. Cologne – What’s the Difference?

Perfumes, colognes and other body scents trigger our strongest, fastest sense — the sense of smell.

Perfume is the strongest and therefore the longest lasting fragrance available. Just a bit will net you hours of scent — days actually. Cologne is just a bit weaker and is sometimes mischaracterized as a men’s product.

Perfume! To talk perfume it is almost a necessity to go to the source of the perfume industry, France. The French didn’t discover perfumes (the Egyptians did) but the French turned perfume into an industry and they turned perfume making into a science.

The most important discovery made by the French perfumers was a way to overcome the fact that every scent will, over time, fade and the corresponding fact that some scents fade faster than others. The French answer to this was layered fragrances — three layers, to be exact. In the perfume industry these layers are called notes: there is a top note that consists of the most volatile scent that will last for only a few hours (perhaps, to get you through your morning break), a middle note made of a less volatile scent that will last you until you’re ready to punch out at the end of the work day and the base note that will follow you into your shower or tub just before bed.

A slight down side to this French solution to the all day fragrance problem is that each ‘note’ is a different scent, so your scent will be a bit different (but still fabulous) at each stage.

Not just a matter of taste! There are certainly many, many perfumes available that are not French and that will provide you with many hours of beautiful scent. Its a matter of taste, of course; which scent appeals to YOU and which one is preferred by those close to you. Its also, however, a matter of expense! The best French perfume will be prohibitively expensive and out of the question for those without a lot of money to spend on beauty products while many perfumes (as well as other scented products) will be well within their reach.

Cologne! Cologne is a single-scented fragrance (as opposed to layered perfumes) that is somewhat less potent than perfume. Most colognes for women come in spray applicators but some brands of cologne are also available in a splash.

Cologne is milder than perfume, true, but can be easily over-applied (especially as a spray) to produce a too-bold scent. Most women prefer to suggest their presence in a room with a whisper of scent, using too much of any fragrance can turn that whisper into a deafening scream. The obvious way to avoid this is to use less than you think you need and carry a purse size with you to ‘touch-up’ during the day. Another way to apply an appropriately subtle fragrance is, before you dress, spray your cologne to create a mist in front of you, close your eyes, and then walk through the mist; one trip will be all you need.

Other fragrance products! Your world of fragrance choices does not end with perfume and cologne; consider the alternatives.

Eau de perfume! Eau de perfume is the most popular fragrance type because it is less expensive than perfume and lasts a good long time. Eau de perfume is best applied to the warmest body areas, the pulse points on the wrists and the side of the neck, between the breasts, in the crook of the elbows, behind your knees, on your inner thighs, and around the ankles. Never put any scent behind your ears and never overdo it. You want your scent to suggest not to scream.

Eau de toilette! Eau de toilette contains a small percentage of fragrance oils and will only last three to four hours (depending on your skin type. Many women use eau de toilette and expect it to last throughout the day but are disappointed by mid-morning. This is really a minor problem that’s easy to get around, simply carry a purse size with you and refresh your scent when you get the chance. Eau de toilette provides a wonderfully subtle scent and that’s certainly a positive point — it bears repeating that you should want your scent to suggest not to scream.

Scented body creams and lotions! Scented body creams and lotions have approximately the same fragrance content as eau de toilette but because of their thick cream or lotion base they last somewhat longer; the scent should still be detectable at the very end of your day.

Is it His or Hers? When Fragrances Can Be For Men or Women

Fragrances are a multi-billion dollar industry. People love perfumes. They like scents in everything they use. In our society, we use perfumes in almost every product we make. Perfumes are in our soap and our cleaning products. We use perfumes to freshen our air, our bodies, and our pets. We cannot escape these scents in our society. People have used perfumes for thousands of years for a number of different reasons. In recent years, perfumes have become less expensive. As a result, more and more people are able to purchase them in a variety of products. Different fragrances, though, smell different on individuals, no matter what product the fragrance appears in. Fragrances are marketed to both men and women, but sometimes fragrances can be for both men and women.

The most important factor in choosing any fragrance, whether for a man or a woman, is to ensure that it works with your body chemistry. Fragrances begin their job when they are applied to your skin. As you body heat begins to kick in, the odor molecules rise off of your skin and hit your nose. Perfumes smell various ways on different people because of the serious difference in body chemistry for each person. There are a number of different factors that go into deciding how a particular fragrance might smell on you. These factors include, but are not limited to, diet, acid balance, medication, skin oil, pigmentation, mood, and environmental factors. For example, if you have oily skin, your fragrance is going to be far more intense, and it is going to last longer than it might on someone with dry skin. Similarly, if you are on a high fat diet, your fragrance will be more powerful. The first step to deciding if you can wear your significant other’s fragrance is to make sure it works with your body. You can do this by testing it. While you are testing, try to make it a rule not to use more than three test fragrances at a time. Apply the fragrance directly to your skin. Your wrist is a good place to start. Wait for a few seconds after you have applied it, and then smell it. If you want to try another, use the other wrist. If you’d like to deal with a third, try the inside of your elbow. Once you have chosen a scent that works for you, be sure to apply it correctly. Start your fragrance ritual with an eau de parfum of the fragrance you have chosen. Gently spray this from your shoulders to your feet. Top it off with some actual perfume added to a few pulse points. Some popular pulse points are wrists, behind the ears, the crook of your elbow, the base of your throat, behind your knees, and inside your ankles.

In order to choose the right unisex fragrance, your body chemistry is the first tier of importance, but a good hint as to whether it would work in the first place might be the perfume category it falls under. Both men’s and women’s fragrances have a number of different categories. Fortunately for those who want to try to cross perfume gender boundaries, the fragrances have a few categories in common. One of these is citrus. Citrus scents tend to be light and fresh. They are often composed of things like bergamot, orange, lemon, petitgrain, and mandarin. These scents work well with energetic, sporty types. They work best in the summer, and they could be used for either day or evening wear. More feminine citrus scents are usually combined with flowers or fruits. More masculine citrus scents are usually combined with woods and spices. Another category the two fragrances have in common is chypre. Chypre is based on woody, mossy, flowery scents combined with leather and fruits. These are elegant, classical fragrances that tend to be dry, not sweet. These work very well as unisex fragrances. Another great unisex category is the Orientals. These are usually a combination of spices, wood essences, and vanilla. People who enjoy these fragrances usually enjoy mystery and sensual experiences. These are great for an evening out. They are also the heaviest of all of the fragrance categories.

Both men’s and women’s fragrances have other categories, and many fragrances that don’t fit within these typically unisex categories would work for either.