IMPORTANCE OF PERFUME

A perfume is a blend of fragrant oils aroma, compounds and fixatives that produces a pleasant soothing scent for humans and other living objects.

The importance of perfume cannot be over emphasized. Imagine the human body without a perfume on it. Imagine inhaling ton of sweat and body odour! Eeeew! You will say. Foul smell can cause one to vomit and even upset the tummy.

Lets go back to the history of perfume. The word perfume is a Latin word ''perfumus'' which means through smoke.

In East Asia, most of their fragrances are incense based. Perfumery came to Europe in the 14th century due to Arabic influences.

The first modern perfume was introduced by Hungarians, made of scented oils  blended in an alcoholic solution.

France became the European centre of perfume in no time due to cultivation of flowers.

Perfumes were used primarily by royalty and the wealthy to mask body odours during the Renaissance.

Globally, the perfume industry has come to stay as a result of this there are many  brands to choose from.

As a perfume lover, I can't stay without perfume for a day!

A middle aged man once told me that perfumes drive away evil spirits(hmm!) don't know about that.

According to Coco Chanel: " A woman who doesn't wear perfume has no future". - Harsh words you would say!

SEVEN REASONS WHY PERFUME IS IMPORTANT

1. It boosts confidence: Just like wearing your best clothes you will always feel on top of the world.  A good perfume boosts your confidence and morale.

2. It treats insomnia: Having difficulty sleeping? perfume to the rescue! Use essential oils(therapeutic) which help you relax and have you will have a sound sleep.

3. Keeps away body odour: Wearing a perfume makes you smell good.

4. Mood Enhancer: Perfume lifts your spirit. Sometimes, your mood determines the type of perfume you wear; reserved, playful or mischievous.

5. It makes you attractive: Our sense of smell comes to play here. You can find someone by his perfume. Perfumes contain pheromones that make you attractive.

6. It triggers memories: Wearing a  perfume can trigger fun memories, especially when you are close to someone.

7. Aphrodisiac: Remember that Brandy song? It says " you are my aphrodisiac...... when I go ......come back....." Wonderful song! There are some types  of perfumes that contain pheromones, which have aphrodisiac properties and this explains the reason you get attracted to someone because of their perfume.

So, whatever you do, always remember: Smell good always!

Lots of love,

Barbara Onyekwere

HOW TO MAKE YOUR FRAGRANCE LAST LONGER

Storing your fragrance or fragrances in the wrong way could affect how long they last .Have you observed that after dousing yourself in your favourite fragrance, the scent seems to have worn off just a few hours later?

Well, this could be as result of the way you've been storing it, say perfume experts.

Sunlight makes your fragrance to evaporate, especially when you store them in your windowsill as this causes it to lose its intensity and impression.

The best way to keep your fragrance fresh is to store it in a cool, unlit space, like a refrigerator. It can make the fragrance last up to two years longer.

He also makes a curious case for covering it with aluminum foil, which he says will help it to last much longer and preserve its potency. 

Do you want to make your perfume last longer, cover it in foil and leave it in your fridge, says expert.

According to Carl Groenewald, Dior's UK Fragrance ambassador, he says: 'Once a fragrance has been purchased and unopened, it should be stored in a dry cool environment, preferably in its original box'. If you adhere to this rule, your fragrance can last up to two years.

'If you are using a fragrance and are unsure if it has gone off, test the scent on a tissue paper. If it seems to smell sour, heat and oxidation may have broken down the fragrance molecules and then unfortunately the fragrance is unusable unless you want to smell of vinegar.

Debbie Wild, Lifestyle Editor says there are plenty of ways you can enhance the scent.

'Layering different textures of a fragrance is the best way to create depth and to enhance the longevity on the skin'. So always moisturise before you spritz yourself with your fragrance.

'Try beginning your layering ritual with an energising body and hand wash then pamper yourself by applying an indulgent body cream, then with a spritz of your cologne.'

'The moisturising combination of products and scents layered on your skin creates a scented base for your favourite fragrance combination to adhere to.

Fragrance will be most effective applied on pulse-points or where there is good circulation and warmth (i.e. wrists, behind the knee and inside the elbow)

EDPs and EDTs

EDP and EDT

Hello folks!
I hope you had a great day. Today, I'm going to talk about EDP and EDT. EDP simply means Eau de Parfum. The concentration of perfume oil ranges from 10% to 20%.
EDPs also tend to have stronger base notes, only revealing the perfume’s true scent after a couple of hours on the skin.

Most often, EDP is  the highest concentration of perfumes sold in stores, and it’s also the most popular as buyers tend to consider this as a benchmark for a fragrance house’s trademark scent. It is still very wearable and lasts up to five hours or more, depending on your skin type. Over time, i have discovered that its not really about EDP or EDT. The most important thing to consider is to really discover which one works best with your skin.


EDT on the other hand, the concentration of perfume oil ranges from 4% to 10%. And again, EDT version is usually fresher, lighter and focuses more on the top notes. While EDP focuses more on the base notes. EDT can last up to five hours.
Here are some EDPs and EDTs

 NB: Whether EDP or EDT, finding the right one that works for your skin is the most important.

Best wishes
Barbara Onyekwere