Everybody has a scent.
Then we add:
soap,
deodorant,
shampoo,
cologne,
perfume…
and sometimes enough chemistry to qualify as weather.
LOL.
The goal?
SMELL GOOD…WITHOUT ARRIVING FIVE MINUTES BEFORE YOU DO.
Smell is one fascinating part of the five senses.
Nature uses scent constantly.
Flowers.
Animals.
Food.
Rain.
The ocean.
Smoke.
Even places have a smell.
Walk into an old bookstore…
you know where you are.
Walk into a bakery…
NO SIGN REQUIRED.
LOL.
The nose already reported the news.
Humans are no different.
We all carry a scent of some kind.
And then…
we started improving, changing, hiding and decorating it.
YOU SMELL
Yes.
YOU.
ME.
EVERYBODY.
Humans naturally have scent.
Skin.
Hair.
Clothing.
Diet.
Environment.
Soap.
Laundry products.
All of it contributes.
Some cultures have even used close physical greetings involving smelling or breathing near another person as part of recognition and affection.
Interesting.
And somewhere along the human journey…
we apparently decided:
NATURAL IS FINE…
BUT LET’S ADD SOMETHING.
LOL.
ALTERING THE SMELL
Humans have been adding fragrance to themselves for a very long time.
Flowers.
Oils.
Herbs.
Soaps.
Powders.
Bath products.
Perfumes.
Colognes.
Deodorants.
Hair products.
Lotions.
Then modern society really got involved.
Now one person can leave the house wearing:
scented soap,
scented shampoo,
scented conditioner,
scented deodorant,
scented lotion,
aftershave,
cologne…
and maybe scented laundry detergent too.
PAUSE FOR CAUSE.
At some point…
we are no longer selecting a fragrance.
We are assembling a committee.
LOL.
LOVE POTION #9
Some people are simply not good at mixing smells.
Covering one scent with another does not always produce:
BETTER.
Sometimes it produces:
MORE.
Big difference.
If the underlying scent and the added fragrance do not work well together…
you can end up with something nobody ordered.
LOL.
And pouring on more perfume does not solve the problem.
You cannot overpower poor judgment with another spray.
SMELL SMELL GO AWAY
A fragrance interacts with:
your skin,
your body chemistry,
your clothing,
heat,
humidity,
and the other products already on you.
That means the same cologne can smell slightly different on two people.
That is why I say:
FIND WHAT WORKS WITH YOU.
Do not just buy something because the bottle looks expensive…
or because somebody famous has their name on it.
You are wearing it.
Not them.
I REMEMBER THAT SMELL
Scent is strongly connected with memory.
That is one reason a smell can bring back:
a person,
a house,
a vacation,
a restaurant,
a childhood moment
almost instantly.
That can work FOR you.
It can also work against you.
If people remember you because:
YOU ARRIVED IN A CLOUD OF COLOGNE…
we may have overdone it.
LOL.
You want people thinking:
THAT PERSON ALWAYS SMELLS GOOD.
Not:
I KNOW HE’S HERE BECAUSE MY EYES ARE WATERING.
SUBTLE WINS
This is one of my general rules.
A good scent should usually be discovered…
not announced.
Someone gets reasonably close and thinks:
THAT’S NICE.
Good.
That is much better than scent entering the room first…
followed three seconds later by the person.
LOL.
Attraction can be subtle.
In fact…
subtle often has more power.
WATCH IT AT THE GYM
Now the gym deserves special attention.
When people are:
breathing harder,
sweating,
moving,
and sharing enclosed air…
strong fragrances can become unpleasant very quickly.
Some people are also sensitive to strong scents.
So this is probably not the place to empty half the bottle.
Clean?
Yes.
Fresh?
Yes.
Perfume counter demonstration?
NO.
LOL.
CHEAP DOES NOT ALWAYS MEAN BAD
I used to think cheap scents automatically smelled cheap.
That is not always true.
Price alone does not decide what smells good on YOU.
An inexpensive fragrance may work beautifully.
An expensive one may not.
So I would change my old rule.
Do not ask:
IS IT CHEAP?
Ask:
DOES IT SMELL GOOD ON ME?
That is the test.
ALCOHOL IN FRAGRANCE
Many fragrances use alcohol because it helps carry and disperse the scent.
That is normal.
It evaporates quickly…
which helps the fragrance develop.
Some people with sensitive or dry skin may find alcohol-based products irritating.
Others have no problem at all.
Again:
KNOW YOURSELF.
If something causes irritation…
stop using it.
Your skin gets a vote.
ASK SOMEBODY WHO WILL TELL THE TRUTH
Here is where outside feedback becomes valuable.
You can become accustomed to your own fragrance.
That makes it harder to judge how strong it is.
So ask somebody you trust:
TOO MUCH?
TOO LITTLE?
GOOD?
