Have you ever cringed when the elevator door closed, wondering if you could breathe that guy’s cologne all the way to the 35^th floor without getting a contact high? Or what about that older relation (in fact, you suspect she might not even be a relation at all) who corners you at Thanksgiving with a hug that leaves you smelling of an antique perfume so potent that you swear you can still smell it on New Year’s Eve?

There is an art to wearing fragrance that sadly too few of our friends, family and coworkers seem to acknowledge. We of course would never make the mistake of wearing too much or of having too many conflicting fragrances announce our arrival…

But just in case, here are some quick rules of thumb for you and your guy when it comes to fragrances.

Choose Wisely

We use a lot of different products on our skin. From shower gels to moisturizers to perfumes and colognes, if we’re not careful, we could be the source of that strange menagerie of scents that always seems to linger around the snack machine (the horror!)

Fragrances combine in unpredictable ways, so keep things simple by choosing the scent you want to have take center stage and push the rest of them out of the way.

For you…

If it’s your moisturizer that you really want to smell, then try switching to an unscented deodorant or antiperspirant. If you want to feature your new perfume, then go with an unscented moisturizer too.

For him…

If his aftershave is the fragrance that he likes, then leave the cologne on the shelf. If it’s the cologne that he’s going for, look for unscented (or very subtle) deodorant and aftershave alternatives.

Tip: It might be tempting to use several products that share the same scent in an effort to present a united front, but that can seriously backfire – remember the guy in the elevator? Fragrances can compound each other and instead of smelling “nicely matched,” you’ll just overpower a room.

Application is Everything

The actual application is probably the most overlooked part of wearing a fragrance. Assuming that the scent you want in the forefront is a perfume, there are some important application tips to keep in mind.

For you…

Lightly spray your pulse points ( chest, ankles, neck and behind your knees), but don’t overdo it. If your atomizer is especially powerful (and most are), a half-spray is all you need for each area. Also try spraying a cotton ball and using it as an applicator to further diffuse the fragrance.

For him…

One spray on each side of the neck and one on the chest is usually more than ample. In fact, dividing one spray between the sides of the neck might be better, depending on the fragrance. A half-spray on the inside of each wrist might also be acceptable, but usually only with more subtle fragrances.

Tip: When spraying your wrists, don’t rub them together. This breaks down the molecules that produce the scent and can alter the fragrance considerably. You may also want to try spraying the outside of your hand instead of your wrist to allow the scent to diffuse outward rather than inward.

Remember, people should have to be close to smell your perfume. If your fragrance lingers in a room longer than you do, chances are good that you’re wearing too much.

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