It was the ancient Greeks who introduced mankind to using sweet-smelling perfumes in daily life. This tradition later spread to the Romans, the Anatolians and to the Muslims. The use of perfume thrived in Islamic lands and the admiration for good scents transferred from Muslims to Europeans in the 12th century.

The French were first to discover the potential of beautiful scents and started to produce and trade them internationally. Yet, it took the perfume six centuries to really catch on in Europe. The refreshing blend of rosemary, bergamot and lemon was used in a multitude of different ways. It was diluted in bath water, mixed with wine, eaten on sugar lumps, used as a mouthwash, was an ingredient for poultice or even injected directly, among its many other uses.

The perfume containers of the 18th century varied as much as the fragrances and their uses. In fact, during a time when bathing was not a regular practice, these beautiful smells probably helped a lot of people.

Using a perfume before going out of the house is a habit of many people. Although smelling good is something that everybody desires, the use and the choice of perfume is critical to get the intended effect on others.

For instance, we tend to choose perfume after liking the smell of it. However, for a better effect, skin type is crucial.

"Our noses can like a perfume but our skin will clean the fragrance quickly if it does not accept it. Original perfume smells like itself for three or four minutes after you wear it on your skin because it needs to infuse into your skin," says Bihter Türkan Ergül, a fragrance specialist producing custom made perfumes for Hollywood stars and world leaders. After choosing the right perfume, the other important thing to know is what kind of perfume to spray on which occasions. In everyday life, the perfumes you spray do not play an important role unless it is a heavy fragrance that would suck the air out in a room. For instance, job interviews are the crucial landmarks in our careers and using the wrong perfume can ruin your interview even

before you begin to talk about yourself.

Ergül says, "let's say you are applying for a job in the finance sector. If you smell sweet like a chocolate, it may not be possible for you to gain confidence. Or the heavy perfume that you use can trigger the migraine of the person the interviewer and cause a headache. The interview would not be productive. "If it is possible, do not use a fragrance while going for job interviews. If you need it, you can use soft ones. Our smell should not reach other people before us," explains Ergül.

FALSE FACTS ABOUT PERFUMES

Ergül shared some common myths about fragrances and perfumes along with tips on how to choose the best perfume for our skin:

False: We should spray perfumes in the air and pass through themTrue: We spray perfumes in the air and pass through them especially in summer months. However, the fragrance particles' period of hanging in the air differ. With the pe

rfume that you spray in the air, someone else who walks there can later smell good.

False: Perfumes should be put behind the ears

True: You should put on perfume on your carotid arteries, but not behind the ears, rather below the neck. We prefer the upper side of arms in males while the lower part is better for women. The triangle area on our chest, elbows and the area behind the kneecaps are the right ones to put on perfumes. If we wear backless, low-cut clothes in summer months, we can benefit from our backs smelling good as well.

False: You can choose perfumes better after smelling coffee beans

True: Before choosing perfumes, coffee should not be smelled because it has an intense smell and creates a shock effect on the nose. After smelling coffee beans, you may buy a fragrance that you do not like. Also, after six different fragrances, the nose gets tired.

False: The perfume you smell on paper in perfumeries will smell the same on your skin

True: We cannot decide on perfumes by smelling them on papers. We should bring together skin and fragrance. Perfumes are chosen not by the nose but by the skin. Therefore, we must spray perfumes to our left and right wrists at noon hours if possible. We should not immediately decide. When we first smell them, particles are airborne and mislead us. Leave the perfume that you smell for a while. Decide at least three or four hours later, even a day later if possible. You will know how it truly smells when your skin and perfume are blended in this way.

False: The permanence of all perfumes is the same

True: The permanence of a perfume is directly proportionate to how much essential fat it has. When we like a fragrance in someone, we go and buy it. However, the fragrance may not suit us. A perfume can last for a whole day on someone, but this does not mean it will last on your skin as well. It cannot be proper for your skin since every detail, such as eating habits, sleep timings, medicines and even high heels can change the smell on your skin. When we comb our wet hair with a hairbrush on which a perfume is sprayed and do not use a drying machine, the hair keeps the fragrance particles. Therefore, the permanence increases and we leave our mark where we pass.