You know how you can be walking though a department store beauty area, catch a quick whiff of a fragrance, and are instantly transported back to a specific time and place? How the subtle notes of a certain perfume you wore in college, on a summer vacation, or better yet, when you were falling in love, can flood your senses with flowery memories? See perfumes

share

June 30, 2011  |   8:06 AM  |  66 Comments

Mother's Day gifts are tough. You want to give something that says "thanks for being a great Mom," without resigning her to the kitchen by giving her a "helpful" cooking appliance, or making her feel old by gifting a knitting or crocheting kit, or proving that you had no time by handing her a Hallmark card that reads like a cheesy novel. Clothes are tricky. Flowers are overdone. Chocolates imply no thought. See perfumes

share

April 19, 2011  |   9:04 AM  |  23 Comments

What do love, passion and infatuation smell like? Take a whiff of these perfumes and colognes and you might just find out Smell sexy

share

February 7, 2011  |  10:02 AM  |  56 Comments

Cold weather and the holidays evoke different emotions, memories and feelings in each of us. While some people might love the snow and winter sports, others can't wait for a winter getaway to soak up the sunshine and drink a tropical, umbrella-clad drink. Some of us RSVP to every single holiday invite, while others would rather stay in and drink hot cocoa or spiced rum (or whatever) by the fire. You get the picture, right? So, when you're doing your holiday shopping this year, don't assume that the winter perfume you prefer will work for the person you're buying for. Take quiz

share

November 9, 2010  |  12:11 AM  |  33 Comments

See which celebrity-endorsed women's perfumes our readers go gaga for and which ones make them gag See perfumes

share

August 30, 2010  |  12:08 AM  |  74 Comments

Within the first week of life, newborns are capable of recognizing the scent of their own mother and after a few short weeks, most babies prefer the smell of their mom to the smell of another woman -- no joke! As the mother's scent becomes forever wired into the infant's brain, this helps form a strong bond between the two of them. Take quiz

share

April 30, 2010  |  12:04 AM  |  43 Comments

Pick the perfect signature scent for you (or someone else!) with help from this smart, gift-finding quiz Take the quiz

share

December 16, 2009  |  12:12 AM  |  200 Comments

Ever heard of the saying: "Your nose knows?" Whoever invented that phrase hit the nail right on the head. Especially when it comes to perfumes. Many women have found a perfume they absolutely adore -- it can be found both on their dresser and in their purse in a travel size. Likewise, many people have a perfume (and likely more than one) they look at with definite distaste. They flat out refuse to buy it, look at it, or even be around people who wear it. See fragrances

share

November 25, 2009  |  12:11 AM  |  92 Comments

share

  |    |  0 Comments

Scent can be a very personal thing -- what makes one person feel like a sexy goddess makes another gag -- but some fragrances are (almost) universally loved. See which ones our readers say they can't live without and find out which fragrance topped the list for TotalBeauty.com members. The answer may surprise you (or if you're a fan, maybe it won't). See fragrances

share

November 4, 2008  |  12:11 AM  |  89 Comments

Perfume is a mixture of fragrant essential oils and aroma compounds, used to give a pleasant scent to the wearer. Different fragrances can affect people in different ways. For example, fragrances like rose can be very relaxing. Because of this, wearing a certain type of perfume can make the wearer feel relaxed, feminine, strong, sexy, or light, in any combination. When selecting your perfume, you can choose your scent to convey something about your personality, as well as affect your mood.



Choosing your Perfume


It is important to understand that some scents will not work well with your body chemistry, no matter how good they smell out of the bottle. Before you choose a scent, you should try it and see if it works for you, personally. Some scents are floral, some are woody, and some are blended, and so forth, so you'll need to explore what scents work best with your body chemistry.

After you find a scent you like that smells great on you, you'll need to learn how to apply it well. Make sure that it is subtle and not overpowering, so that the people around you are able enjoy your new perfume. A dab of fragrance to what are called the pulse points is usually more than enough. Pulse points are where the blood vessels are closest to the skin, like the wrists, neckline, behind ears, and behind the knee.

At Total Beauty, we offer plenty of tips and tricks to help you select the best perfume for you, learn how to apply your fragrance, and change your scent with the seasons. By using our expert advice, you'll love wearing the fragrances you find.

browse categories
you might also like

Back
to top

Sign up for our newsletter
Email to a friend