When testing a perfume in a store, be sure to wait about 10 minutes to allow the fragrance to react to your body chemistry before buying it. Smell it after the first application and then smell it again after waiting. This allow you to sample both the top and middle notes of the scent and give you a good sense of how the fragrance will linger throughout the day.
Be sure to limit how many fragrances you try at one time at the store - stick to just 3 or 4 at a time. Otherwise your olfactory senses may become overwhelmed and you may not be able to tell one perfume from the other!
If you are concerned about an allergic reaction, wait about an hour or so after sampling the perfume. If no reaction occurs by that time, it is probably safe to go ahead and splurge on that new perfume!
Always apply fragrances directly to your skin or hair, as some fragrances (especially parfums and eau de parfums which have a higher concentration of oils) may cause discoloration on certain fabrics. Never spray fragrances directly on silk - it will damage it!
If you like to spritz a bit on your clothing, be sure to test it first on hidden area such as an inner lining before spraying it all over yourself! This is especially true for delicate fabrics and "dry clean only" clothing.
I suggest changing your fragrance depending upon the season. In other words, go for lighter scents during the hotter weather and keep the stronger scents for the drier, cool weather. Heat intensifies the scent, so there is no need to douse yourself in a heavy scent during the summer. And if you are outdoors, be aware that bees, wasps, hornets, and other flying bugs are attracted to flowery fragrances (which is another good reason to stick to light, clean scents!)
Speaking of heat, if you want to keep that favorite cologne as fresh as the day you bought it, keep the bottle in a cool, dark place. Keep the bottle in it's original box, if possible. You may even want to keep it in the fridge, so you can have a refreshingly cool spritz of your perfume before heading out for the day!
