Forget Me Not – how to leave a scented memory

We’ve lost the art of wearing perfume and with it the gift of seducing the world. For your scent to leave a beautiful trail that reminds people of your presence, you must use a parfum, the most concentrated form of scent. A low-concentration eau de toilette (EDT) will all but disappear in four hours; they were originally only meant to make you feel fresh.

A woman should make a ritual of applying scent. Mist a little eau de parfum ( the concentration between parfum and EDT) all over the body. Then dab parfum on the inside of the wrists and elbows, the dip of the collarbone, below the ear lobes, on the ankles and behind the knees. To really make the fragrance last, follow with your perfume’s scented body cream.

Any other tricks?

If your signature perfume comes with a stopper, always clean it with a piece of silk- it has an uncanny ability to hold fragrance, so you can then drop it in your lingerie drawer to scent your smalls.

Seek out a perfume with a base that contains things like musk, ambergris, leather, tuberose or scented woods. They’re natural ‘fixatives’ that make fragrance cling to skin. Your skin plays a part, as well. People with oily skin will find that scent lasts better on them because it clings to their natural oils. And you shouldn’t apply fragrance fresh out of the shower, as there will be no oil for the scent to cling to. Wait half and hour or longer before spritzing or dabbing.

The case for a signature scent

We’ve become used to apply a Molotov cocktail of odours every day -think detergent, conditioner, soap, shampoo, deodorant, moisturiser and so on. So to have one scent that’s truly ‘you’, and become your accomplice in the game of seduction, is a gift to yourself – and others. Look to classic perfume houses, such as Guerlain and Chanel, or small, specialist perfumeries. Here’s where you’ll find unique and daring scents that you can really make your own.

Reason to build a ‘fragrance’ wardrobe

‘A fragrance for every mood’ is my motto. Perfume should meet your emotional needs and reflect how you feel on any given day, whether that’s sad or sexy, pensive or exuberant, confident or shy. You should allow the intensity of your fragrance to vary with your mood. Some are meant to be fragile and flighty and designed to reflect transient feelings. Five to seven fragrances should cover most women’s ‘scent – sual’ requirements.

If you’re feeling…

• Romantic Lancome Magnifique, is a bouquet of marry me’ roses.
• Confident Ralph Lauren Notorious, is spicy, bold and elegant.
• Happy Sarah Jessica Parker Covet Pure Bloom smells of fruits and flowers.
• Melancholic Fresh Strawberry Flowers, takes you back to innocent times.
• Coy Bobbi Brown Almost Bare, smells angelic, but invites people to come closer.