NOT GOOD?
And then add:
TELL ME THE TRUTH.
LOL.
Otherwise you have wasted everybody’s time.
A trustworthy nose is valuable.
THE WITCHES BREW
Now consider this combination:
soap,
shampoo,
conditioner,
deodorant,
lotion,
hair product,
mouth freshener,
perfume or cologne.
Each one smells fine alone.
Put them all together?
Maybe.
Maybe not.
You can accidentally create:
EAU DE DEPARTMENT STORE.
LOL.
The answer?
Simplify.
Let one scent lead.
Let the others stay quieter.
That usually works better.
YOUR CLOTHES ARE PART OF THE EQUATION
Laundry detergent.
Fabric softener.
Closet smells.
Smoke.
Cooking odors.
Pets.
Car interiors.
These can all cling to clothing.
So sometimes the smell you are trying to correct…
is not YOU.
It is what you are wearing.
That is another reason spraying more fragrance may not fix it.
Find the source.
Then deal with the source.
Personal scent should not become crime scene investigation…
but sometimes we need to follow the evidence.
LOL.
WORTH NOTING
I have been told many times over the years that I smell good.
That told me something.
I had found a combination that worked for ME.
That does not mean everybody should copy it.
That is not the point.
The point is:
SELF-AWARENESS.
If people consistently respond positively…
you probably found something that works.
If people consistently take one step backward…
we may need to revisit the formula.
LOL.
MEMORABLE IN THE RIGHT WAY
Scent becomes part of presentation.
Just like:
being on time,
posture,
voice,
manners,
clothing,
eye contact.
None of these alone makes the person.
But together…
they create an impression.
And impressions become memory.
You do not need to obsess over any of this.
Just become aware.
That is enough.
MEN AND WOMEN BOTH BENEFIT
A pleasing scent is not owned by either gender.
A man who smells clean and pleasant is memorable.
A woman who wears fragrance well can be equally memorable.
But again…
the operative word is:
PLEASANT.
Not overpowering.
There is a difference between:
PRESENCE
and
INVASION.
LOL.
THE BEST SMELL MAY BE CLEAN
Here is another thought.
Sometimes the best smell is simply:
CLEAN.
Fresh shower.
Clean clothing.
Fresh hair.
Good hygiene.
No heavy fragrance required.
Perfume and cologne should be additions…
not rescue operations.
LOL.
If the foundation is good…
the fragrance becomes the finishing touch.
SELF-AWARENESS CONTINUES
Once you have this area reasonably handled…
move on.
Posture.
Speech.
Mannerisms.
Listening.
Dress.
Manners.
These are not attempts to become fake.
They are attempts to become more aware of how you move through the world.
There is always something to refine.
Not because something is wrong with you.
Because awareness gives you options.
RICHIE SPEAKS
Here is one Richie rule:
If people can smell you before they can see you…
BACK OFF THE BOTTLE.
LOL.
Another:
A good fragrance should introduce itself quietly.
And one more:
Perfume and cologne should complement YOU…
not replace you.
PEARLS FROM THE BOOKS
From the spirit of Pearls for the Soul:
“The smallest details of presentation can become part of how others remember us.”
From the spirit of God I AM:
“Awareness begins when we notice what we bring into the space around us.”
From the spirit of It Is Finished:
“Release excess when excess begins covering what was already sufficient.”
PEARLS INSIGHT
Personal scent is influenced by many things:
natural body odor,
hygiene,
skin chemistry,
clothing,
environment,
and fragranced products.
Because people adapt to familiar smells, outside feedback can be useful in judging whether a fragrance is pleasant or overpowering.
The practical rule is simple:
clean first…
fragrance second…
moderation always.
PEARLS CONNECTION
This connects directly with IF YOU SMELLED AND HAD AN ATTITUDE, WOULD YOU WANT TO KNOW?
Self-awareness sometimes requires feedback we may not naturally give ourselves.
It also connects with CREDIBILITY…THE CROWN JEWEL OF BELIEVABILITY.
How we present ourselves influences first impressions.
And THE LITTLE THINGS MATTER…INTIMACY RESIDES THERE reminds us that small details often carry more influence than we realize.
FINAL SAY
Everybody smells.
That is life.
So if you are going to smell…
SMELL GOOD.
LOL.
Clean first.
Choose carefully.
Use less than you think you need.
Let the scent work WITH you.
Ask somebody trustworthy if you are unsure.
And remember:
you are still the main event.
The fragrance is only background music.
If the perfume enters the room before you do…
turn the volume down.
If someone gets close and quietly thinks:
THAT PERSON SMELLS GOOD…
mission accomplished.
Then move on to the next part of self-awareness.
There is always another little thing worth improving.
— Richie
Pearls for the Soul
when you feed the soul, you feed everything.
https://pearlsforthesoul.com
Been expecting you