What's your poison?

A reckoner on how to choose your perfume

Thousands of shelves are piled up with the number of fragrances that are now available in the market. Whether it s an Indian one or one that has been shipped down from foreign shores there are a host of names to choose from.

Like there's a mate for every man, there is a perfume for everybody.

How do you choose from such a wide array of fragrances? Your sense of smell has a formidable task ahead-to choose a fragrance a that matches your personality, mood and attitude. One that appeals to all the bodily senses.

Most people tend to test a fragrance at the back of the hand. That's fallacy. The right way is by holding the spout of the bottle at least four-five inches away from the inner wrist.

The artery at the pulse points helps to diffuse the fragrance through warmth and moisture. Try this aroma therapy. First the heart test. Close your senses. What does it do to you? Make you feel sensual? Experts suggest you smell if for about an hour.

Then start analyzing it. This is the head test. Is the smell still there two hours from the time you applied it? What does the scent say about you? When would you wear this scent? To the office? After game of tennis? To a sit-down dinner? Or a candle-light date?

Look around for reactions. Does your fragrance attract people? Or repel them? The fragrance must fit properly on the skin and the body chemistry must bring our the best in the blend regardless of the name, inception, popularity or fabulous marketing strategy. Your nose may say one thing and the body something else entirely!

While testing a new fragrance, make a note of the past fragrances you have loved and disliked, for you to ascertain which fragrance families you are drawn to.

Rest your nose awhile if you're been sniffing too many fragrances. Because a tired nose is never an effective barometer.

Experts suggest that at this point a sniff at your armpits could revive drooping olfactory senses.

The most important factor before actually purchasing a fragrance is to make sure you absolutely love it.

To say a fragrance is "nice" is not enough. It should haunt you, and literally force you to smell your wrists repeatedly. In fact, it should have your name or it!