Editorial

6 Things to consider before DYEING YOUR HAIR

Altering one’s hair colour is a great and instant way to create a new look.  However, it is not as easy as it might appear and therefore requires a lot

6 Things to consider before DYEING YOUR HAIR
  • PublishedMarch 30, 2016

Altering one’s hair colour is a great and instant way to create a new look.  However, it is not as easy as it might appear and therefore requires a lot of careful planning for one to get the desired results. So here’s what you need to consider before taking the leap; and no, we are not going to talk you out of it.

Test perfume before buying it

Ensure you test a perfume on a piece of paper, which is often supplied at the perfume store before settling for it. When testing keep in mind that a scent will not smell exactly the same way on your body as it does on the testing paper. However, the test is to let the fragrance blend with your body’s chemistry and help you narrow down the right match for you. Alternatively, spray a small amount on your wrist and wait 10 minutes before smelling it to allow the full range of the fragrance to emerge. This will help you know if you like the fragrance or not. Test only three different scents at a time because you will lose the sharpness of your senses after that and you may not get a clear idea of any fragrances you try after that. To retain your sense of sharpness during the tests, smell some coffee beans in between tests.

Moisturise your skin

Knowledge of your skin type is crucial in determining how to apply perfume. People with oily skin tend to have no issues with perfume as the scents last longer on oily skin than on dry type, dab some moisturiser on it before wearing a perfume. Alternatively apply some petroleum jelly on your skin and then wear your perfume on top of it. This will make it last longer as the perfume will cling to the petroleum jelly, hence you need not re-apply fragrance later in the day.

Wear perfume at your pulse points

It is recommended that you apply your perfume on your pulse points: on your cleavage, behind your ear lobes, on your wrist and the inner elbows or at the base of the throat. This is because the pulse points are located where the blood vessels are closest to the skin and as a result they radiate heat, which helps the fragrance ooze from skin and emit scent to the air. Apply perfume on your body before putting on your clothes, as some fragrances tend to leave permanent stains on fabrics. Also, when you apply perfume on your wrist, avoid rubbing them together after application. Rubbing a perfume breaks down its molecules, diminishing the scent into thin air. Learn to wear just enough perfume. For instance, if you work in an enclosed small space, avoid strong, overpowering scents.

Understand the different perfume types

Why people buy fragrances labelled either perfume eau de perfume, eau de toilette, or eau de cologne but they have no idea what these mean. Eau de perfume typically means there will be 10 to 20 per cent perfume concentration in it enabling the scent to last long while eau de toilette means it has four to 15 per cent perfume concentration hence the scent only lasts for a few hours. As for the eau de cologne, it has six per cent concentration hence doesn’t last long. Fragrances labelled perfume tend to be pricey and have about 40 per cent concentration of perfume oil, thus last for a very long time.

Store it properly

The best place to store perfume is in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight as light, heat and humidity break down the compounds in a perfume, causing it to be less fragrant. It should also be kept sealed in its protective bottle to avoid evaporation.

Published April 2016

Written By