Perfume/Cologne -- how much to use?

[Pippin]

Me late sainted mum always told me to use only as much scent in the form of perfume, cologne, etc. so that a person sitting next to you at say, a dinner party, could smell it, but no one else could.

What about the people who wait at bus stops reeking of cheap cologne? It's awful! And men are as guilty of this crime just as much as women are.

When I walk by a bus stop and smell lingering cheap cologne, I cough and shake my head. If the lingering smell of the cheap garbage is that obvious, can you imagine what people on the bus must have to suffer with one of those cologne-showering freaks?

My cologne quiz:

• Is less more?
• Is a better quality perfume used sparingly better than a cheap dollar store six-pack of scent, also used sparingly?
• Where do you apply your scent?
• How often do you re-apply it?
• What is the most expensive scent that you bought?
• What is your favourite scent? (A toughie).
• Do you prefer perfume, eau de cologne or eau de toilette?
• Do cheap perfumes make you sneeze, and glare at the perp who dares to sport same?
• Do you tend to put on too much perfume when you are out for an evening, especially if you have been drinking?
• Do you believe that some people overuse commercial scents to cover up the fact that they have not bathed? **

** Oh, God, I knew a guy like this once! I liked him, he was my regular Saturday night club boyfriend when I was a hen. He was good-looking, dressed well, but he didn't bathe. He smelled like a beef joint gone off. He doused himself in hideous cologne to try to drown the stench of the BO... That's why he was only a Saturday night boyfriend...Blech!

[Brookie]

I always spray cologne into the air and walk thru it. Seems to be about the right amount for me.

[Grimmlok]

one spritz should do

any more than that, and you reek. people shouldn't be able to smell it unless they're within 2 feet of you.

[sputnik]

i spray it once in front of me and then walk through it, and then spray once behind each ear.
right now i'm mostly using a scent by issey miyake, and infusion d'homme by prada - yes, it's a men's perfume but it's very clean and fresh smelling.
when i feel like something slightly girlier, i use stella in 2 by stella mccartney (just the eau de toilette, not the solid perfume you're supposed to wear with it). but it's more of a winter perfume, it's a bit too much for summer. and with that one, all i do is spray it in front of me and walk through it.

[Pippin]

Those are both excellent tips.

I personally dab a little perfume on the pulse point by my neck, and I mean one drop.

Do you allow the sprayers at cosmetic counters to attack you, armed with a new fragrance? I don't. I don't trust them!

[sputnik]

^^^
i hate that. i've never been offered a sample of a perfume i like either. most women's perfumes smell sweet and i can't stand sweet perfumes.

i used to spray perfume on one wrist and then press the other against it, or dab it on but then i heard you're not supposed to rub or dab perfume because it squashes the molecules or something and then the scent doesn't last as long.

[nancydrew]

Is less more? Most of the time

Is a better quality perfume used sparingly better than a cheap dollar store six-pack of scent, also used sparingly?100% yes

Where do you apply your scent? Wrist, neck

How often do you re-apply it?Don't.

What is the most expensive scent that you bought? Dunno. Last bottle I personally bought was around $60

What is your favourite scent? (A toughie). Issey Miyake

Do you prefer perfume, eau de cologne or eau de toilette?Eau de toilette

Do cheap perfumes make you sneeze, and glare at the perp who dares to sport same?Cheap ones and woody, spicy scents make my sinuses explode. The cheap ones mainly smell like rubbing alcohol and chemical though.

Do you tend to put on too much perfume when you are out for an evening, especially if you have been drinking?Never applied perfume while wasted

Do you believe that some people overuse commercial scents to cover up the fact that they have not bathed? I know a chick that over uses bath and body works sprays when she hasn't showered yet.

[Pippin]

i spray it once in front of me and then walk through it, and then spray once behind each ear.
right now i'm mostly using a scent by issey miyake, and infusion d'homme by prada - yes, it's a men's perfume but it's very clean and fresh smelling.
when i feel like something slightly girlier, i use stella in 2 by stella mccartney (just the eau de toilette, not the solid perfume you're supposed to wear with it). but it's more of a winter perfume, it's a bit too much for summer. and with that one, all i do is spray it in front of me and walk through it.

I really like "Lauren" and use that as a rule, but I love Christian Dior's "Eau Sauvage", which is a men's cologne. It smells very clean, almost lemony and peppery. It's been one of my favourites for years.

I never thought to spray a perfume/cologne and walk through the mist. I'm going to try it.

[Brookie]

Pip - spray it into the room where it's from your neck down. That way, you don't get it in your face. If you'd like to scent your hair, spray it once overhead and stand underneath it.

