Frost has featured Perfume Direct before. It’s a UK company which achieves great prices by using extensive supply networks. They’re real experts and Frost loves their perfume tips.

According to Perfume Direct’s recent survey, most of us have five perfume bottles open at one time – so why not try mixing two scents to make a unique fragrance?

Jonny Webber from PerfumeDirect.com tells us “Fragrance layering is ideal if you just can’t find the ‘one’. It can also help scent last longer, as your skin won’t absorb all the fragrance oils as quickly.”

I’m excited to try layering – I’ve several open bottles, and I rather fancy myself as a ‘Nose’. But how to do it?

1. Always spray the heavier scent first, or it could overpower the lighter one.

2. Think about the various notes and layers. Top notes are what you smell first and are generally fresh and light. Middle notes form the heart of the fragrance and are usually warmer and soft. Bottom notes develop last and linger for hours.

3. Consider combining two perfumes that share a common note, for instance jasmine, which is in many fragrances.

4. If you’re feeling brave, choose opposite fragrances; for example, a spicy note mixed with vanilla, or a woody note with citrus. Woody and musk-based fragrances are easiest to layer with, as they combine effortlessly with fruity, floral or even spicy notes.

5. Avoid combining two heavy fragrances – they could be overwhelming. For example, Black Orchid by Tom Ford is best on its own as it’s already intense and complex.

And if you do like to juggle several scents, Perfume Direct have important advice on storage too:

1. Store perfume in a cool, dark place. It’s tempting to display attractive bottles on a shelf or (worse) a windowsill, but light and swinging temperatures break down perfume, altering its smell. Humid bathrooms are also bad and a consistent temperature is ideal. So keep it in a cupboard or drawer.

2. Fresh air is not a fragrance’s friend. A perfume is the opposite of a good red wine. Allowing it to ‘breath’ is not good. The first spray introduces oxygen, which can oxidise the perfume, so only open bottles when you’re ready to use them, and then keep the lid on.

PerfumeDirect.com’s Jonny Webber advises: ‘If stored correctly, perfume can last for two or even three years once opened. Some scents have a time symbol underneath. On average this is 24M (two years).’

For more information and some really useful blogs, visit the Perfume Direct website.

By Dr K Thompson, author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://faitobooks.co.uk

Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice.