Continuing on from last week’s article on fragrance:
How to choose:
Blind buys on fragrances is always risky. Every person has their own unique body odor and different fragrances will interact differently with different individuals. You need to test the fragrance on yourself to see how it smells on you.
A good rule of thumb is to not try more than four fragrances at a time. Spray one on each wrist and each inner elbow. A lot of department stores will provide cards with the fragrance.
How to apply:
You want to apply fragrance where the body produces the most heat. Commonly, this includes chest, neck, wrist, inner elbow, etc.
If you have a spray bottle, spray 2-6 inches away from the skin. Do not spray a mist into the air and walk through it. At that point, all you’re doing is spraying very expensive air freshener. If you have more concentrated oil (like ‘ittar), place a drop or two on your wrists and dab them gently on your lower jaw. Always apply to skin, not fabric.
In general, especially in a workplace environment, err on the side of using less fragrance. The notable exception is if you know you will only be surrounded by other Muslims who appreciate good fragrance. If you’re going for jumu’ah and then coming home or if it’s Eid, feel free to use a generous amount of ittar so that your scent precedes you.
Storage
It’s best to keep fragrances in a cool, dark, and dry environment. Think bedroom rather than bathroom. Make sure the bottle cap is secure, you don’t want the fragrance evaporating.
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