Lattafa Perfumes: Know how to select and apply your perfume of choice

Selecting and buying the right perfume

• You are the best person to determine which scent suits you

• The best method to find a new fragrance is to test if the perfume complements your natural body odour in person over the period of a day

• The maximum number of scents to try at once is four, although only two are recommended (one each arm) if you’re just starting out

• Spray one scent on each wrist

• Between smelling each cologne, refresh your palate with something strong, like coffee or tea

Know the difference between cologne, toilette and perfume

Fragrance is a unisex, generic term used for perfume and generally falls into these 3 categories:

• Cologne: Light, fresh, and fruity, typically composed of 2-4% perfume oils in alcohol and water. Tends to be used in fragrances for younger people. Usually lasts for about 2 hours

• Toilette: A light spray composition with 5-15% pure perfume essence dissolved in alcohol. Usually lasts for about 3 hours

• Perfume (Eau de Parfum): Historically genderless, used to describe both men’s and women’s products, and the best term for describing a fragrance. Contains 15-20% pure perfume essence and lasts for about 5 to 8 hours

• Attar: The most concentrated and expensive of all fragrance options. Slightly oilier, it is composed of 20-30% pure perfume essence. A single application can last up to 24 hours

Rules of fragrance application

• Spray perfume on dry skin, preferably right after a shower

• Apply fragrance to heat areas

• Start with the warmest parts of your body: chest, neck, lower jaw, wrist, forearm, inner elbow, shoulder

• Respray only when required

• Less is more

Life cycle of fragrances

Most fragrances are comprised of these 3 notes:

• Top note: The initial, lighter smell of the fragrance that hits the nose immediately after application. It lasts from 15 minutes to 2 hours

• Medium note: Also referred to as the middle or heart notes, it showcases the main element of the fragrance. Middle notes develop after the top note clears and can last 3-5 hours after being sprayed

• Base note: The last to develop, these scents are often the bolder notes of the perfume and become more noticeable later in the day