How to apply perfume

Good fragrance applied badly can be too weak or too much. A few simple habits get you the best from any bottle.

Where to spray

• Pulse points: wrists, inner elbows, the sides of the neck. The skin is warm there, which helps the scent open up.
• Chest: a good spot for a scent you want to sit close to you.
• Clothes and hair: fabric and hair hold fragrance well. Spray lightly from a distance, and test on a small area first.

How far away

Hold the bottle about 10 to 20 centimetres (4 to 8 inches) from your skin. Closer and you get a concentrated wet patch; further away and you lose too much to the air.

How much

There is no universal number. A light fresh scent may need three or four sprays, while a strong, dense fragrance may need only one or two. Start small. You can always add more, but you cannot take it back.

Common mistakes

• Spraying into the air and walking through it. It wastes most of the fragrance.
• Applying more because you cannot smell it. Your nose gets used to your own scent quickly, so it may seem fainter to you than to others.
• Putting on too much for the setting. Offices, trains and small rooms call for a lighter hand.

To make a fragrance last, see how to make fragrance last longer.

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