The best way to find the right perfume is by testing it on your skin and leaving it for some time to know if it would be a good fit for you.

Fragrances smell differently on different people. It is often advised that you never buy a perfume that your friend likes. Everyone has their own body chemistry and individual scent. The perfume selection depends on both your skin’s condition and diet. Although scents don’t change due to the food you eat, spicy food can change your skin’s odour, thereby impacting the overall effect of the perfume.

We are conditioned to have smell preferences, and our response is based partly on our individual genetic make-up and partly on our life experiences. The crushed tomato leaf note in a fragrance may remind you of a beloved grandmother and her greenhouse in summer, so you love it. The jasmine note in your perfume might remind you of the time you threw up beside a jasmine shrub while on a vacation, so you hate the scent. Technically, all of us have an olfactory fingerprint, which is unique to us. It is our life’s experiences locked away in our scent memories.

Yes! Many people use fragrance to lift their spirits, and there is even a name for the science behind this—aromachology. It’s been scientifically proven that different aromas can impact your mood and emotions—not just personally, but affect those around you as well. Bergamot is a feel-good ingredient, peppermint makes you more energetic and alert and so on.

Apply the perfume directly to your pulse points–

• Inside the wrist
• Behind the ears
• Behind the knees
• At the temples
• Back of the neck
• The cleavage area
• Between the toes
• On ankles
• On thighs

You might think your fragrance doesn’t last for very long but splashing a lot of it is a mistake. Your nose becomes accustomed and you won’t be able to smell your fragrance for long but others will. Less is more—your perfume should never dominate your surroundings.

Originally developed in the Middle East, fragrance layering is a technique that consists of combining several fragrant products or perfumes at the same time. The goal here is to superimpose and combine several fragrances in order to have a personalised fragrance. You can blend a maximum of three scents when layering. This also intensifies the scent, making it last longer.

You might find your fragrance more overpowering or stronger in hot weather—this is why some brands offer lighter versions of their best selling fragrances during summer. You might want more full-bodied, richer fragrances when the temperature drops and switch to airier perfumes in the warmer months. This is all individual preference. Just do what feels right for you!

Some perfumes can have the name ‘Nuit’ on them, which can imply they are meant for nighttime. But really, there are no hard and fast rules that have to be followed. This is really up to your preference. You can, however, use a lighter concentration of your favourite perfume for daytime—an eau de parfum or eau de toilette. For nighttime, you can apply the perfume version, which is basically more intense.

The best time to wear your perfume is right after you take a shower or a bath. Your pores are open, which allows the perfume to absorb better. The warmth of your body heats the fragrance that helps release its true potency.

Perfume can last 4 to 6 hours (or even longer), depending on the ingredients.

How long your perfume lasts will depend on the type of fragrance and on your unique odour footprint, as well as the oiliness or dryness of your skin. The strength of the perfume is also a factor, and so are the notes. Deep, smouldering base notes—such as the woods, resins, leather and tobacco, etc—last longer. Cleaner, fresher notes don’t.

If you moisturise your skin, this gives the fragrance oils something to stick to and boosts their staying power. So, if matching body products are available, layer on your fragrance, body creams and body lotions. Particularly, add emollients which provide a slick surface for your perfume to hold on to. If such range extensions aren’t available, go for an unscented body cream, butter or lotion which won’t clash with your chosen scent. Your perfume will thrive and last for far longer on your skin.

Fragrance certainly doesn’t last forever—but storing it correctly will help preserve the quality and lifespan of your perfume. The key is to keep it away from light and heat—never store your perfume in a bathroom or a dressing table that’s exposed to the sun. Higher temperatures affect the top notes of the fragrance, which makes them musty or sour.

Perfumes should ideally be stored at room temperature out of direct sunlight. So, keep them stored in a dark, cool and dry place—ideally, you can store your perfume in the refrigerator. The stable temperature inside a fridge will elongate your perfume’s lifespan.

Perfumes can deteriorate. The best way to judge if a fragrance is past its prime is by observing it. If the formula has become chunky or begun to smell sour, acidic, or metallic, it has probably spoiled. If you start experiencing a rash or allergic reaction to a trusted fragrance you've been using for a while, it has presumably degraded. However, experts say such occurrences are rare—the most common outcome is a faded scent that has lost its intensity, but if you can still smell it (and if you still like it), you can use it for as long as you can.