Ever wonder why a fragrance smells different on you than how it smelled in the store? Everyone's body chemistry is unique, which plays a huge roll in the potency and overall experience of a wearable fragrance. In other words, you are the final ingredient!
Body factors that may change how a fragrance smells between each wearer:
Your Skin Type
There are three main skin types, and each type reacts in a different way to fragrances. Dry skin gets usually has low elasticity, and rough complexion so perfumes easily evaporate from the dry skin surface. Why? Simply because there is not much oil or moisture for the fragrance molecules to adhere to and get absorbed. For fragrances to get absorbed and work well on dry skin, you should moisturize with an unscented – or similarly scented – cream lotion before you spray on scent to maximize its longevity.
Normal or combination type skin will have a smoother texture due to more oil content than dry skin, and fragrances will last longer and better. It turns out the best skin type for perfumes to cling to is oily skin. Though oily skin on the face is least desirable, it means better adhesion to fragrance molecules on the rest of the body.
Pheromones & Perspiration
Pheromones are predominantly secreted in the neck and other erogenous areas, which is why they are commonly called “sex scent”. Each person smells distinct and unique and that is attributed to pheromones. Some fragrances will be more or less compatible with one’s pheromones. This explains why the same perfume can smell great on you, but not on someone else. Your natural body odor will meld with the scent and if the combination is right it will create more depth and lasting power.
When sweat mixes with perfume it can change the overall scent you experience. this means that the degree to which you sweat may alter the fragrance quality or longevity for each wearer.
Personal Lifestyle And Diet
Not many people know that diet can have a major effect on a person’s overall fragrance, and that also interacts with fragrance. A person with a balanced diet smells differently from a person with a rigid diet of just one or two of the main food groups, and someone who is vegan/vegetarian will also smell have a different body chemistry. Eating lots of spicy foods or taking medications for prolonged periods can also impact your bodily scent.
So how do you know what scent type is right for you? It's best to test out fragrances to see what types of fragrance families work best for your body. We offer sample discovery perfume sets for this very reason! A great way to test a fragrance is to put it on the inside of your wrist and allow it to sit for 15min to an hour, smelling intermittently. Most likely you'll notice that the fragrance shifts a little over time, which may be partly due to the evaporation or "dry down" of the fragrance + how it interacts with your body chemistry.
