4 Tips to Wear Perfume for Summers. What to Cherish and What to Avoid

 A perfume combines fragrance and essential oils extracted from or emulating flowers, spices and other things that smell good. For centuries, perfumes have played a vital role in managing personal hygiene, uplifting moods and elevating living spaces. Fragrances also transform your persona depending on the occasion, like weddings, work, dates or family gatherings. 

 

For the typical consumer, most scents will satisfy your perfuming needs through the four seasons. However, you might notice that sometimes, when summer is at its peak, the dynamics change. Some fragrances lighten the mood and leave the people around you feeling fresh. On the other hand, some aromas effectively highlight all that is uncomfortable about summer, i.e. sweat and body odour. 

 

Although perfumes typically need heat for optimum effect, when the sun is out, and temperatures soar, the alcohol in your perfume evaporates faster from your skin. As it goes, it drags the fragrance with it, reducing its potency. Quality also plays a significant part in shaping a perfume’s potency. In other words, your choice of fragrance supplier is an important decision. The company you choose should combine a rich history of perfuming craftsmanship and the latest technology to produce the best oils. 

 

Now, with that said, read on to explore four tips we think will improve your perfume-wearing experience in the coming summer. 

 

1. Choose the right places 

Some people habitually spray on a scent as the finishing touches to their dressing. This technique is fine for cool weather, but in the summer, you need the bouquet in places that actively sweat and receive the most exposure (even while under clothes). Therefore, spray or dab perfume/oil on your pulse points, i.e. wrists, neck, behind the ears, crook of the elbows and behind the knees. All these are places where your arteries are closest to the skin. Furthermore, you can also mist in the air and walk through it for even coverage, including your hair. In the summer, your scalp is a significant source of sweat, making it an excellent place to scent. Finally, remember to reapply the fragrance once or twice a day, depending on your normal exertion levels. Any more spraying, and you risk becoming a walking scent stick. 

 

2. Prepare your body/skin for the perfume 

Before spraying the perfume, take a shower or bath since it removes lingering, body odour-producing bacteria and opens up your pores. Washing, especially with hot water, opens up the pores and allows your skin to absorb and disperse fragrances more effectively. Dry yourself off completely since you risk losing some notes, even from the best fragrance supplier, as the oil rolls off your body (oil and water do not mix well). Also, give your perfume or essential oil enough time to dry before getting dressed. Wearing clothes on top of wet perfume can prematurely transfer it to your clothes. 

 

Similarly, massage an oil-free moisturiser into your hands, wrists, neck, or other skin areas before applying perfume. Fragrance lasts longer, especially in the summer, on conditioned skin since it gives the perfume oil something to bond with and fades slower. 

 

3. Store your perfumes someplace cool and dark 

The intense Australian summer can push temperatures higher than 35 Celcius, limiting your perfume storage choices. Exposure to direct sunlight and humid conditions breaks down the fragrance’s chemical structure before it even leaves the bottle. Not to mention, plastic bottles can lose shape and warp if left in the sun for too long. Therefore, it’s time to change if you habitually keep perfume bottles in your car, near a window or bathroom. Consider putting your bottles inside a room, cupboard or drawer that receives little sunlight and stays cool. 

 

4. Consider switching fragrances for the warmer months 

As we have already established, summers bring the heat and, with it, sweat and sun. However, summer is also about freshness, light wear and outdoor activities. So even if you have a signature scent for the rest of the year, remember to work with the weather and think about choosing casual, citrus and airy fragrances, maybe something with notes of vanilla. You could also try a fragrance supplier that offers combinations including lemon, strawberry, coconut or jasmine. These types of fragrances will not overpower or overwhelm the people around you, even if you were to go wild. 

 

Moreover, as a rule of thumb, pleasing scents vary depending on the location, occasion and culture of the people you interact with. Here are some factors to consider when choosing the right perfume: 

1. Event – use bold aromas for weddings and dates. Consider choosing soft, aquatic notes for office settings; 

2. Mood – fragrances create their own ambience, so pick something that matches. For example, something comforting like lavender or subtle like cedarwood; 

3. Timing – how long should the fragrance last? Strong scents last longer, but you can always help your perfume along through additional applications; 

4. Skin Sensitivity - Some ingredients can cause irritations to the skin and ruin your day. 

 

 

To summarise, when the Australien summer rolls in, keep your bottles out of the sun and keep an eye on personal hygiene. Also, remember to strategically choose where you spray and consider using different fragrances for each season. However, ensure you buy good quality perfumes or oils from a reliable fragrance supplier in Australia. For example, you can start your search with Mombati, a fine fragrance house based in Australia with a history dating back to 1855. 

 

Hopefully, by this point, you should be a little more knowledgeable about perfuming best practices than when you started reading, so good luck!