Scent is our second skin. In this feature of Style The City, I focus on something as personal and subtle as the importance of smelling good in a professional environment.
We tend to make decisions based on one’s appearance in seconds, both with the visual and subliminal messages one sends out. Perfumes are a strong tool helping us evoke an emotional response of different kinds. Therefore, knowing what scent is appropriate for our personality as well as the occasion, can be quite a useful lever.
The current marketplace is swamped with various fragrances that sometimes fall short in their lasting appeal. The industry is believed to be worth circa £640 million in the UK and over $38 billion globally, forecasting continued growth. Hence it makes you wonder what sort of magic ingredients are used to feed this demand?
Interestingly, the process is far from romantic. Most high street colognes’ ingredients are often chemicals produced by global household names normally associated with toilet cleaners. Essential oils tend to be merely a drop in the ocean.
People who smell pleasant give an aura of interest and attraction. Too much perfume daytime can be a real turn off. Secondly, fragrance is of truly personal taste. It defines our character and personality. Equally, what is pleasant to us may be off-putting to others.
So what is the answer? Less is more.
- Apply perfume in small doses. Don’t shower yourself with it. Dab it on the neck, diffuse on the hairbrush before styling. Just a subtle drop of your carefully chosen scent shall arouse a sense of mystique, making you feel like a million dollars.
- In the work environment, opt for light colognes or body sprays instead of rich, oil-based perfumes. Perfume has the highest amount of essential oils hence should be used sparingly.
- Scented body lotions and hair mists form a warm soft veil on our skin.
- Pick a classic or fresh scent refraining from novelty or celebrity branded products. Test it out first to ensure the fragrance works with your skin as some may be overpowering.
And if you wonder what my signature scent is? Creed and Hermès are always in my artillery, with Irisia and 24 Faubourg being my winter favourites. I go for Royal Water in the workplace.
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