[sputnik]

i didn't answer the quiz before. here goes:

My cologne quiz:

• Is less more? yes. but it also depends on the perfume. i tend to wear lighter, fresher scents and i wear eau de toilette so it's not as strong as the parfum. i have about 5 different perfumes. there are 3 that i spritz behind my ears and also once in front of me and walk through, and 2 where just spritzing it in front of me and walking through it is enough

• Is a better quality perfume used sparingly better than a cheap dollar store six-pack of scent, also used sparingly? yes. call me a snob but i've never smelled a cheap perfume that i liked. except for eau de cologne, some of the old fashioned ones smell quite nice and they're pretty cheap.

• Where do you apply your scent? already replied above.

• How often do you re-apply it? i don't. unless i apply in the morning and am going out at night as well, and then i just re-apply from a little purse vaporiser. i'll just spritz in front of me and walk through it.

• What is the most expensive scent that you bought? i usually buy my perfumes at the duty free when i travel. the most i've payed is probably about 100US for the prada - i got the 200ml bottle. but the most expensive perfume i have is bel respiro by chanel. it's from their newish les exclusifs line and only available in some shops and it's about 200 US. i got it as a gift. and it smells gorgeous (it's the only chanel perfume i've ever really loved the smell of on me) but i'm not sure i would have paid for it myself.

• What is your favourite scent? (A toughie). hard to say. right now it's definitely a scent by issey miyake with prada's infusion d'homme a close second. but is it my favourite perfume ever? i don't know. but definitely in my top 3.

• Do you prefer perfume, eau de cologne or eau de toilette? eau de toilette. perfume is a little much, and cologne dissipates after 30 minutes.

• Do cheap perfumes make you sneeze, and glare at the perp who dares to sport same? yes. i have allergies so i can't use scented cosmetics and i have to try perfumes out first to make sure they don't irritate my skin and make my nose itch. cheap perfumes almost always do. i also detest any kind of sweet smelling perfume like most women seem to love. anything like angel, lolita or any of those heavy, ambery, sugary scents make me want to puke.

• Do you tend to put on too much perfume when you are out for an evening, especially if you have been drinking? no lol

• Do you believe that some people overuse commercial scents to cover up the fact that they have not bathed? yes, sometimes. and it's always gross.

[sputnik]

I really like "Lauren" and use that as a rule

my mother wore 'lauren' when i was little and until i was maybe 11 or so and to this day i still associate that perfume with her, even if she hasn't worn it in years. i remember when she was out or away on a trip i would climb into her bed and stick my nose in her pillow because it would still smell of her. all i have to do is smell lauren in a shop or on anyone and i am immediately transported back to my childhood. it's crazy how strong our olfactory memories are.

[witchcurlgirl]

I spray it lightly on my throat and torso, and then behind my knees and on my ankles if I'm wearing a dress. Scent rises.

[philbert_wormly]

Is less more?

Yeah.

Is a better quality perfume used sparingly better than a cheap dollar store six-pack of scent, also used sparingly?

Depends on the scent

Where do you apply your scent?

More towards my boobies as well as just a trifle bit under each arm.

How often do you re-apply it?

Never

What is the most expensive scent that you bought?

Oscar de la Renta something or other

What is your favourite scent? (A toughie).

Floral or vanilla. I also like lime infused Bay Rum as well as vanilla infused Bay Rum, even though that is for dudes.

Do you prefer perfume, eau de cologne or eau de toilette?

Proper perfume or the Bay Rum.

Do cheap perfumes make you sneeze, and glare at the perp who dares to sport same?

Yeah.

Do you tend to put on too much perfume when you are out for an evening, especially if you have been drinking?

I do not drink. And, I never put on too much perfume when I am in the midst of working things hard for an evening out.

Do you believe that some people overuse commercial scents to cover up the fact that they have not bathed?

Yes. But, when the weather is really warm some folks just wind up seeming to be like that without meaning to.

[LucreziaBorgia]

I wear perfume oils that I mix myself. I dip a Qtip in the vial, touch it under each ear, a dot on the chest, a dot on the midsection, and a dot under the bellybutton. Very sparingly and subtle. No need to reapply - it lasts til I wash it off.

My favorites are Honey Rose, Sandalwood, Patchouli (in VERY tiny amounts, and usually not worn by itself), and Egyptian Musk.

The most expensive scent I bought was Origins Shedonism. Love that stuff. I usually just spritz once on the torso.

Too much scent of any sort makes me feel a bit ill. I don't glare, but if I get caught near someone with too much on I just try to get away. Cheap men's cologne is the worst.

[MysTerious]

How much to wear depends on the perfume.

For example, I love Midnight Poison by Dior & Angel by Theirry Mugler, but these fragrances are frequently misused. With these (and others like it) you only need the tiniest dribble to get a lovely smell that lasts all day, but people overspray & it goes toxic.