향수 고르기 Perfume

[프란치스코]

Shopping for perfumes is like dating, says Chelsea Chik, a specialist at the French fragrance company Guerlain. “When it comes to scents, people search their whole lives for ‘the one’ – a fragrance that you never tire of and that becomes a part of you going forward,” she says.

To find your mate, follow these basic steps, says Ms. Chik.

1. Get moody. Finding the perfect perfume starts not with your nose, but with your mood: Most people’s fragrance preferences break down into one of five scent categories – floral, woodsy, citrus, fruity and oriental. At Guerlain, customers chose between “mood boards” to find their fragrance category. The boards are abstract – the citrus board may feature images of bathing suits; the fruity one, raspberry macarons; the oriental one, a red leather stiletto.

2. The nose knows. Next, Ms. Chik presents customers with scent boxes from each category to confirm‎ they like the general range of smells. Unlike perfumes, which carry a combination of different scent categories, the scent boxes are straightforward “one-notes.”

3. Show some skin. A basic rule to choosing perfume is to test the scent on your skin, since the fragrance will evolve with your own body heat and smell.

4. Distance yourself. If you’re using eau de toilette or eau de parfum (the latter is more concentrated than the former), hold the bottle at a half-arm’s distance before spritzing yourself. Parfums (concentrated essential oils), on the hand, should be dabbed.

5. Sweet spots. You body has seven prime spots for perfume, says Ms. Chik: “Your wrist and inside of the elbow on both arms. Both sides of your neck, and underneath your hair on the back of your neck.”

6. Avoid bling. Cover up your jewelry – especially pearls – when applying perfume since the alcohol can erode its surface or bleach its color.

7. Find a safe place. The worst place to store perfume bottles: the bathroom. Keep your scents away from warm or humid areas. “Inside the closet is a nice cool and dry place,” says Ms. Chik.

(인용: the Wall Street Journal)