How to Apply Perfume Correctly: Pulse Points, Technique, and the Mistakes to Avoid

Good fragrance may be ruined by poor application while a simple one can be improved by good application. Most people pick up the technique of applying perfume by watching someone else do it, and it is this way that practices such as rubbing the wrists together and spraying into the air have been passed on from generation to generation. At Alberto Cortes Cosmetics & Perfumes we have been correcting those habits at the counter since 1967. Below is the complete method, starting with skin preparation and ending with the exact places on the body where fragrance works best.

Why Pulse Points

Fragrance works best when it is warmed. The pulse points are locations where the blood vessels are close to the surface of the skin and therefore a little warmer than the surrounding skin. When perfume is applied to these areas, it is slowly heated throughout the day and this allows the scent to evolve gradually through its top, heart, and base notes while also releasing a soft aroma into the air.

Applying perfume to fabric has no such effect; clothing keeps the top notes in a flat and unchanging condition, and certain fabrics, particularly silk and light-coloured ones, are likely to stain.

The Main Pulse Points

In the wrists, that is the standard spot and one that most people currently use. The error lies in what occurs afterwards; you should not rub the wrists together since friction destroys the top notes and causes the fragrance to move quickly into its base before it gets a chance to open. Instead, you should spray it and then allow it to dry on its own.

How Many Points to Use

You need not use all of them; select two or three according to the amount of presence you desire. To achieve a delicate effect during the day, it is enough to spray once at the base of the throat and once on a wrist; for an evening atmosphere with greater projection, apply the fragrance to the sides of the neck and to the inside of the elbows; use it behind the knees and behind the ears only when you would like the scent to be part of the experience.

The number of sprays needed depends on the type of perfume. For eau de toilette, two or three sprays are required. With eau de parfum, two are usually enough. One spray is often best with parfum or extrait.

Prepare the Skin

A fragrance remains on the skin for a longer time when the skin is hydrated, whereas dry skin absorbs and loses the scent quickly. To help with this, apply a moisturizer that has no scent to your pulse points a few minutes prior to spraying on your fragrance, or else apply the fragrance shortly after taking a shower while the skin is still a bit warm and well hydrated.

When using a fragranced body lotion, select one that is from the same fragrance range or opt for a neutral odour so that it doesn't conflict. This is precisely why many of the houses in our range have matching body creams.

Technique

Keep the bottle about six inches away from the skin. If it's any closer the fragrance will settle in a concentrated wet spot and if it's farther away then most of it will end up in the air. Spray it and then don't do anything else. Rub it in, pat it on, or blot it never. Wait a minute for it to dry naturally before putting on clothes so that the fragrance attaches itself to the skin rather than being transferred to your clothing.

You should not spray into the air and then walk through the mist because most of the fragrance will settle on the floor, the rest will land in an uneven manner on your clothes, and there is no means of telling how much has actually got to your skin.

You should not spray your hair directly since the alcohol will dry it out. If you do want some scent in your hair, then lightly mist a brush and run it through your hair, or use a hair perfume that is specifically designed for hair.

Timing and Reapplication

When applying fragrance, make it the final step in your getting-ready routine, after having applied moisturizer but before putting on clothes, and allow it a minute to settle. In Miami the effects of heat and humidity are different. Since warmth intensifies fragrance and humidity reduces evaporation, a scent that is applied in good quantity in an air-conditioned bathroom can seem a great deal stronger when you've walked across a parking lot. Therefore, use a little less than you believe necessary and let the weather develop it.

Regarding reapplying, it should be remembered that your own nose gets used to the fragrance within about an hour or two; by the afternoon you will no longer be able to detect it, but other people still can. If you wish to refresh yourself in the evening, then one spray on a single spot is sufficient. A travel size or a rollerball makes it easy to control.

Common Mistakes

To rub the wrists together, to spray the clothes rather than the skin, to walk through a cloud, to spray too many points at the same time, to apply it to dry skin, to reapply a full amount in the afternoon, and to store the bottle in a hot bathroom or on a sunny shelf, since this causes the fragrance to break down before you even wear it.
Each of them is common and each one is easy to remedy.

Learn on Skin

The only way to get a good understanding of how a fragrance behaves is to wear it correctly for a full day. When you are considering a fragrance at Alberto Cortes Cosmetics & Perfumes our specialists will show you the places and the way in which you should apply it, and we advise our clients to try it on their skin, leave it on, and then return later when they know how it develops on them.

You can visit us at 1800 East Flagler Street in downtown Miami, or view the collection online at albertocortes.com.

Alberto Cortes Cosmetics and Perfumes has offered fine fragrance ever since 1967 when it was properly worn.

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Resumen en Español

Una buena aplicación transforma cualquier fragancia. El perfume se activa con el calor, por eso se aplica en los puntos de pulso, donde los vasos sanguíneos están cerca de la piel: el interior de las muñecas, la base del cuello, los lados del cuello, detrás de las orejas, el interior de los codos, detrás de las rodillas y el pecho.

No use todos los puntos a la vez. Para el día, una aplicación en la base del cuello y otra en una muñeca es suficiente. Para la noche, añada los lados del cuello y el interior de los codos. Y nunca frote las muñecas: la fricción destruye las notas de salida.

Prepare la piel con una crema sin aroma, rocíe a unos quince centímetros de distancia, y deje secar sin tocar antes de vestirse. No rocíe la ropa ni el cabello directamente, y evite la nube en el aire. En Miami, el calor y la humedad amplifican la fragancia, así que aplique un poco menos de lo que cree necesitar.

Visítenos en Alberto Cortes Cosmetics & Perfumes, en el centro de Miami, y nuestros especialistas le mostrarán cómo aplicar cualquier fragancia correctamente.

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