All You Wanted To Know About Perfumes And Scents

by Divya S. Content Writer

Eau de parfum and other fragrances come in woody, floral, oriental and natural fragrances. Make sure you use scents on pulse points to get the best effect.

The world of scents

Scents can transport you to another world. A smell can take you back in time reminding you of the first time you experienced that enticing smell. Scents play a major role in our lives. Everyone likes to look good and also smell good. When a good looking person passes by, you get a whiff of a scent that the person is wearing, which entices you. Whether it is a delicate floral scent or a strong masculine scent, there is no doubt that scents are alluring and help define one’s personality.

Scents, Perfumes, fragrances, and parfums

When we talk about scents, many related terms come to mind. Scent, perfume, and fragrance – essentially all these three words are the same. They connote a wonderful smell that is lingering and creates a pleasant experience. Perfume is derived from a Latin word per funnum, meaning through smoke. Scents years back were created by burning wood and flowers.

Parfum though is used to denote the concentration of oil in the scent. Eau de parfum usually has a concentration of 8-15% oil and can last up to four hours.

Attar

Attar or Ittar as it is known as, used to be a favorite fragrance among Mughals. It is nothing but an essential oil obtained from plants. Jasmine, Rose, Mogra, Saffron, and Musk are common types of attar. When you buy eau de perfume you can look at the sweet-smelling attar as an option.

Categories of fragrances

If you are looking at buying eau de parfum for men or any other type of fragrance, you need to understand the various categories of fragrances:

· Woody scents: They are sourced from wood, with popular scents being musk, sandalwood, and amber. This is an ideal scent to consider while buying eau de perfume for men. Wood is generally associated with masculinity.

· Fresh scents: These are nature’s own fragrances. Citrus, lavender, mandarin, and other aromatic herbs fall under this category.

· Floral scents: These are the most popular, those derived from flowers – nature’s natural fragrances. While looking at eau de perfume for women, you would usually tend to choose floral scents like jasmine, rose, orchids, and vanilla.

· Oriental scents: These are themed on spices and have an exotic feel. Amber, nutmeg, and cloves help to create a spicy scent that can be extremely appealing.

Wearing it on your sleeve

While buying eau de parfum for women, you would have observed that most people dab some of the perfume on their wrist to try it out. There is a scientific reason for this. The veins of the wrist stand out and it is a pulse point which helps to make the fragrance warm. Thus, when you try it on the wrist, you can smell it better.

Applying scents

Some people love to spray perfumes all over their clothes to give a long lasting and strong effect. While others prefer dabbing it on a few areas of the skin for a subtle effect. Applying scents to the lining of your clothes or to the wrist, neck nape and navel can help to create the best effect.

Here is a tip; never rub the scent in, the friction can reduce its effect. Spray it and just leave it. You can even layer perfumes, spraying them one on the other. Another tip, while spraying keep the nozzle at a distance of eight to ten inches from the body.

Storing perfume

When you buy perfume after spending so much, you need to store them properly. Store it in a cool place away from sunlight. Never keep your perfume in the bathroom as the temperature tends to vary and can ruin the scent.